LoneStarSuperFan

Hey! You guys are still great, and hi another mellow fellow! But I could also see many of these predictions happening.

I'm going to throw my hand at these predictions, it's for sure going to be a wild one. I originally had L.D Bell placing third but based on how Bedford took place, they've been moved down on my list. These are my first predictions but I'm sure it's going to be fun.
1. Marcus (sweepstakes in range)
2. Wakelend: They pulled 4th at Bedford and really the only ones above them were all big AAAA bands. So without those schools there to hold them back I think they'll do incredible!
3. Bentonville: I haven't seen them this season but based on previous years they always tend to do well.
4. Prosper: I could totally be wrong with this one. But I've seen their show this year and I think that they're more than capable with getting 4th. This is one of the hardest comps to predict so far this season Bedford coming in close second.
5. Mustang: I feel like this could go either way. Mustang could also get 4th I just haven't seen them this season so I can't accurately judge.
6. Lone Star: I really want to put them in the top 6. I feel that if they're able to clean more this week that it should be able to reflect all the work they've really put in. I'm unaware of if they've ever beaten Jenks before, but with their recent upwards trend I definitely feel that they have the chance. I do hope that their GE score gets increased because I feel like, that at least over wakelend their show has more feels. Wakelend has had the same trend of show for the past few years. I don't just say that because I'm a fan, because I definitely see the cleanliness in Wakelend's show.
7. Jenks: Now this could really go either way for both Lone Star and Jenks. Oklahoma schools tend to do very well in these types of competitions. So I'm excited to see what happens.
8. L.D Bell: If I had based this off of last year's season I definitely would have had them higher but due to Bedford it's caused my ranking of them to go down. They're definitely still good, heince them being on my list.
Beyond this point I'm really just guessing it's going to be so closely knit that any predictions are... Well going to be hard to predict.
9. Southlake Carrol
10. Wylie
11. McKinney North
12. Rock Hill
I'm looking to improve so if anyone has feedback feel free to share

Hey! You guys are still great, and hi another mellow fellow! But I could also see many of these predictions happening.

Hey! You guys are still great, and hi another mellow fellow! But I could also see many of these predictions happening.

Hey! You guys are still great, and hi another mellow fellow! But I could also see many of these predictions happening.

It's hard to say predictions because I'm a current member of the LD Bell band, but based on our season thus far, I'm not sure we'll place very highly, if at all, during finals. It's really sad coming off of the high of last year and simply not doing as well this year.  😭

Current IDEA of finals results:
1. Marcus
2. Wakeland
3. Mustang
4. Jenks
5. Lone Star
6. Bentonville
7. Prosper 
8. L.D. Bell 
9. Keller Central / Southlake Carroll
10. Southlake Carroll / Keller Central
11. Rock Hill
12. Azle

I am now blind! Thanks a lot!

The post needs a seizure warning. 

I'm going to throw my hand at these predictions, it's for sure going to be a wild one. I originally had L.D Bell placing third but based on how Bedford took place, they've been moved down on my list. These are my first predictions but I'm sure it's going to be fun.
1. Marcus (sweepstakes in range)
2. Wakelend: They pulled 4th at Bedford and really the only ones above them were all big AAAA bands. So without those schools there to hold them back I think they'll do incredible!
3. Bentonville: I haven't seen them this season but based on previous years they always tend to do well.
4. Prosper: I could totally be wrong with this one. But I've seen their show this year and I think that they're more than capable with getting 4th. This is one of the hardest comps to predict so far this season Bedford coming in close second.
5. Mustang: I feel like this could go either way. Mustang could also get 4th I just haven't seen them this season so I can't accurately judge.
6. Lone Star: I really want to put them in the top 6. I feel that if they're able to clean more this week that it should be able to reflect all the work they've really put in. I'm unaware of if they've ever beaten Jenks before, but with their recent upwards trend I definitely feel that they have the chance. I do hope that their GE score gets increased because I feel like, that at least over wakelend their show has more feels. Wakelend has had the same trend of show for the past few years. I don't just say that because I'm a fan, because I definitely see the cleanliness in Wakelend's show.
7. Jenks: Now this could really go either way for both Lone Star and Jenks. Oklahoma schools tend to do very well in these types of competitions. So I'm excited to see what happens.
8. L.D Bell: If I had based this off of last year's season I definitely would have had them higher but due to Bedford it's caused my ranking of them to go down. They're definitely still good, heince them being on my list.
Beyond this point I'm really just guessing it's going to be so closely knit that any predictions are... Well going to be hard to predict.
9. Southlake Carrol
10. Wylie
11. McKinney North
12. Rock Hill
I'm looking to improve so if anyone has feedback feel free to share

Super solid list! Could very well turn out like this!! 

