- April 4, 2025
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Lakewood Ranch High School's Haven McKitterick, Max Rizzo, Shaylin Sapanski and Frankie Gnad enjoy a ride on a riverboat.
Courtesy PhotoLakewood Ranch High School senior Jasmine Burden spends time with her parents, Joanne and Greg Burden, on a riverboat during the band's trip to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl.
Courtesy PhotoLakewood Ranch High School's Nate VanPeenen, Kyle Honaker, Alex Malbran and Brian McCoy will perform with the Marching Mustangs and bands from across the country at the Sugar Bowl.
Courtesy PhotoLakewood Ranch High School's Josh Stubbins, Tyler Patten and Will McGee are ready to practice for the half time show at the Sugar Bowl.
Courtesy PhotoLakewood Ranch High School's Carlin Gillen, Lucia DeVictor, Emmorie Lawrence, Ava Filewich and Sarisa Ranajee have the opportunity to perform with other high school bands from across the country during half time at the Sugar Bowl.
Courtesy PhotoLakewood Ranch High School color guard members Jasmine Burden, Hailey Jensen, Maddie Shirley, Riley McGee, Max Rizzo, Amme Cook, Alyssa Soria and Mattison McKenna can't wait to take the field.
Courtesy PhotoSimi Ranajee, her daughter Sarisa Ranajee and her husband, Nav Ranajee, are excited to be at the Sugar Bowl. Sarisa Ranajee performed during half time with the Lakewood Ranch High School Marching Mustangs.
Courtesy PhotoLakewood Ranch High School's Riley McGee, a member of the band's color guard, is excited to be in the University of Alabama's end zone. The University of Alabama is McGee's dream college.
Courtesy PhotoLakewood Ranch High School tuba players Nate Van Peenen, Brian McCoy, Alex Malbran and Kyle Honaker are ready to perform during the Sugar Bowl parade. The parade was just one of the many activities students participated in during the band's trip to New Orleans.
Courtesy PhotoLakewood Ranch High School's Jasmine Burden, Bryce Brielmann and Amme Cook lead the Marching Mustangs in the parade. The marching band performed in the Sugar Bowl parade and half time show.
Courtesy PhotoLakewood Ranch High School's Marching Mustangs make their way through the parade route in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Courtesy PhotoLakewood Ranch High School drum line members are ready to march in the Sugar Bowl parade.
Courtesy PhotoRiley McGee, a member of the Lakewood Ranch High School color guard, couldn't have been more thrilled with where she was standing.
The Marching Mustangs were performing at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Dec. 31 and below their feet in the end zone was written, "Alabama."
McGee's dream school is the University of Alabama, which eventually hammered Kansas State 45-20.
Being able to perform at the Sugar Bowl with the Marching Mustangs gave her the opportunity to meet the University of Alabama band members.
She wasn't the only Mustang thrilled with their trip to New Orleans from Dec. 28 to Jan. 1.
"I thought everybody had a great time," said John Schindler, the director of the Marching Mustangs. "It was a really nice experience."
Schindler said his favorite part of the trip was when the band performed alongside 11 other bands from across the country during the Sugar Bowl's halftime show.
"It was neat to see the look on (students') faces when they went down on the field of that big stadium to perform in front of 60,000 people," Schindler said.
Besides performing at halftime, the band also performed in the Sugar Bowl parade Dec. 30.
Students were able to meet and interact with students from other high schools and the university bands during rehearsals and at the game.
The band enjoyed a dinner cruise on the Mississippi River, and students visited historical areas of the city such as Jackson Square and Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.
Throughout their trip, students were able to listen to live bands perform.
"The night we got there after traveling all day, we had dinner at Mulates and there was a cajun band that played for us," Schindler said. "It was a different type of music than they're used to hearing. It was neat to see them engage with that. Some of them got up and danced."
