FROM THE BOX: Crossroads

It's not the long and winding stretches that will change you the most. It's the crossroads.

Editor’s Note: Thank you for following along with us this year! This is the fourth of the 2022 Edition of FROM THE BOX, our Fall Wrap-Up articles, where our writers look back at the year that was and give you a little insight into their experiences over the course of the Marching Band season. If you missed the first article, There And Back Again by Hattie Bartlett, it’s available right HERE, the second article, Expect the Unexpected by Aaron Blackley, is available HERE, and the third article, For the First Time by Dre Barlow, is available HERE!

A new marching season was coming into view as the fall of 2022 was nearing. Bands were beginning their band camps as July ended and August began. Groups were announcing show titles and themes while others had theirs under lock and key. That didn't stop individuals from dealing in secrets and offering showpiece selections in back alley chat rooms. Rumors of where groups would be competing swirled. These helped create excitement for the upcoming season, and few were more excited than me. Questions marched through my mind, and the answers couldn't come soon enough. Now that bands had a full year back in school, how would this affect them on the field? What will shows look like this year now that groups have had time to really design something? Even more importantly, since I root for my home state bands and especially my alma mater Homestead (IN), would Indiana reclaim the Eagle this year? Would Homestead show improvement over last year? Some bands would be at a crossroads in their trajectory, while others would be coming to the 'Crossroads of America' here in Indiana to compete for the title of Grand National Champion. Could it be the year that new Indiana groups make Grand National Finals? What will other bands bring when they come to Grand Nationals? Little did I know just how much of a roller coaster ride this season would be.

As with the past several years, a friend and I went to the first home football game for Homestead, giving us our first exposure to a new year of marching band. Right off the bat, it was noticeable that the group had improved year over year from this early point. Most clearly in music. There was a blend of sound that I had not experienced the band having in several years. The ensemble had a poise about them that looked quite controlled, and each movement was purposeful. Now, that is not to say that there was quite a bit of dirt in every aspect of the performance, the show was not complete as they performed no ballad or closer, and the number of winds was distinctly the fewest the band had had in a couple of decades. But it was only three weeks into August and another three weeks before their first contest. Nevertheless, I could see the foundation for colossal potential already there for the group and that they would be the source of some discussion throughout the season. The kind of discussion ended up being something nobody expected, but we'll get to that in a little bit.

Contests were drawing closer as the next few weeks went by. Anticipation for bands debuting their shows grew. Following forums, we got sneak peeks of more groups nationwide, further building anticipation. Finally, with individuals boasting about how good they were doing and hyping various groups, all those following the activity were on course for either a fantastic season or disappointment as talk. And just like that, the first week arrived for several states.

For me, the season's opening week wasn't a large Bands of America show. Instead, it was a local invitational hosted by Goshen (IN). Why did I choose this one? Well, because it was opening weekend, and Homestead was going to be there, of course! But I would also get to see some other groups, such as the hosts in exhibition, as well as Carroll (IN), that would be directly competing against Homestead. Ensembles that were always usually decent and entertaining but have never been a real threat to Homestead in years past. It would be a good measure of where the group stood. After last year, groups could see that they could potentially have an opportunity that they usually wouldn't have ever considered possible—beating the storied program of Homestead. The Spartan Alliance wanted to squash those thoughts as they came on the field and knocked their performance out of the park. Field? Anyway, the group did just that. At least for me.

I was genuinely impressed with an opening weekend show, believing the ensemble was back and that there was nothing to be concerned about. Then Carroll came out already firing on all cylinders giving a truly head-turning performance. I became instantly worried. Though Goshen was performing in exhibition, they came out stunningly impressive too! Where had these groups come from? This was the best I had ever seen these groups, at least in the context of a first-week performance. Clearly, these bands had chosen wisely in what direction to take at their crossroads. Awards came, and Homestead swept, but I left the contest wondering if I had oversold any of the shows I had just watched.

I only had a week to ponder those thoughts as the Bands of America season was now going to begin. I would focus on the Central Ohio Regional as I would be live-blogging the entire event. Much of it progressed just as I would have expected. Several groups looked to be on a decent rebound after having been affected by the pandemic. Norton (OH) was one of those stand-out groups that looked to be trending back in the right direction as they had become a solid Class A group in BOA, making semi-finals multiple times in recent years. Lakota West (OH), who were defending their Regional Championship from last year, completed a show that was layered with more depth and complexity than the previous year. Despite that and having an excellent performance, groups like Campbell County (KY) and Miamisburg (OH) also did. Each looked like a band that had improved over the prior year after two or three years of development. And since I pay special attention to those groups from Indiana, seeing Franklin Central (IN) and Noblesville (IN) present shows that also felt more mature in performance and design made me wonder if everyone had suddenly decided to step up their game. It was during awards that we got our first taste of the chaos the season would hold for us. A caption award going to three different bands, while not unheard of, was a surprise but the placement order generally fell within expectations.

