I might be wrong but didn't Reagan place 4th at BOA Houston last year, 6th at San Antonio and make state, all a year after not making finals at Arlington and getting 14th at BOA San Antonio? I wouldn't call that going down at all.
Reagan only used an amp for the low brass ensemble so that they could play as comfortably as possible and they used a mic for the oboe solo because it would be a little hard to hear an oboe without one (I would be impressed it someone could on an oboe) but they definetly didn't use an amp for the entire band.