Leaderboard

It looks like Prosper has removed this from their calendar, but I’m not convinced that they won’t be going. We’ll see! Side note: It’s crazy cool to see groups like Friendswood, Argyle, and Bridgeland try their hand at Grand Nats. In the last 10 seasons, we’ve seen a slew of 12 first-time TX nats finalists: Round Rock (‘13), Cedar Ridge (‘13), Flower Mound (‘14), Hebron (‘15), Keller (‘15), Cedar Park (‘16), Prosper (‘18), Vandegrift (‘19), Vista Ridge (‘21), Southlake Carroll (‘22), Hendrickson (‘22), Pearland (‘23) The culture here in TX is crazy good, especially considering that many of these groups are relatively fresh on the scene. Looking ahead, I anticipate this list to grow by a name or two this season. I wonder who will follow after that!

cinco ranch 2024 show

Also New format for this year!- There will be two divisions for competitions: the Small School Division and the Large School Division. The top four small schools will advance to the finals, and the top 12 large schools will advance to the finals. (If a small school is in the top 12, it will have the opportunity to be placed within the large school or small school division for finals competition.

Well a new update has been made to the contest and this one adds another 6A band into the mix, and this could possibly shake up predictions!- New bands added- 3A- S&S Consolidated HS 6A- Rock Hill HS

Atleast we know bridgeland and cy fair are locks for state!😂

That's correct, and yes we did! It's insane how talented these kids are! While everyone waited in their "groups", you could see the kids shaking hands with schools on either side, and just chatting back and forth. It was so good to see that, as simple as it was. The support, encouragement, understanding, and compassion these kids have for each other, regardless of the team/school, is heartening and inspiring.

Cinco Ranch and Vandegrift 2024 show

Here are my predictions so far (I'm basing these predictions on last season's results, and other past results from the last few years): 1. Lone Star 2. Rock Hill (they could for sure be 1st but they seem to do better with the BOA scoring system over the UIL system and the UIL Area format is used for this contest) 3-4. Argyle/Lebanon Trail (very close at Area between these 2 last year) 5. McKinney 6. Lake Highlands 7. Lakeview Centennial 8. Lovejoy 9. Memorial 10. Garland 11. Independence 12. North Forney/Anna/Benton/Rowlett/Burleson/Celina (could be any of these schools) There are some schools that I don't know as much as others like Jasper, Benton, and some other schools, but once I find out more about them, I will revise these predictions, especially when the season gets closer.

Lone Star Preview is hosted by The Woodlands High School Band at the Woodforest Bank Stadium in Shenandoah TX. This year 2024 it will be October 12th! Registration is still open, but spots are filling up fast! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/TSGssVATPCbHe42D/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Forney’s is being revealed at Band Banquet on May 4th, I’ll post it once it gets announced!

I remember looking at those sheets and seeing a good 6 bands with the same score in one category lol

Area judges can be very funky sometimes, love the occasional, 1, 16, 7. 12, 3 for a bands ordinals.

Bridgeland is safe. Other than them, I don’t know that anyone is a “lock” with area judges and such a rapidly rising tide in West Houston. We’ll see!

Paetow has been growing steadily over the past few years so it possible.

I can’t really say I’m sold on Cinco’s show this year? It all depends on how they handle it.

Seeing some of these show reveals, coupled with the shows I know of that haven’t been revealed, this area will probably be a bigger shock than usual. -cinco seems to have gone 180° on design, who knows if that’ll be good for them or not -bridgeland just isn’t clicking yet for me.. I’ll say that it took a while for last year’s to jive too though. I just hope they’re not biting off more than they can chew -cy fair seems to have found their niche and stuck with it. I like their creative ideas that haven’t really been seen before in that capacity in hs bands in their echelon. -Jordan has a much more approachable show this year that’s really going to set them up for success. If they can get their visual program up to 2022 standards when they beat 7L in vis, I could see them turning heads…

I agree, I’m leaning more towards >1 new Texas finalist this year. Directly comparing Friendswood to some of last year’s finalists has me pretty confident in them, furthermore Argyle did beat fwood soooo

Per Region 24's recommended dates for next year, it appears that this contest will be held at Melissa's stadium. Interesting that they would go with a venue of another school that isn't even competing. I figured that they would've just went with Prosper or McKinley stadium due to shorter distance, but I guess this is also a fine stadium as well (5A Area B is being held here again after bouncing from stadium to stadium the last several years)

I'm so freaking excited for Vandergrift's show!! It feels like something more "alive" and modern almost, not that I hated their past show concepts, but it seems like a step, possibly with the new director change, in a new direction and I'm super excited to see this show!!

Jacob Mann Big Band "Hold Music" Giuseppe Verdi "Messa da Requiem" Georges Bizet "Farandole from L'Arlesienne" Katrina and the Waves “Walking on Sunshine" Simon and Garfunkel "The Sound of Silence”

North Forney just revealed theirs today.

Nice!! No worries about the reply time. Yall had some pretty tough competition in scholastic open I believe it is.

anybody know if twhs world is keeping their normal schedule and attending Dayton again next yr? looking forward to seeing what they look like at close to "max power" w/ that first group of McCullough girls becoming seniors. watching the retreat, looks like only 8 of the 32 world members were seniors this season. i know most of their weapon ppl were juniors and younger. girl doing the front walkover is i think a sophomore. they should start guard programs at the intermediate schools!!! lol. focus on dance!! also i want to see Code Black revived, funnel in the tw girls who are sticking around the Houston area after graduation + other top performers in the area. Code Green!!! lol. Houston needs an IW guard that can last.

So, for those unaware, Area C kinda just got turned inside out. With the creation of the new Area J, the bands from regions 2, 24, and 25 are no longer in Area C, and now compete in Area J. This means Hebron, marcus, Flomo, Wylie, Wylie East (my school), Prosper, Allen, Plano isd, etc are no longer in Area C. The main Area C competitors in the new allignment are Waxahachie, the Forneys, the Rockwalls, and Berkner to name a few! The conditions in Area J are pretty unique, so i recommend checking out that topic! Happy marching😊!

From the TMEA: https://align.tmea.org/align_2426/index.php

I remember that so well! I had left the Alamodome as soon as prelims ended so I could jump back in line for finals and grab a good seat. I’ll never forget seeing the Round Rock band kids running out of the stadium in the doors beside where I was standing, and they were absolutely and literally jumping in the air for joy! It was powerful to see how ecstatic they were and everyone around me was as touched and moved as I was by the pure emotion of it all. I definitely cried a little bit watching that! So happy for those kids. ♥️♥️

I remember when Round Rock didn't make BOA Austin Finals that year. People automatically started writing them off of National Finals. So happy that RR proved everyone wrong!

Round Rock surprised a few when they came back and made both San Antonio and national finals in 2019 after missing early season in Austin. An incredible recovery given many people counted them out early after that. To this day I think they were always capable, just a dirty run and an undeveloped show in prelims on the morning of Austin. They would have been in finals in Austin today given the expansion to 12 bands.

It is official- UIL Area B is regions 5, 30, and 31. Waxahachie and Duncanville are no longer in this area. Cedar Hill Mansfield Legacy Lake Ridge Arlington Bowie Houston Lamar Martin Grand Prairie South Grand Prairie LD Bell Trinity Southlake Carroll Keller Keller Central Timber Creek Haltom Boswell Weatherford Crowley North Crowley This is 22 schools- it looks like there will be a maximum of only 4 bands to state from this area, which means the bloodbath continues (and is honestly probably worse) between Keller, Timber Creek, Bell, Coppell, Keller Central, and Southlake. Not to mention Haltom, who qualified to the state contest last year.