The fertile ground of Texas 4A

[Shadow Weaver]

MAKE OUR GARDEN GROW

With Regional Champions, Grand National Finalists, and Grand National and Class AAA Champions in its stead, the bright light of 5A Texas Marching Bands tends to cast a large shadow on the field of 4A bands in Texas. To be sure, there is a disparity in the performance level of the elite 5A vs. the elite 4A bands. However, one cannot discount the fact that Class 4A has produced some strong 5A champions. Within the past 10 years, three 4A State Champions have gone on to be 5A SMBC finalists; 1999's Coppell, 2001's Cedar Park, and 2003's Richland, the latter achieving elite GN Finalist status. These respective bands have done admirably at BOA Regional competitions across the state. Yet another former 4A State Medalist in the more distant past, Leander, has also achieved elite GN Finalist status and in its heyday became one of the top 5 bands Texas had to offer. To be sure, 4A has proven a fertile breeding ground for eventual 5A powerhouses.

Even now, 4A bands continue to make their mark at BOA competitions. While not dominating per se, bands like TW College Park, Pflugerville Hendrickson, Pflugerville Connally et. al have made strong impressions among some of the best competitions Texas has to offer. Suffice to say, I believe that UIL 4A SMBC is a significant event for Texas marching band enthusiasts to watch.

Which brings me to the basis for this article. It is time to take an early look at what we can expect from the bands that will be competing in this year's SMBC as well as the Area breakdowns. There have already been a few early festivals and Oct. 6 marks the big day when most major local competitions start taking off. We've had the opportunity to glance at a few of this classification's major players and the next couple of weeks will start laying the course for who will advance to the Alamodome come November.

IT ALL STARTS AT REGION

Region seems like an afterthought to many major bands. Most are looking ahead to area and others even further to State and State finals. Nevertheless, Region is where it all happens. Region is, in actuality, a headcount of how many bands will be in attendance at State Preliminaries. For those unfamiliar with Texas Marching Band, at the Region competition, all bands are rated against a standard, with a division I being the highest standard. From there, all bands achieving the highest standard advance on to their respective Area competitions, seven in all. What many forget is that the more bands that advance to any given area competition, the more slots are made available for advancement to the state competition. This is because as a default in the large band classifications (4A, 5A), only two bands are required to advance from each area, regardless of size. However, if 15 or more bands advance to the area competition, for every five bands, one will advance to the state competition. Thus, an area with 20 bands will advance 4 to state, 25 will advance 5 etc. This poses particular problems in areas aching for bands.

DISPARITY

Let's take a look at, for example, Area D. Area D is comprised mainly of the San Antonio/Austin area schools and is the largest Area in the state with about 38 4A bands. Theoretically, if all bands made I's in this area, 7 bands could advance to state. Now of course this won't happen, but it certainly does increase the possibility for any given school to advance to state.
This Area stands in start contrast to Area E, which has only about 9 bands in the entire area, or Area B (in my opinion the hardest area in the state, comprised mostly of a part of the Dallas/Ft. Worth area) with about 15 4A bands and four former State Finalists (Aledo, Birdville, The Colony, and Sherman) as well as a 4A State Honor Band finalist in Centennial. Former 5A and 4A State finalist The Colony finds itself in a rebuild after losing Dick Clardy in 2001. They have steadily been improving, placing 5th at the most recent TMEA 4A State Honor Band competition. They will not make this area any fun to advance out of. In order to advance three bands, every band in the area will have to make a one. Even one default could be costly for that third band aching to advance.

WHO'S WHO

There are of course certain bands that by tradition emerge as front-runners. All eyes are on Keller's Fossil Ridge HS, a 1999 former 4A State finalist before a stint in 5A. Traditional powers in the area include Azle, Big Spring, and El Paso Andress and will look to give the latest member of the area a rough time.Though this area has about 25 bands, my guess is that they will be able to advance only 3 bands to state.

