2017 BOA San Antonio Super Regionals Predictions

[Danpod]

  On 10/28/2017 at 3:53 AM, MadisonBandMan1 said:

Man I couldn't feel my lips tonight, and we had a lot of playing to do (I play trombone). We won 48 - 7 and had the full 0erformance after the game because it was homecoming night. It was horrible. Speaking of which, one of the kids in our section was crowned homecoming king!

 

Love it when the band kids take over the darn school!!!!!!!!!!!

[TWHSParent]

Band kids rock!

[MadisonBandMan1]

  On 10/28/2017 at 4:15 AM, TWHSParent said:

Band kids rock!

Yes they do!

[MadisonBandMan1]

  On 10/28/2017 at 3:54 AM, Danpod said:

Love it when the band kids take over the darn school!!!!!!!!!!!

Our band is probably the biggest thing at our school now lol. We rule the school!

[MadisonBandMan1]

I seriously felt like the kid who got his tongue stick to the pole in the movie A Christmas Story.

[LeanderMomma]

  On 10/28/2017 at 4:38 AM, MadisonBandMan1 said:

I seriously felt like the kid who got his tongue stick to the pole in the movie A Christmas Story.

Haha, I bet you did!!

[TWHSParent]

  On 10/28/2017 at 4:38 AM, MadisonBandMan1 said:

I seriously felt like the kid who got his tongue stick to the pole in the movie A Christmas Story.

 

As a former brass player in the midwest the key to avoiding that tongue-stick feeling is to keep that mouthpiece as warm as possible. When you aren't playing or trying to keep the whole instrument warm take it out and keep it wrapped in your hands or a pocket, or something that isn't the surrounding air.

 

 

[LeanderMomma]

  On 10/28/2017 at 3:36 AM, Danpod said:

Just a friendly reminder that Diwali (Hindu Festival of Lights) will have its annual city-wide celebration next Saturday night in San Antonio. This is a very lovely festival and it is truly one-of-a-kind in the United States.

 

Be prepared to hear a lot of fireworks go off during Finals performances Saturday night. Do not be alarmed!

You know, I WAS alarmed last year. And those around me were alarmed as well, until we figured out it was fireworks and not gunshots! And it really affected Vandergrift's performance and threw them off their game a bit. I felt bad for them. I wish they would announce something throughout the day at BOA, especially to the performers, and let folks know to be expecting it.

[LeanderMomma]

  On 10/28/2017 at 3:53 AM, MadisonBandMan1 said:

Speaking of which, one of the kids in our section was crowned homecoming king!

That's so awesome. It's so great to see band kids shown the love in high school. Leander crowned a band boy and girl who are actually dating each other Homecoming King and Queen this year. Good stuff!!

[bandmom1823]

  On 10/28/2017 at 1:09 PM, LeanderMomma said:

You know, I WAS alarmed last year. And those around me were alarmed as well, until we figured out it was fireworks and not gunshots! And it really affected Vandergrift's performance and threw them off their game a bit. I felt bad for them. I wish they would announce something throughout the day at BOA, especially to the performers, and let folks know to be expecting it.

 Yes!  It should at the very least be announced to the finalist bands that fireworks will be going off.  Better yet, I'm guessing the time of the fireworks display is known - maybe communicate between BOA and the organizers of DiwaliSA and arrange to take a quick break during the fireworks and resume marching after (It wasn't a very long fireworks show last year - only about as long as our marching show ).  Our kids were not only distracted by the noise, but they were trying to process what in the world they were hearing all while continuing their show.  People in the stands were also distracted, but at least we weren't trying to march a show in finals.

[Danpod]

  On 10/28/2017 at 2:06 PM, bandmom18 said:

 Yes!  It should at the very least be announced to the finalist bands that fireworks will be going off.  Better yet, I'm guessing the time of the fireworks display is known - maybe communicate between BOA and the organizers of DiwaliSA and arrange to take a quick break during the fireworks and resume marching after (It wasn't a very long fireworks show last year - only about as long as our marching show ).  Our kids were not only distracted by the noise, but they were trying to process what in the world they were hearing all while continuing their show.  People in the stands were also distracted, but at least we weren't trying to march a show in finals.

