Dan Balash

6 bands from Illinois will venture on to the Bands of America Grand National Championships in 2 weeks time! Thursday: 7:45 AM: Taylor, OH 8:00 AM: Hamilton, OH 8:15 AM: William Howard Taft 8:30 AM: Russell Independent, KY 8:45 AM: Greenwood Community, IN 9:00 AM: Bourbon County, KY 9:15 AM: Warren Local, OH 9:30 AM: Walter E. Stebbins, OH 9:45 AM: Huron Valley, MI 10:00 AM: Finneytown, OH 10:15 AM: New Berlin West, WI 10:30 AM: Grayson County, KY 10:45 AM: DeSoto Central, MS 11:00 AM: St. Clairsville, OH 11:15 AM: Estill County, KY 11:30 AM: Bishop Fenwick, OH 11:45 AM: IPS Showcase 12:00 PM: Break 12:15 PM: Brownsburg, IN 12:30 PM: Noblesville, IN 12:45 PM: Worthington Kilbourne, OH 1:00 PM: Norton, OH 1:15 PM: Clinton-Massie, OH 1:30 PM: Homestead, IN 1:45 PM: Anderson County, KY 2:00 PM: South Oldham, KY 2:15 PM: Dorman, SC 2:30 PM: Southlake Carroll, TX 2:45 PM: LaRue County, KY 3:00 PM: Break 3:15 PM: Fairborn, OH 3:30 PM: Floyd Central, IN 3:45 PM: Batesville, IN 4:00 PM: Colerain, OH 4:15 PM: Edwardsville 4:30 PM: Oak Hills, OH 4:45 PM: Mount Pleasant, MI 5:00 PM: Logan Elm, OH 5:15 PM: Lawrence Township, IN 5:30 PM: Bentonville West, AR 5:45 PM: Miamisburg, OH 6:00 PM: William Mason, OH 6:15 PM: South Dearborn, IN 6:30 PM: Castle, IN 6:45 PM: Marian Catholic 7:00 PM: Campbell County, KY 7:15 PM: Greenon, OH 7:30 PM: Broken Arrow, OK 7:45 PM: John Hardin, KY 8:00 PM: Avon, IN 8:15 PM: Break 8:30 PM: Tri County, MI 8:45 PM: Dobyns-Bennett, TN 9:00 PM: Valley, KY 9:15 PM: Fishers, IN 9:30 PM: Carmel, IN 9:45 PM: Columbus, IN 10:00 PM: Lafayette, KY 10:15 PM: Marcus, TX 10:30 PM: Wando, SC 10:45 PM: Round Rock, TX Friday: 7:00 AM: Murphysboro 7:15 AM: Sparkman, AL 7:30 AM: Bartlett, TN 7:45 AM: Munster, IN 8:00 AM: The Woodlands, TX 8:15 AM: Yukon, OK 8:30 AM: Southmoore, OK 8:45 AM: Pittston Area, PA 9:00 AM: Flower Mound, TX 9:15 AM: South Jones, MS 9:30 AM: Blue Springs, MO 9:45 AM: Kenai Central, AK 10:00 AM: Munford, TN 10:15 AM: Break 10:30 AM: Neosho, MO 10:45 AM: Rock Ridge, VA 11:00 AM: Ronald Reagan, TX 11:15 AM: Tocoi Creek, FL 11:30 AM: Pottsville, AR 11:45 AM: Arlington, TN 12:00 PM: Troy, OH 12:15 PM: Dripping Springs, TX 12:30 PM: O'Fallon Township 12:45 PM: Pulaski County, KY 1:00 PM: Centerville, OH 1:15 PM: Walled Lake, MI 1:30 PM: Center Grove, IN 1:45 PM: Break 2:00 PM: Morton 2:15 PM: Christian Academy of Louisville, KY 2:30 PM: East Clinton, OH 2:45 PM: Chattahoochee, GA 3:00 PM: Rockford, MI 3:15 PM: Carlisle, OH 3:30 PM: Nation Ford, SC 3:45 PM: Bentonville, AR 4:00 PM: Lakota West, OH 4:15 PM: Lee County, KY 4:30 PM: Jenison, MI 4:45 PM: Cleveland, NC 5:00 PM: Carroll, IN 5:15 PM: Break 5:30 PM: Shawe Memorial, IN 5:45 PM: Jenks, OK 6:00 PM: Plymouth-Canton Educational Park, MI 6:15 PM: Greendale, WI 6:30 PM: Murray, KY 6:45 PM: Arcanum, OH 7:00 PM: Monrovia, IN 7:15 PM: Westfield, IN 7:30 PM: Archbishop Alter, OH 7:45 PM: Cabell Midland, WV 8:00 PM: Lake Hamilton, AR 8:15 PM: Christian County, KY 8:30 PM: Meade County, KY Exb 8:45 PM: Michigan State University 9:00 PM: Awards