Area C is another Dallas area with one of the most storied programs in Texas 4A: Poteet HS from Mesquite. They are coming off two consecutive State Championships (2005 Marching, 2007 Honor Band) and are the heavy favorite for a repeat, though if history is any indicator, this will not happen. Both Friendswood and Richland have attempted the same feat unsuccessfully. Look for Poteet, JJ Pearce, and Waxahachie to be the frontrunners in this area.

Area D is the glutton with a wealth of strong bands. Given my locale, I have had a chance to see more bands from here than anywhere. Hendrickson and Connally are the annointed fronrunners, but don't expect them to be the automatic 1-2 finishers at area this time around. Austin McCallum, AISD's Fine Arts Magnet, is putting on some impressive music and at this point in the season has the finesse and cleanliness to be a contender. Hendrickson has great depth in their show and are my current favorite to win Area. However, neither of the above groups can discount Dripping Springs or New Braunfels. New Braunfels is a former three-time Area E champion that has now been moved into titanic Area D. Of the favorites, Connally is looking the most behind at this point, so my early nods for State (assuming 4 advance) will be Hendrickson, Dripping Springs, McCallum, and New Braunfels.

Area E is a hard one to call. There aren't a lot of bands here, but two stick out above the rest at this point: former State Finalist Brenham and former state participant Foster from Richmond. They are my current picks for this area.

Area F is home to another group of storied programs in Friendswood and Dickinson. I must go out on a limb this time around. I'm calling Friendswood to be the future 4A State Champion. They have been too strong too long to come up short. Having said that, this area will likely advance two and Dickinson is no shoe-in. They will have trouble getting past Honor Band finalist Nederland and state perennial Santa Fe.

Area G, the Valley area, Roma stands out as the clear front-runner, with numerous State Honor Band and Marching Band finals appearances. This area will likely advance three...going on that assumption, I shall give Boerne the early nod with the third spot a toss-up between Fredericksburg's Battlin' Billie Band and former 4A power Gregory-Portland.


We shall see who emerges as a dark horse in this large race. It's still so early, and if one thing is certain, it's that 4A is a volatile field. Bands have come out of nowhere more than once. I look forward to seeing the final bands remaining in November.


-The Shadow Weaver


AREA A

Amarillo Dumas
Amarillo Hereford
Amarillo Palo Duro
Azle
Big Spring
Boswell
Caprock
Denton
Denton Guyer
El Paso
El Paso Andres
El Paso Capt. John L. Chapin
El Paso Del Valle
El Paso Horizon
El Paso Jefferson/Silva
El Paso Mountain View
El Paso Parkland
Keller Fossil Ridge*
Pampa
Saginaw
San Angelo Lakeview
White Settlement C.F. Brewer
Wichita Falls
Wichita Falls S.H. Rider
Wolforth Frenship


AREA B

Aledo*
Alvarado
Arlington Heights
Arlington Juan Seguin
Birdville*
Brownwood
Centennial *
Crowley
Denison
Everman
Frisco
Ft. Worth Eastern Hills
Joshua
Little Elm
Sherman*
The Colony*


AREA C

Dallas Highland Park
Dallas Justin F. Kimball
Dallas Lincoln
Dallas Seagoville
Dallas South Oak
Dallas Thomas Jefferson
Ennis
Forney
Greenville
Hallsville
Heath Rockwall
Henderson
Jacksonville
Kilgore
Lancaster
Longview Pine Tree
Marshall
McKinney
McKinney Boyd
Mesquite Poteet*
Mesquite West Mesquite
Mt. Pleasant
Paris
Paris North Lamar
Red Oak
Richardson J.J. Pearce*
Sulphur Springs
Waxahachie*


