bruhmomentum

Best general effect: Ronald Reagan
Best visual: Ronald Reagan
Best music: Vandegrift
Best visual concept: Hebron
Best show idea/concept: Coppell
Best solo: VR Soprano Sax/Keller Central Bari Sax
Best feature: Cedar Ridge Drumline/Taiko feature
Best musical selection: Leander’s Einstein on the beach/CP Give is this day
Most innovative show: Bowie
Most original concept: Bowie
Best crowd appeal: John B Alexander or Reagan
Most underrated: Keller
Most improved: Round Rock
Best colorguard: Bowie/The Woodlands
Best pit: Cedar Ridge
Best drumline: Cedar Ridge/Vandegrift
Best brass: Hebron
Best woodwinds: Keller
Best prop: Marcus Books
Best uniforms: Weiss
Best guard uniforms: I have no clue
Best overall pre-show: Leander/Weiss
Best overall opener: Hebron
Best overall ballad: Oak Ridge
Best overall closer: Flower Mound
 
Feel like I didn’t mention the woodlands enough but I seriously cannot get enough of that program.

Holy crap round rock. That was so well performed.

Best general effect: Ronald Reagan
Best visual: Ronald Reagan
Best music: Vandegrift
Best visual concept: Hebron
Best show idea/concept: Coppell
Best solo: VR Soprano Sax/Keller Central Bari Sax
Best feature: Cedar Ridge Drumline/Taiko feature
Best musical selection: Leander’s Einstein on the beach/CP Give is this day
Most innovative show: Bowie
Most original concept: Bowie
Best crowd appeal: John B Alexander or Reagan
Most underrated: Keller
Most improved: Round Rock
Best colorguard: Bowie/The Woodlands
Best pit: Cedar Ridge
Best drumline: Cedar Ridge/Vandegrift
Best brass: Hebron
Best woodwinds: Keller
Best prop: Marcus Books
Best uniforms: Weiss
Best guard uniforms: I have no clue
Best overall pre-show: Leander/Weiss
Best overall opener: Hebron
Best overall ballad: Oak Ridge
Best overall closer: Flower Mound
 
Feel like I didn’t mention the woodlands enough but I seriously cannot get enough of that program.

Best general effect: Ronald Reagan
Best visual: Ronald Reagan
Best music: Vandegrift
Best visual concept: Hebron
Best show idea/concept: Coppell
Best solo: VR Soprano Sax/Keller Central Bari Sax
Best feature: Cedar Ridge Drumline/Taiko feature
Best musical selection: Leander’s Einstein on the beach/CP Give is this day
Most innovative show: Bowie
Most original concept: Bowie
Best crowd appeal: John B Alexander or Reagan
Most underrated: Keller
Most improved: Round Rock
Best colorguard: Bowie/The Woodlands
Best pit: Cedar Ridge
Best drumline: Cedar Ridge/Vandegrift
Best brass: Hebron
Best woodwinds: Keller
Best prop: Marcus Books
Best uniforms: Weiss
Best guard uniforms: I have no clue
Best overall pre-show: Leander/Weiss
Best overall opener: Hebron
Best overall ballad: Oak Ridge
Best overall closer: Flower Mound
 
Feel like I didn’t mention the woodlands enough but I seriously cannot get enough of that program.

Best general effect: Ronald Reagan
Best visual: Ronald Reagan
Best music: Vandegrift
Best visual concept: Hebron
Best show idea/concept: Coppell
Best solo: VR Soprano Sax/Keller Central Bari Sax
Best feature: Cedar Ridge Drumline/Taiko feature
Best musical selection: Leander’s Einstein on the beach/CP Give is this day
Most innovative show: Bowie
Most original concept: Bowie
Best crowd appeal: John B Alexander or Reagan
Most underrated: Keller
Most improved: Round Rock
Best colorguard: Bowie/The Woodlands
Best pit: Cedar Ridge
Best drumline: Cedar Ridge/Vandegrift
Best brass: Hebron
Best woodwinds: Keller
Best prop: Marcus Books
Best uniforms: Weiss
Best guard uniforms: I have no clue
Best overall pre-show: Leander/Weiss
Best overall opener: Hebron
Best overall ballad: Oak Ridge
Best overall closer: Flower Mound
 
Feel like I didn’t mention the woodlands enough but I seriously cannot get enough of that program.

So. Draining. It also had a lot of water on it from the shoes of other performers making it pretty slippery.

In all probability Hendrickson told BOA they could not appear in Finals unless they had a late schedule. I just looked at the UIL Region 26 Marching Contest Schedule and Hendrickson had be back at Reeves at 5:00 PM. Their warm up period was from 5:15 to 5:30 and they stepped off at 5:45. Giving them 8 minutes performance time that came to 5:53 and think of how long it would take for the Band to get everything packed and ready to go North almost 100 miles. I am sure their administration felt that this was a extremely difficult task giving the crowds and the time of day. If they Band got Back to Waco, they would have to get ready again with very little probability there had been an rest period for the Band. Unless they were the last Band in finals they were running on fumes to get back to Waco. Please remember that UIL is a school function, and takes priority over NON-UIL activity.  I think it is a high compliment to this Band that they are doing 2 events today with heat as it is. I also imagine that if the truth be known, they would have made finals if that could arranged with the time schedule problems. 

