Well folks it's finally here. FMA's first regional competitions will begin in about half an hour. It will be exciting to see how the rankings get affected. Not everyone will be at these regionals today, but those who aren't will, for the most part, be at other shows today.

Sorry for my recent absence. I have been watching the scores, but I've been unable to do much else with the loads of schoolwork I am currently buried under. However, I have push the books aside long enough to give a pre-competition break down for today!

NOTICE: All scores will be up to date as of YESTERDAY, July 15th.

Division 1:

Top 5:
1 Darkness Marching 60.580
2 Southmore Hill Royal Regiment 59.495
3 The Marching Marchers 59.070
4 Tuscarawas Vanguard 58.970
5 BD14 58.315

That's right, folks! BD14 is alive and kicking. While Darkness is leading the chart right now, their head-to-head regional competition with both BD14 and Southmore Hill today may yet prove telling to Darkness' future. The Marching Marchers, also eying the top spot, will be competing at Horns Across the Cornfield I. While they can't directly face Darkness, I'm sure that they would love to pass Darkness in overall score.

As for captions, I'm predicting that the Tuscarawas Vanguard will lose the GE captions to Darkness, who have been looking to retake those titles for some time. I also see BD14 continuing their tight rein on Visual Ensemble. Blue Demons B have shown they have the brass balls to hold onto their Winds title, and I predict no less for them today. The marchers may have a chance to take back their music ensemble caption if Darkness did indeed concentrate on GE.

But who will come out on top? For now, I am saying Darkness marching. But that does not mean other groups cannot begin to strip them of their caption titles. Lower scoring groups have proven they can hang on to caption titles, and if enough captions and taken, perhaps the gap can begun to be closed.

Division 2:

Top 5:
1 Gold Sound Cadets 55.645
2 Solstice Marching Band 54.090
3 Odoriboro Blaze 53.925
4 Mighty Tiger Marching Band 53.050
5 ILL Wind 52.595

After a full week of the Tigers are still in the Top 5! They will be making their return today at the regional, and this Staff Writer could not be more excited to see where they lay their claim. Gold Sound Cadets, the current leaders, will also be at the regional. But will they be able to hold their ground against the conquerers known as the Mighty Tiger Marching Band? Who knows. I do have one rank prediction, though. ILL Wind will fall out of the Top 5. I only say this because they are not competing today. They will be back, but it will be awhile.

Captions could go anywhere today. Everyone may remember the time where the Tigers held every single caption. Now, captions belong almost entirely to Gold Sound. If the Tigers have been rehearsing correctly, they could come back with a bang and take all the captions again. Or, if the Tigers have been taking too many free days, Gold Sound could reinforce their lead with a regional win and taking nearly every caption. As I always say, only time will tell.



Division 3:

Top 5:
1 The Marching Reds 53.740
2 Sound of Corydon 52.995
3 Tiger Band And Color Guard 51.880
4 McCallum Knights 51.460
5 The Marching Caledonian Band 51.225

The Reds have really shown their colors and they are here to win. However, nearly all of Division 3's top bands will be at the regional today. DIvision 3 has always been the most turbulent, and I wouldn't be surprised if the entire Top 5 were turned on its head by the end of the night. Now, I wouldn't want any of these proud bands and their directors to be upset, but isn't competition more fun? ;)

I'm going to go out on a limb for these predictions. EYME Marching Magicians are returning today after having not competed since last Saturday. I believe they have to power to come back strong. Music ensemble will either go to Tiger Band And Color Guard or the Marching Knights. Visual Performance is being led very strongly by Sound of Corydon. THey will most likely walk away with that prize tonight. I believe Sound will also take the Visual GE caption, as the two captions are very closely tied. For the bold prediction, all other captions will go to the Reds. They lead or almost lead in nearly every captions already. It wouldn't be surprising for them to dominate today.


Well, I will see you all soon enough. Good luck to all bands!

GE? I'll take that challenge!

Looks like I took Visual GE from you ;)

I am so proud.

Only because I didn't compete today (or so I tell myself)!

ILL WINDS are in a remote practice facility gassing up their show.
Charlie Harper has been flown in to do an arramgement of " Who Cut The Cheese" for the ILL WINDS to use as an on field warm up.

The new battle cry for the band is "Pass the Gas and Keep Those motors Running "

We maybe silent, but we're sneeking up on you.

Dinner tonight will be Brussel Sprout Burritoes and sour milk with stewed prunes for dessert.

See you on Sunday night in Miami

Lol... Brass balls.

Hey ssmit, just wondering, what school level are you at? I really admire that you have the tiem to write these out!!

I'm soon to be a senior in college. I currently attend UC Irvine as a Biology major. After next year I should be heading into graduate school for Statistics, where things get real complicated aha.

Incredible O.O haha I'm just starting freshman year, computer engineering for me!

Whoo! Back in the top 10! After one group being out of top 20, and the other barely in top 20!

it's been to long since the last article...

...
http://www.fantasymarchingarts.com/forums/viewtopic/309

Give them some slack! They have lives too ya' know?

one is coming at about 5:30 PST tonight. Promise!