 

Definitely a unique "challenge" at the Super Regional.  I'll be sure to mention that during the San Antonio Nerd-In

[MadisonBandMan1]

Uh oh another shake up L. Marcus just stole all of the captions except GE from hebron at the Duncanville invitational.

[xxneontreesxx]

  On 10/28/2017 at 10:53 PM, MadisonBandMan1 said:

Uh oh another shake up L. Marcus just stole all of the captions except GE from hebron at the Duncanville invitational.

I wouldn't take it too seriously, Hebron got two first places from the judges in music during prelims. People are saying as well that the judging is more similar to UIL than it is for BOA, so that's why Marcus had been able to barely pull through in prelims. I wouldn't count Hebron out of taking SA because of this.

[CTJBandPops]

  On 10/29/2017 at 3:27 AM, xxneontreesxx said:

I wouldn't take it too seriously, Hebron got two first places from the judges in music during prelims. People are saying as well that the judging is more similar to UIL than it is for BOA, so that's why Marcus had been able to barely pull through in prelims. I wouldn't count Hebron out of taking SA because of this.

I dont see Marcus in the top 5 in San Antonio - not to offend anyone - the music is awesome but the show does not have the "gusto" to challenge the field at a BOA Event

[Danpod]

The Atlanta results will make things in San Antonio even crazier.  A ticket to The Alamodome might as well be lit on fire at this point.

[JC18]

Has there ever been a year where San Antonio was wilder and more hyped up?

[Danpod]

  On 10/29/2017 at 3:11 PM, JC18 said:

Has there ever been a year where San Antonio was wilder and more hyped up?

 

Probably not!  I hope I don't get a speeding ticket when I drive down Thursday.

[JC18]

  On 10/29/2017 at 3:34 PM, Danpod said:

Probably not!  I hope I don't get a speeding ticket when I drive down Thursday.

Can't get a ticket if they can't catch you  ... For real though, pretty much nothing is for certain at this contest, and that's what I love about it.

[Band band band 212]

Does anyone think cedar ridge could take a spot in finals??

[zururoua]

1-4: These groups are all incredibly strong and all have a pretty good shot at winning the whole thing.

 

Avon HS - With one of the most consistent visual programs in the country and a Harloff hornline, Avon is definitely in the running to win SA this year. Their show is a little lacking imo and they don't have the tasteful sound that the other groups at the top of SA will have, but don't count them out. They're coming all the way down to SA to win it all.

 

Claudia Taylor Johnson HS - CTJ has already won SA in 2014, and they almost repeated in 2015 when they won prelims. They had a bit of a rough year last year placing in the bottom half of finals at nats, but they are back for sure. They've won every event they've attended this year by a significant margin and their show is very engaging and high energy. They could very well be the only BOA band to attend more than one event and still be undefeated this season. Will they do it? We'll see.

 

Flower Mound HS - This group is one of the only groups ever to have won this event more than once, and not only that, but they've won it the past two years. Their show is incredibly engaging and they're definitely playing to win again this year. They lost to Hebron at Southlake, but the two Dallas schools have been very close this season, barely edging each other out at any given event. Will Flomo be the first school to three-peat SA? We'll find out this Saturday.

 

Hebron HS - One of the best musical bands in the country, Hebron is having another strong year. They almost won Grand Nats in 2015 and many argue they should have. They've proven that their rich ensemble sound and difficult musical program put them in contention for that caption as well as the whole contest. Their show is entertaining, but not all the way through, and I feel that this may hurt them a bit in GE. I also don't think their visual book is quite strong enough for them to win it all, but don't count it out. Will Hebron become the seventh new band to win SA? Find out on Saturday!

