By Barbara Heninger

Isaac Giron, center, snagged the top award for drum majors in his vampire’s cape.

The Mountain View High School Spartan Marching Band marched away with top honors and six other trophies at the Foothill Band Review in Pleasanton Oct. 22.

The Spartans won the Parade and Field Show Champion Grand Sweepstakes Award, given to the band with the most points in the parade and field events. More than 45 high school bands participated in the review, hosted by the Foothill High School Marching Band in Pleasanton.

“We were so happy, we all rushed the wrong trophies,” said saxophonist Steven Frey.

The early-evening crowd at the daylong event cheered the Spartans’ dramatic field show, “Midnight in Transylvania,” when color guard members dressed as vampires jumped out of coffins carried by band members. Drum majors Isaac Giron, Jordan Haedtler and Karin Fujii led the show.

The band earned First Place Parade Class B, First Place Auxiliary (Color Guard) Class B, Second Place Field Show Class I, Fourth Place Wind Section Class I and the Parade and Field Show Drum Major Sweepstakes.

Giron, 16, who won First Place Parade Drum Major, Open Style, said he felt “disbelief, amazement, then joy” when he heard his sweepstakes award announced.

Band directors Robin Kramer and Adam Beck received a special plaque commemorating the school’s 30th year of participation in the event.

Spartan band members were wildly excited when the awards were announced. “What’s so inspirational is watching thousands of kids all working hard to perform as a team. It makes me happy,” Kramer said.

Parent volunteers sew costumes, clean uniforms, build props and haul food and equipment. Volunteer Linda Dotson, whose son Andy Forster plays clarinet in the band, oversees the care of uniforms. “I thought it was fantastic,” she said after the competition. “I always feel like I’ve won, too.”