After a competitive afternoon of tryouts that included a tie-breaker round, the drum majors for The Ohio State University Marching Band will continue in their positions for the 2017 season.

John LaVange, a rising fourth-year student majoring in finance, remains head drum major, and Konner Barr, a rising third-year student majoring in communication, remains assistant drum major.

LaVange, Barr and four members of D-Row, the band’s drum major training squad, competed on April 22 outside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in front of hundreds of family members, friends and fans.

Each candidate performed the traditional pregame ramp entrance (including the high strut from the north side of the field and the backbend), an individual twirling routine set to music and a series of five high aerial tosses. Adjudicators included the Marching Band directing staff and previous drum majors, and student musicians from the spring Athletic Band and 2016 Marching Band provided the musical accompaniment.

The results were tabulated after the six candidates performed, resulting in a statistical tie between LaVange and Barr. The two then repeated their ramp entrance and twirling routines, and, after a second round of tabulation, LaVange and Barr were named drum major and assistant drum major, respectively.

Read more on the College of Arts and Sciences website.