Catan Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 I agree it's too early to determine a surge. For one thing I think we need to wait until after Broken Arrow this evening to see how Blue Knights fare against Phantom and Round Rock tomorrow where BAC will meet Blue Stars for the first time and how they fare at this point against Madison. I'd also be interested to see how they all fare when they face each other in San Antonio. Cavies are certainly stronger this year and have made significant progress this year. I expected Madison to be a bit stronger at this point though I expected BAC would place higher in the end. I expect to see a BAC surge and a Troopers surge which is not uncommon for either corps. Spirit is a possibility too. Crown may gain momentum. BAC and Blue Stars already met in La Crosse on July 12th. It was close, with BAC coming out on top by .15. It will be interesting to see who wins out tomorrow. As for corps surging, I think Cavaliers, BK, and Colts all fit that bill quite nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbeatty89 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 I think right now the Colts are surging. They made the jump into the finals contention over the past 7 days. I think they might have made life more difficult for Spirit. Going to be interesting to see what happens this weekend. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2muchcoffeeman Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Crossmen Their performance in Denver removed my initial doubts about their ability to make finals. I think they are definitely in. Boston No other corps this year has cleaned at this rate. Not there yet, but the pace of the improvements has amazed me. Xmen performed with a visual confidence in Denver that was evident and beyond the other corps in its competitive neighborhood. The recaps indicate, however, that they are closer to maxing their visual score than are Troopers. Troop has more visual and GE headroom available to exploit than Xmen-- at least according to one judge's opinion on one night. As anyone who has watched Troopers as recently as last year knows, they are capable of a big kick in the final laps. Last year they had the springboard of 18th place from which to surge. This year they have the platform of 13th. It's going to be a photo finish among Troop, Crossmen, Spirit and Colts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbeatty89 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 (edited) It's going to be a photo finish among Troop, Crossmen, Spirit and Colts. I think you should probably add Blue Stars, BAC and Madison to that lineup. the point spread between these seven corps for four slots is tight. Edited July 17, 2014 by jbeatty89 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2muchcoffeeman Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 I think you should probably add Blue Stars, BAC and Madison to that lineup. the point spread between these seven corps for four slots is tight. Good point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splooie99 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 (edited) I know this is slightly off of what you asked, but kind of in the same vein. Cascades win my most improved by a long shot. No offense, but last years show was one of the most boring, forgettable, and directionless marching arts productions I have ever seen. This years, while pretty straight forward, is very smartly designed, written perfectly for the performers, and is quite engaging. As far as who is charging for the top? I am quite surprised by Vanguards latest placing, even though I disagree. Their performance levels are certainly starting to drastically increase. In the next bracket, Blue Knights are really pushing for a top 7 finish, their most recent score gains are quite impressive. In the fight for finals, Colts have caught on fire this last week, and were even within a point of the Crossmen las night. Their show is starting to get some clarity and really take off. Next are the Oregon Crusaders, even as a late season surger they are scoring nearly two weeks ahead of last year and have in my opinion the most mature show that is in the non finalist bracket. I truly think a 15th place finish is possible. As stated, Cascades are making huge strides this year, and I would be surprised to see them outside the top 25. I've been saying OC could challenge for 15th all season. They typically start moving up after the first big regional as they should be starting to overcome the 2 week delay in starting compared to most of the other corps. I always beleive they can start making up ground as the other corps start running out of low hanging fruit to clean. They still have cleaning opportunities that help them go up later in the season. Time will tell, but I think they have a shot at 15th. Edited July 17, 2014 by Splooie99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzigZAG Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Doesn't it count if the blue devils were scoring very close to zero one month ago, and have now surged past everyone (though Cadets are right on their heels, and have yet to put the biggest planned show additions on the field)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortAndFast Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 I've been saying OC could challenge for 15th all season. They typically start moving up after the first big regional as they should be starting to overcome the 2 week delay in starting compared to most of the other corps. I always beleive they can start making up ground as the other corps start running out of low hanging fruit to clean. They still have cleaning opportunities that help them go up later in the season. Time will tell, but I think they have a shot at 15th. Certainly 16th is very realistic, and it's at least possible that they could end strong and catch someone else. OTOH, if we use Crossmen as a likely 12th/13th place corps that OC has seen a lot, they haven't gained any ground 7/3 McMinnville: OC 66.0, Xmen 69.8, Spread -3.8 7/14 Omaha: OC 72.15, Xmen 77.35, Spread -5.2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BozzlyB Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 I think you should probably add Blue Stars, BAC and Madison to that lineup. the point spread between these seven corps for four slots is tight. These have solidified into two separate competitive groups IMO. BAC, Madison, and Blue Stars have consistently been 2 or more points up on Colts, Crossmen, Troopers, and Spirit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumcorpsfever Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Let's get a real regional under our belt and then see what happens from there. Traditionally, look for how things go between San Antonio and Atlanta. By Atlanta, we'll know who is surging and who's not. It's only now that the adjustments and changes made will have the biggest impact of those who surge and those who slump. This is the time period where the instructional staff earn their stripes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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