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On a brighter note from a Richland Band Parent/Volunteer since 2007 an observation from one of our Parent/Volunteer: I want to share something incredible with you! In state finals over the past 3 years, I have been Blue Crew, box truck driver, chaperone, section parent, and lots of other things in between. However yesterday, WE were the recipient of PRAISE. The Front Ensemble was coming off the field with our equipment and scrims in the state finals and the Lone Star band was clapping and cheering for us at the exit, as they were waiting to enter the field for their performance. Telling us great job band! Good job prop crew! Etc. Does it change our performance? No. Did it cost them anything? No. Did it give me an AMAZING PERCEPTION of Lone Star? YES!!! That’s what good sportsmanship is all about! I loved seeing their example! I have done some of this in the past for other bands, but I’m going to do better at every football game, contest, and every representation of RHS Band going forward. We Are Richland Band and we are AWESOME! We can encourage the other bands competing with us!

Alright, let's get you back to bed.

Wanted to reflect on what I said last night. As many people are saying, while pass results do you have some implications, each run is its own thing and at this level, you have to remember that you’re bringing in more bands, which is something I didn’t have in mind when making my comments. And to be honest, there have been many times where I’ve watched live, but I’ve heard that in person it’s completely different. And at the end of the day, I’m just another enjoyer of this activity, and while we might disagree with results, each band gave it their all and should be proud of their season. Super excited for this afternoon to see these bands final runs.

Hello Band World! Last night was tough for so many. As a proud mom of Lone Star kids — and a chaperone who helped dry some of those tears — I saw firsthand how deeply our students felt it. But I also know we weren’t alone. Many incredible bands with amazing track records felt that same heartbreak. Today, though, is about resilience. It’s not about placement (though that would be nice!) — it’s about heart, grit, and the love of performing. Today’s performance is for every band — those who achieved their goals and those who came up just short. Because today, we stand together in the spirit of never stop believing. If you’re able, come celebrate all bands, and maybe lift up Lone Star with some extra cheers. Let’s make today about the journey, the growth, and the music that brings us all together. thank you to all the kind words and productive suggestions.

This competition is so freaking hard. Our final high schooler is a Reagan Senior mello, and we landed in our annual 7th spot. Super humbled to have made it to state finals again, albeit for the final time. Our program has never finished higher than 5th, and we thought we had a shot this year. However, when you look, feel, and hear these other bands, they are worthy of their accolades. So. Very. Impressive. What's wild is when you stop and think about it, it sometimes feels like we are David to Goliath (FloMo, Hebron, Marcus, Vandy, TWHS, VR). You can start to feel kind of bad about it, but then you realize, and appreciate, that you are the Goliath to other David's. We have a great program. You all have great programs. I am non-musical so I don't know my Euphonium from a hole in the ground, and could never comment about who deserves what. Our bands are amazing. These kids are amazing (tired, full of takis and hot fries, and somewhat smelly), but they give it all, and that is easy to get behind and support. Go Band. Two more contests in the hopper before we hang up our show shirts after 8 marvelous years (2013-2016, 2023-2026)!

