WBA - Class A/AA and Class AAA/AAAA
Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 10:22 am
This will be somewhat of a "combination" post. First off, I wish everyone who is competing at the WBA Championships the best. For many of you, this will be your last field show tournament of the year, and for some of you this will be your last field show tournament ever. But no matter what happens, perform to the best of your ability. In the end, scores, how you rank, and what so-and-so thought of you WILL NOT MATTER. You have put hours upon hours of hard work into what will soon be the "culmination." Have fun out there. (You deserve it). And when all is said and done, try to remember the good times you had more than the bad times. I guarentee you most of the good times you had will not be the results, but the friendships you formed, the discipline you developed, the thrills/excitement/fun you had, and the life skills you took away from it all.
Let this sink in...
Good.
Now, about the WBA Championships this year. I do not know why, but it is always the most exciting championships every year because you have the powerhouse bands from the south butting heads with the powerhouse bands from the north. What happens is anyone's guess. But I thought I would have fun and take a stab at what may go down. Remember, these are guesses. I have a good feeling much of what I think will happen will come true, though. But who knows? Most of the bands I have seen have been from southern California.
Here is my top 5 from each class (in random order), plus 2 "underdogs" (which may or may not be in the top 5), and an asterix next to the band I think will win it.
Class A
Gilroy H.S., CA
Newbury Park H.S., CA *
Clayton Valley H.S., CA
Redlands H.S., CA
Grace M. Davis H.S., CA
Underdogs: Hanford H.S., CA and Torrance H.S., CA
Class AA
Saddleback H.S., CA
Live Oak H.S., CA
Aliso Niguel H.S., CA
Pacifica H.S., CA
Valley Christian H.S., CA *
Underdogs: Fallbrook H.S., CA and Arroyo Grande H.S., CA
Class AAA
El Toro H.S., CA *
Valley View H.S., CA
Trabuco Hills H.S., CA
Clovis H.S., CA
Oak Grove H.S., CA
Underdogs: Buchanan H.S., CA and Nogales H.S., CA
Class AAAA
Fred C. Beyer H.S., CA
Ruben S. Ayala H.S., CA
Mission Viejo H.S., CA
Upland H.S., CA
Clovis West H.S., CA *
Underdogs: Thousand Oaks H.S., Amador Valley H.S.
My Reasoning:
Class A
Newbury Park has been dominating all year in southern California in Class A...but what some people do not realize is that they have also been dominating all year in southern California in Class AA. Expect Newbury Park to make a gigantic impression at the WBA Championships. If they do not win, they will be very, very close to the top.
Class AA
Valley Christian could ne called "The New Live Oak," with one of their directors being the former director of Live Oak. They have been, for the most part, invincible this year in both northern and southern California. The only show they fell down was at the James Logan show, where William S. Hart won. (Too bad Hart is not going to be at the WBA Championships!) Valley Christian will continue their success, and I have a feeling will "up" their performance a little considering what happen to them last week, and considering this is their last big performance.
Class AAA
El Toro...what can I write about this band that has not already been written? I overheard someone at the WBA Trabuco Hills show say that they should be in Class AAAA. I agree. This band took second at the Bands of America Regional Championships over Upland, and had it not been for a few holes in their drill, may have taken down more Class AAAA bands than they did at the WBA Trabuco Hills show. El Toro, I think, will be the band to beat (and it will take a mighty, mighty performance to beat them).
Class AAAA
The bands of southern California have been fighting all year long over the top spot. But in northern California, Clovis West and Fred C. Beyer have been steady on the heels of James Logan all year long, and though they have been "out of action" the past few weeks in competition, they have not been "out of action" the past few weeks in practice. I think Clovis West will come out on top, and I expect that Fred C. Beyer will not be far behind them. But who knows? Perhaps Mission Viejo or Ruben S. Ayala will surprise them.
Whatever happens, happens. But lets give EVERY band the BIGGEST applause they have EVER received. This will be one exciting show for all. OKAY! It's off to Fresno I go...
Alan Irons
Fountain Valley High School Marching Band 1993-1996
Pacific Crest of Diamond Bar 1997
Nashua Spartans 1998-1999
UCSB Class of 2002
Let this sink in...
Good.
Now, about the WBA Championships this year. I do not know why, but it is always the most exciting championships every year because you have the powerhouse bands from the south butting heads with the powerhouse bands from the north. What happens is anyone's guess. But I thought I would have fun and take a stab at what may go down. Remember, these are guesses. I have a good feeling much of what I think will happen will come true, though. But who knows? Most of the bands I have seen have been from southern California.
Here is my top 5 from each class (in random order), plus 2 "underdogs" (which may or may not be in the top 5), and an asterix next to the band I think will win it.
Class A
Gilroy H.S., CA
Newbury Park H.S., CA *
Clayton Valley H.S., CA
Redlands H.S., CA
Grace M. Davis H.S., CA
Underdogs: Hanford H.S., CA and Torrance H.S., CA
Class AA
Saddleback H.S., CA
Live Oak H.S., CA
Aliso Niguel H.S., CA
Pacifica H.S., CA
Valley Christian H.S., CA *
Underdogs: Fallbrook H.S., CA and Arroyo Grande H.S., CA
Class AAA
El Toro H.S., CA *
Valley View H.S., CA
Trabuco Hills H.S., CA
Clovis H.S., CA
Oak Grove H.S., CA
Underdogs: Buchanan H.S., CA and Nogales H.S., CA
Class AAAA
Fred C. Beyer H.S., CA
Ruben S. Ayala H.S., CA
Mission Viejo H.S., CA
Upland H.S., CA
Clovis West H.S., CA *
Underdogs: Thousand Oaks H.S., Amador Valley H.S.
My Reasoning:
Class A
Newbury Park has been dominating all year in southern California in Class A...but what some people do not realize is that they have also been dominating all year in southern California in Class AA. Expect Newbury Park to make a gigantic impression at the WBA Championships. If they do not win, they will be very, very close to the top.
Class AA
Valley Christian could ne called "The New Live Oak," with one of their directors being the former director of Live Oak. They have been, for the most part, invincible this year in both northern and southern California. The only show they fell down was at the James Logan show, where William S. Hart won. (Too bad Hart is not going to be at the WBA Championships!) Valley Christian will continue their success, and I have a feeling will "up" their performance a little considering what happen to them last week, and considering this is their last big performance.
Class AAA
El Toro...what can I write about this band that has not already been written? I overheard someone at the WBA Trabuco Hills show say that they should be in Class AAAA. I agree. This band took second at the Bands of America Regional Championships over Upland, and had it not been for a few holes in their drill, may have taken down more Class AAAA bands than they did at the WBA Trabuco Hills show. El Toro, I think, will be the band to beat (and it will take a mighty, mighty performance to beat them).
Class AAAA
The bands of southern California have been fighting all year long over the top spot. But in northern California, Clovis West and Fred C. Beyer have been steady on the heels of James Logan all year long, and though they have been "out of action" the past few weeks in competition, they have not been "out of action" the past few weeks in practice. I think Clovis West will come out on top, and I expect that Fred C. Beyer will not be far behind them. But who knows? Perhaps Mission Viejo or Ruben S. Ayala will surprise them.
Whatever happens, happens. But lets give EVERY band the BIGGEST applause they have EVER received. This will be one exciting show for all. OKAY! It's off to Fresno I go...
Alan Irons
Fountain Valley High School Marching Band 1993-1996
Pacific Crest of Diamond Bar 1997
Nashua Spartans 1998-1999
UCSB Class of 2002