TexasStrangers

Okay after spending a little time with my in laws at Texarkana here are my thoughts for today. 1. I don't think the marching contest was very well attended today, a couple of bands pulled out and just felt like a weird contest. I remember for a few years this contest was a pretty big one and brought lots of schools, it might just be me but something felt off today and I sat there with a few people and thought is this contest really worth coming to anymore? I really thought about going to Melissa and probably will start going to that from now. 2. If someone is from PG can you please fix the entrance/exit from the field area. I don't know how many times I sat there and watched bottlenecking taking place where schools were trying to come into the stadium and schools trying to go out. Little things like that can cause issues. I don't know why there can't one exit place and a different entrance. It would make the flow soooo much better. 3. The contest pretty much was what I thought it would be a battle between Redwater and Mineola. Yes, I picked Mineola but tonight Redwater was the better band. In fact, it felt like deja vu from last year. I have not seen any score sheets yet online anywhere and don't really know anyone would would have access to that but I feel both bands are neck and neck. Yes, Redwater is very crisp and has a great sound which I think is what gave them the win tonight. I wasn't too fond of the park for over 2 minutes and play part of the show but I get it being the first contest out and Mineola parked and camped for over a minute as well. I am curious to see what Redwater does with their show later on this next month so far I have to admit, I like their show from last year better. 4. Mineola I believe has the more difficult and complexed show and errors were made tonight (footwork, sound). I think if they didn't have those errors they could have probably won tonight. They sounded a lot better in the finals but there is work out there that needs to be done. The guard of Mineola is on an entire different level even though there was a couple of mistakes but once again it's the first show which is expected. 5. I think it's going to be a battle like it has been the past two years and it's gonna come down to which flavor do you like that day. Redwater, Mineola or Atlanta. 6. I will say I wasn't too fond of how Redwater celebrated their win tonight which was almost identical to what they did last year. Yes, the students should feel proud of winning and celebrate but don't run out of the field and celebrate like you just won a State Championship. Yes, I get it they beat Mineola but Area and State is where it counts. It wouldn't surprise me if a person from Mineola would have came up and told me that last year losing to Redwater was something that motivated them to come back and win Area and State which it could be again this year. However, once again tonight Redwater was the better band. I think I'm gonna go to the Iron Horse Classic in Mineola next weekend to see Farmersville, North Lamar, Pine Tree and PG which I'm sure I look at Redwater again and try to look at Mineola as well. If you are a Redwater fan once again Congrats on the Win.

Results Rivercrest and Winnsboro dropped out before contest began. Not exactly sure about why Rivercrest dropped out. Several people in the stands were talking about Winnsboro not coming because one of their directors resigned. Not sure about all that though. Out of the remaining bands Redwater and Mineola were the only ones who got straight 1's in Guard/Percussion/Band. Lots of 3's and 2's given out today. Prelims 2A Percussion/Band = Linden Kildare 3A Guard/Percussion = Mineola 3A Band = Redwater 5A Guard/Percussion/Band = Texas High Performance Order 6:30 Hooks 6:45 Texas High 7:00 Mineola 7:15 Arkansas High 7:30 Prairland 7:45 Redwater 7:00 Quitman 8:15 Queen City FINAL RESULTS 8th Prairland 7th Hooks 6th Arkansas High 5th Quitman 4th Queen City 3rd Texas High 2nd Mineola 1st Redwater Best Overall Guard = Mineola Best Overall Percussion = Redwater

I reached out to a friend last night who has seen Mineola twice and it appears Mineola is way ahead of where they were last year and fielding the biggest band they have ever had. I have not seen them yet and heading to Pleasant Grove to watch them along with Redwater. I hate to hear about Winnsboro, it's kind of odd they would pull from a contest at the last minute. I guess maybe the directors thought their show is just simply not ready to put out on the field in a contest. I hope it's not other stuff.

Yes, there is a Finals.

So, I guess we are not getting a Small School Finals and a Large School Finals if only 20 bands are at this contest. I would take the Top 6 Small Schools in Prelims and do a Finals and then the Top 6 Large Schools and do a Finals for them.