Sunday, November 16, 2025 An Open Letter to My Daughter and the Flower Mound Marching Band To the incredible students, parents, and staff of the Flower Mound Marching Band, First, let me say this: I am so proud of you. Proud beyond words, beyond trophies, beyond rankings. What you have accomplished this season is nothing short of extraordinary. You reached the highest levels of competition in the nation—a stage where only the best dare to stand. That alone speaks volumes about your talent, your dedication, and your relentless pursuit of excellence. As you make your journey home, remember that this year, you didn’t just compete—you dominated. You earned victories at BOA Mid-Regional, Super Regionals, and UIL contests, proving time and again that Flower Mound is a force of excellence. These achievements are monumental, and they reflect the heart and soul you pour into every rehearsal, every performance, every note. Yes, the results of Grand Nationals were hard to swallow. It's alright to linger here for just a moment in the raw ache of it – facing that sharp sting of what should have been - because pretending it doesn’t hurt would dishonor the fire you’ve all poured into this. It does hurt. It’s okay to let that soreness settle, to rage a little at the unfairness, to wonder “why not us?” in the dark hours. I’ve seen your faces—my daughter’s, etched with the quiet/not-so-quiet fury of someone who gave everything; my bandmates’, streaked with sweat and unshed tears; our parents’, lined with the exhaustion of endless drop-off/pickups and midnight rehearsals; our staff’s, shadowed by the weight of guiding stars toward a sky that sometimes feels rigged. We lost. And that truth is a bruise we carry together. Many of us believe the outcome was unfair, the scores that didn’t add up, the whispers of bias hanging in the air like a sour note, the collective gasp from a nation of watchers who saw what we saw: your precision carving through the night like a comet’s tail, your visuals painting stories that tugged at heartstrings we didn’t even know were there, your music wrapping around us like a warm embrace on a chilly November evening. Flower Mound didn’t just perform—you transcended. And in the quiet aftermath, as the lights dimmed and the confetti fell for another, the world murmured what our hearts screamed: you should have held that trophy high. But here’s the truth: no panel of judges, no score sheet, no trophy defines your worth. You are champions—not because someone hands you an award, but because you carry the mindset of a champion. And that mindset will stay with you for life. Being a champion is not about a single victory. It’s about resilience. It’s about getting up when life knocks you down. It’s about fighting for what you believe in, even when the odds seem stacked against you. Sometimes hard work brings success. Sometimes luck plays a role. And sometimes, even when you get everything right, the outcome isn’t what you hoped for. Every challenge strengthens character. Every setback makes you stronger. Every scar becomes a story of perseverance. I’ll never forget the first time I truly understood what you took part in. It was the night parents were invited to preview your performance. I walked in expecting something good—but what I saw left me stunned. I was shocked, amazed, and had to fight to hold back tears. That same emotion returned when I watched you perform at Grand Nationals. It was a feeling I’ve never had watching any other band program. And to be fair, maybe bias played a part—but that doesn’t change the truth: what you created was breathtaking. This year, you showed the world what a class act looks like. We congratulate Avon High School on their win—because that’s what champions do. And Flower Mound? You are the definition of grace, strength, and unity. You didn’t just perform—you inspired. You reminded us all that the journey matters more than the destination. The reason we invest time, money, and effort into this program isn’t for a trophy. It’s for life experiences—the kind that shape who you are and who you will become. Marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade last year, performing at Grand Nationals this year—these are moments that will live in your hearts forever. Like those Picasso paintings, they are part of the mosaic of your life, forming the foundation of your future. To the parents and staff: thank you for your sacrifices, your time, and your unwavering support. You are the backbone of this program. From early mornings to late nights, from fundraising to logistics, from encouragement to mentorship—you make these dreams possible. Your love and dedication have created an environment where excellence thrives, and for that, we are forever grateful. To the students: you are gifted beyond measure. You are blessed with talent, drive, and courage. And we, as parents, are blessed to witness your growth. I love you, and I cannot wait to see what you achieve—not just in music, but in education, friendships, love, family, career, and the legacy you will leave behind. Carry this mindset with you because this weekend you proved it: you are champions, always. Live like it, and you will win—not just on the field, but in every facet of life. And never forget the words that define your school: “A world-class school educating tomorrow’s leaders.” You are those leaders. You’ve proven it already. “Champions keep playing until they get it right.” – Billie Jean King With pride and admiration (…and you’re relieved of dish-duty - but just tonight 😉), Mom & Dad

Hey Guys, it's me Area E 6A, and I just got to say that we are the coolest area in the state this year 😎