I'm going to throw my hand at these predictions, it's for sure going to be a wild one. I originally had L.D Bell placing third but based on how Bedford took place, they've been moved down on my list. These are my first predictions but I'm sure it's going to be fun.
1. Marcus (sweepstakes in range)
2. Wakelend: They pulled 4th at Bedford and really the only ones above them were all big AAAA bands. So without those schools there to hold them back I think they'll do incredible!
3. Bentonville: I haven't seen them this season but based on previous years they always tend to do well.
4. Prosper: I could totally be wrong with this one. But I've seen their show this year and I think that they're more than capable with getting 4th. This is one of the hardest comps to predict so far this season Bedford coming in close second.
5. Mustang: I feel like this could go either way. Mustang could also get 4th I just haven't seen them this season so I can't accurately judge.
6. Lone Star: I really want to put them in the top 6. I feel that if they're able to clean more this week that it should be able to reflect all the work they've really put in. I'm unaware of if they've ever beaten Jenks before, but with their recent upwards trend I definitely feel that they have the chance. I do hope that their GE score gets increased because I feel like, that at least over wakelend their show has more feels. Wakelend has had the same trend of show for the past few years. I don't just say that because I'm a fan, because I definitely see the cleanliness in Wakelend's show.
7. Jenks: Now this could really go either way for both Lone Star and Jenks. Oklahoma schools tend to do very well in these types of competitions. So I'm excited to see what happens.
8. L.D Bell: If I had based this off of last year's season I definitely would have had them higher but due to Bedford it's caused my ranking of them to go down. They're definitely still good, heince them being on my list.
Beyond this point I'm really just guessing it's going to be so closely knit that any predictions are... Well going to be hard to predict.
9. Southlake Carrol
10. Wylie
11. McKinney North
12. Rock Hill
I'm looking to improve so if anyone has feedback feel free to share

Judge Number 1: All my caption awards go to Hebron High School. 
 
Judge Supervisor: Sir, Hebron isn’t at this BOA event. 
 
BOA: I’ll allow it!
Announcer: The Caption for Outstanding Music goes to Hebron High School!
Spectators: We knew it!  

I'm really excited to see what happens with Lone Star in the upcoming season. In my opinion, they are the best they've ever been and for this early in the season is great to see! In 2023 Lone Star placed 13th at BOA with a score of 77. Now we've seen a 3.25 point difference. (Correct me if I'm wrong) With moving 6 places forward. That is INSANE for the BOA world with only one season in between. Now there are a few things holding them back, individual marching level is not as high as it could be. I feel like another goal for the Lone Star staff is finally reaching the level that Wakelend is at. But if they continue this upward trend I do believe that it will be possible. By BOA Prosper this upcoming weekend? I'm not sure, but it is certainly possible this is all dependent on what they do with the feedback from judges. Not to mention, how they use their time this week.

The music and visual caption judges on difficulty, range of skill, techniques, and their execution. The GE captions judge on whether the content they’re performing is effective in supporting the theme, if it’s interesting or innovative, and its execution. A band successfully executing music that supports the theme will be more effective than a poor performance of music that supports the theme. Basically, vis and music is purely execution of the technical aspects. And GE is execution of design, which execution of the technical aspects plays a part in.
Yes, that does allow a little more room for opinions, but even the music and visual captions also have some degree of opinions as one judge may reward a specific technique more than another. Yes, the design of a show is mostly out of the student’s control.
The GE captions is basically to help promote innovation and encourage unique exploration of ideas. If we wanted to judge solely on the performance of the students without any outside factors such as a non performer’s design, wouldn’t it make more sense to have every competing band perform the exact same show? Having more resources can definitely make being innovate easier. But, many would argue that most innovation in the world was a direct result of limitations.
Some may argue about how much of the score should GE be responsible for which is understandable. But when you really break down what GE is, you understand that execution of a show is still the majority of the score. You don’t have to personally agree with it. You don’t even have to agree that it needs to be an entirely separate caption. But BOA and DCI use it for a reason. And no one is forcing band directors to attend these regionals, but many do. If a director only wants to participate in a circuit where only performance is judged and not design, they have free will to do so.

How much money comes into play in student activities is always a discussion but it’s just the truth of life. Take out the design aspect, money still has a direct effect on music and marching when considering private lessons, well decorated educators, opportunities, etc.
All that being said, a band can be successful in BOA without all the bells and whistles! Wakeland has been one of the top DFW bands for the past few years and their approach to their show themes has been some of the most basic I’ve ever seen that I could write it in my sleep. 2023 show was Sense of Direction and they just had a ton of arrow sets. 2024 show is Where the Heart Is. Stick figure family set here, house set there, heart set there. No props. But their performance ability has been so high in combination with the music and marching they attempt. Some people say the original GE is cleanliness. A well performed difficult show will have an effect on you. You could then say what’s the point of GE then if a band can just perform well and still succeed? How I think of it is that a well performed difficult show with basic theme still trumps a less impressive show with an amazing theme, as they should. But if it’s a well performed difficult show with an amazing theme, then they take the cake. It can suck that there’s an aspect that is out of the performer’s hands, but this is a creative art after all and there needs to be some level of subjectivity.

