Bands of America Grand National Championships: November 13-15, 2025

[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

[Suburbanbandfan]

I can’t wait to watching Grand Nationals! Next year lets make it 12 bands from IL 😉

[Dan Balash]

16 hours ago, Suburbanbandfan said:

I can’t wait to watching Grand Nationals! Next year lets make it 12 bands from IL 😉

I can't even imagine 12 bands that would add three weeks and participate.

[Nard]

1 hour ago, Dan Balash said:

I can't even imagine 12 bands that would add three weeks and participate.

12 would be quite an impressive number, but why don't more Illinois groups go? There's no shortage of competitive groups that would likely benefit from going more often. For example, Prospect hasn't gone to GN since 2000 from what I can tell. They would have a legitimate shot at Semis most years I feel like. Lincoln-Way has only gone twice since combining. Morton has made more of an effort to attend, but even a group like Normal has never gone since combining. As well, groups that have quickly become more competitive in the state, like Plainfield North & even Bloomington, could definitely make that next step & I feel like attending GN would be a great experience for them.

[Dan Balash]

It adds 2-3 weeks on to a competitive season.  Sure, some bands go just for the experience, but it is one that is an expensive proposition if you're thinking about making the Saturday show between lodging, transportation, rehearsal space, food, and other various sundries.

 

There's probably MAYBE 4 bands in Illinois that I would feel comfortable saying they could make semifinals any given year: Marian, O'Fallon, Morton and Lincoln-Way.  There are others that are on the doorstep, but haven't quite made that next step yet.

[drillwriter]

Whether marching band is curricular or extracurricular, many band programs are ready to move focus to their other band programs (concert, jazz, etc)

[Suburbanbandfan]

Has an Illinois band gone to BOA San Antonio? 

[Dan Balash]

46 minutes ago, Suburbanbandfan said:

Has an Illinois band gone to BOA San Antonio? 

No, I don't believe so.  As far as I know, the only Illinois attendance in Texas was Naperville North at the 2004 BOA Arlington regional, where they placed 13th, out of finals by 3 points.

[Dan Balash]

I think we'll have 3 bands advancing to semifinals from Illinois: Marian, Morton and O'Fallon.  O'Fallon is probably in a bubble of like 10 bands to make finals, Morton could win AA (I think the only other tough competition would be Jenison), and Marian is in the running for Class A, becoming (I believe) the 2nd band to win national Class championships in 3 separate classes.

[IL Marching.Fan]

My top 3 in each class

 

Class A

Marian Catholic 

Archbishop-Alter

Bourbon County

Class AA

Jenison 

Morton

Munford

 

Class AAA 

Blue Springs

Dobyns-Bennett

Castle 

 

Class AAAA

Avon

Flower Mound

Broken Arrow

 

[Zdsmith]

I haven't gotten to watch much yet, but we watched Flower Mound in class today.

There were multiple times that I almost couldn't believe that that was a high school ensemble. Incredible stuff!

[Dan Balash]

Congrats to Marian, Morton and O’Fallon on making semifinals!

[IL Marching.Fan]

Semi-Finalists:

Morton

O’Fallon Township

Marian Catholic 

[TheAngryBavarian]

Semi-Finals Schedule:

6:30 AM – Carroll H.S., IN
6:45 AM – Southmoore H.S., OK
7:00 AM – Jenks H.S., OK
7:15 AM – Center Grove H.S., IN
7:30 AM – Nation Ford H.S., SC
7:45 AM – Rockford H.S., MI
8:00 AM – Southlake Carroll H.S., TX
8:30 AM – Arlington H.S., TN
8:45 AM – Wando H.S., SC
9:00 AM – Brownsburg H.S., IN
9:15 AM – Round Rock H.S., TX
9:30 AM – The Woodlands H.S., TX
9:45 AM – Fishers H.S., IN
10:00 AM – Bentonville H.S., AR
10:15 AM – Flower Mound H.S., TX
10:30 AM – Castle H.S., IN
10:45 AM – Dobyns-Bennett H.S., TN
11:00 AM – O’Fallon Township H.S., IL
11:45 AM – Homestead H.S., IN
12:00 PM – Blue Springs H.S., MO
12:15 PM – Dripping Springs H.S., TX
12:30 PM – Bartlett H.S., TN
12:45 PM – William Mason H.S., OH
1:00 PM – Marcus H.S., TX
1:15 PM – Ronald Reagan H.S., TX
1:30 PM – Avon H.S., IN
1:45 PM – Lafayette H.S., KY
2:00 PM – Broken Arrow H.S., OK
2:15 PM – Carmel H.S., IN
2:45 PM – Jenison H.S., MI
3:00 PM – Murray H.S., KY
3:15 PM – Morton H.S., IL
3:30 PM – South Jones H.S., MS
3:45 PM – Estill County H.S., KY
4:00 PM – Marian Catholic H.S., IL
4:15 PM – Lake Hamilton H.S., AR