 

5-9: These groups probably won't touch top 4, but this is the strongest "middle tier" we've seen in a while, if not ever, and depending on what happens one of these groups could break into the top.

 

Leander HS - Leander has medaled at SA every time they've been since 2014 (and probably would have in 2015 had they gone), and they haven't backed down on anything since then. Their show is similar to past years but that's not a bad thing - they found a formula that worked and stuck with it. Leander has enjoyed success in BOA, including a top half of Grand Nats finals appearance last year. Will they be able to do something to set themselves apart from the incredibly strong middle pack? Come on down to the Alamodome this Saturday to find out.

 

Marcus HS - Marcus is an older powerhouse that has fallen into the middle tier in recent years. They've won SA, but not very recently. They're looking to peak at Grand Nats this year, but a strong showing here will definitely show that they're ready to compete against the best of the best come Nats. How will they make their mark? We'll see on Saturday.

 

Ronald Reagan HS - Reagan is another very strong group that will be at this competition this year. They've stolen captions and wins from Vandegrift, and proven that the two groups are neck and neck in the race. Which of the two will come out on top come Saturday? Find out this weekend!

 

The Woodlands HS - Despite their 5th place showing at Conroe, TWHS is on track for a strong year. Them, along with many other Texas bands, are going to Grand Nats this year. TWHS has won SA and Nats as recently as 2013, and their incredible jump from Conroe to SA last year (leapfrogging CTJ and Reagan, and stealing GE from Flomo in prelims) proves that this unpredictable group can surprise us yet again. While they won't be aiming to peak at SA, they're going to want a strong showing here to prove that they can compete well in Indy. Will they pull a 2016? Come on downtown to the Alamodome and see for yourself!

 

Vandegrift HS - This group has gotten two major regional wins in the past two years, winning Austin in 2016 and Conroe in 2017. At Conroe they were neck and neck with Reagan, pulling slightly ahead in both rounds of the competition. Later at the TMC, they were behind Reagan at an equally small margin. They've never been higher than 7th at finals of SA, and they're looking to change that this year. Will they pull it off? We shall see.

 

Bubble: This is where things get a little sketchy. These groups will LIKELY be in finals, and could break into a higher tier with a strong performance, or fall out of finals with a weak performance.

 

Cedar Park - They placed 5th at Grand Nats last year and 5th at Austin this year. They're no slackers to BOA contests, but it's a UIL State year for them, so they're definitely going for success there.

 

Cedar Ridge - They surprised at Austin by beating many strong groups like Bowie and Churchill, and got 4th at Atlanta just yesterday. They're ready to prove that they can hold their own against the big dogs of Texas.

 

Hendrickson - They made their first SA finals appearance last year and are thirsty for another one. While they haven't quite shown that they're up to last year's standards yet, it's still very possible that they break in again this year.

 

James Bowie - They started their season with a 9th place finish at Austin, but surprised many by placing fourth at Conroe, above The Woodlands and a few groups who were ahead of them at Austin. They're ready to show that missing finals at Grand Nats last year was the exception, not the rule.

 

Keller - Keller placed fifth at a very competitive Southlake regional. They are a group that is on the cusp of being in the next tier, and with the right showing they will definitely be in finals above groups we're not used to seeing them above.

 

LD Bell - They missed finals last year, and it was a huge upset. However they're not going to let that get them down. Like Marcus, they've won SA before, just not recently. They managed to top (tie) Marcus in prelims of Southlake, but fell slightly behind them in finals. Either way, they're back this year and in it to make finals again and prove that last year was a fluke.

 

Round Rock - They topped Leander to medal at Austin only to fall to 7th at Conroe. Which one was the fluke? They are headed to Grand Nats this year and a strong showing here can prove that they're not out for the count in Indy.

 

Vista Ridge - They were 10th in Austin, but improved to 6th at Southlake even with a super duper early prelims performance time. They could certainly surprise and get into finals, especially if they add Siberian Huskies to their show.

