UPPER DARBY — The Upper Darby High School Marching Royals recently took first place in the USBands A Class National Championships, held at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown.

The Royals won the top honors out of the 34 bands in total: 1A, 1AA, 4A and 5A bands performed.

The Upper Darby Marching Band’s field show was titled “Cleopatra: Reign and Ruin,” with music by Randall Standridge and field drill by Ed Otto. Percussion design was by Patrick Horan and Hasan Haque. The show followed the rise and fall of Egypt’s famous last pharoah, Cleopatra.

The band earned a 92.0 score, winning the 5A National Championship, and earned the Best Overall Effect and High Percussion Caption Awards.

The band is under the direction of C. Douglas Ballard, Upper Darby director of bands, and Mia Yocco, assis

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