And Minooka, and (almost) Warren Township. Music Ensemble and Music GE LOVED Washington, giving the highest Ensemble score of the day (tied with Normal), Music GE 1 was the 3rd highest score of the day (behind Normal and Minooka), Music GE 2 was the second highest (Normal). Plainfield North was underappreciated by the general effect panel, behind Normal, Washington Community, Minooka, Warren Township and barely beating Lake Park.

Pinckneyville: Parade: B: 85.800 DuQuoin Middle School (Percussion, Color Guard, DM) A: 103.400 Wesclin (Percussion) 100.500 Marissa (DM (tie)) 89.400 Okawville 86.040 Elsberry (Color Guard) 85.600 Okaw Valley (DM (tie)) 80.900 Ashland AA: 117.000 Harrisburg (Percussion, Color Guard, DM) 107.000 Potosi 104.720 Metropolis 103.100 St. Charles 99.900 Carterville 94.100 DuQuoin 93.700 Benton 80.100 Vienna AAA: 112.800 Marion (Percussion, Color Guard, DM) Field: A: 817.000 Wright City, MO (Percussion, Color Guard) 810.000 Wesclin (DM) 702.000 Sparta 656.000 DuQuoin AA: 885.000 St. Charles, MO (Percussion, Color Guard, DM) 862.000 Potosi, MO 826.000 Carterville 711.000 Anna-Jonesboro AAA: 922.000 Mehlville, MO (Percussion, Color Guard) 879.000 Marion (DM) Grand Champion: Marion

Greater St. Louis: 1A: 65.325 Williamsville (Music) 63.575 Salem (Percussion, Color Guard) 58.350 Carlyle 2A: 75.725 Wentzville Holt, MO (Music, Percussion, Color Guard, ) 71.875 Hillsboro, MO 67.975 Civic Memorial 66.400 Columbia 3A: 72.675 North Point, MO (Percussion, Color Guard) 71.450 Cape Girardeau Central, MO (Music) 67.500 Alton 62.075 Rittenour, MO 4A: 78.950 Granite City (Music, Color Guard) 76.300 Mascoutah (Percussion) 68.900 Urbana

1A: 66.725 Mater Dei (Music, Visual, GE) 61.925 Watseka Community 61.600 Maroa-Forsyth 60.000 ROWVA 58.650 Arcola 2A: 69.825 University (Music, GE) 68.750 Illinois Valley Central (Visual) 66.075 Paris Cooperative 65.225 Monticello 63.900 Effingham 62.050 Newton 60.800 Providence Catholic 3A: 86.225 Morton (Music, Visual, GE) 77.900 Mahomet-Seymour 67.100 East Peoria 64.625 Highland 4A: 84.400 Washington Community (Music, Visual, GE) 73.050 Grayslake North 69.325 Kaneland 66.925 Grayslake Central 62.875 Champaign Centennial 57.750 Danville 55.800 Antioch 5A: 82.950 Plainfield North (Music, Visual, GE) 78.000 Edwardsville 73.750 Elk Grove 72.050 Wheaton North 65.500 Champaign Central 61.250 Round Lake 61.200 Wheaton Warrenville South 6A: 88.000 Normal (Music, Visual, GE) 83.300 Minooka Community 82.500 Warren Township 80.900 Lake Park 78.475 Oswego East 75.550 Oak Park/River Forest 74.800 Waubonsie Valley 69.250 Carl Sandburg 68.950 A.A. Stagg 63.950 Neuqua Valley 63.500 Waukegan U of I Recap.pdf

There might be even more of a delay now as the SEC is going to a 9 game conference schedule, and each team in the SEC is now required to play at least one game against the ACC/Big Ten/Big 12/Notre Dame, so there might be some rejiggering going on with those schedules as well.

WIU scores and recap: https://ilmarching.com/festivals_detail.php?FestivalID=1281&archive=0 WIU CompetitionSuite 2025.pdf

Indy predictions in no order: Panel 1 top 5: Avon, IN, Carmel, IN, Brownsburg, IN, Castle, IN, Union, OK Panel 2 top 5: Fishers, IN, Blue Springs, MO, Homestead, IN, James F. Byrnes, SC, Harrison, GA Next 4: Lakota East, OH, Carroll, IN, Choctaw, OK, Lincoln-Way Could also see Center Grove/Centerville/Hernando taking a spot. Carmel/Avon/Blue Springs top 3; Lincoln-Way around 10th. I'm about 95% certain Marian wins A; Archbishop Alter could play spoiler.