Congratulations to Vandy on their 7th Regional title. Wow…seven! I am loving watching the Viper Band evolve and soar under Mr. Lipman’s leadership. And it’s nice to see the kids having fun. This contest was so interesting! The scores were neck and neck in many instances and it was truly a battle for those top 3 spots. Congratulations to Cedar Park for grabbing that silver medal. Well deserved Timberwolves! Both Vista Ridge and Westlake blew me away with their sound, as did Rouse. What a blessing to be up there with so much talent. I hope these kids realize how good they really are! I think Rouse sounds like a marching symphony, Vista Ridge a drum corps, and Westlake a mixture of both. (And that Chap Guard is amazing!). Ohhh, and those Vista Ridge uniforms are 😍😘😘! Leander is taking a bit of a risk (and a LOT of flack) for their use of those cool screens in their show, but they have always preferred “interesting” over traditional. I agree that the screens were outSHINING the band a bit, but give it some time. I bet they will tweak it and make it phenomenal! The band sounds amazing and that opening set is KILLER. I love the show and can’t wait to see what they decide to do with the screens. It’s such a cool concept! One of my favorites of the night was Dripping Springs. They put on THE most entertaining shows and they continue to excel in the midst of a hugely competitive part of the state. I am betting we see the DS band THREE times at GN! I gotta say that I am such a Cedar Ridge fan and I can’t ever take my eyes off their guard. They just do such an incredible job incorporating them into the fabric of the show. The band seems bigger this year which makes me happy. I love this show! I don’t know how these judges place these bands because I thought Lake Travis was just lovely, Westwood was wonderful, McCallum surprised me (in a GREAT way) and Round Rock was worthy of kudos as well. It’s just too hard at this contest to get to the top! Congratulations to everyone who participated in this early season contest. And to our A and AA friends as well, I’m so happy you all got the chance to show off again in finals! Every band yesterday was truly fantastic and if you put any of them in a competition elsewhere in the country, they would all do VERY WELL. What a blessing to be in a state that values music education so highly. Get some rest today friends. You deserve it! And we can’t wait to see you again soon!

I’m not trying to start a war, but I highly recommend checking out Funliner Productions newest video of you haven’t. Every voice matters in this situation, and the fact that Tim Snyder and Box5 is trying to take every penny to allow content creators seconds of clips is not what this activity needs. Do not stay silent, they must hear you.

Like this post to manifest a Rouse trip to Nats next year.

2025 BOA Waco Regional Finals Awards 1st - Cedar Ridge H.S., TX - 88.125 2nd - L.D. Bell H.S., TX - 88.100 3rd - James Bowie H.S., TX - 87.525 4th - Westlake H.S., TX - 86.800 5th - Plano East Senior H.S., TX - 85.275 6th - Westwood H.S., TX - 84.800 7th - James E. Taylor H.S., TX - 84.100 8th - Timber Creek H.S., TX - 83.400 8th - Aledo H.S., TX - 83.400 10th - Midlothian H.S., TX - 82.450 11th - Hutto H.S., TX - 82.275 12th - Stephen F. Austin H.S., TX - 81.250 Outstanding Music Performance - L.D. Bell H.S., TX Outstanding Visual Performance - Westlake H.S., TX Outstanding GE Performance - Cedar Ridge H.S., TX this is one heck of a finals results / awards if ive ever seen one all scores in the 80's, .025 gap between 1st and 2nd, all captions given to different bands, AND A TIE?????

Also huge shout out to @Anthony V for the recaps today. Super comprehensive!

Just wanted to acknowledge the admins for how well the forums have worked. Used to be it would just time out and I'd just give up and check in the morning. Tonight and last weekend I had zero issues even when traffic was high. Much better than the last couple of years, thanks txbands team. 🥳

I’m going to completely disagree with this post. I am not speaking on behalf of Lone Star in any official manner, but as a long-time volunteer and a proud parent who believes deeply in The Ranger Way. I have been to every single game and every single performance this year as one of the lead chaperones, talking closely with our directors, students, and band board, and hearing the judges’ comments firsthand. We have made huge strides this year and achieved many “firsts.” But let me be clear — we did not say anything negative about LT (our closest friend school) or Wakeland (our closest competitor). We all agree that they both earned their spots with beautiful shows and incredible hard work. The judges’ comments at State focused on one thing: they didn’t like our show design. That’s it. Our performances were magnificent—finals was our best run yet. We were surprised by our prelim placement, but we understood how the process works. We also knew that we couldn’t change our design at that point. Our program worked so hard to raise funds for this show. We wanted to push ourselves to the next level, even though other programs may have more financial resources. We stretched and worked to hire the same design team used by Cedar Park. We LOVE our show, and every competition and UIL before State reflected that—judges consistently praised it until that final contest. We gave everything we had—time, sacrifices, money, sweat, and tears—but we are good sportsmen. We don’t take away from what other bands have earned. Every band, every guard, every percussion section deserves respect. We cheer on every band because we know what it takes—nerves, sickness, injuries, and endless rehearsals. We’ve even stepped in to help when another band didn’t have enough volunteers. During one football game, the opposing team had no parent help, and a sudden thunderstorm caught everyone by surprise. Our students—who were supposed to get to the buses—saw their band frantically trying to protect their instruments and equipment. Without hesitation, several of our students ran over to help them load and cover their gear. Why? Because we understood. We know what it’s like to struggle for resources, and we knew those kids might not be able to replace damaged instruments. Helping them wasn’t a question—it was instinct. That’s what The Ranger Way looks like. It doesn’t change the outcome of a score, but it does lift heavy hearts when you see someone from another school saying, “You got this.” Maybe one or two freshmen might have said something without fully understanding The Lone Star Way, but that’s not who we are. To whoever “Argyle Auntie” is—if you’re a Lone Star parent, that kind of behavior is not okay. The results are what they are. These particular judges simply didn’t like our design, and that’s part of the arts—it’s subjective. For context, three of the prelim judges who scored us the lowest were also on the finals panel, along with four new ones. Historically, in UIL, judges don’t always give a clean slate; sometimes prior scores carry influence. We understand how that works. At the end of the day, all we can do is give our best, hold our heads high, and continue to encourage the bands around us. That’s the Ranger Way.