AREA D

Austin Crockett
Austin Johnston
Austin Lanier
Austin LBJ
Austin McCallum
Austin Reagan
Austin Travis
Burnet
Cedar Park Vista Ridge
Cibbolo Steele
Copperas Cove
Del Valle
Dripping Springs*
Elgin
Hays
Killeen
Kyle Lehman
Lake Travis
Lampassas
Lockhart
Manor
Marble Falls
New Braunfels*
New Braunfels Canyon
Pflugerville Connally*
Pflugerville Hendrickson*
SA Alamo Heights
SA Brackenridge
SA Burbank
SA Edison
SA Fox Tech
SA Jefferson
SA Lanier
SA Sam Houston
Schertz Clemens
Waco
Waco Midway
Waco University


AREA E

Brenham
El Campo
Houston Ross Sterling
Houston Waltrip
Katy Seven Lakes
Richmond Foster
Rosenburg Lamar Consolidated
Rosenburg Terry
Waller


AREA F

Angleton
Beumont Central Medical Magnet
Conroe Caney Creek
Crosby
Dayton
Dickinson*
Freeport Brazosport
Friendswood*
Galena Park
Houston C.E. King
Houston Forest Brook
Huffman Hargrave
Huntsville
La Marque
Little Cypress-Mauriceville
Livingston
Lumberton
Mont Belview Barbers
Montgomery
Nederland*
New Caney
Ozen
Port Neches Grove
Santa Fe
Texas City
Vidor


AREA G

Alice
Beeville A.C. Jones
Boerne
Corpus Christi Calallen
Corpus Christi Flour Bluff
Corpus Christi Miller
Corpus Christi Moody
Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway
Edcouch-Elsa
Floresville
Fredericksburg
Gregory-Portland
Kingsville H.M. King
Mercedes
Mission
Mission Veterans Memorial
Port Lavaca Calhoun
Robstown
Rockport-Fulton
Roma*
Weslaco East

[ddmwingz]

Thats a very nice explanation. I agree completely, but I think you may have some of the bands in the wrong area. I know that the Colony is in area B. Just wanted to help get the facts straight.

Really nice overview though.

[Shadow Weaver]

well that's annoying. Thanks for the heads-up on The Colony's actual area. That makes for an even meaner Area B (unfortunate for the top tier bands in that area). Duly noted. I guess a couple of bands have to slip through the cracks

[ddmwingz]

Yea, its a heck of a job trying to figure out exactly everyone who is in each area. You seem to have done a pretty bang up job of it(ive always wanted to say that, lol)

[whitewing09]

well in area d i dont think you should count new braufels canyon out or steele or clemens you never know

 

 

didnt new braufels get a director change or something, just wonderin

[gavinrh]

richland hasn't made the uil state finals since winning 4a state... the last time we made 5a state finals was 2002...

[Shadow Weaver]

  whitewing09 said:

well in area d i dont think you should count new braufels canyon out or steele or clemens you never know

 

 

didnt new braufels get a director change or something, just wonderin

If I'm not mistaken, they had a new director last year, who was the former assistant at the school. He is still the same head band director this year.

[titancoaster]

I am really glad I stumbled upon this article, as a member of the competitive Area D hopefuls its always scary on a state year to see who all is a contender. At Connally we have taken a different approach to the state game this year, hoping to have a more entertaining show, rather than playing the gorgeous music that lacks the entertainment value that other bands have turned to. We have shrunk by about 10-15 members, losing one of our strongest classes in the history of the school. Our entire band has done a good job of stepping up to fill the shoes of our retired class. We have run into many musical issues which is why we seem so far behind. During summer band we lost the good sound concept for the Super loud in your face sound. Believe me though, after the USSBA Hendrickson show, we got many great comments from our judges, and have immediatly gone to work in fixing our issues, we have lost some volume for now, but we sound 10x better, and have added our fourth movement. We continually strive for a better show, and are working extremly hard to earn our way back to state and hopefully become a medal contender. While I understand where the Shadow Weaver is coming from, believe me by our next show (the 13th@ Westlake and USSBA Hays) we will be a different band, and prove that without a doubt, we are the returning Area D champs. I would also like to take the time to wish all the 4A bands good luck, leave it all on the field EVERY time, and I hope to see you in the Alamodome!

