Prelims Results
(View full prelims recap here)Class AA
1. Bridgeland H.S., TX
2. Churchill Fulshear H.S., TX
3. Little Cypress Mauriceville H.S., TX
Music: Bridgeland H.S., TX
Visual: Churchill Fulshear H.S., TX
GE: Bridgeland H.S., TX
Class AAA
1. Stephen F. Austin H.S., TX
2. Clear Brook H.S., TX
3. Klein Cain H.S., TX
Music: Stephen F. Austin H.S., TX
Visual: Stephen F. Austin H.S., TX
GE: Stephen F. Austin H.S., TX
Class AAAA
1. Ronald Reagan H.S., TX
2. The Woodlands H.S., TX
3. Vandegrift H.S., TX
Music: Vandegrift H.S., TX
Visual: The Woodlands H.S., TX
GE: Ronald Reagan H.S., TX
Finals Results
(View full finals recap here)1. (88.55) Ronald Reagan H.S., TX
2. (88.00) Vandegrift H.S., TX
3. (86.80) The Woodlands H.S., TX
4. (85.45) James Bowie H.S., TX
5. (83.40) Cy-Fair H.S., TX
6. (82.75) Oak Ridge H.S., TX
7. (81.55) Seven Lakes H.S., TX
8. (80.30) Winston Churchill H.S., TX
9. (78.55) James E. Taylor H.S., TX
10. (78.25) Brazoswood H.S., TX
Music: Vandegrift H.S., TX
Visual: Ronald Reagan H.S., TX
GE: Ronald Reagan H.S., TX
Returning 2017 Finalists (7)
1. Vandegrift H.S., TX2. Ronald Reagan H.S., TX
4. James Bowie H.S., TX
5. The Woodlands H.S., TX
8. Cy-Fair H.S., TX
9. Winston Churchill H.S., TX
10. Clear Brook H.S., TX
Previous Champions
2017: Vandegrift H.S., TX2016: Ronald Reagan H.S., TX
2015: Ronald Reagan H.S., TX
2014: Claudia T. Johnson H.S., TX
2013: The Woodlands H.S., TX
2012: The Woodlands H.S., TX
2011: Marcus H.S., TX
States Represented (1)
Texas.
The 2018 Houston, Texas, Regional will be held Oct. 6 at Woodforest Bank Stadium. In 2017, Vandegrift took the top spot, winning both prelims and finals.
We cannot count James Bowie out of the medal hunt either. They surprised us with their vast improvement between Austin and Houston last year and are capable of doing the same after starting the season off even stronger. Through director changes Bowie does not stumble, and we are excited for the rest of their season.
With some of the Austin groups staying home this weekend, we will see a return to form with the regional being well-represented by its home groups. After their stunning and innovative performance at McAllen, Seven Lakes is a strong contender for the 5th place spot. Many of us wondered how their show last year would have developed without the hurricane, and we now see that they might be the new breakout band in the Houston area. A top five finish here will certainly position them well for San Antonio. They will have to compete with Cy-Fair on the way though, recently the most consistent BOA band in the area outside of The Woodlands, who will also look to break into the top five. Additionally, Winston Churchill will want to build on their momentum from the Austin regional after proving our predictions last week wrong by nabbing a top five finish.
Pearland put on a crowd-pleasing performance at the Houston and San Antonio regionals last year, and barely missed finals at both. With some breathing room, we believe they will make their way into the night show in Conroe this year. After a close 11th place finish last year, James E. Taylor — or JET as they are affectionately known — will likely join them in finals. We also look forward to good things from Clear Brook after sneaking stealthily into finals with their vampire show last year, and hope to see The Woodlands College Park rebound from last year. Brazoswood also started off with a solid finish at McAllen, and we look forward to their continued growth.