But these awards begged the question, if this was happening for these groups, what was happening for ensembles at the very top of the pyramid? Let alone in Texas. Indiana's greatest “friendly” marching rivalry state. Week 3 would shed some light as several well-known groups would be finally clashing against each other. But, the end of the beginning would be just the start of some hot debate, especially among the Indiana crowd.

Week 3 took me to the Northwest Ohio BOA Regional, where I would get to check in on Homestead again and on Goshen after their impressive exhibition debut. I'd also get to see several of Michigan's top groups, including Jenison (MI), Plymouth-Canton (MI), and Rockford (MI). Yet not all groups would take the field and give absolute show-stopping performances. Plymouth-Canton again went head first into their theme, this year as a “Back to the Future” show. While it was incredibly cheesy and fun, it was much dirtier than I had ever seen the group let alone with how small the band was becoming. Rockford also felt as though the winds were quite rough compared to the year prior. Homestead pulled what seemed to be a running theme for them over the years and had electronic issues for the show's duration. On the positive end, though, it was with great pleasure that I saw that Lake Central (IN) was another band making positive trends in design and performance, which granted them a spot in finals. I could say the same for Reeths-Puffer (MI), who made a massive turnaround from last year with a stellar program. And it would be very remiss of me to leave out Archbishop Alter (OH), as this would be the beginning of a truly magnificent season for them. They, too, would make finals and not for the last time. 

Many assumed coming into this show, myself included, that this would once again be a fairly straightforward victory for Homestead, with Rockford or potentially Goshen being close in score and potentially stealing a caption. With all of the ensemble's finals run completed and many mistakes fixed, such as Homestead having their electronics run smoothly, there was no reason to think otherwise. No one could have predicted how the results would end up shaking out. Once again, we ended a show with the three captions being split up between three bands. As Outstanding Music was announced first and to Homestead, the audience dutifully clapped as this was expected. Then Outstanding Visual was awarded to the already announced 4th place group of Goshen. A bit of a surprise, but it was generally agreed that they were pretty clean and a bit more polished at the time. The crowd was practically stunned into silence when suddenly Homestead was announced 3rd. Could there have been a penalty somewhere? Surely that must be the case. But then the biggest surprise came when it was Jenison, not Rockford, that would be bringing home not only Outstanding General Effect but also the Regional Championship! Their first ever! While I was utterly gobsmacked, it was very much a deserved win. They had more of their show completed with a more fleshed-out theme and a bit cleaner. A review of the recaps when they were shortly released after awards showed that Goshen had won Prelims by a fairly decent margin and still dropped even though they had a great Finals run. An even more significant drop in placement happened to Plymouth-Canton, which firmly established the season's chaos. Everyone knew that anything could happen at any time. 

At this point, parents and alumni of the Homestead band program began to become quite concerned. They were not experiencing the same type of success as they were used to. The band had not completed the show yet, unlike in past years. Electronics continued to be an issue for the group. Many concerned were looking more at scores rather than year-over-year growth or potential of the product. This is why, with any group, you must trust the process and those in charge of leading the group. However, the concerns were beginning to rise more toward the surface, with many thinking that Homestead had taken a wrong turn at the crossroads, disliking the direction the group had begun to take. Whereas in the upcoming week, some bands would gain a boost in confidence.

My live blog adventure took me to the BOA Louisville Regional for Week 4. I'd get the opportunity to catch some of Kentucky's best groups, such as Beechwood (KY), Bourbon County (KY), and Madison Central (KY), who had not competed in a Bands of America show in several years. There would be many other terrific groups joining the fray in Lakota East (OH) this time, Walled Lake (MI), which has begun to steadily improve once again after becoming a combined marching band, and Centerville (OH), always a BOA mainstay. Indiana would continue to bring their flavor of competition with a flair of intrigue. Several groups were unknown quantities, such as Lawrence Township (IN), as it was unclear what kind of group we would see this year given the band’s shift in show style the past few years. Brownsburg (IN) had a breakout year in 2021, but could they continue that high execution? And then there was Westfield (IN), which was already beginning to make waves in the Indiana circuit and among established programs in the state as they were generally competing well with them.