[bonepit06-07]

to go along with what titan coaster said I am also a Senior Trombone Player of The Connally High School Band please dont count us out the countdown begins and 10 days from now. We will be ready so if you continue to stay up to date watch out cause here we come!!!!

[Shadow Weaver]

  titancoaster said:

I am really glad I stumbled upon this article, as a member of the competitive Area D hopefuls its always scary on a state year to see who all is a contender. At Connally we have taken a different approach to the state game this year, hoping to have a more entertaining show, rather than playing the gorgeous music that lacks the entertainment value that other bands have turned to. We have shrunk by about 10-15 members, losing one of our strongest classes in the history of the school. Our entire band has done a good job of stepping up to fill the shoes of our retired class. We have run into many musical issues which is why we seem so far behind. During summer band we lost the good sound concept for the Super loud in your face sound. Believe me though, after the USSBA Hendrickson show, we got many great comments from our judges, and have immediatly gone to work in fixing our issues, we have lost some volume for now, but we sound 10x better, and have added our fourth movement. We continually strive for a better show, and are working extremly hard to earn our way back to state and hopefully become a medal contender. While I understand where the Shadow Weaver is coming from, believe me by our next show (the 13th@ Westlake and USSBA Hays) we will be a different band, and prove that without a doubt, we are the returning Area D champs. I would also like to take the time to wish all the 4A bands good luck, leave it all on the field EVERY time, and I hope to see you in the Alamodome!

Best of luck at the Central Texas USSBA regional! Feel free to prove me wrong As the defending Area D Champions, I cannot discount the band completely, and y'all have already topped Dripping Springs at one competition this year.

[Rebel]

  Shadow Weaver said:

Best of luck at the Central Texas USSBA regional! Feel free to prove me wrong  As the defending Area D Champions, I cannot discount the band completely, and y'all have already topped Dripping Springs at one competition this year.

 

and McCallum (although they were in a different class, they had a lower score)

[acsc1312]

  whitewing09 said:

well in area d i dont think you should count new braufels canyon out or steele or clemens you never know

 

 

didnt new braufels get a director change or something, just wonderin

I don't know how well Steele or Clemens are going to do, due to it being the first year in 4A, but I will say that in 2004, our last year in 5A, we did better than we had ever done, and I believe that if the students believe they can do it, we might just see clemens or steele do very well. It's anyone's game...but we'll see. I'm very excited to see what happens this year...

[titancoaster]

I completly respect your opinion and see where your coming from, Im just saying alot has happened between the last time we have been on the field and now, and will be a force to reckon with on the 13th, and all the UIL competitions.

[Fata1]

I don't want to sound selfish but I think you're missing some bands. Like us. Due to past history, our band has been overlooked a lot. We have been included in predictions every now and then because of our placement in the Honor Band last year but I think we're being really underestimated. We weren't mentioned in your entire post.

 

Anyway, great overview for the most part. It puts a nice perspective on things.

[Shadow Weaver]

  Fata1 said:

I don't want to sound selfish but I think you're missing some bands.  Like us.  Due to past history, our band has been overlooked a lot.  We have been included in predictions every now and then because of our placement in the Honor Band last year but I think we're being really underestimated.  We weren't mentioned in your entire post.

 

Anyway, great overview for the most part.  It puts a nice perspective on things.

There are a lot of 4A bands...I can't talk about everyone, as much as I'd like to try. This is not the Southwest school based out of San Antonio we're referring to eh?

 

 

If you have a band competition your band will be going to that a correspondent of mine might be able to catch, let me know. Your work on the field will speak more volumes to me. That is what I generally go by. History doesn't hurt either, but I've seen nearly every single band I've talked about.

[Shadow Weaver]

  titancoaster said:

I completly respect your opinion and see where your coming from, Im just saying alot has happened between the last time we have been on the field and now, and will be a force to reckon with on the 13th, and all the UIL competitions.

since monday?

