UIL 4A AREA D 2025

[Awkward2024]

What is everyone's predictions for 4A area D after last years realignment? Do we see the same bands make it to state or do things get mixed up? 

[Dave609]

On 4/19/2025 at 3:42 PM, Awkward2024 said:

What is everyone's predictions for 4A area D after last years realignment? Do we see the same bands make it to state or do things get mixed up? 

I feel we would see some changes, but not as much as some would expect

[tastiestbiscuit123]

A spot opened up for State! Marble Falls, who made State and got 21st at the contest last year, got a 2 at Region!

[Gpk1968]

44 minutes ago, tastiestbiscuit123 said:

A spot opened up for State! Marble Falls, who made State and got 21st at the contest last year, got a 2 at Region!

How devastating for them!

[tastiestbiscuit123]

Region 27 just finished, and Area D is currently at 27 bands. There is only one band left, Freeman, who will go later today, so the maximum bands we'll see at this year's area contest will be 28, advancing 10 to Finals and 5 to State. This will be the smallest contest since 2020.

Overall, this year's Region results were pretty shocking. We saw two Area Finalists, one of whom was even a State Qualifier, get a 2 at Region (Salado and Marble Falls). Additionally, Bay City (16th last year), Madisonville (19th last year), and Sealy (20th last year) will also be absent. It's not like these are bands that were near the bottom; they were in the middle and even approaching the top. One other competitor from last year will also be absent, and we will see a few faces that we haven't seen in a couple of years.

Assuming Freeman advances to Area, here are the 2025 Area D schools in draw order:

Caldwell
Ann Richards
Lampasas
Brazosport
Jarrell
Sam Houston
Bellville
Willowridge
Taylor
Smithville
Needville
Legacy Ranch
Navasota
El Campo
Bandera
Columbia
Freeman
La Marque
Wimberley
Giddings
Stafford
Royal
La Grange
Manor New Tech
Lago Vista
Crawford
Fredericksburg
Burnet

[tastiestbiscuit123]

Even though we're going from 12 Finalists down to 10, since 2 of those original Finalists will not be at this contest, I feel like we'll see the same Finalists this year as last, with maybe one or two changing. However, when it comes to State, I think there will be a lot of shifting compared to last year. I'm currently thinking something along the lines of (just in alphabetical order):

Burnet
Fredericksburg
Freeman
Legacy Ranch
Stafford

I have a feeling Legacy Ranch and Freeman will be in the top 3, with Burnet and Fredericksburg in the other spot, along with 4th. I could see Stafford switching out for any other Finalist, primarily thinking Columbia, La Grange, Needville, or Wimberley. Overall, out of last year's 6 State Qualifiers, I really only see 2 or 3 advancing again this year.

I'm thinking some new faces to Finals we may see this year could include Jarrell (who made Finals in '21 and '22 and was one or two spots away in both '23 and '24) and surprisingly Lampasas and Navasota. Lampasas is always "hit-or-miss" in that they're either in the middle or very close to the bottom, nowhere in between, so they may drop, stay where their at, or jump up; I'm entierly unsure with them. However, Navasota is pretty weird. In the 5 years prior to this one, Navasota has only advanced to Area 3/5 times, and 2 of those times, they got last place at Area. That other time was last year, when they got 15th out of 31, beating more than half of the bands. I'm not too sure if that was just a really well put-together show or if Navasota is some new dark horse in Area D we should keep an eye out for. Other than those 3, theoretically anyone can come up and surprise, but those 13 bands are who I'm betting on to fight for Finals.

[GoldenGuard]

Freeman placed 1s, so 28 bands total. 10 finalists and 5 advance to state I don't foresee being a huge struggle for previous finalists. I will say from what I have seen Taylor does have a really good sound this year. as does La Grange. Needville seems as if they have almost doubled in size from last year. Could just be a perception thing, but they have a good sound as well. Was surprised to see them have twirlers in their show. I feel like that isn't really common anymore.

