2017 St. Louis Super Regional


Prelims Results
(View full recap here)

Class A
1. Collinsville H.S., OK
2. Hollister H.S., MO
3. Monticello H.S., IL
Music: Collinsville H.S., OK
Visual: Collinsville H.S., OK
GE: Collinsville H.S., OK

Class AA
1. Grain Valley H.S., MO
2. Morton H.S., IL
3. Camdenton H.S., MO
Music: Grain Valley H.S., MO
Visual: Grain Valley H.S., MO
GE: Grain Valley H.S., MO

Class AAA
1. Bixby H.S., OK
2. Lincoln H.S., SD
3. Prospect H.S., IL
Music: Bixby H.S., OK
Visual: Bixby H.S., OK
GE: Prospect H.S., IL

Class AAAA
1. Broken Arrow H.S., OK
2. Blue Springs H.S., MO
3. O'Fallon Township H.S., IL
Music: Broken Arrow H.S., OK
Visual: Broken Arrow H.S., OK
GE: Broken Arrow H.S., OK

Finals Results
(View full recap here)

1. (88.80) Broken Arrow H.S., OK
2. (87.55) Blue Springs H.S., MO
3. (87.10) O'Fallon Township H.S., IL
4. (85.40) Owasso H.S., OK
5. (83.75) Grain Valley H.S., MO
6. (83.75) Westwood H.S., TX
7. (81.80) Jenks H.S., OK
8. (79.60) Bixby H.S., OK
9. (78.75) Prospect H.S., IL
10. (78.65) Morton H.S., IL
11. (78.45) Bentonville H.S., AR
12. (77.90) Rockwood Summit H.S., MO
13. (76.40) Lincoln H.S., SD
14. (75.75) Camdenton H.S., MO

Music: Broken Arrow H.S., OK
Visual: Broken Arrow H.S., OK
GE: Broken Arrow H.S., OK

Returning 2016 Finalists (8)
1. Broken Arrow H.S., OK
2. Blue Springs H.S., MO
3. Owasso H.S., OK
6. O'Fallon Township H.S., IL
11. Grain Valley H.S., MO
12. Fort Zumwalt North H.S., MO
13. Jenks H.S., OK
14. Bixby H.S., OK

Previous Champions
2016: Broken Arrow H.S., OK
2015: Broken Arrow H.S., OK
2014: Broken Arrow H.S., OK
2013: Broken Arrow H.S., OK
2012: Owasso H.S., OK
2011: Broken Arrow H.S., OK

States Represented (11)
Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas.

The 2017 St. Louis Super Regional will be held Oct. 20–21 at The Dome at America's Center. In 2016, Broken Arrow decisively won yet another super regional champion title.

Instead of reading our opinions, try listening to them on the HornRank Podcast:


Analysis
As has become usual now, the St. Louis Super Regional promises to be one of the most exciting and competitive events in the country. With over 60 bands attending yet again, the fight for finals spots that we have become used to will be just as tough as ever. Always entertaining and never predictable, here are our picks for this year’s contest, separated into bands we think are locks and bands that fall more on the bubble for a finals spot.

Top-two locks

Broken Arrow (OK) performs at the St. Louis Super Regional on Oct. 22, 2016, at the Dome at America's Center. // Photo by Jeremiah Wooten
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma: What can we say? The fact that they currently sit at number one in our Top 30 despite not yet competing at a BOA-level event tells you all you need to know. Broken Arrow is one of the premier programs in the country, and they have made this competition theirs over the past four years. Expect nothing less than first place.

Blue Springs, Missouri: Fresh off a performance at Renegade Review that showed they can hang with the best in the country, this band is absolutely phenomenal when they are firing on all cylinders. Don’t forget that they were one of only two bands to score higher than eventual Grand National champion Carmel at any contest last season. Their show this year is incredible, and they will be disappointed if they slip below second.

Renegade-Review-results-really-screwed-up-these-predictions locks

Bentonville, Arkansas: If someone tells you they had Bentonville outside of finals at this competition last season, they are probably lying. That fifteenth place result was certainly surprising, but after a strong showing at Renegade Review last weekend, Bentonville seems to back on track to comfortably make finals.

Grain Valley (MO) performs at the Renegade Review on Oct. 14, 2017, at Union High School. The band earned third place overall. // Photo by Jeremiah Wooten
Grain Valley, Missouri: Going from sixth in prelims behind both Bentonville and Jenks to third in finals ahead of Owasso at Renegade Review is a huge but understandable jump. It also makes this group ridiculously hard to predict, aside from calling them a lock, but the insane potential this group showed has all of us excited.