 

 

Pfun Pfestival of bands by the way. I found Pflugerville's community pfestivities (and the announcer) quite amusing!

[PlayOboe]

Yay! I'm so glad to have our resident 4A enthusiast back!

 

I am a bit confused about the count of Area B bands. According to the Region 7 web site, there are 31 4A bands in Area B:

http://www.uilforms.com/regions/7/4A%20Dra...0order%2007.htm

 

I think one source of confusion came from the McKinney ISD schools. McKinney is a part of the new Region 25, but the three McKinney bands performed at the Region 3 marching contest last year due to some sort of scheduling conflict.

 

Otherwise, I agree with your analyses of the areas, though I would definitely not count out Kingsville: King in Area G. They tied for 7th in state prelims in 03, but lost the tie breaker to Brenham and were only two rank points out of the Roma/Lopez tie for first at area in 2005. I'm currently thinking Roma and King for the lucky two from that area.

 

And I also agree that this will be Friendswood's year. As much as I would love Poteet to repeat (gotta rep the alma mater), Friendswood has just been close too many times to not win. Historically, the honor band thing also works against Poteet. For example:

 

1997

Honor Band: Coppell

Marching Champion: Poteet

 

1999

Honor Band: Keller

Marching Champion: Coppell

 

2001

Honor Band: J.J. Pearce

Marching Champion: Cedar Park

 

2003

Honor Band: Lopez

Marching Champion: Richland

 

2005

Honor Band: Friendswood

Marching Champion: Poteet

 

Very interesting.........

[Shadow Weaver]

  PlayOboe said:

Yay! I'm so glad to have our resident 4A enthusiast back!

 

I am a bit confused about the count of Area B bands. According to the Region 7 web site, there are 31 4A bands in Area B:

http://www.uilforms.com/regions/7/4A%20Dra...0order%2007.htm

 

I think one source of confusion came from the McKinney ISD schools. McKinney is a part of the new Region 25, but the three McKinney bands performed at the Region 3 marching contest last year due to some sort of scheduling conflict.

 

Otherwise, I agree with your analyses of the areas, though I would definitely not count out Kingsville: King in Area G. They tied for 7th in state prelims in 03, but lost the tie breaker to Brenham and were only two rank points out of the Roma/Lopez tie for first at area in 2005. I'm currently thinking Roma and King for the lucky two from that area.

 

And I also agree that this will be Friendswood's year. As much as I would love Poteet to repeat (gotta rep the alma mater), Friendswood has just been close too many times to not win. Historically, the honor band thing also works against Poteet. For example:

 

1997

Honor Band: Coppell

Marching Champion: Poteet

 

1999

Honor Band: Keller

Marching Champion: Coppell

 

2001

Honor Band: J.J. Pearce

Marching Champion: Cedar Park

 

2003

Honor Band: Lopez

Marching Champion: Richland

 

2005

Honor Band: Friendswood

Marching Champion: Poteet

 

Very interesting.........

Thanks for that bit of info! I may need to do more marching band hunting...most of my count was based on 2006's UIL marching contest, which only listed 15 bands in attendance. The Colony made it 16, but clearly there are more in the area that I have managed to miss, somewhat dubiously. That should make for a larger Area B with (hopefully) more than 3 advancers!

 

 

Poteet will have their work cut out for them, but it would be rather interesting to see them win. Their 2005 show was a nice cut above the rest, but this year is stacking up to be wildly competitive. Best of luck to all the bands!

 

You make a good point with King H.S. I had not considered that. I may also want to retract my early Fredericksburg pick. I stand by my Boerne pick unless their progress so far this season has somehow stunted itself. They have consistently done well in their former Area. I would also expect some fight in Alice and Floresville.

[Shadow Weaver]

Some week old contest results from San Antonio's East Central Hornet comp.

