The Heartbeat of Hillcrest Union: Hillcrest’s Homegrown Rock Band

If you’ve stepped into a home basketball game in Hillcrest Union lately, you probably heard them before you even saw them. Tucked into the corner of the stage is a group that is impossible to miss and even harder to ignore, our Pep Band. Don’t let the name fool you, this isn’t your average school ensemble, it’s essentially our own homegrown rock band.

The magic of the Pep Band comes from it’s unique roster. It’s a true community effort, bringing together the high energy of our high schoolers, the emerging talent of our middle school students, putting it all together under the guidance of lead guitarist and alum Marshall Schrock ’11.

For decades, the Pep Band has been a cornerstone of the Hillcrest home game experience. During team warm ups and halftime, they provide the soundtrack to our school spirit, turning every game into a high-energy celebration and creating presence that has become vital to our ‘home court advantage.’

2025-26 Pep Band members are Austin Hemachandra (6), Micah Kacmarynski (12), Payton Lunkley (10), Lawson Schrock (11), Emma Widmer (7), and Marshall Schrock ‘11