Jenks, Oklahoma: Probably the most pleasant surprise of Renegade Review when considering prelims and finals, Jenks held their own against tough competition, even beating Grain Valley in prelims. They placed just thirteenth here last year, but it seems as though they can improve upon that considerably this time around.

Owasso, Oklahoma: Placing behind Grain Valley was certainly unexpected, but it’s hard to see this group not coming back with something to prove. Expect a fiery performance out of Owasso, and a spot in the top half of finals at least.

Other locks

Cypress Falls, Texas: The logic here is simple: if this group can make finals at San Antonio, they will certainly be able to make finals at St. Louis. Cy Falls hasn’t performed at any of the Texas regionals this season, however, so it’s hard to predict with any confidence, aside from saying they ought to be a strong, top-end finalist lock.

O'Fallon Township (IL) performs at the Golden Regiment Invitational on Sept. 30, 2017, at Blue Springs High School. The band earned first place and swept captions. // Photo by Jeremiah Wooten
O'Fallon Township, Illinois: OTHS has reached final form and now covers the entire field with tarps, and somehow, makes it work. The show is actually unique and fantastic, and they have the potential to even crack the top three.

Prospect, Illinois: This is the first time Prospect has attended this competition since 2013, and we are thrilled to see them back. Always impressive, especially visually, look for them to be right on the edge of a top-half finish.

Westwood, Texas: Placing eleventh at the Austin Regional, which might easily have been the most competitive Texas regional this year, Westwood is an easy lock in our eyes. Eleventh doesn’t sound very high, but keep in mind that nine of the bands that scored higher are currently in our Top 30. They will be looking to make a name for themselves with a solid performance.

Close-to-locks-but-we-aren’t-confident-enough-to-say-it bubble

Bixby, Oklahoma: They avoid being in the Renegade Review section of these predictions because they placed exactly where one would expect. Seventh place is not at all bad, and the gap between them and the top six in finals can in some part be explained by the fact that they performed first in finals. But there is a chance, albeit a small one, they do miss finals.

Fort Zumwalt North, Missouri: After becoming the first St. Louis, Missouri,-side band to qualify since 2011, FZN will be looking to improve upon last season’s twelfth place finish. As of this week, they look to be at a similar level to last year, making their chances very solid.

Mustang, Oklahoma: They surprised everyone and placed ninth at this contest in 2015, but did not return last year, which is the only reason we aren’t listing them as a lock. Expect another good showing out of this group.

The bubble

Anderson, Texas: Never count Texas out. These Texas groups that travel to out-of-state super regionals somehow almost always sneak into finals.

Blue Valley West, Kansas: They had a breakout performance at the Golden Regiment Invitational, placing third in finals over Camdenton and Blue Valley and very close to Bellevue West. If they keep up the level we saw from them there, they could be the shock finalist this year.

Camdenton, Missouri: Their show this year is incredibly fun, and they did beat BVW in prelims at GRI. Don’t count them out for the last finals spot, either.

Kickapoo, Missouri: About as consistent as they get, Kickapoo almost always find themselves at the very edge of finals here, whether it be looking in or out. Their placement at Renegade Review suggests more of the same this year.

Liberty, Colorado: It went almost unnoticed, but Liberty placed seventeenth at this contest last year and didn’t miss finals by much. Perhaps they take Air Academy’s place as the Colorado band in finals this year.

Lincoln, South Dakota: They made finals two years ago and impressed when they did, but fell to nineteenth last year. A strong showing at the Youth In Music Championships this past weekend has us excited about their chances this year.

Predictions
1. Broken Arrow H.S., OK
2. Blue Springs H.S., MO
3. Cypress Falls H.S., TX
4. O'Fallon Township H.S., IL
5. Grain Valley H.S., MO
6. Owasso H.S., OK
7. Westwood H.S., TX
8. Prospect H.S., IL
9. Bentonville H.S., AR
10. Jenks H.S., OK
11. Mustang H.S., OK
12. Bixby H.S., OK
13. Fort Zumwalt North H.S., MO
14. Lincoln H.S., SD

Adjudication Panel
Music: Carly Bly, George Boulden, David Carbone, Bryan Crisp, Brett Johnson, Paul McGarr, David Orser, and Todd Zimbelman.
Visual: Austin Greene, Tim Landess, Kyle Miller, Kevin Nix, Adam Sage, and Bob Thomas.
Chief: Richard Saucedo.