The Ben Davis Marching Giants moved up five places in the Indiana State School Music Association’s marching band state championship.

The band finished fifth in the Class A competition Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Downtown Indianapolis — after placing 10th in 2008.

“We were pretty thrilled with how we finished,” said David Cole, associate band director. “We’re a pretty young band. To rise up to fifth place, we’re pretty proud of where they’ve come all year.”

About half of the band’s 230 members are new this year, Cole said, but plans for this year’s program have come together.

“We have an amazing group of kids and great junior and senior leadership in the band,” Cole said. “We’re seeing things blossom.”

Top finishers in Class A, which comprises the largest high schools, included Avon in first, Lawrence Central in second and Center Grove in third.

Forty bands competed in four classes based on school size.

Other area bands competing in the state championship were Greenwood, which finished second in Class B; Plainfield, sixth in Class B; Beech Grove, fifth in Class C; and Monrovia, fourth in Class D.

Ben Davis’ show, “The Silk Road,” took the audience on a tour of East Asia.

Parents David and Meshella Martin experienced the band competition for the first time this year. They moved from Greencastle, and their daughter Sarah joined the band as a clarinet player.

“They’ve done very, very well this season,” David Martin said.

The Martins have enjoyed watching as the show changed from week to week in preparation for the larger competition.

“We’ve not been intimidated by it,” Meshella said. “We just sit back and enjoy it. It’s wonderful.”

One Marching Giant, Jordon Schell, also was honored Tuesday when he was named one of 97 members of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl band. He will play with the band at a football bowl game in January in San Antonio.

The next competition for Ben Davis is the Bands of America regional competition on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium, followed by the National Championship at the same site Nov. 11-14.

“Between now and then, we’ll nail down some loose ends,” Cole said. “That competition is raising the bar to the next level.”

Avon, Carmel, Center Grove and Lawrence Central will join Ben Davis in the regional. Those bands and Monrovia will be in the nationals. Avon won the national title last year, with Lawrence Central taking third, Carmel fifth and Ben Davis 10th.