I’d like to say something about these finals rankings today: I am disgusted with the conclusion the judges came to. It is disrespectful to neglect what bands like Lonestar offered musically and visually. Placing them at eighth is a sign of ignorance and injustice, displayed by the judging panel here today. Just because a band doesn’t have perfect balance on the field as they would in a concert room, or doesn’t put Beethoven or Mozart in their show, shouldn’t subtract from their music score as it most definitely did today. Cedar Park absolutely deserved this win today; however, winning content and design having no props and a show named “listen” with little to no general effect is… not just. Simply because the band has won every single other year shouldn’t mean that they get first in almost every single category this year. Understandably, picking famous names/composers to judge a state level marching competition will result in outcomes reflecting a concert band perspective. I’d like to urge for a reform in future UIL marching band judging panels!

Past results don’t always define present day bands….

Leander’s screens are soooo distracting. I don’t understand the thought process

Wow Leander, such clean drill!

I haven’t been on properly to make a post in a WHILE, and I knew I had to upon seeing the results. I have a few points I want to make, and most definitely things will shift today depending on the final touch ups the directors do. 1. I feel like it is very weird to compare Area results with State results. A lot can happen in between area and state. Bands can make visual, musical, or even clean up parts that are dirty. It happens with every competition, no show is going to be the same every performance. Something is always going to get improved or changed, so that’s why it always is never good to compare results from other comps (in general, it’s a good baseline but shouldn’t be the main weapon of attack). I know in between Bedford and Prosper my senior year, Forney added a whole lot of choreo, and our show was genuinely not finished being produced until the day of state finals. Everything we did was never truly set in stone (even our music changed several times), and I feel like this goes for all schools in general. Things can change in a week, and it certainly isn’t super reliable to reference Area scores in relation to state scores due to the difference in judging as well. 2. I mean this with love when I say I do not agree with some of the judging that happened last night. I am happy with who made finals (more on this later), but I feel like a lot of these results are very surprising, especially with the live reviews I’ve seen being posted in this forum. Of course, I’m not a judge, so I do not see what they see. However, I feel like this season has had some of the weirdest judging to date. I love unexpected results and surprises, but I do not love looking at the score sheets & being confused as to how a band got placed xyz in zyx category. Again, I don’t get paid to judge, so I do not know what entirely goes into the process of judging these competitions. 3. If you are a performer (whether your ensemble made finals or not) at this competition: please watch what you are posting & putting out there in the forums or your social media. I saw something negative being said about another band (will not name this group for privacy reasons), and I genuinely do not understand why we feel the need to put down other ensembles. I remember talking a while ago about something like this with a few friends, and what you say about another ensemble reflects back onto you and your ensemble. You actively represent your band when you’re online or in public, so when you say negative things about another group; you are actively giving your ensemble a bad reputation. 4. This is my last point before I go back to lurking till Grand Nationals: I just want to give a shout out to Friendswood. Seeing you guys miss finals genuinely made me upset & I wish you guys could’ve gone all the way. I have had nothing but positive interactions with the members and parents when my school competed against you guys in past, and you guys are always one of the top names I mention when I talk about positive interactions. I wish the best for you guys this next season, and I hope you don’t let the results yesterday undermine the amazing season you had. Before I truly go, I just want to say good luck to every finalist band performing today! You all genuinely did incredible and deserve the chance to perform one last time. Make the most of this and soak in the moment before leaving it all on the field! I cannot wait to watch finals later on stream to see what happens. Good luck to everyone performing!

