Illini Marching Band Cha mpionships week is upon us! We have all been looking forward to this weekend all season, as we’ll find out if the new scoring system and format will make a difference. We also have Shelbyville, the St. Louis Super Regional, and the Lincoln-Way Invitational this week, as bands gear for ISU, and the culmination of their seasons at the Bands of America Regional and Grand National Championships.
Let’s get to the predictions!
Shelbyville Marching Festival: Shelbyville, IL
Class C/D:Georgetown-Ridge Farm is coming off a solid win last weekend at the EIU Panther Marching Band Festival. We think they’ll win this class, followed by the band that came in 2nd there in Okaw Valley, followed by Heritage in 3rd.
Class B: Atwood-Hammond looks to continue a good season here by winning this class, which we think they will. Rantoul will be 2nd, and Ridgeview in 3rd.
Class A: Difficult class to pick. We think Mattoon will eke it out, with Carterville running 2nd, and Unity in 3rd.
Class AA: Rochester makes their 2010 debut here. Monticello continues their season. We think Monticello will win, with Rochester a bit back.
Grand Champion: Monticello
Bands of America Super RegionalChampionships: St. Louis, MO
14 band finals. Champion is bolded. We think Carmel, IN will win their 3rd championship of the season, followed by Marian Catholic, and Broken Arrow in 3rd. Other finalists will include (in no order:) Owasso, OK, Irondale, MN, Union, OK, Bellbrook, OH, Birdville, TX, Alan C. Pope, GA, PCEP, MI, Rosemount, MN, O’Fallon, IL, Blue Springs, MO, and Oakville, MO, rounding out the top 14.
Lincoln-Way Invitational: New Lenox, IL
Class A: These three bands have met up once already this season, 2 weeks ago at St. Rita. Providence Catholic came out with a very convincing win, and we think they’ll do so again. Argo in 2nd, and Brother Rice in 3rd.
Class AA: This class is difficult to predict. Huntley and T.F. South have gone head to head once this season, a few weeks back. Huntley pulled off the class win then, and we think they’ll do so again. Don’t overlook Rock Island in the top 2, however. Our pick: Huntley
Class AAA: Lincoln-Way North finally competes again in state, for the second time this season. They have some stiff competition in this class, in Naperville North, Lockport, Warren Township, and United Township. That could be 5 of your ISU finalists right there. We think Lincoln-Way North will be able to fend off the challengers, with Naperville North taking second, and Lockport in 3rd. Lockport and United Township are interchangeable, but we think Lockport will take it.
Grand Champion: Lincoln-Way North
Illini Marching Band Championships: Champaign, IL
Note: These picks are done a bit differently, with the whole staff voting; majority wins for 1st place, and the fan polls have a bit of a vote as well.
Class 1A: A unanimous vote from the staff. We think Tri-Valley will win this class, with Watseka 2nd, and Blue Ridge 3rd. The fans agree, with Tri-Valley winning the poll by 6 votes.
Class 2A: Once again, the staff and fans agree. We think this class is Eureka’s to lose, but watch out for Macomb and Newton to play spoiler. We think they’ll finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Class 3A: Another runaway decision. We think Morton will win this class, with Mahomet-Seymour in 2nd, and Dunlap rounding out the top 3.
Grand Champion 1A-3A: Morton
Class 4A: This is the toughest class we have to predict. Bloomington and Lincoln-Way West tied in the fan poll, and Bloomington barely won in the staff poll. We think Bloomington will take this class, but not by much, with Lincoln-Way West in 2nd, and Washington in 3rd.
Class 5A: Another easy decision for the staff and fans. Prospect has been having a great season thus far, and should win here hands down. Normal West is coming off a win last weekend at EIU, and will take 2nd here, and Johh Hersey will take 3rd.
Class 6A:Downers Grove South has had a great season up to this point. We think they’ll win this class, followed by Waubonsie Valley (which will make a great class matchup next week at ISU as well,) and William Fremd in 3rd.
Grand Champion 4A-6A: Prospect should take this.