One group was expected to stand above the rest and with good cause. Taking the Regional Championship would be Carmel (IN). In one of their first performances, they handily took home the crown with what I can only call an auditory delight. This was one of the best-sounding Carmel bands I had ever heard, and I knew then that they were again on the fast track to claiming the Eagle at Grand Nationals. The rest of the placements here were not as chaotic as prior ones but still gave some eyebrow-raising moments. Things like Bourbon County placing ahead of Madison Central, who had bested a Kentucky State Champion just the previous week. Or Brownsburg scoring above an 80 to begin their BOA campaign. But nothing was quite as surprising, at least from an Indiana viewpoint, was Westfield placing 9th in their first BOA show ever and against some excellent competition. 

Before you knew it, week 5 of the season greeted us. I decided to take the week off from live blogging and go to a local invitational to support the group and get a chance to see a lot of other local groups that I wouldn't usually see. That show just happened to be hosted by Homestead and is only 10 minutes from me. The Indiana State School Music Association Scholastic Prelim/Open Class Invitational would determine which of the Scholastic schools would advance to their respective Finals competition. It was noticeable that the trend of bands being better than they usually continued for most groups. It led me to wander over to forums between bands and review previous weeks' scores from across the nation to see if this was a trend elsewhere. 

My main focus was on Texas, as those groups always put on a good show with many quality bands. Seeing groups like Vandegrift (TX) on top at BOA Austin Regional was expected. However, the score for Hendrickson (TX) and talk regarding the show and performance led many to speculate on their chances for a spot in Grand National Finals, being one of the four Texas bands making the trek. Knowing that The Woodlands (TX) had a lot of staff turnover during the season also caused some worry among people. Still, they alleviated those with a convincing win at the Conroe Regional. Cedar Ridge (TX) raised eyebrows with a razor-thin victory over Ronald Reagan (TX) and Claudia Taylor Johnson (TX). This result reinforced the idea that new groups were beginning to step up to challenge established groups. Results in Oklahoma reflected this, too, as Bixby (OK) and Bentonville (AR) would defeat groups like Union (OK) and Jenks (OK). Scores were very close for so many groups that chaos continued to be just a heartbeat away. Week 5 closed out relatively stable, though, as placements generally aligned with expectations. But the grumbling within the Homestead community still simmered as they still did not have their electronics working correctly or a full show on the field a week before starting a string of important contests. 

During Week 6, I would be live blogging the Johnson City Regional, where I could watch Dobyns-Bennett (TN) for the first time and see their potential for a future Grand National performance. I also got to see Archbishop Alter (OH) for a second time, and it was a joy to see how much they had improved over the past few weeks. So much so that they earned a spot in Finals and finished 7th. The highest Regional placement they've ever achieved! That is not bad for a band that barely cracks 20+ members. Several other groups continued to stand out, as many of them seemed far better than they should have been.

Week 6 was a banner weekend for the state of Mississippi, too, as South Jones (MS) finished 2nd and only 4.2 points behind national power Dobyns-Bennett, and Hernando (MS) made the St. Louis Super Regional, making them the first Mississippi band to do so. As for Dobyns-Bennett, they took home the crown, and my opinions were mixed. Not in the sense of their performance, as I felt they were better than last year, like so many other groups, but just how odd the show was as it took a turn in the latter half. The results from the St. Louis Super Regional mainly fell in line with expectations as well. Still, once again, the scores were tight, and seeing groups like Bentonville (AR) and Lincoln (SD) placing above groups like O'Fallon (IL), Mustang (OK), and L.D. Bell (TX) looked almost out of place. In a good way, of course.

Week 7 was a highly anticipated weekend for us in Indiana, as it was time for the Indianapolis Super Regional, and many people were curious about how it would play out. This would be the first meeting between Avon (IN) and Carmel, who have traded blows for years. Throw in the mix Blue Springs (MO), who was less than half a point away from last year's defending champion, Broken Arrow (OK), just the week prior at the St. Louis Super Regional. It would be the debut Bands of America performance of the year for William Mason (OH), with sights on another Grand National Finals performance.

Others would continue refining their show in an environment they'd likely be performing in a few more times in the coming weeks. Grain Valley (MO) would be making their second super regional finals of the season before they'd return one more time for Grand Nationals. Other groups making their second BOA finals would be Castle (IN), Goshen, Centerville, and Lincoln-Way Community (IL). Each of them put on some impressive performances. Fishers (IN) and Brownsburg were closely watched in finals as these groups kept trading places in prior contests, with neither pulling ahead of the other. Both hoped to make their first Grand National Finals after coming close just one year ago. With less than half a point separating them, it was still anyone's guess how they'd finish by season's end. 

