BOA

BOA RECAP: October Finishes Strong; Texas, Grand Nats Loom

BOA RECAP: October Finishes Strong; Texas, Grand Nats Loom

October, often the busiest month of the fall band season, ended on a high note in BOA circles with a trio of events.

Nov 1, 2022 by Jeff Griffith
BOA RECAP: October Finishes Strong; Texas, Grand Nats Loom

With that, just as quickly as it started, October is in the books. 

And if you’re a Bands of America follower, it’s been a fun October. October is often the busiest month of the fall band season, given that it’s the only month that tends to have contests from start to finish, and it ended on a high note in BOA circles with a trio of events.

Here’s the rundown:

WACO, TX | Close races as San Antonio looms

In Texas’ last BOA event before the behemoth San Antonio Super Regional, an 83-band showdown looming November 4-5 at the Alamodome, Cedar Park earned a strong victory, outscoring the field by 1.60 points, sweeping captions and winning Class AAA. 

Cedar Park fended off Class AAAA winner and second-place finisher Moe & Gene Johnson (89.900) for the overall title. 

Competition, though, was generally close throughout, with several close finishes unfolding down the leaderboard. Rouse (3rd, 88.250) and Leander (4th, 87.550) went neck-and-neck for a top-three position, both holding onto their respective Prelims placements. 

While McKinney North (6th, 85.350) closed its gap on Aledo (5th, 85.700) from Prelims to Finals, ultimately both bands’ placements held. Argyle, the day’s Class AA champion eighth overall with a mark of 82.000, While Class A went to Meridian. 

91.500 – Cedar Park High School, TX

89.900 – Moe & Gene Johnson High School, TX

88.250 – Rouse High School, TX

87.550 – Leander High School, TX

85.700 – Aledo High School, TX

85.350 – McKinney North High School, TX

82.900 – Lovejoy High School, TX

82.000 – Argyle High School, TX

81.950 – Colleyville Heritage High School, TX

81.275 – Burleson Centennial High School, TX

80.050 – Richland High School, TX

79.075 – Roma High School, TX

JACKSONVILLE, AL | Dobyns-Bennett gets it done

In its final BOA appearance before heading to Grand Nationals in two weeks — a year removed from its eighth-place finish in 2021 — Dobyns-Bennett took top marks in Jacksonville and nearly cracked 90 points. The same weekend a year ago, the familiar finalist contender earned a score of 90.950.

The Tennessee band held a solid margin of 1.60 points over the field, while also bringing home a Class AAA title and all three overall caption awards. The day’s Class AAAA champion, James F. Byrnes, snagged second with an 88.000. 

The top three, scoring-wise, ran the show in Alabama, with third-place Bartlett (86.400) separated from fourth-place Hernando (83.750), which won Class AA. 

Also, how about a tie? A pair of schools finished deadlocked for fifth-place overall, as Kennesaw Mountain and Harrison both earned a final score of 82.590. Class A went the way of Signal Mountain (TN).

Final Results

89.600 – Dobyns-Bennett High School, TN

88.000 – James F. Byrnes High School, SC

86.400 – Bartlett High School, TN

83.750 – Hernando High School, MS

82.950 – Kennesaw Mountain High School, GA

82.950 – Harrison High School, GA

80.650 – Collierville High School, TN

79.300 – Hardin Valley Academy, TN

79.200 – Walton High School, GA

78.400 – Lambert High School, GA

76.700 – Harrison Central High School, MS

75.850 – Pope High School, GA

PISCATAWAY, NJ | East Coast shows out in Garden State

A familiar name especially in percussion circles, Dartmouth earned top marks at Saturday’s BOA New Jersey Regional Championship, held at Rutgers University, with a first-place score of 83.600 amongst a litany of East Coast bands. 

Dartmouth, the day’s Class AA champion, won the visual caption outright while splitting general effect with and conceding music to fellow AA band, Norwin (2nd, 83.250) — a popular name in the indoor color guard realm. The two served as the closest finish of the weekend, split by just 0.35 points. 

Continuing the trend of close finishes in Piscataway, New Jersey, the event’s Class AAAA (John P. Stevens, 80.900) and AAAA (James Madison, 80.800) champions were separated by just one-tenth for third and fourth place overall. The two had been flipped in Prelims; ultimately, John P. Stevens’ music performance scores made the difference, making up for a significant deficit in General Effect. 

A point and a half back from there, Downingtown West — which earned second place in Class AAA — rounded out the top five, scoring 79.300. Immaculata (NJ) represented well in its home state, earning a Class A title. 

Finals Results

83.600 – Dartmouth High School, MA

83.250 – Norwin High School, PA

80.900 – John P. Stevens High School, NJ

80.800 – James Madison High School, VA

79.300 – Downingtown West High School, PA

78.300 – West Orange High School, NJ

76.100 – Westfield High School, NJ

75.500 – Brick Memorial High School, NJ

75.450 – Wakefield High School, MA

75.000 – Downingtown East High School, PA

74.400 – Spring-Ford High School, PA

73.700 – Elizabeth High School, NJ