La Grange, Band Director here. We stayed at a hotel close by, and our kids still had to wake up at 5 AM. It’s tough to go early! Our run had some hiccups that we haven’t had in a week or two, which was unfortunate, but overall that was still the best our band has ever been. Super proud of the kids! Best of luck to everybody today!

I think it is always important to remember who is judging these events. It can be really easy for someone to watch a live stream and say that they know better than the person judging. The people judging this contest have degrees, and years of experience (sometimes decades) of both teaching and adjudicating these kinds of ensembles. That is not to say they don't make what some may call mistakes, but I think it is dangerous for anyone to flatly say they are wrong or can't be trusted. I may have disagreements based on pre concieved notions, but if Richard Saucedo was in front of my band you better believe I would be taking notes on every word he said and taking his advice to heart. The more I teach, and judge, and talk with qualified people, the more faith I have in the judging community as a whole.

Cedar Park band loaning our semi tractor and trailer to the Vandy band to get their gear back down to San Antonio for Finals this afternoon, and Leander Band sent their truck and trailer on super short notice to bring them back last night. The marching band community never ceases to amaze me.

hey yall im gonna be performing with the texas longhorn band next saturday! ive never been to boa sa before so i cant wait to watch some great bands

Warnings have been given. @Wakt you are on notice.

Not as bad as a history of posting hateful comments towards a group of high school band kids.

Hello. lol Yeah, cleaned things up. Y'all behave. It's just band. Friendly competition and banter is great but we strayed past that. Continue.

Cleaned things up a bit. Think before you post. Thanks.

Idk guys I was generally more effected by FloMo's show but I'm just the townsfolk. Feels like another one of those "it just comes down to the run" thing. Team Texas showed out big time though and I am proud of us.

You're in a Texas bands website. We're going to have a Texas bias. We want our Team Texas to succeed and we're proud of our annual contingent. We want them to win and we think they deserve to win. It's okay. If our bias bothers you, you have the choice to not come here.

How it felt catching up on this thread after a long day of travel.

Thanks so much @WanderingTraveler and @Tubalord11. I deeply appreciate these updates!!

Never mind, I found the post on their Band Boosters' Facebook group. Looks like the Vista Ridge Band Boosters helped amplify their call for help and Pflugerville now has "more than enough funds to feed the students this weekend. Any funds not used on food for this weekend will go directly to the students to help with unpaid band fees and future meals." I love the band community. 🥹

Better than that -- I think the band community in Texas is so great that they would rally around any band that had this happen to them, not just Vandy. Love it.

lol also chances are very high this website will crash again so i'll just say it now, you all did awesome!!! amazing performances!! congratulations on advancing to state!!!

I would like to congratulate everyone. This area has improved so much. This year was the strongest I've seen in a while. I could definitely see any of the finalist bands make it to state in other areas. Even those that didn't make finals, y'all did amazing. I will say, one thing I don't like about Uil (in general, not just in area c) is the size differences. I get that they do it based on school enrollment but I feel like some of these bands are at a disadvantage. We have 6a bands with 100-150 people and others with close to 300. Sometimes this is due to a low percentage of the school being in the band BUT other times it is due to the school population itself. In Texas we have 6a schools with a little more than 2000 students but since 6a is the largest, we have multiple schools in the 4000s. Including The Woodlands with over 4500. My suggestion is treating it like football with 6a I and 6a II in the playoffs (this case it would be in area). As far as area c, to the bands that didn't make finals, y'all did great. I unfortunately missed a good amount of the earlier bands but one band that truly surprised me was the Garland band. Y'all did great and I think that yalls placement does not properly reflect yalls performance. I do feel bad that Skyline was not able to perform, I was looking forward to watching y'all. And to all the bands that had to perform after the rain, way to face adversity. I don't remember what band it was but I personally saw 3 people fall... and get up and continue. Way to deal with adversity. Speaking of adversity, congratulations to all the bands that had major director changes. Y'all performed great; some of y'all had the success that y'all wanted while others didn't. To those that didn't have the success y'all wanted, remember that next year will probably do better since the new directors will have time to fully run and plan the program how they want. To those that did have the success they wanted, imagine how much better y'all can be next year with stability in the leadership. Ok so now that I've said that, I would like to share some things that I noticed and liked from the finalist bands. I wrote these during the finals performance; I did start halfway though so I did do the bottom five from memory. Also, since all these schools made finals, it is a given that all of y'all had great shows, woodwinds, guard, brass, front ensembles, soloists, and drumlines. Waxahachie- Great woodwinds Forney- WOW (that's all I wrote) I mean everything was great, and to the girl that did all those flips in the wet field, amazing! Rockwall- Marching, it was so clean! Heath- LOUD (wall of sound). SOLID Solos. (congrats on making state for the first time, Enjoy the trip) Sachse- Great use of the whole field, Great Front ensemble North Forney- Great props JJ Pearce- Clean Lake Highlands- Great soft spots. Great Guard Duncanville-Great props, Great Guard Berkner- Great show theme, Great Drumline Also Contacts to our state qualifiers, I just know y'all will represent Area C Great. Go show everyone that Dallas has 3 great areas, not just 2. I would not be surprised if all 4 of our state qualifiers get close to the state finals, probably 1-16. Once again, congrats to everyone.