The general ridiculousness of scoring here as well drives me nuts. Mahomet-Seymour scoring a 19.80 in Visual Individual here last year and a 19.20 in Music Ensemble? Bands who get 3-4 pointed at ISU the week prior coming here and beating the band that beat them the week before by 3-4 points. The hilarity that was the Olympic system back in the day. Anyways, that being said: 1A: 1) Mater Dei 2) Watseka 3) Maroa-Forsyth 2A: 1) IVC 2) UHigh 3) Paris 3A: 1) Morton 2) Mahomet-Seymour 3) East Peoria Small Schools Champion: Morton 4A: 1) Washington Community 2) Champaign Centennial 3) Grayslake North 5A: 1) Plainfield North 2) 2) Edwardsville 3)....Wheaton North? 6A: 1) Normal 2) Warren Township 3) Minooka? Lake Park? Waubonsie? Large Schools Champion: Normal

U of I also doesn’t do a super job of promoting this show either.

There's a reason Marian held the highest music score for a decade at Nationals.

I reached out and haven't heard anything back.

1973: Parade: Class D 1) 87.30 - Roberts-Thawville 2) 82.60 - Bethany 3) 81.70 - Toluca Class C 1) 88.30 - ROWVA 2) 87.70- Cambridge 3) 84.50 - Minonk Class B 1) 93.90 - Herscher 2) 93.60 - Fairbury-Cropsey 3) 91.80 - Monticello Class A 1) 91.50 - Rock Falls 2) 89.40 -Warren Township 3) 84.90 - Champaign Central Class AA 1) 95.40 - Wheeling 2) 92.90 - East Peoria 3) 89.80 - Galesburg Field: Class D 1) 75.45 - Bethany 2) 71.35 - Oakland 3) 64.55 - Gridley Class C 1) 80.05 - Lincolnwood 2) 78.75 - Mt. Olive 3) 76.75 - Minonk Class B 1) 90.15 - Dakota 2) 87.85 - Monticello 3) 85.50 - Herscher Class A 1) 89.10 - Rock Falls 2) 87.95 - Champaign Central 3) 83.10 - Paris Class AA: 1) 95.05 - Dundee 2) 87.95 - Wheeling 3) 88.65 - Joliet Central Grand Champion: Wheeling

I was looking through some papers for some other things, and I came across some documents of U of I scores from 1972-1979 and 1981, top 3 in parade and field. I will update this as I have time 1972: Parade: Class D 1) 90.50 - Dieterick 2) 87.00 - Crescent-Iroquois 3) 85.90 - Toluca Class C 1) 87.60 - Dakota 2) 82.30 - Donovan 3) 82.10 - Minonk Class B 1) 94.90 - Monticello 2) 91.90 - Herscher 3) 88.50 - Fairbury-Cropsey Class A 1) 95.70 - Rock Falls 2) 95.40 -Warren Township 3) 89.40 - Bradley-Bourbonnais Class AA 1) 98.60 - Wheeling 2) 95.30 - East Peoria 3) 93.70 - Galesburg Field: Class D 1) 72.80 - Oakland 2) 64.75 - Chatsworth 3) 64.60 - Melvin-Sibley Class C 1) 78.55 - Dakota 2) 74.30 - Mt. Olive 3) 74.05 - Minonk Class B 1) 88.45 - Herscher 2) 83.90 - Hoopeston Area 3) 82.40 - Fairbury-Cropsey Class A 1) 86.30 - Warren Township 2) 85.10 - Bradley-Bourbonnais 3) 84.90 - Paris, Salem, Rock Falls (Tie) Class AA: 1) 96.00 - Wheeling 2) 89.65 - Joliet Central 3) 88.70 - East Peoria Grand Champion: Wheeling