I'm really excited to see what happens with Lone Star in the upcoming season. In my opinion, they are the best they've ever been and for this early in the season is great to see! In 2023 Lone Star placed 13th at BOA with a score of 77. Now we've seen a 3.25 point difference. (Correct me if I'm wrong) With moving 6 places forward. That is INSANE for the BOA world with only one season in between. Now there are a few things holding them back, individual marching level is not as high as it could be. I feel like another goal for the Lone Star staff is finally reaching the level that Wakelend is at. But if they continue this upward trend I do believe that it will be possible. By BOA Prosper this upcoming weekend? I'm not sure, but it is certainly possible this is all dependent on what they do with the feedback from judges. Not to mention, how they use their time this week.

14th last yr not 13th

And 9th in 2022. 

I'm really excited to see what happens with Lone Star in the upcoming season. In my opinion, they are the best they've ever been and for this early in the season is great to see! In 2023 Lone Star placed 13th at BOA with a score of 77. Now we've seen a 3.25 point difference. (Correct me if I'm wrong) With moving 6 places forward. That is INSANE for the BOA world with only one season in between. Now there are a few things holding them back, individual marching level is not as high as it could be. I feel like another goal for the Lone Star staff is finally reaching the level that Wakelend is at. But if they continue this upward trend I do believe that it will be possible. By BOA Prosper this upcoming weekend? I'm not sure, but it is certainly possible this is all dependent on what they do with the feedback from judges. Not to mention, how they use their time this week.

I'm really excited to see what happens with Lone Star in the upcoming season. In my opinion, they are the best they've ever been and for this early in the season is great to see! In 2023 Lone Star placed 13th at BOA with a score of 77. Now we've seen a 3.25 point difference. (Correct me if I'm wrong) With moving 6 places forward. That is INSANE for the BOA world with only one season in between. Now there are a few things holding them back, individual marching level is not as high as it could be. I feel like another goal for the Lone Star staff is finally reaching the level that Wakelend is at. But if they continue this upward trend I do believe that it will be possible. By BOA Prosper this upcoming weekend? I'm not sure, but it is certainly possible this is all dependent on what they do with the feedback from judges. Not to mention, how they use their time this week.

A night's sleep to reflect -- 

The season-long battle between Hebron and FloMo is appointment viewing. Hebron is so incredibly ... perfect, while FloMo is so incredibly, well, "FloMo" and so breathtaking/fun to watch. I wish Marcus had been there last night to join the mix.
Another season-long UIL 5A battle to watch: Wakeland vs. Lone Star. These two schools are located just 3 MILES from each other, yet they both embody excellence. IN MY OPINION: Lone Star's music and GE is better this year; while Wakeland's execution, per usual, is flawless and their marching might be second to none. This is a subjective competition, and Lone Star has long been living in Wakeland's shadow, so they've got to overcome that. 
This was the sixth year that I've attended the BOA Bedford competition, and the quality of the shows keep getting better and better. All finalists should be INCREDIBLY proud. 

proud alum of lone star. their highest placement here ever, and beating both Keller and LD Bell (both ranked top 32 in the country on hornrank) by 2+ points is no joke at all. look forward to seeing them in person at prosper next week, and see them wreck some stuff in uil!

Just got out of the shower lol, so sorry for the delayed response
Congratulations to Hebron on getting the 3-peat!! Scores were super closed as expected, will be super tight between Flomo and Hebron all season long, and I'm guessing Marcus whenever they show up. Great stuff from TC, looking like a potential medalist at St Louis?? We'll see how they do next weekend, but I'm expecting a great season from them. Really excited to see how those that were here going to prosper do, will drop my final preds for that soon. Amazing job again to everyone, and thanks for the awesome day of performances!!

Wow! What a close competition!! Congratulations to everyone who competed today, you all showed excellence and grit. I cannot wait to see how this impacts next week's BOA competition. 

Honestly I believe that the judges were way too harsh on rock hill tonight but I’m glad to see that Wakeland is still good. I also believe that lone star could have been ranked higher than 7th but after all this is an opinion.

and that’s a wrap! im so beyond excited and happy by the events turned out today! i was extremely nervous going into this performance, but the crowd was AWESOME!

however, i will say this to forney: just know im proud of you guys. even if things didn’t go to way you guys wanted, believe me when i say the crowd loved you all. it was so awesome talking to you guys again, seeing your faces made me tear up a bit. i miss you all so so much, and just be proud with the work you put in today because the journey has only just begun. 
besides forney… LONE STAR?! im so shocked but i LOVE LOVE LOVE what ive seen so far (i will be rewatching this for years to come), and as i said to forney, be proud of the work today!
the rest of my thoughts will come in the morning, but imma get some shut eye after two performances today. 
gmg! 💚🦅