crunchycookie3

Looks like you're right--only 3A groups are Clear Brook, COllege Station, Friendswood, Mag, and Mag West. It's based on 10-12th grade enrollment, so classes may look a little different than for UIL.

SFA read incredibly well--at least from my perspective at home. Definitely in the running for finals and a 3A caption (or two?)

Is there a stream I've missed somewhere? Wishing I could see this comp.

LOVED Tomball Memorial! It feels like they swapped some of the gimmicks and flash of last year for some more substantial visuals. Hoping that there's enough room for Fulshear, Jordan, and Memorial to all have another run.

Wow Dawson... that should earn a late performance time this evening! Way to go! After seeing TWHS, I think music for 4A prelims may still be up for grabs if Cy-Fair comes out swinging, but I bet TWHS pulls off a complete sweep this evening.

I agree--they had a much better run here this year than last year. I think they'll get two runs today.

A bit frustrated by the top-half/bottom-half split for finals. It’s quite likely that there are 5 state advancement spots per usual for this area, and a top-half/bottom-half split would ensure that those 5 bands go last. If it’s anything like BOA, making the jump to top-half is incredibly difficult and rarely happens. Seems that prelims will be incredibly instrumental in deciding who goes to state now.

Woah… OK Lake Travis!! Fun to see an ATX band come up to DFW for a local comp. Excited to see how they stack up against similar echelon groups like SLC, Pearce, and Keller Central.

No--every other block in prelims is judged by a different panel. Each panel admits the 5 highest-scoring bands in their respective panel in prelims, then the next 4 highest-scoring bands advance regardless of panel. This opens up the possibility that a 15th place band advances, though this highly unlikely and has not happened (yet.)

Looking at how the panels are assigned, I only feel comfortable calling Cedar Park, Vandegrift, and Hebron locks for this year. Someone biiiiiig is getting left out of finals for the first time in a long time here.

Vandegrift has now gone a complete year undefeated (pending prelims results, though I have a strong feeling.) Congratulations!

Congratulations to Trinity HS on what I believe is their first BOA Finals placement!

👀

Preposterous that the UIL slammed 5 state finals caliber bands in one area and set it up with a maximum of 4 bands to advance. Struggling to see how the UIL feels that this is equitable compared to other areas across the state. UIL has got to get it together! All it takes is the smallest amount of silly judging and Keller, Bell, or Coppell wouldn't advance. Echoing some sentiment from above, I understand the geographic representation aspect, I really do. I just don't understand why the UIL gives that more weight in state than depth of competition. Maybe the UIL needs to reassess their state advancement policy? It seems like when UIL drafts the areas, they pay very little attention to history of success, which may be good to help keep it balanced. But keeping this area like this for 2 full years is going to be miserable

Forney is 6A based on their numbers in February so it's essentially like they marched a 6A-sized ensemble last year, and it's not like they're going to magically be bigger now that they're classified as a 6A program and I have to imagine that Aledo is nearing a push to 6A very soon thanks to the rapid growth in that area. Having seen both, it's quite neck-and-neck. Forney is certainly loud, but Aledo's visual program is SO impressive. I remember hearing "Full Throttle" as the show title and feeling a bit let down, but consider me now fully-throttled. Hoping to see them rightfully in 5A finals at San Antonio this year.

I actually picked up on a good deal of amorphism, especially when the winds are in a huge block but a featured section is in a blob inside it. Genius visual-musical design IMO. I’m a big fan of the difficulty in Vandegrift’s show, but Amorphous feels like a better overall package to me, at least early season. BIG visual step up for Hebron, especially in design.

I’ll pile on 🫣

Westwood is also going through director changes. In fact, Westlake just got Westwood’s director, and they’re phenomenal this year. Best early season Westlake in recent memory for me.

Phenomenal feels like an understatement. That last block might be the best prelims block of the year

Almost all TX football games are streamed live somewhere… hudl or NFHS are the main two I’ve used

Foster is doing “The Oculus” with some incredibly intriguing red props. Incredible opening hit with double tonguing that’s already pretty darn clean. Clements’ show is “Shades of La Mer” with the music of La Mer by Debussy. It’s cohesive with last year’s fire show but with definite step-up in visual.

Not sure about the title, but Flower Mound’s show is inspired by Yayoi Kusama. Lots of dots! Very, very fun and eye-popping!! They have a great vehicle for their return back to BOASA.

I caught a snippet of Westlake last night, and WOW--they are stunning visually already. They seem, to me, a notch above last year. It appears director changes were what this group needed to push to the next level. I have them as a sleeper pick for top half here, especially with this being so early in the season.

I agree- the schedules this year have been particularly rough. It looks relatively balanced, though, with no more than maybe 2 top-half finalist prospects per block. The second performance slot particularly jeopardizes Prosper's top-half prospects. I have no doubt that they'll be fantastic, but it will be a big challenge to throw a strong number that can remain in the top 6 amongst Bentonville, LD Bell, Rock Hill, Jenks, Wakeland, Marcus, and Keller Central. They definitely have an uphill battle in prelims. Similarly with Lone Star, McKinney, and Boyd--the bubble is so large here and so many other groups have more desirable performance times. Luckily, these schools are all relatively close to Prosper, so early call times shouldn't be AS egregious, and performing in the morning does mean some cooler temps (hopefully not downright cold, though.) I think Wylie can easily make it into finals with a decent run here. They perform at the end of the least-stacked block which also happens to be the dead last performance slot. Good for them! This would mark their first finals appearance at this regional.

I'm not sure this will be the Waxahachie runaway people are predicting--let's not forget Forney passed Leander in finals last year at state, and has only become bigger since then. In fact, I'm currently thinking they're the favorite to win this area in their first year at the 6A level. Of course, Waxahachie always wayyyy places my expectations when it comes to UIL. Even still, I'm thinking we'll have a brand new 6A area champ this year.