Last schedule I saw also adds Rushville-Industry and drops Grayslake North. Updated schedule: Class 1A 12:00 PM: Galva 12:15 PM: Dwight Township 12:30 PM: New Berlin 12:45 PM: Blue Ridge 1:00 PM: Rushville-Industry 1:15 PM: Orion 1:30 PM: Break Class 2A 1:45 PM: Hoopeston Area 2:00 PM: Farmington 2:15 PM: Rockridge 2:30 PM: Clark County, MO 2:45 PM: Break Class 3A 3:00 PM: Sherrard 3:15 PM: El Paso-Gridley 3:30 PM: Oregon 3:45 PM: Genoa-Kingston 4:00 PM: Break Class 4A 4:15 PM: Olympia 4:30 PM: Monmouth-Roseville 4:45 PM: Kewanee 5:00 PM: Macomb 5:15 PM: Prairie Central 5:30 PM: Break Class 5A 5:45 PM: Canton 6:00 PM: Rochelle Township 6:15 PM: Metamora 6:30 PM: Waterloo 6:45 PM: Break Class 6A 7:00 PM: LaSalle-Peru 7:15 PM: Lakes Community 7:30 PM: United Township 7:45 PM: Fort Zumwalt North, MO 8:00 PM: Break Class 7A 8:15 PM: Naperville Central 8:30 PM: Huntley 8:45 PM: Alan B. Shepard 9:00 PM: Downers Grove South 9:15 PM: Quincy 9:30 PM: DeKalb 9:45 PM: Romeoville Exb 10:00 PM: WIU Marching Leathernecks 10:15 PM: Awards

Class 1A 3:00 PM: Salem 3:15 PM: Williamsville 3:30 PM: Carlyle 3:45 PM: Break Class 2A 4:00 PM: Wentzville Holt, MO 4:15 PM: Hillsboro, MO 4:30 PM: Columbia 4:45 PM: Civic Memorial Exb 5:00 PM: Belleville East 5:15 PM: Break Class 3A 6:00 PM: Rittenour, MO 6:15 PM: Alton 6:30 PM: North Point, MO 6:45 PM: Cape Girardeau Central, MO 7:00 PM: Break Class 4A 7:15 PM: Urbana 7:30 PM: Mascoutah 7:45 PM: Granite City Exb 8:00 PM: Belleville West 8:15 PM: Awards

Sandwich Musicfest: A: 75.900 Dwight D. Eisenhower (Music, Visual, GE, Percussion, Auxiliary) 66.850 Bloom Township 60.850 Sycamore 58.500 Marengo (DM) AA: 64.875 Evergreen Park (Visual, GE, Color Guard) 62.550 McHenry (Music, Percussion, DM) 60.550 Marmion-Rosary AAA: 79.225 Buffalo Grove (Music, Visual, GE, Color Guard) 73.800 Rolling Meadows 72.550 Waukegan (Percussion, DM) AAAA: 80.300 Yorkville (Music, Visual, GE, Percussion, DM) 74.500 Downers Grove North (Color Guard) 69.060 East Aurora Sandwich Recap.pdf

Updated with 4-5 in 2A, and Breese Central's score.

You forgot the Indianapolis Super Regional as well! Friday: 7:45 AM: Mattoon 8:00 AM: Springs Valley, IN 8:15 AM: Taylor, IN 8:30 AM: Heritage, IN 8:45 AM: Paoli, IN 9:00 AM: Bellbrook, OH 9:15 AM: Milford, OH 9:30 AM: Greenfield Central, IN 9:45 AM: Westfield, IN 10:00 AM: Archbishop Alter, OH 10:15 AM: Break 10:30 AM: Pendleton Heights, IN 10:45 AM: Adams Central, IN 11:00 AM: Jasper, IN 11:15 AM: Carroll, IN 11:30 AM: Lewis Cass, IN 11:45 AM: Lawrence Township, IN 12:00 PM: Western, IN 12:15 PM: Ben Davis, IN 12:30 PM: Edgewood, IN 12:45 PM: Centerville, OH 1:00 PM: Tri-Valley 1:15 PM: Kettering Fairmont, OH 1:30 PM: Brownsburg, IN 1:45 PM: Hamilton Southeastern, IN 2:00 PM: Greenwood Community, IN 2:15 PM: Lakota East, OH 2:30 PM: Mt. Vernon, IN 2:45 PM: Archbishop Carroll, OH 3:00 PM: Perry Meridian, IN 3:15 PM: Bloomington South, IN 3:30 PM: Floyd Central, IN 3:45 PM: Plymouth, IN 4:00 PM: Whitko, IN 4:15 PM: Lafayette Jefferson, IN 4:30 PM: Break 4:45 PM: Wawasee, IN 5:00 PM: Bullitt East, KY 5:15 PM: Noblesville, IN 5:30 PM: Thomas Worthington, OH 5:45 PM: Franklin Community, IN 6:00 PM: Northrop, IN 6:15 PM: Warren Central, IN 6:30 PM: Terre Haute North Vigo, IN 6:45 PM: Forest Park, IN 7:00 PM: Decatur Central, IN 7:15 PM: Concordia Lutheran, IN 7:30 PM: Franklin Central, IN 7:45 PM: Fishers, IN 8:00 PM: Vincennes Lincoln, IN 8:15 PM: Orleans, IN 8:30 PM: Avon, IN 8:45 PM: Center Grove, IN 9:00 PM: Lake Central, IN 9:15 PM: Beech Grove, IN 9:30 PM: Elkhart, IN 9:45 PM: IPS All City Band, IN 10:00 PM: Carmel, IN 10:15 PM: Terre Haute South Vigo, IN 10:30 PM: Southport, IN 10:45 PM: Owen Valley, IN Saturday: 7:00 AM: Plainfield, IN 7:15 AM: Green Hill, TN 7:30 AM: Scottsburg, IN 7:45 AM: North, IN 8:00 AM: River Falls, WI 8:15 AM: John Glenn, IN 8:30 AM: NorthWood, IN 8:45 AM: Harrison, GA 9:00 AM: Blue Springs, MO 9:15 AM: Homestead, IN 9:30 AM: F.J. Reitz, IN 9:45 AM: Limestone Community 10:00 AM: Fairfield, IN 10:15 AM: Union, OK 10:30 AM: Castle, IN 10:45 AM: Choctaw, OK 11:00 AM: Batavia 11:15 AM: Ohio County, KY 11:30 AM: Goshen, IN 11:45 AM: Mater Dei, IN 12:00 PM: Hernando, MS 12:15 PM: William Henry Harrison, IN 12:30 PM: Penn, IN 12:45 PM: Leo, IN 1:00 PM: Galesburg 1:15 PM: Princeton Community, IN 1:30 PM: Lincoln-Way 1:45 PM: James F. Byrnes, SC 2:00 PM: Geneseo 2:15 PM: DeKalb, IN 2:30 PM: Marian Catholic 2:45 PM: Benjamin Bosse, IN 3:00 PM: Marquette, MO Exb 3:15 PM: Murray State University 3:30 PM: Awards

