For the first time in 22 years, Opp High School’s Marching Black and Gold will see a new band director take the helm.

But it’s a familiar face to Covington County and to Marching Black and Gold members.

Straughn alum Dillon Worley, who has spent the last three years working to improve a Kinston band program in its infancy, accepted the director’s job.

Worley said he had the opportunity to work under long-time OHS band director Randy Hughey, who retired at the end of the school year, during his student teaching internship in 2013.

From a young age, band has run deep through Worley’s veins.

“I’ve always had a knack for it,” he said. “My sister is almost 11 years older than me, and she was in the band. I grew up sitting with the band.”

He was a member of the Straughn High School Sound of Gold and went on to Troy University where he studied music education and was in the famous Sound of the South Marching band for three years and the symphony band for three semesters.

“I decided to keep going with it,” he said.

More recently, Worley said he has worked with the OHS color guard and their sponsor on routines.

He called the OHS band director spot a “good opportunity.”

“It’s a big program,” he said. “I’m really excited. I’ll have a little more wiggle room and I’ll be working with a great program.”

Worley said he’s excited to take on the Little Big Horn marching band competition. The competition is in its 36th year and is held each October at Channell-Lee Stadium.

The festival draws more than 4,000 people to the stadium.

“Those were big selling points,” she said. “I would like to see it grow back to where there are over 20 bands competing.”

Worley said they held a meet and greet this week and summer rehearsals will kick off next week.

He is married to Anna Worley and they have one daughter, Ella-Kate, 2.