This regional also has a couple of comeback stories. First, former Grand National Champion Westfield made its first BOA appearance in a few years at McAllen, just missing finals in the most competitive McAllen regional to date. The program is rapidly growing and has a clever and efficiently designed show—in some small but noticeable ways reminiscent of their shows through the early 2000s. While this year may not be their re-entry into the limelight, the seeds are sprouting. Another 2000s BOA legend in Stephen F. Austin is also making their first appearance at this regional in a few years. They did well in a local competition last weekend against some of this regional’s attending bands, and it is reasonable that this might parlay them into finals here. After all, they have never missed this regional’s finals and have won the Houston/Huntsville regional more times than any other band since 2000.
HornRank Contributor Jameil Brown authored this event preview.
2. Vandegrift H.S., TX
3. The Woodlands H.S., TX
4. James Bowie H.S., TX
5. Seven Lakes H.S., TX
6. Cy-Fair H.S., TX
7. Winston Churchill H.S., TX
8. Stephen F. Austin H.S., TX
9. Pearland H.S., TX
10. James E. Taylor H.S., TX
Visual: William Chumley, Kim Corney Kuhn, and Adam Sage.
Chief: Gary Markham.
Our Thoughts
Ronald Reagan and The Woodlands return as regular headliners at this regional, along with Vandegrift to defend their title. Vandegrift will enter with feedback from their solid performances at the Austin regional, hopefully providing the polish to repeat as regional champions for the first time. Ronald Reagan provides perhaps the strongest challenge, having won this regional in 2015 and 2016 and barely losing to Vandegrift last year. We are also excited to see The Woodlands in full form after last season’s early season hurricane. Although they tend to play the long game, a strong show will easily put them in on top of the medal hunt. |
| Vandegrift performs at the 2018 Austin Regional on Sept. 22, 2018, at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex. // Photo by Jeremiah Wooten |
With some of the Austin groups staying home this weekend, we will see a return to form with the regional being well-represented by its home groups. After their stunning and innovative performance at McAllen, Seven Lakes is a strong contender for the 5th place spot. Many of us wondered how their show last year would have developed without the hurricane, and we now see that they might be the new breakout band in the Houston area. A top five finish here will certainly position them well for San Antonio. They will have to compete with Cy-Fair on the way though, recently the most consistent BOA band in the area outside of The Woodlands, who will also look to break into the top five. Additionally, Winston Churchill will want to build on their momentum from the Austin regional after proving our predictions last week wrong by nabbing a top five finish.
Pearland put on a crowd-pleasing performance at the Houston and San Antonio regionals last year, and barely missed finals at both. With some breathing room, we believe they will make their way into the night show in Conroe this year. After a close 11th place finish last year, James E. Taylor — or JET as they are affectionately known — will likely join them in finals. We also look forward to good things from Clear Brook after sneaking stealthily into finals with their vampire show last year, and hope to see The Woodlands College Park rebound from last year. Brazoswood also started off with a solid finish at McAllen, and we look forward to their continued growth.
This regional also has a couple of comeback stories. First, former Grand National Champion Westfield made its first BOA appearance in a few years at McAllen, just missing finals in the most competitive McAllen regional to date. The program is rapidly growing and has a clever and efficiently designed show—in some small but noticeable ways reminiscent of their shows through the early 2000s. While this year may not be their re-entry into the limelight, the seeds are sprouting. Another 2000s BOA legend in Stephen F. Austin is also making their first appearance at this regional in a few years. They did well in a local competition last weekend against some of this regional’s attending bands, and it is reasonable that this might parlay them into finals here. After all, they have never missed this regional’s finals and have won the Houston/Huntsville regional more times than any other band since 2000.
HornRank Contributor Jameil Brown authored this event preview.
Predictions
1. Ronald Reagan H.S., TX2. Vandegrift H.S., TX
3. The Woodlands H.S., TX
4. James Bowie H.S., TX
5. Seven Lakes H.S., TX
6. Cy-Fair H.S., TX
7. Winston Churchill H.S., TX
8. Stephen F. Austin H.S., TX
9. Pearland H.S., TX
10. James E. Taylor H.S., TX
Adjudication Panel
Music: Wayne Dillon, Scott Koter, David Starnes, and Kyle Weirich.Visual: William Chumley, Kim Corney Kuhn, and Adam Sage.
Chief: Gary Markham.
