(This article was written by Lisa Campos and was featured in the December 2024 issue of Explore Harlingen Magazine.)
For many students, being part of their high school band is a highlight of their academic career. Band members often bond over their shared passion for music, forming strong relationships that can last a lifetime. (I played alto saxophone for the Harlingen High School [HHS] Big Red Cardinal Band (BRCB) in the late 1980s, and I am still close with several of my bandmates.)
The BRCB announced earlier this year that it would be celebrating its centennial (100th) anniversary in 2024 and put out a call for alumni to participate. A special performance was planned for the Battle of the Arroyo, the last home football game of the season on November 8.
The Battle of the Arroyo is an annual rivalry football game between the Harlingen Cardinals and the San Benito Greyhounds. Although the Cardinals fell to the Greyhounds, 14-22, in front of a crowd of 15,000 people, there was still much to celebrate with the reunion of nearly 200 band alumni.
Gerry Fleuriet, HHS Class of 1961 and retired Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District board member, was the most senior alumnus in attendance who happily played the cymbals in the percussion section.
Eliza Salazar, color guard for HHS Class of 2007, performed alongside her daughter, a junior at HHS who is currently in the color guard, following in her mother’s footsteps.
Patricia Cantu-Barrios stated that she had four family members marching at the game: a grandson, grandmother, grandaunt, and a great-great grandaunt, illustrating how the Cardinal spirit can run deep across generations.
Approximately 175 BRCB alumni stepped forward to be part of the momentous occasion. They performed crowd favorites such as Land of a Thousand Dances, September, Hey Baby, and of course, the HHS Alma Mater and Fight Song.
Photos courtesy of Brandon Cole Perez and Jaime Luna.
Comments