At the Edna Invitational this year in 4A for Prelims it was Stafford - 1, Needville - 2, Columbia - 3, and La Grange - 4. All four made finals where Stafford won, a 3A took second, followed by Needville in 3rd, La Grange in 4th, and Columbia dropped to 5th. 3rd-5th were all within 3 points of each other pretty much. 

My opinion on finalists in alphabetical order: Burnet, Columbia, Fredericksburg, Freeman, Jarrell, La Grange, Legacy Ranch, Needville, Stafford, Taylor. Advancing to state in alphabetical order: Burnet, Fredericksburg, Stafford - for sure. I think the other two spots could easily by filled by Columbia, La Grange, Legacy Ranch, or Needville.

[tastiestbiscuit123]

15 minutes ago, GoldenGuard said:

Freeman placed 1s, so 28 bands total. 10 finalists and 5 advance to state I don't foresee being a huge struggle for previous finalists. I will say from what I have seen Taylor does have a really good sound this year. as does La Grange. Needville seems as if they have almost doubled in size from last year. Could just be a perception thing, but they have a good sound as well. Was surprised to see them have twirlers in their show. I feel like that isn't really common anymore.

At the Edna Invitational this year in 4A for Prelims it was Stafford - 1, Needville - 2, Columbia - 3, and La Grange - 4. All four made finals where Stafford won, a 3A took second, followed by Needville in 3rd, La Grange in 4th, and Columbia dropped to 5th. 3rd-5th were all within 3 points of each other pretty much. 

My opinion on finalists in alphabetical order: Burnet, Columbia, Fredericksburg, Freeman, Jarrell, La Grange, Legacy Ranch, Needville, Stafford, Taylor. Advancing to state in alphabetical order: Burnet, Fredericksburg, Stafford - for sure. I think the other two spots could easily by filled by Columbia, La Grange, Legacy Ranch, or Needville.

Legacy Ranch is a lock for me. They're entering their second year as a school, and beat Gatesville—a State Finalist—at the Vista Ridge Invitational. Gatesville took music, but Legacy Ranch had visual and general effect. Freeman is also a Katy ISD school and entering its second year (in its first year it made Area Finals), so they'll do well too.

Given what you're saying about Stafford, that kind of solidifies my State predictions. Again, there could be a change or two, but I'm thinking those fives are locks.

[CSharpeRun]

On 10/21/2025 at 5:12 PM, tastiestbiscuit123 said:

Legacy Ranch is a lock for me. They're entering their second year as a school, and beat Gatesville—a State Finalist—at the Vista Ridge Invitational. Gatesville took music, but Legacy Ranch had visual and general effect. Freeman is also a Katy ISD school and entering its second year (in its first year it made Area Finals), so they'll do well too.

Given what you're saying about Stafford, that kind of solidifies my State predictions. Again, there could be a change or two, but I'm thinking those fives are locks.

Area is 3 music judges, 2 visual. Legacy Ranch sounds like they’re on the come up, and they were shockingly good last year. But musical content and achievement are 20% more weighted than visual. Is the difficulty of their music and achievement of it on par with the other shows? For example, if Gatesville’s music was tougher, maybe it was dirtier and they lost points on achievement. But harder books keep cleaning after others have topped out. Like harder music had a higher ceiling. Do they have the players with just a couple of years in to do what the other established bands are doing?

[tastiestbiscuit123]

1 hour ago, CSharpeRun said:

Area is 3 music judges, 2 visual. Legacy Ranch sounds like they’re on the come up, and they were shockingly good last year. But musical content and achievement are 20% more weighted than visual. Is the difficulty of their music and achievement of it on par with the other shows? For example, if Gatesville’s music was tougher, maybe it was dirtier and they lost points on achievement. But harder books keep cleaning after others have topped out. Like harder music had a higher ceiling. Do they have the players with just a couple of years in to do what the other established bands are doing?

That's an interesting take, and I never really considered that. I do know that the Vista Ridge Invitational was the first time Gatesville had put its final movement on the field, so there could be some credence to that statement. I'm sure we'll see on Saturday (or if the contest gets postponed).

[Sideswiperr]

And freemen goes to state!!