Just my opinion: Region contest and Area or State are two different animals. At region you are competing against a standard (the rubrics). At Area and state it is band against band. When your band earned their one at region, in their minds they were equals with the other bands that earned ones. At Area and State somebody is first and somebody is last, and all the others are just sprinkled between. Congratulations on your first division. Don't let the results at area define you are your band. Yes, there have been some surprise entrants at the SMC, but I can't recall surprise winner. Contact the other directors in your region with the same classification. Ask them if they would provide you with information like their budget and total staff. Show that to you admin., and they should see the difference it can make.