So based off of what we know with the 2026 ISSMA schedule, this will PROBABLY be Indianapolis Super Regional weekend, unless BOA somehow finds a way to get it back in the week between ISSMA State Finals and Grand Nationals, with St. Louis more likely than not 10/24.

Their schedule is set for next year. Thanks, Missouri Valley Conference! https://fbschedules.com/2026-illinois-state-football-schedule/

Quincy Octoberfest: 1A: 77.700 Clark County, MO (Music, Visual, GE, Percussion, Color Guard) 67.450 Rushville-Industry 66.950 Warsaw 61.800 Bellevue Community, IA 61.580 Highland, MO 60.200 Hamilton 58.600 Knox County, MO 2A: 79.550 Bayless, MO (Music, Visual, GE, Percussion) 70.750 Rockridge 70.000 Central Lee, IA (Color Guard) 66.950 Auburn 60.750 Illini West 3A: 87.500 Fort Zumwalt East, MO (Music, Visual, GE, Percussion, Color Guard) 81.750 Lincoln Community 73.300 Jacksonville 4A: 88.400 Rock Island (Music, GE, Percussion, Color Guard) 84.950 Pekin Community (Visual) Octoberfest Full Recap (1).pdf

Waiting on full Newton scores, but here's some: 1A: 476.000 Casey-Westfield (Percussion, Auxiliary, DM) 451.000 Oblong 425.000 Sangamon Valley 2A: 555.000 Nashville Community (Percussion, Auxiliary, DM) 498.000 Cumberland 493.000 Pana 3A (inside due to rain) 483.000 Paris Cooperative (Percussion) 477.000 Mt. Carmel (Auxiliary) 442.000 Robinson Breese Central (DM) Ms. D Crowd Appeal Award: Mt. Carmel

Blue and Gold Invitational: Marion, IL 1A: 74.600 Pinckneyville Community (Music, Visual, GE) 61.800 Anna-Jonesboro 54.200 Sparta 2A: 91.200 Murphysboro (Music, Visual, GE) 81.800 Carterville

Dunlap: No Grand Champion named as 5A was rained out. 1A: 65.175 Watseka Community (Music, Visual, GE) 63.525 Arcola 61.875 Heritage 61.100 New Berlin 2A: 69.825 Rock Falls (GE) 68.525 Paxton-Buckley-Loda (Music, Visual) 67.800 Tri-Valley 66.700 Richwoods 3A: 74.085 Metamora (Visual, GE) 70.675 Mt. Zion 70.400 Tolono Unity (Music) 4A: 75.650 Limestone Community (Music, Visual, GE) 70.325 Rochelle Township 65.250 Canton 62.885 Rochester Dunlap CompetitionSuite.pdf