The formula equated with getting to Carnegie Hall and scoring well in a band competition is no different: Practice. Practice. Practice.

The 28th Buckeye Classic Marching Band Competition was held on Saturday at Tanks Memorial Stadium and featured 16 schools vying for a slot in the state competition by earning a “superior” rating from the judges.

Portsmouth got the competition underway at 5 p.m. and was followed by River Valley.

The first Lawrence County school that took the field was the Vikings of Symmes Valley.

“We have spent a lot of time practicing for this,” Matt Jarvis, Symmes Valley band director, said. “We have summer band camp and we practice after school four days a week.”

One setback, Jarvis said, was his getting hired just two weeks before school started, which caused the length of summer band camp to get cut short.

The Million Dollar Band from Ironton does not compete in the event but was scheduled to perform an exhibition at 10 p.m. on Saturday.

The 16 bands competing were spread throughout four classes, which are C (smallest), B, A, and AA (largest).

“Ohio has a really good contest system,” Jarvis said. “The people who put them together and judge the contest know a lot about marching bands.”