Sure sounds like it. Seeing the school blossom since it opened my sophomore year has made me feel some sort of weird connection with the school even though I’ve never been associated with it? (I know that probably sounds weird). We watched the bands performance of the Carmen show after our prelims performance at Austin in 17 and we were impressed by what a small first year school could do. Seems like y’all have defined a standard that new schools like Johnson seem to be following in.

Thanks! It's the school's third year and first with seniors. And we got a new director in January.  
The kids hit the ground running when the school opened and haven't stopped. The original director took them to BOA St Louis Super Regionals last year (where they got 9th!), and the new one's pushing them just as hard. And they keep rising to exceed expectations.
 
UIL calls it a small 5A so far, but it easily could get classed up for next year. And the feeder schools are bursting at the seams. My wife teaches at an elementary that feeds into Weiss, and they have almost 1,200! The middle school between her elementary and Weiss is also way over crowded. It's got a great band program that two of mine went through.
 
In the next three years we're opening two more elementaries and a middle to feed into Weiss.
 
So this band is going to get bigger and even better fast.
 
 
Edited to add more info above

Do you by any chance have the preliminary scores on hand? 
Edit: Weiss also really caught my attention this morning. That programs got something special. I’m gonna have my eye on them for the next few years.

Just saw the prelims scores. Weiss was in 11th by 0.088 behind 10th. Talking to kids and what they had discussed, going that early was a detriment, and not just because being early makes it hard to get into finals.
 
They had an away game last night, and had to be back up at the band hall by 5 this morning. But they stayed for almost all of finals.
 
I got to see finals too, and was impressed with a lot of the performance improvements I saw from previous weeks.
 
We sat in the middle of a great Reagan crowd and talked about old shows. They even passed us some orange and yellow ribbons for their finale! One of those moms showed me what was being said about Weiss on here since I hadn't stopped to look at the site lately.

Boy do I wish it was. Thank you for the kind words! I’m extremely excited to watch Leander on FloMarching at nats. They’re a contender for a medal at nats for sure.

ABSOLUTELY enjoyed your predictions and the reasons behind them.  Lots of great insight there!  And I really hope to see Cedar Ridge back in the top of finals this year!!
 
Is it September yet?????

Well I'm quivering in anticipation so I might as well dive right in. Here's my predictions and my rationales.
 
1) CTJ
 
Love em or hate em, they are the epitome of consistency. They put out incredibly difficult and well excecuted programs every year since their rise to prominence in 2011. Furthermore, they have won the past two BOA Austin competitions, and I can't see them just throwing that out the window this year.
 
2) Vandegrift
 
Vandegrift is a powerhouse program that always comes flying out of the gates early in the year. I am always blown away by how clean their show is so early in the season. Can't see them not medaling.
 
3) Leander
 
After seeing their music selections on their instagram page, I am PUMPED to say the least. Leander seems to really be pulling out all of the stops for their grand nats trip this year, and I cannot wait to see the product on the field at Austin. Maybe a little bias here, but they have a very strong chance at medaling.
 
4) Vista Ridge
 
Vista Ridge has risen to BOA greatness faster than any other band that I have seen in my 3 years of marching. They have an incredibly driven set of students and an awesome show concept that I can really see going far. Only reason that they aren't higher for me is because last year their show seemed to develop more and more throughout the season, but I could easily see that changing after the incredible showing that they have last year. These Leander ISD schools are on something.
 
5) Cedar Park
 
I feel like last year's showing from Cedar Park was nothing but a little blemish on the grand slate of Cedar Park greatness. Ever since 2015 I have been addicted to Cedar Park. Their shows are fun, entertaining, and often have a juvenile element that you can't help but admire. Also, being a huge Greek mythology nerd, their show being based around the aftermath of Icarus' fall just puts the icing on the cake. Excited for sure.
 
6) Cedar Ridge
 
Full transparency; I am a student here, so me placing them here may show a lot of bias, but hear me out. We have had a head director change, and he has some very cool ideas and is taking a great amount of initiative to not only transition smoothly, but to improve all of the systems that we already have in place. The students have experienced a lot of growth musically over this past semester, and we have an incredible set of students in leadership. I can really see this Cedar Ridge band going further than we ever have, but hey, im extremely biased so we'll just have to see.
 
7) James Bowie
 
James Bowie knows how to put together shows that really make you think, and I believe that this will help them place highly in the next season. Despite their constant director changes, the students really seem to know what they need to do to maintain an excellent standard. Bowie's long reign at the peak of the BOA scene, I believe, will keep them comfortably in finals.
 
