I wouldn't say that. Area b has some pretty big powerhouses like Wakeland and Lone star, and from what I heard, Anna's show kinda screwed them over since the music had to be rearranged for a few spots since it didn't line up well and the drill was not the best for woodwinds at all. They also tried adding a double tongue feature for there show for the first time. I think they can be a great band but they need more time to grow into it. But for there first year in 5a I say they did pretty well. Their show from the start of the season to now improved a lot.
The judging is based on 5 main rankings: rarely, sometimes, usually, consistent, and always. Bands who perform more consistently are more likely to advance to the top.