 

5a

1. Taft

2. Smithson Valley

3. Southwest

(don't know who won the caption awards.)

 

4a

1. Hays (Buda)

2. Floresville

3. Calallen

4. Fredericksburg

5. Fox Tech

Drum Major - Floresville

Guard - Hays

Percusion - Floresville

 

3a

1 Hondo

2 Crystal City

3 La Vernia

Drum Major - Hondo

Guard - Hondo

Percussion - Hondo

 

2a

1 Randolph

2 Jourdanton

3 Junction

(don't know the placings for the others)

Comfort

Odem

Nixon-Smiley

Drum Major - Randolph

Guard - Jourdanton

Percussion - Randolph

 

1a

1 Falls City

2 Woodsboro

Drum Major - Falls City

Guard - Falls City

Percussion - Falls City

[Fata1]

  Shadow Weaver said:

There are a lot of 4A bands...I can't talk about everyone, as much as I'd like to try. This is not the Southwest school based out of San Antonio we're referring to eh?

 

 

If you have a band competition your band will be going to that a correspondent of mine might be able to catch, let me know. Your work on the field will speak more volumes to me. That is what I generally go by. History doesn't hurt either, but I've seen nearly every single band I've talked about.

I know you can't name them all and you've done a really good job at what you have. We placed just 1 behind Centennial and 2 above The Colony in the Honor Band competition last year. We also get consistent 1s at UIL. I'm not pointing this out just because I'm from Southwest but because we could cause an upset in the typical prediction for Area B. I'd point this out even if I were from another band.

 

Anyway, like I said, I'm not trying to be selfish and I'm definitely not angry or anything. I'm just a casual observer pointing something out.

[Shadow Weaver]

Judson Rocket Band Review

 

4A-

1. New Braunfels HS

2. Cibbolo Steele HS

3. Schertz Clemens HS

 

Guard: Cibbolo Steele HS

Percussion: New Braunfels HS

 

5A-

1. Seguin HS

2. SA MacArthur HS

3. SA Wagner HS

 

Guard: Seguin HS

Percussion: Seguin HS

 

Festival Grand Champion: Seguin HS 84.75

[PlayOboe]

Mesquite Marching Festival was today. I don't know much yet, but Sherman won Best in Class 4A. Word on the street is that they outscored Poteet's exhibition performance. It may not mean anything since Poteet wasn't being scored competitively, but you never know. I'm looking forward to next Saturday when Sherman, Poteet, and Birdville meet at the Plano East Marching Invitational.

[whitewing09]

  Shadow Weaver said:

Judson Rocket Band Review

 

4A-

1. New Braunfels HS

2. Cibbolo Steele HS

3. Schertz Clemens HS

 

Guard: Cibbolo Steele HS

Percussion: New Braunfels HS

 

5A-

1. Seguin HS

2. SA MacArthur HS

3. SA Wagner HS

 

Guard: Seguin HS

Percussion: Seguin HS

 

Festival Grand Champion: Seguin HS 84.75

new braunfels was friggen awesome!!! compared to what they were going up against i saw the ending of steeles show and it looked pretty cool

[whitewing09]

  Shadow Weaver said:

3a

1 Hondo

2 Crystal City

3 La Vernia

Drum Major - Hondo

Guard - Hondo

Percussion - Hondo

thers my school =) anywho we went right after taft and a break pretty cool stuff but anywho hays and florsville were looking pretty good you think they have a chance at state going up against new braunfels, conally, henderickson, etc

[Shadow Weaver]

  whitewing09 said:

thers my school =) anywho we went right after taft and a break pretty cool stuff but anywho hays and florsville were looking pretty good you think they have a chance at state going up against new braunfels, conally, henderickson, etc

Floresville is Area G with Roma...there's room in that area to advance three bands, so it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility that could be a contender in that area. I also think it would be wrong to count Hays out completely. They are a program with a lot of history and are no strangers to 4A state finals. I think at the very least we can expect to see them at the Area D finals.