Anyone else starting to think this dude goes to rock hill or just me 😭

plano east could be what?

Reedy-Midnight: This is a prime example of should make finals but might not bc of the depth of this comp. Noticed things that were better than last week right off the back. Soloist were great, musically very strong as they’ve been all year, just such a mature sound. The backfield playing by the brass during the ballad is chefs kiss. A couple of timing issues with tempo but recovered the next beat. Visually tons of GE from each section, could see the toe height from the upper section. They put on a real fight and could make the night show, amazing job Reedy

$10 for parking. The extra $10 was for General Effect...

feeeeel like it would crash before it kicked any other forums' butts...

As a senior mom I am absolutely beside myself. I've put in hours and money as a parent, but it doesn't hold a candle to what these kids and directors have done. When my kiddo asked to be in band in the 6th grade I had no idea what we were getting into. Now I can't imagine my life without it and we'll still be lingering in the stands and sidelines as fans and volunteers. I'll be on my feet for every band tonight and going forward.

A little selfish on my part. Super proud of Area A having two finalists for the 4th year in a row. I do work up here so I'm ecstatic that we've been able to keep up with the insane improvement of 4A over the last 5 years. Canyon has placed 3rd, 2nd, 3rd in percussion in prelims the last three years and finally got into the top 5 in finals with 4th this year in that caption. West Plains has made finals 75% of the time since the school opened, and Randall has advanced every year since moving down to 4A. Lubbock-Cooper Liberty made it in their 3rd year and will only get better, Pecos continues to put out amazing shows, etc. Lots of amazing stuff going on in the panhandle. Reigning 4A honor band, tons of all staters, and a consistent presence on the state marching contest stage makes my heart happy. And just blown away by what I'm seeing in the rest of the state. Medalists were absurdly good this year, Sulphur Springs is close to that level and doing AMAZING things in the spring on a concert stage, China Spring continues to put out content monster shows that are so exciting. North Lamar continues to improve back to their strongest levels again, Calallen show design and percussion always blow me away, and was SO excited that Fredericksburg made it in with their super fun show this year. We have rising stars in Aubrey and Legacy Ranch that will make finals sooner than not, etc. 4A is at its best ever. I don't think you'd have to go back very far for that Celina show to compete in finals in 5A. They're going to handle that transition very well next year. Sure Panther Creek and whoever else moves up will as well. Kaufman will fill some shoes VERY quickly dropping back down as well. The future is bright.

Crazy thing is any of the TX finalists would probably win a state contest in most other states. This shows with how many of the bands are ranked by Hornrank, and how well Texas bands do at Grand Nats. I really liked Reagan's show this year, the opening with the band spread across the entire field is super impressive. It's so easy to get lost in "looking up" to not realize how close you are to the top.

I'm noticing a trend, Cy-Fair makes state finals if we die at the end of the show I'm calling our design team

I would gladly pay a small yearly membership to bolster the servers.

