The Indiana State School Music Association concluded its annual marching band State Finals on Saturday evening at Lucas Oil Stadium. The event brought together top performing groups from across the state to compete for placement in their respective classifications. Several schools from the Northeast Indiana region achieved strong results, securing spots in the top ten for multiple categories.
In the Class A division, two Fort Wayne schools made the final ten. Homestead High School from Fort Wayne placed seventh, while Carroll High School from the same city finished eighth. These placements highlight the continued strength of marching band programs in the Fort Wayne area at the state level.
Huntington North High School also represented the region well, earning a top ten finish in the Class B category. The school placed ninth in its division. Other notable Class B finalists included North High School from Evansville, which placed first, and Mater Dei from Evansville, though the latter competed in a different class. The Class B list also featured schools from Floyd Central, Goshen, Greenwood, Greenfield Central, Pendleton Heights, Jasper, Munster, and Mt. Vernon / Fortville.
The Class C division saw two more Northeast Indiana schools make the top ten. Leo High School from Fort Wayne placed sixth, while Angola High School finished ninth. This marks the second consecutive year that Leo has competed in the state finals and the third time in the school’s history that the band has reached this milestone. The full Class C top ten also included Edgewood, Northwood, Western, Fairfield, Northview, Washington, Lincoln, and Twin Lakes.
In the smallest division, Class D, two additional schools from the region claimed top ten spots. Garrett High School placed fourth, and Woodburn High School finished ninth. Other teams in this division included Paoli, Lewis Cass, Northwestern, Maconaquah, Jimtown, Mater Dei, South Spencer, and Eastern. The competition across all four classes was intense, with several ties occurring in the Class C rankings for the fifth and sixth positions.
The results reflect a broad distribution of talent across Indiana, with schools from Indianapolis, Evansville, Kokomo, and other major metro areas also securing placements. The finals serve as the culmination of a competitive season for high school marching bands in the state.
The event took place on November 7, 2026, with performances evaluated by state judges. The top ten lists for each class determined the final rankings for the 2026 season. Schools that placed in the top ten will often use this achievement as a benchmark for future seasons and community celebrations.
For residents of Evansville and surrounding areas, the success of local and neighboring schools provides a point of pride. North High School from Evansville led the Class B field, while Mater Dei from Evansville competed in Class D. The involvement of multiple schools from the Northeast Indiana corridor demonstrates the depth of musical education in the region.
The ISSMA State Finals remain a significant event in the high school music calendar, drawing large crowds to Lucas Oil Stadium. The performances offer a showcase of choreography, musical precision, and visual design that define the modern marching band experience.
As the season winds down, these final rankings will be recorded in the history of the participating schools. The achievements of teams like Leo, Angola, Garrett, Woodburn, Huntington North, Homestead, and Carroll will be remembered as part of their institutional legacy in state music competitions.