Suspiciously absent from the Indianapolis lineup was Homestead. The shock was again evident from people outside the program, especially after an excellent preliminary run. They had just missed finals by .1, but the parents were now questioning if Homestead was headed in the right direction. This is a perilous path to go down as many programs have been negatively affected, at times irreparably, by undue outside influence, even when done with the best intentions. The program continued to undergo a culture change as this was only the second full marching season under a new director. It didn't seem like they couldn't have noticed that this was one of the best-sounding Homestead groups ever showing clear improvement from the prior year. Many were ready to give up on the year and declare that the band had seen the last of its glory years. However, there were still three weeks left in the season and time to change the minds of those dismissing the program.

The season was closing on the finish line for 2022, but the action continued around the nation. Indiana was determining who would make their State Finals. Texas had another BOA Regional for Moe and Gene Johnson (TX) to cut their teeth on in preparation for their first-ever Grand Nationals visit. Then there was the Jacksonville BOA Regional that I would be covering for the live blog. I'd have another chance to see Dobyns-Bennett, as well as James F. Byrnes (SC), who would also be attending Grand Nationals and was discussed as a potential finalist. I had another chance to watch Barlett (TN), who sounded terrific, nearly taking the Outstanding Music caption in finals from Dobyns-Bennett.

The contest also felt like a de facto Georgia state championship, with Kennesaw Mountain (GA), Harrison (GA), and Walton (GA) all attending. It was a close race for them. So close that Kennesaw Mountain and Harrison tied, only giving Kennesaw Mountain the win due to the General Effect tie-breaker. Hernando showed that their placement at St. Louis Super Regional was no fluke, demonstrating that Mississippi could be a growing power in the marching world. And while James F. Byrnes wasn't able to best Dobyns-Bennett for the Regional Championship, they placed close in nearly every aspect of the recap proving they could potentially make their first Grand Nationals ever.

There was now just one week before the Bands of America Grand Nationals contest, but for many Indiana bands, week 9 of the season would be the most important and last contest of the year. It was time for the ISSMA State Finals. Each Class had its dramatic storylines. For the smallest Class, Mater Dei (IN) celebrated their first-ever State Championship. In the next Class, Edgewood (IN) was able to retake the title for the first time in a few years over perennially strong competitors of Western (IN) and NorthWood (IN). The following Class had drama all year long, as any of the top 6 could have been named champion. In the end, Jasper (IN) pulled ahead after gaining a lot of momentum, surprisingly placing 3rd in AA at the Indianapolis Super Regional.

It was an exhilarating day that was going to be closed out by the highest Class, where we would see another showdown between Avon and Carmel, Brownsburg and Fishers, and an opportunity to see where Homestead fit in between everyone. In the end, Fishers bested Brownsburg in State competition, and Homestead was able to push past Goshen, which alleviated a lot of anxiety among the Homestead fanbase and members. The biggest surprise came when Carmel beat Avon for the State Championship. Everyone believed Avon would win, but chaos continued to rear its head. 

Finally, the last major contest of the season had arrived. The Bands of America Grand Nationals was upon us, with groups coming from across the nation helping to reinforce that we are the 'Crossroads of America'. Some were looking to secure a spot in semi-finals, others a chance at a Class Championship, a finals slot, and some were looking forward to the experience of performing in a world-class indoor facility. I call this the 'Super Bowl' of the season, and I couldn't wait! After a season of competitions, people had their hypotheses on what would happen, but they all knew that this season was unlike others we've had before. However, predictions are something we still naturally do. The bands that made it were mostly expected when it came to semi-finals. Surprisingly, a group that did not advance was the Winston-Salem Regional Champion Catawba Ridge (SC) after giving a stellar performance during preliminary competition. When the schedule was released for the semi-finalist bands, some groups performing in the outside four slots, such as James F. Byrnes and Kiski Area (PA), were also unexpected. These groups gave performances that many thought would place them in the top 22 scoring groups of prelims, myself included. This would not be the last of the chaotic surprises in store, as we still had time for a few more.

Many people believed that of the many bubble groups in attendance, two or three of the four groups from Texas that came up would make finals. Those would prove correct, but to the astonishment of many, the one Texas band that most believed to be the strongest contender for a finals spot, Moe and Gene Johnson, would not make it. Instead, Prosper (TX), Hendrickson, and Southlake Carroll (TX) would each earn a spot in finals, along with Brownsburg and Fishers. That meant we had four first-time Grand National Finalists, two coming from Texas (Hendrickson and Southlake Carroll) and two from Indiana (Brownsburg and Fishers). As for the rest of the finalists, they were all generally expected to make it, though American Fork (UT) amazingly missed the cut placing 13th. Despite having their best finish in Grand Nationals history, they still haven't quite gotten over that last hump. Another surprise during awards was that Broken Arrow wasn't even in the top 3 in Class despite being last year's champion. Then there was Archbishop Alter, the little band that can. Finally, after several years of Kentucky dominance, they could claim the Class A title to most everyone's pleasure. The night would hold just a few more surprises for everyone, though.