Here's what I'm thinking at this moment 1. Burleson Centennial (sounding really good, been decently successful) 2. Aledo (they're having an off year) 3. Midlothian (cool writing, but the balance is a little weird on the recordings I've seen) 4. Birdville (impressive show, pretty well executed, already beat Richland by a good bit earlier this season) 5. Grapevine (not a whole lot happening in the show, but it's really clean) 6. Richland (same as Grapevine but less clean, also I heard they haven't had their whole show out for too long) 7. Azle (usually pretty good but not as successful at UILs as compared to BOAs 8. Saginaw (doing pretty good) 9. Joshua (they've beaten a lot of the other schools that people have predicted for these spots) 10. Brewer (solid show, good music, clean playing) The content and split music scores will really affect some of the historical placements. Keep in mind that this year, schools are sort of being graded on how difficult their show is.

Final Results: 1. Waxahachie 2. Forney 3. Rockwall 4. Rockwall-Heath 5. Sachse 6. North Forney 7. J.J. Pearce 8. Lake Highlands 9. Duncanville 10. Berkner CONGRATS TO ROCKWALL ISD!!!!!!

It's my intention to be at both prelims and finals to make some commentary like I did for BOA Waco. Without the live blog, communication essentially comes down to Joe Q. Public. As I said elsewhere, I'm a neanderthal by comparison to the education of many people on here, so I'm glad that people found the commentary tolerably read-worthy (or at least fodder for your amusement). We'll be using a different division of labor so show design/content will get better represented and you won't have to listen to me gripe about music ensemble all day. Okay, enough of that. I think right now there are actually about as many unknowns as there were when the season started. Although one or two things that were ambiguous pre-season have clarified by now, still several things that seemed stable pre-season have become ambiguous. Some thoughts: -The band I feel surer about predicting than pre-season is Midlothian. As someone said, they've demonstrated that they're not a "one-hit wonder." No, they rather seem to be a many-hit wonder. -The band I feel least sure about placing is definitely Colleyville Heritage. I can't even say whether I would or would not put them in finals (and the ever-increasing number of possible finalists doesn't help). A spot in finals at STL would have reduced a lot of ambiguity. I really think, though, that once finalists are announced, as well as state advancers, then then I'll be able to tell you whether I think CH is a finalist and/or state advancer. -In terms of the data we have, BC (and maybe Grapevine) is the most consistent band in this area this season. So, I don't think it's necessarily a hot take when @Tubalord11 suggests Centennial can take it this year. However, they've been stationary against a volatile and changing field; if the field as a whole is shifting up, BC will come across as flat -- not flat as in missing state, but 3rd-4th place flat. But if the field as a whole has not shifted up, then I think the chances of them taking 1st greatly improve, and we could see that 1st place prediction materialize. -Richland's early season scores are all over the place, and they're the only competitions we really have data from until area. I lack the competent authority to divulge their shadow placement for BISD, but that plus some other factors leads me to infer that they are universally positional at this contest. -Birdville's scores have also puzzled me. Their early season scores could be interpreted as giving them a vector landing them in the top 5. But the DMI rankings make me hesitate. DMI is a contest which should recognize the strengths of their program quite well, and so I was wondering how high they would rank -- especially given their music competitivity at Don Hanna. But neither of those factors seemed to prevent them from getting a bit buried at DMI. Even with their draw order carried over from prelims, I would have expected them to be around fifth or higher. It's too bad DMI was a one-march contest, since that would have helped clarify the impact of the draw order. -Grapevine is actually pretty consistent this season. Being over Duncanville at BISD and then being over Boswell (in addition to being 2A champion) at Waco are good signs for them. I don't think it's unreasonable to wonder whether they will end up being a state advancer. -I think BOA Waco showed Aledo to be vincible. So, while they are the historical favorite for 1st, it's not something to be gainsaid. I feel less confident about predicting their placement than pre-season. I suppose my guesses as of now for state advancers are, not necessarily in order, Aledo, Grapevine, Richland, BC, and Midlothian. But Birdville could very well end up in the mix, or possibly even CH, but probably not both. After that, who will make finals? I have no clue. It's a pretty crowded bubble.

Region 32 5A/6A - Oct 14 6A Vista - 1 Lake Travis - 1 Vandegrift - 1 Westlake - 1 5A Leander - 1 Cedar Park - 1 Liberty Hill - 1 Rouse - 1 Glenn - 1 It was a good night of quality shows!

That's how many times it took to have Aledo performing in the last slot.