[TheAngryBavarian]

1A
1. South Jones, MS [Music, Visual]

2. Marian Catholic [GE]

3. Murray, KY

2A

1. Arlington, TN [All]

2. Jenison, MI

3. Morton

3A

1. Blue Springs, MO [All]

2. Dobyns-Bennett, TN

3. Castle, IN

4A

1. Avon, IN [Music (Tie), GE]

2. Flower Mound, TX [Visual (Tie), Music (Tie)]

3. Carmel, IN [Music (Tie), Visual (Tie)]

Marcus, TX [Music (TIE)]

FINALISTS:
William Mason, OH
Flower Mound, TX
Marcus, TX
Carmel, IN
Broken Arrow, OK
Avon, IN
The Woodlands, TX
Bentonville, AR
Ronald Reagan, TX
Blue Springs, MO
Dripping Springs, TX
Wando, SC

[TheAngryBavarian]

FINALS Schedule (Times in EST)
8:00 PM — Wando H.S., SC
8:15 PM — Bentonville H.S., AR
8:30 PM — William Mason H.S., OH
8:45 PM — Dripping Springs H.S., TX
9:00 PM — Marcus H.S., TX
9:15 PM — Blue Springs H.S., MO
9:30 PM — Avon H.S., IN
9:45 PM — Carmel H.S., IN
10:00 PM — Flower Mound H.S., TX
10:15 PM — Broken Arrow H.S., OK
10:30 PM — Ronald Reagan H.S., TX
10:45 PM — The Woodlands H.S., TX
11:00 PM — Class AA Exhibition: Arlington H.S., TN
11:15 PM — Class A Exhibition: South Jones H.S., MS

[Magnichu]

My notes from attending semis:

Marian Catholic- solid performance, and a lot of changes since ISU. A little sad to see them retiring their uniforms, though. South Jones was definitely deserving, however.

Morton: Unfortunately, it seemed they didn't have a great run today. Regardless, I think they could have taken Jenison, but Arlington would be a tough ask to beat. 

O'Fallon: Definitely better than ISU, incredibly clean and deserving of number 1 in the state. Unfortunately, there were too many great bands today for them to get into finals. I really appreciate their use of woodwinds, they don't shove them to the side like many bands there.

Overall: Semis was an amazing competition, every band was great. We'll see how Illinois fares next year.

[TheAngryBavarian]

1. Avon, IN 97.825 (GE)

2. Flower Mound, TX 97.625 (Music TIE, Visual)

3. Carmel, IN 96.45 (Music TIE)

4. Broken Arrow, OK 96.325

5. The Woodlands, TX 94.475

6. Ronald Reagan, TX 93.30

7. Marcus, TX 92.925

8. Blue Springs, MO 92.375

9. Dripping Springs, TX 92.225

10. William Mason, OH 89.25

11. Wando, SC 89.15

12. Bentonville, AR 89.05
 

Al Castronovo Esprit De Corps: Kenai Central, AK

Tournament of Roses Invite: Carmel, IN

[Zdsmith]

Where's Dan with the recaps?

[johnlivingston1]

1 hour ago, Zdsmith said:

Where's Dan with the recaps?

O’Fallon 22nd

Marian 30th

Morton 33rd 

Seems about right. 

Edited November 16, 2025 by johnlivingston1

[Dan Balash]

11 hours ago, Zdsmith said:

Where's Dan with the recaps?

Dan is in Paris.  😀

[ScoreMaster_185]

17 hours ago, johnlivingston1 said:

O’Fallon 22nd

Marian 30th

Morton 33rd 

Seems about right. 

Ouch 

[moverholt]

22 hours ago, Dan Balash said:

Dan is in Paris.  😀

Fine...where are Le Recaps?

[drillwriter]

3 hours ago, moverholt said:

Fine...where are Le Recaps?

While it may be challenging (to anyone other than Dan) to get recaps for many local shows, BOA regionals and finals recaps are posted the following day here: https://marching.musicforall.org/result/

[Magnichu]

On 11/16/2025 at 12:47 AM, johnlivingston1 said:

O’Fallon 22nd

Marian 30th

Morton 33rd 

Seems about right. 

I have to say, watching this show in person, I have to agree with these placements. There were so many fantastic bands there, and Illinois just wasn't going to keep up this year. As for Marian Catholic vs. Morton, I do actually buy it. Marian had a great run and they've grown a lot since ISU. Morton had a less than ideal run and didn't seem to have grown as much since ISU, and it was enough for Marian Catholic to jump them.