 

Winston Churchill - They're going to Grand Nats this year. Almost nobody expected them to make finals at SA last year, but they did it anyway, topping LD Bell and Cedar Ridge. While this isn't indicative of what will happen this year, it does prove that anything is possible when you bloom late.

 

There are surely more groups that could make it, but these are the ones that came to mind for this year.

 

My best guess?:

 

1. CTJ

2. Flomo

3. Avon

4. Hebron

5. Vandy

6. Reagan

7. TWHS

8. Leander

9. Marcus

10. LD Bell

11. Keller

12. Round Rock

13. Cedar Park

14. James Bowie

 

Music: Hebron

Visual: Avon

GE: CTJ

[LeanderMomma]

  On 10/29/2017 at 3:34 PM, Danpod said:

Probably not! I hope I don't get a speeding ticket when I drive down Thursday.

Good luck getting up to an actual speed considered "speeding" on I-35!

[JC18]

  On 10/29/2017 at 4:28 PM, LeanderMomma said:

Good luck getting up to an actual speed considered "speeding" on I-35!

I think you'd get to a "This isn't safe to drive at" speed before "speeding" on 35... Those cars fly by!

[zururoua]

  On 10/29/2017 at 4:11 PM, Band band band 212 said:

Does anyone think cedar ridge could take a spot in finals??

It's possible for sure

[MadisonBandMan1]

  On 10/29/2017 at 4:26 PM, zururoua said:

1-4: These groups are all incredibly strong and all have a pretty good shot at winning the whole thing.

 

Avon HS - With one of the most consistent visual programs in the country and a Harloff hornline, Avon is definitely in the running to win SA this year. Their show is a little lacking imo and they don't have the tasteful sound that the other groups at the top of SA will have, but don't count them out. They're coming all the way down to SA to win it all.

 

Claudia Taylor Johnson HS - CTJ has already won SA in 2014, and they almost repeated in 2015 when they won prelims. They had a bit of a rough year last year placing in the bottom half of finals at nats, but they are back for sure. They've won every event they've attended this year by a significant margin and their show is very engaging and high energy. They could very well be the only BOA band to attend more than one event and still be undefeated this season. Will they do it? We'll see.

 

Flower Mound HS - This group is one of the only groups ever to have won this event more than once, and not only that, but they've won it the past two years. Their show is incredibly engaging and they're definitely playing to win again this year. They lost to Hebron at Southlake, but the two Dallas schools have been very close this season, barely edging each other out at any given event. Will Flomo be the first school to three-peat SA? We'll find out this Saturday.

 

Hebron HS - One of the best musical bands in the country, Hebron is having another strong year. They almost won Grand Nats in 2015 and many argue they should have. They've proven that their rich ensemble sound and difficult musical program put them in contention for that caption as well as the whole contest. Their show is entertaining, but not all the way through, and I feel that this may hurt them a bit in GE. I also don't think their visual book is quite strong enough for them to win it all, but don't count it out. Will Hebron become the seventh new band to win SA? Find out on Saturday!

 

5-9: These groups probably won't touch top 4, but this is the strongest "middle tier" we've seen in a while, if not ever, and depending on what happens one of these groups could break into the top.

 

Leander HS - Leander has medaled at SA every time they've been since 2014 (and probably would have in 2015 had they gone), and they haven't backed down on anything since then. Their show is similar to past years but that's not a bad thing - they found a formula that worked and stuck with it. Leander has enjoyed success in BOA, including a top half of Grand Nats finals appearance last year. Will they be able to do something to set themselves apart from the incredibly strong middle pack? Come on down to the Alamodome this Saturday to find out.

 

Marcus HS - Marcus is an older powerhouse that has fallen into the middle tier in recent years. They've won SA, but not very recently. They're looking to peak at Grand Nats this year, but a strong showing here will definitely show that they're ready to compete against the best of the best come Nats. How will they make their mark? We'll see on Saturday.