8) Hendrickson
 
Hendrickson just might go down in history as the school with the most crowd favorite shows in history. Their shows are always engaging, exciting, and almost always leave a positive impression on the listener. I really can't see them missing finals. Awesome program.
 
9) Round Rock
 
Round Rock always puts on a show for the crowd. Despite the downward trend that they seem to be experiencing at the moment, I do believe that they will remain a finalist level program for sure. I do believe that they will place in the bottom half, although I really would like to see them return to the legendary status that Round Rock used to have.
 
10) uhHHHhHhH
 
Rather than put in a definitive tenth place prediction, I'm going to just give some great programs that I could see sneaking in.
 
i) Rouse
 
If I had to pick a tenth place prediction, this would be it. Rouse experienced a breakout year last year, and I would really like to see them rise to the level of their Leander ISD brothers. 
 
ii) Westwood
 
Westwood has some very talented musicians in their program, and I could see that taking them far this next season if their show utilizes them in the correct way.
 
iii) Lake Travis
 
Lake Travis had an awesome year, and I believe that they have the drive and motivation to push them into finals.
 
iiii) John Horn
 
John Horn came out of NOWHERE at state and surprised us with a powerful sound and awesome excecution. 22nd at 6A state is no small feat, and I believe that this could transition into the BOA world.
 
Sorry for being a little long winded. Hope you enjoy my meaningless predictions haha.

Well I'm quivering in anticipation so I might as well dive right in. Here's my predictions and my rationales.
 
1) CTJ
 
Love em or hate em, they are the epitome of consistency. They put out incredibly difficult and well excecuted programs every year since their rise to prominence in 2011. Furthermore, they have won the past two BOA Austin competitions, and I can't see them just throwing that out the window this year.
 
2) Vandegrift
 
Vandegrift is a powerhouse program that always comes flying out of the gates early in the year. I am always blown away by how clean their show is so early in the season. Can't see them not medaling.
 
3) Leander
 
After seeing their music selections on their instagram page, I am PUMPED to say the least. Leander seems to really be pulling out all of the stops for their grand nats trip this year, and I cannot wait to see the product on the field at Austin. Maybe a little bias here, but they have a very strong chance at medaling.
 
4) Vista Ridge
 
Vista Ridge has risen to BOA greatness faster than any other band that I have seen in my 3 years of marching. They have an incredibly driven set of students and an awesome show concept that I can really see going far. Only reason that they aren't higher for me is because last year their show seemed to develop more and more throughout the season, but I could easily see that changing after the incredible showing that they have last year. These Leander ISD schools are on something.
 
5) Cedar Park
 
I feel like last year's showing from Cedar Park was nothing but a little blemish on the grand slate of Cedar Park greatness. Ever since 2015 I have been addicted to Cedar Park. Their shows are fun, entertaining, and often have a juvenile element that you can't help but admire. Also, being a huge Greek mythology nerd, their show being based around the aftermath of Icarus' fall just puts the icing on the cake. Excited for sure.
 
6) Cedar Ridge
 
Full transparency; I am a student here, so me placing them here may show a lot of bias, but hear me out. We have had a head director change, and he has some very cool ideas and is taking a great amount of initiative to not only transition smoothly, but to improve all of the systems that we already have in place. The students have experienced a lot of growth musically over this past semester, and we have an incredible set of students in leadership. I can really see this Cedar Ridge band going further than we ever have, but hey, im extremely biased so we'll just have to see.
 
7) James Bowie
 
James Bowie knows how to put together shows that really make you think, and I believe that this will help them place highly in the next season. Despite their constant director changes, the students really seem to know what they need to do to maintain an excellent standard. Bowie's long reign at the peak of the BOA scene, I believe, will keep them comfortably in finals.
 
8) Hendrickson
 
Hendrickson just might go down in history as the school with the most crowd favorite shows in history. Their shows are always engaging, exciting, and almost always leave a positive impression on the listener. I really can't see them missing finals. Awesome program.
 
9) Round Rock
 
Round Rock always puts on a show for the crowd. Despite the downward trend that they seem to be experiencing at the moment, I do believe that they will remain a finalist level program for sure. I do believe that they will place in the bottom half, although I really would like to see them return to the legendary status that Round Rock used to have.
 
10) uhHHHhHhH
 
Rather than put in a definitive tenth place prediction, I'm going to just give some great programs that I could see sneaking in.
 
i) Rouse
 
If I had to pick a tenth place prediction, this would be it. Rouse experienced a breakout year last year, and I would really like to see them rise to the level of their Leander ISD brothers. 
 
ii) Westwood
 
Westwood has some very talented musicians in their program, and I could see that taking them far this next season if their show utilizes them in the correct way.
 
iii) Lake Travis
 
Lake Travis had an awesome year, and I believe that they have the drive and motivation to push them into finals.
 
iiii) John Horn
 
John Horn came out of NOWHERE at state and surprised us with a powerful sound and awesome excecution. 22nd at 6A state is no small feat, and I believe that this could transition into the BOA world.
 
Sorry for being a little long winded. Hope you enjoy my meaningless predictions haha.