The Montezuma-Cortez Marching Panthers on Monday placed fourth in the 2017 Class 2A state finals.
The Classical Academy won the competition with a score of 72.65, followed by D’Evelyn High School at 72.30 and Englewood High School at 68.95. Montezuma-Cortez was fourth, at 66.30. Eaton, Elizabeth and Alameda high schools completed the field.
Last year, Montezuma-Cortez High School finished second behind D’Evelyn, and the Classical Academy and Englewood rounded out the Top 4.
The Panthers took the field Monday afternoon in Parker’s Echo Park Automotive Stadium for a weather-delayed performance as the temperature dropped below freezing.
The M-CHS Marching Panthers got to the state finals by winning the 2017 Colorado Bandmasters Association Regional State Qualifier competition in Grand Junction on Oct. 19.
The popular band, which received a police escort out of Cortez on Sunday morning, played a Community Appreciation Concert at Panther Stadium on Saturday.