Again.

For the third time in five years, the Red Raiders claimed a New York State Field Band Competition title, defeating nine other bands Sunday in Large School 2 at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.

Jamestown’s score was a season-best 89.900, which gave it a sizeable lead over Horseheads and Huntington, which tied for second at 86.750.

“We’re still processing it right now, to be honest,” said director Meghan Murray early Sunday evening. “We didn’t know what to expect. We’d been scoring well at (competitions) on our side of the state, but there were a couple of bands at the other side of the state who were doing well, and this was the first opportunity we had to compete against all of them.”

Pictured, from left, are Autumn Osborne, Dylan Lydell, Kendra Nickerson, Carley Westphal, Brooke Soldano. Lydell and Westphal are drum majors. Osborne, Nickerson and Soldano are color guard captains. Submitted photo

Performing “Canon,” the 108-member band, including color guard, entered yesterday having won its five previous competitions this fall. The band members, who are in grades 8-12, didn’t disappoint on the state’s biggest stage as they joined JHS champions in 1991, 2002, 2014 and 2015. Interestingly, many of the 22 seniors in this year’s band were part of the last three state champs.

“They did great,” said Murray, who is in her 13th year as director. “They couldn’t have had a better performance.”

Much of the success of the program, Murray noted, is rooted in the commitment of the band members, the staff and the community.

“Number one, I think our kids get an understanding what hard work can accomplish,” Murray said. “I was telling them (Saturday) that I could remember the first rehearsal in June and what they did on the field. The amount of change that happens in a short few months is unbelievable. If they can take anything away from what they’ve learned, it will be the benefits of working hard.”

The hard work was reflected in the final results as a three-point victory in marching band competitions is a sizeable one.

The Marching Band pictured after the competition. Submitted photo

“The scores leading up to ours were so close to each other,” Murray said. “We were all getting nervous. When they read our score it kind of shocked us.”

She added: “It was a pretty simple show, but the music was outstanding and the color guard was outstanding, and that’s what set us apart.”

While Murray said winning a state title isn’t everything, she did admit that “it sure validates what we’re doing and (reminds the band members) that if they work hard they’ll be rewarded.”

The band will see that hard work rewarded in another way upon its return to Jefferson School about 5 p.m. today. It’s likely that the teenagers and staff will be met by quite a community welcoming committee.

“In a town like ours, which is so small and close knit, it’s extra special because so many have a hand in it,” Murray said.

Another area high school band also competed at the Carrier Dome on Sunday. Falconer-Frewsburg finished eighth in Small School 3 with a score of 71.300.