The problem with Melissa is that it has become a big school contest now. Last year more then half the schools were 5A/6A bands with Canton/Celina/North Lamar/China Spring/Sulphur Springs/Community all competing as a 4A and Celina was the only 4A or lower to make Finals. The year before was the first year of the contest and more then half the schools were made up of 4A schools and lower. Mineola(3A)/Canton/Celina/North Lamar/China Spring/Sulphur Springs/Community/Farmersville/Van Alstyne competed and only Celina, North Lamar and China Springs made it to Finals along with Mineola who so far has been the only 3A or lower to make a Finals at Melissa. If I was a 4A school or lower I don't know if I would want to go to this contest anymore unless maybe I had a program like Celina who is moving up to a 5A probably next year. Yes, you would like to see the other competition but I would rather want to go somewhere else and get a chance at 2 runs and build on that.

I would say probably not, you never want to peak too early. If someone has their entire show on the field already then I would say it's probably not very challenging. I think most programs at this time of the year should have their 1st 3 Movements down. I saw several videos from this past Friday Night of several programs doing only up to movement 2. The 4th movement probably comes this week or next and then it's all about refinement, tweaking the routine (adding visuals, increasing the rigor of marching.)

That is what is posted on their contest website, have no clue as to how many bands there are.

That could have been the reason they beat Gatesville. Krum has their entire show down and on the field where as Gatesville maybe only has the first 3 movements. It's very early in the season and lots of tweaking and changing to shows will happen between now and then. Yes, celebrate your victory over the weekend but Monday it's time to move on and get back to work on trying to figure out how to make it better.

I would take BOA with a grain of salt when talking UIL. BOA is a different scoring system compared to UIL. Yes, many of your bigger schools can pull off both but some struggle in BOA compared to UIL. I have seen it several times where a school can put on a good scoring UIL show and go to a BOA show and get ripped and vice versa.

I think the betting money is either Mineola or Redwater. I know Mineola in the past has won this contest and last year Mineola/Redwater tied for 1st but Redwater got the nod via the tiebreak system (more 1st place votes). I think Winnsboro may be looking at 3rd possibly. It's hard to say I have not been able to see any of the shows yet. I have only heard from word of mouth on the shows.

I have not seen one yet, I expect it will probably come out next week. The contest is still 3 weeks away. I know based on the website they are doing a 2A/3A/4A Finals and a 5A/6A Finals

Nice little preview of what could be some teams in 4A Area C Finals and 3A Area C Finals!!

I just watched the Leander show myself. As much as I love their program it's very difficult to focus on the marching because of those screens. I tried to go back and watch it three times trying really hard to not look at the screens and as I would start to lock in on the movements my eyes would drift back to the screens. I know all the big programs want to do something cool and unique but that is going overboard with it.

I pretty much agree with you here. Curious to see how Whitesboro does with what I believe is their 3rd band director in 3 years. Holliday seems to always push Whitesboro and Howe seems to always be a distant 3rd. Not sure Area B will take 4 to state this year since several of the Area B bands got moved to Area C last year. I think there is a chance Area B will grow next year and have a better chance of taking 4.

Nice little showdown of 3A bands that went to State last year to kick the Show Season off!

I know it's 3 weeks away, didn't know if anyone has seen a schedule for this yet. I heard it's full

Yup, I've noticed it about a week ago and it's been the same. It's like trying to go to the page is real slow but once you are here it's faster.

I have not seen anything yet, this contest is the last contest before Regionals so I expect the lineups probably won't come out until later this month. I know in the past there were a few good bands there, curious to see what it is myself.

Has anyone seen Mineola yet? I haven't had a chance to see what their show is yet.

I have not heard anything, I know they use to be good about updating stuff and sending stuff out. They don't have last years results posted on their site.

Winnsboro

Found this last night! Fast Forward to 2 hours 7 min

I saw a video of Whitesboro last week when they played North Lamar. Hard to judge based off Week 1

Mineola is hosting and will also perform in exhibition between the Finals and the Final Results. Not sure on the cost and what time it starts. It's a month away, I am assuming info will probably come out in another week or two about it.