 

Ronald Reagan HS - Reagan is another very strong group that will be at this competition this year. They've stolen captions and wins from Vandegrift, and proven that the two groups are neck and neck in the race. Which of the two will come out on top come Saturday? Find out this weekend!

 

The Woodlands HS - Despite their 5th place showing at Conroe, TWHS is on track for a strong year. Them, along with many other Texas bands, are going to Grand Nats this year. TWHS has won SA and Nats as recently as 2013, and their incredible jump from Conroe to SA last year (leapfrogging CTJ and Reagan, and stealing GE from Flomo in prelims) proves that this unpredictable group can surprise us yet again. While they won't be aiming to peak at SA, they're going to want a strong showing here to prove that they can compete well in Indy. Will they pull a 2016? Come on downtown to the Alamodome and see for yourself!

 

Vandegrift HS - This group has gotten two major regional wins in the past two years, winning Austin in 2016 and Conroe in 2017. At Conroe they were neck and neck with Reagan, pulling slightly ahead in both rounds of the competition. Later at the TMC, they were behind Reagan at an equally small margin. They've never been higher than 7th at finals of SA, and they're looking to change that this year. Will they pull it off? We shall see.

 

Bubble: This is where things get a little sketchy. These groups will LIKELY be in finals, and could break into a higher tier with a strong performance, or fall out of finals with a weak performance.

 

Cedar Park - They placed 5th at Grand Nats last year and 5th at Austin this year. They're no slackers to BOA contests, but it's a UIL State year for them, so they're definitely going for success there.

 

Cedar Ridge - They surprised at Austin by beating many strong groups like Bowie and Churchill, and got 4th at Atlanta just yesterday. They're ready to prove that they can hold their own against the big dogs of Texas.

 

Hendrickson - They made their first SA finals appearance last year and are thirsty for another one. While they haven't quite shown that they're up to last year's standards yet, it's still very possible that they break in again this year.

 

James Bowie - They started their season with a 9th place finish at Austin, but surprised many by placing fourth at Conroe, above The Woodlands and a few groups who were ahead of them at Austin. They're ready to show that missing finals at Grand Nats last year was the exception, not the rule.

 

Keller - Keller placed fifth at a very competitive Southlake regional. They are a group that is on the cusp of being in the next tier, and with the right showing they will definitely be in finals above groups we're not used to seeing them above.

 

LD Bell - They missed finals last year, and it was a huge upset. However they're not going to let that get them down. Like Marcus, they've won SA before, just not recently. They managed to top (tie) Marcus in prelims of Southlake, but fell slightly behind them in finals. Either way, they're back this year and in it to make finals again and prove that last year was a fluke.

 

Round Rock - They topped Leander to medal at Austin only to fall to 7th at Conroe. Which one was the fluke? They are headed to Grand Nats this year and a strong showing here can prove that they're not out for the count in Indy.

 

Vista Ridge - They were 10th in Austin, but improved to 6th at Southlake even with a super duper early prelims performance time. They could certainly surprise and get into finals, especially if they add Siberian Huskies to their show.

 

Winston Churchill - They're going to Grand Nats this year. Almost nobody expected them to make finals at SA last year, but they did it anyway, topping LD Bell and Cedar Ridge. While this isn't indicative of what will happen this year, it does prove that anything is possible when you bloom late.

 

There are surely more groups that could make it, but these are the ones that came to mind for this year.

 

My best guess?:

 

1. CTJ

2. Flomo

3. Avon

4. Hebron

5. Vandy

6. Reagan

7. TWHS

8. Leander

9. Marcus

10. LD Bell

11. Keller

12. Round Rock

13. Cedar Park

14. James Bowie

 

Music: Hebron

Visual: Avon

GE: CTJ

 

Dude you would be like the perfect salesman!

[scoobydoo]

  On 10/29/2017 at 4:28 PM, LeanderMomma said:

Good luck getting up to an actual speed considered "speeding" on I-35!

I hate I-35. I'm taking the toll road.