At this point, my internal midwestern homer was beaming as Indiana had gotten five bands into finals. This would be a record for the state, and I was quite proud of how the state was being represented. It was now up to our two representatives performing in the top half to bring back 'home' the Eagle. A tall task as William Mason had just claimed the Outstanding General Effect award, Broken Arrow, was indeed not far behind, and there was no way of telling where Tarpon Springs (FL) had placed among the group and with a genuinely jaw-dropping show, I could easily see them taking the title for the second time. All left was for each group to lay it out in one final performance. 

I was fortunate enough to catch all of these performances, though, as I would find out the following day that I had a perforated stomach which was causing me pain, sometimes excruciatingly, for most of the day. As much as I endured, so too had all of these performers, as each took the field with pride and stood tall. They each had a show every one of them could be proud of. Getting to see the trees of stars light up one last time for Fishers, hearing the rich impeccable sounds from Texas groups, or getting to 'count' numbers with a visual flair from Castle were just some of the many highlights of the season. Perhaps seeing Dobyns-Bennett putting on a zany finish with horse, bird, or bear heads to their masterfully performed show is what people will remember most. But who could forget the visual and musical tour de force of Tarpon Springs that assaulted our eyes and ears with a crazy amount of sound and color that seemed to all make a strange, beautiful, coherent sense? Of course, it could be Carmel or Avon taking people back to the roots of the activity with their very minimalistic use of props and instead relying almost entirely on the strength of the ensemble's ability to impeccably move and play along with world-class performances by their guard. The entire experience remained one of the most competitive and memorable Grand National Finals despite the pain in my abdomen.

Remember I said there was still a bit of chaos left in the season? It finally wanted to give people one last bit during the first half of finals retreat. From my perspective, along with several others, the predictions on placements were flipped entirely. But such is the nature of such a competitive and yet subjective activity. Things can change on a dime. This reinforces that the focus should be on taking care of yourself and putting on the best show possible. There can be no greater reward when you are proud of what you have accomplished. However, this is still a contest, and a winner was still to be announced. The top 6 generated no real surprises for me though I thought Avon would still end up pulling ahead. No matter, though, as Carmel would be bringing home the Eagle to Indiana and the title of Grand National Champion to the school for the 5th time.

And that was it. The marching season concluded, and with it came a postseason slump of 'now what.' I had a lot of time to think about that as I went into emergency surgery the day after Grand National Finals and was stuck in the hospital before being discharged the day before Thanksgiving. With plenty of time to go over recaps, I got to revel in how close some bands were to each other by the end and relive great moments from shows. Despite being an Indiana homer, I still love seeing bands from around the nation and what they bring to the field, such as Plymouth-Canton going all in on a theme once again. Archbishop Alter (OH) claiming their first-ever Grand National Class Championship with a fan-favorite show. The score difference between 2nd and 4th in Class AA being only .1! Or how Indiana had arguably its best year ever at Grand Nationals, with seven bands making semi-finals and 5 of those making finals. 

Homestead, from what many thought was a rocky start, finished the season ahead of many other groups that had beaten them earlier that year. This has toned down much of the negative rhetoric thrown their way for now. I hope this serves as an example for them and other groups experiencing the same transition: good things take time to form and come to fruition. I genuinely look forward to seeing where they go next because, as one of our mottos states, there is no finish line. 

2022 is all wrapped up, and as we enter a new year, it brings plenty of questions. Will new bands continue to challenge the status quo and be able to push established programs to new heights? The journey for so many of these groups remains boundless. What bands will return next year, and what new faces shall we see? Could we potentially see a brand new Grand National Champion? William Mason (OH) came far closer than many anticipated. Which crossroads will band programs face next year? Many came to one in 2022 and rose to the challenge, overcoming and following their path to success. Will chaos reign again next year, or shall things play out in a more anticipated manner? I say let chaos reign! I love when things are shaken up and expectations subverted. It can make for a remarkable and memorable season, just like this one. So cheers to 2022 and all the memories you've given. Onward to a new year where many more memories await! Let's skip the hospital this time for me, please?

Graphics by Matthew Carstensen