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I'm surprised the Scholastic Open class scores in Texas are as low as they are after prelims. Westlake's score at San Antonio dropped from 2 weeks ago. And the highest scoring guard at Dallas (Choctaw, who I didn't even watch!) scored just over 80. I gotta say, after watching the Pennsylvania SO guards, the Dallas judges might want to think about increasing those scores significantly in finals. I'd have the top SO guards I saw at Dallas higher than the top SO guards at Pennsylvania. I mean, that hokey Somerville rodeo show scored higher than all the guards at Dallas. That earns a big 'ol "Huh?!!" from me, although I understand it's two completely different panels at two completely different contests. But the scores are supposed to be comparable, given the national seeding process.

I agree completely. Perhaps there needs to be an Independent Amusement class added. I would love to create a guard of 50 year olds and up just for entertainment value. 😂

My momma always said…😂 Anyway, correct me if I’m wrong but my understanding is that Independent World is the only classification that has no age limit right? So if that’s the case and you want to be in an Independent guard at 35 years of age, your only option is an IW guard. And if you want to create a guard for all ages, you are then stuck in this IW classification whether you deserve to be there or not. Am I totally wrong about that? Are there age restrictions on IA and IO or no?

Well, the good news is that Friendswood, Southlake Carroll, and Clear Brook will shoot right up to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in the national standings. The bad news is that I think pretty much all of the Scholastic Open guards in Texas will drop a bit. Hopefully they can turn it around at Dayton!

This 50-year old former guard girl would totally sign up for that! Just put me in bubble wrap so I don’t bust a hip 😂

imma say the more concerning thing is the fact that for the 2nd yr in a row we've got a missouri guard in IW that has no business being in that class. there's gotta be a human interest angle to all of this right? riiiiight?!!! like they're all cancer patients or something and this is a make-a-wish performance. or all the performers are like homeless and living in shelters. gotta be somethin other than pure delusion. hahahaha.

Maybe just a little early yet. For me, I'm more into WGI right now and starting to think about DCI. Trying to manage my obsessions!

McKinney and Southmoore make me cry. I may feature them on the On a Water Break podcast this week. 🥹

Oh and the next level (12/14) is called Mentor.

Completely agree! Thats definitely my favorite show of the day!

Coppell: OMG!!! I am just so in love with this show, and OH BOY did they execute that well! I would be so surprised if that doesn't 80. I mean wow wow wow!!! I need to see that again! Those girls just absolutely killed it!

This show is SO GOOD!!!!! I think it’s even World Class worthy. I bet we see them move up in a season or two if they stay on this current trajectory.

Just wait til you advance to the next level that I'm on. I got 3,122 points til next advancement.

Also, I just noticed that TxBands considers me currently at an “experienced” level and they say I’m 871 points away from reaching the next level. I can’t wait to see what the next level is called!! 🤣 “Geriatric”??

🤣🤣🤣 I was thinking more along the lines of the Golden Girls and making it hilarious. 😁

From my perspective, you're just a pup. People would pay to NOT watch people my age. Heck, I'd pay not to watch people my age perform...

Wow Clear Brook, just wow! Such a powerful show, and they were so clean!!! I’d be very surprised if there score doesn’t good up a decent amount, bc that was outstanding!

Jenks HS Varsity: I am SO in love with this show!!! The beginning is so fun to watch, and the way the use In the Mood feels like I'm listening to it if it was in like in action trailer or something, but they did great! I counted 0 drops, which makes me feel like they may score a little higher, but it wasn't super difficult overall. Had it's moments though, loved that so much!

A Make-A-Wish Foundation performance. Christ, I'm still laughing at that. 😂 Now every time I see some horribly misclassed guard, I'm going to think of that. "Oh, they must be cancer patients!" I think the guard probably would have been scored a 100 in exhibition had that been the case. 😂

Oh, I'd audition in a heartbeat!

I recall the flag being tossed as the window came down. I don't remember how it was caught though!

That's a fair point. It's 22 years in IA and 23 years in IO. But I also think a director needs to be honest with himself about his ability to recruit at the world class level before assembling a guard that will be forced to compete in IW. That's especially true if you're advertising your guard to potential members as a true ✨World Class✨ experience.

Had some unexpected plans pop up today, but I definitely WILL be watching finals tomorrow! Can't wait, and good luck to all the groups here and at San Antonio tomorrow!

Did you see the train close down over the guard just as a flag was tossed from outside the train, and someone inside it caught that sucker AFTER the train window came down over them?! 😱😱

Here’s the Sunday’s finals schedule for Dallas along with the score the group made in prelims. Scholastic Regional A:9:00 AM - North Garland HS (75.96)9:07 AM - Prosper HS JV (77.380)Independent Regional A:9:14 AM - PC North West Original (76.00)Scholastic A:9:26 AM - Vista Ridge HS (79.730)9:34 AM - Jenks HS (80.620)9:42 AM - Hebron HS (80.910)9:50 AM - The Colony HS (81.680)9:58 AM - Rock Hill HS (82.840)10:06 AM - Wylie HS (83.600)10:14 AM - Grand Oaks HS (84.150)10:22 AM - Pebble Hills HS (84.340)10:30 AM - Keller Central HS (84.440)10:38 AM - Burleson Centennial HS (84.460)10:46 AM - Mount Pleasant HS (84.890)10:54 AM - Clear Brook HS (85.890)11:02 AM - Timber Creek HS (86.00)11:10 AM - Southlake Carroll HS (87.080)11:18 AM - Friendswood HS (87.100)Independent A:11:35 AM - Future Independent Winterguard (72.530)11:43 AM - Eagle Mountain Independent (78.350)11:51 AM - Zephyrus Independent Winter Guard (79.970)Scholastic Open:12:45 PM - Cy-Fair HS (73.000)12:54 PM - McNeil HS (74.900)1:03 PM - McKinney HS (75.500)1:12 PM - Southmoore HS (76.200)1:21 PM - Little Elm HS (78.500)1:30 PM - Coppell HS (78.700)1:39 PM - James Bowie HS (78.800)1:48 PM - Marcus HS (80.000)1:57 PM - Choctaw HS (80.500)Independent Open:2:06 PM - Redemption Guard (73.800)2:15 PM - Black Gold Open (75.100)2:24 PM - Undaunted (78.000)2:33 PM - Glory Independent (81.900)Scholastic World:2:55 PM - Flower Mound HS (76.400)Independent World:3:05 PM - Third Coast Independent (74.500)3:15 PM - Invictus (81.000)3:25 PM - Mirage (85.200)3:35 PM - ORIGINS (85.600)

I’m still catching up!!

Not at all surprised to see Friendswood shoot way up into first place after that performance. The execution has finally matched the content, which had already won over the judges at previous contests. This is the first performance from them I've seen this season where I've thought the training supported the vocabulary. Night and day difference. Coppell has the pop concert show to end all pop concert shows. Would I listen to this music in my own free time? No, not at all, but it works so well in a fun, high energy show. I'm sure the kids love hearing all this K-pop stuff. The set design is magnificent, with the backstage purple lights cast onto the floor, plus the almost 90s Spice Girls-style shiny silver costuming, like they've descended from space. And of course the camera guy is just such a clever touch. As for these girls' skills? They slayed! Marcus was also wonderful. Is that music by Jewel? The voice sounds so familiar -- that kind of growly lower register. This is another elaborate set, with them recreating, I think, a New York train station, albeit a bit cleaner than the ones you'll see in real life! Really clean performance with great expressive qualities throughout. Over at the Pennsylvania event, I found myself loving both Fusion and Blessed Sacrament. Fantastic performances with some really interesting staging. I love the fake-out endings in Fusion and the overall groovy vibe. It's also not quite like anything I've seen before. Wonderful choreo. Sacrament was a visual jazz riff with spectacular skills. As fabulous as usual. AMP is going to be a fan favorite again. Super fun, theatrical, high energy performance. They seem to be carving out a niche for themselves by doing shows you've seen a hundred times before, but taking them to another level.