The 2014 Drum Corps International Tour Monday, June 30 through Sunday, July 6

Santa Clara Vanguard took top honors as the highest scoring percussion section of last week.
High Scores World Class: Blue Devils (86.20), July 3, Cedarburg, WI Open Class: 7th Regiment (64.40), July 5, Lynn, MA High Caption Scores World Class: Brass: Carolina Crown (17.1), July 6, Chester, PA Percussion: Santa Clara Vanguard (17.1), July 6, Tri Cities, WA Color Guard: Carolina Crown (17.2), July 6, Chester, PA Open Class: Brass: 7th Regiment (12.5), July 5, Lynn, MA Percussion: Blue Devils B (12.9), July 6, Pleasant Hills, CA Color Guard: Spartans (12.8), July 5, Lynn, MA. Storylines to Watch

The Cadets will face the Blue Devils for the first time this summer on July 9 in Illinois.
End in Sight for an Undefeated Streak: Both the Cadets and Blue Devils are currently holding onto undefeated streaks in 2014. If they remain undefeated over the next couple of days, at least one of those streaks will potentially come to an end on Wednesday, July 9, when the two corps meet for the very first time of the summer in Metamora, Illinois. 80 Point Club: Three more corps passed the 80-point threshold this week. They included the Cavaliers (7/1, Overland Park, KS), Santa Clara Vanguard (7/1, Santa Clara, CA) and Phantom Regiment (7/2, Waukee, IA). Early Birds Catch 80: Santa Clara Vanguard reached 80 points five days earlier this year than it did in 2013. Phantom Regiment passed the mark a full week earlier, and the Cavaliers passed it a whopping 17 days earlier this year compared to last. 7th Regiment Surge: After Spartans took the lead on June 29 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, 7th Regiment has surged past its eastern Open Class rival. 7th defeated the Spartans on July 3 in Bristol, Rhode Island (61.30 to 60.00) and once again on July 5 in Lynn, Massachusetts (64.40 to 62.40). This is just the third and fourth times since 2010 that the Connecticut corps has finished ahead of the Spartans. Triple Trouble: The Cadets, Carolina Crown and Bluecoats had similar schedules over the last week, and the competition between these three corps couldn't have been any tighter. Just nine tenths (0.9) of a point separated them on July 3 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Just seven tenths (0.7) separated them on July 5 in Lynn, Massachusetts, and it was even closer a day later in Chester, Pennsylvania with just 0.65 between them. The Cadets held the lead at all three events, but the Bluecoats managed to steal one from Carolina Crown, passing up the South Carolina corps by a half a point for the first and only time so far this summer in Bristol.

The Blue Stars finished just 0.15 down from the Madison Scouts on July 6 in Lisle, Ill.
On Wisconsin: A tight race between Wisconsin-based World Class corps the Madison Scouts and Blue Stars developed this week. While Madison has finished ahead of the Blue Stars by more than two points all summer long, the Blue Stars narrowed that gap to just over a point on July 5 in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The La Crosse corps narrowed it even further to finish just 0.15 behind on July 6 in Lisle, Illinois. It hasn't been since August of 2010 that the Blue Stars have finished ahead of the Scouts. Back in Action and Ready to Rumble: After a little more than a week off from competition, the Vanguard Cadets and Blue Devils B have been back in action on the West Coast, and the two rivals continue to put up some impressive numbers. While Vanguard Cadets continue to hold their lead, Blue Devils B narrowed the gap between the two to just three tenths of a point on July 5 in Sacramento and just two tenths a day later in Pleasant Hills. Simulated Top 12: Based on averaging total scores over the last week, the top 12 corps at the World Championship Finals would potentially be (pluses and minuses indicate change from last week): 1. Blue Devils 2. The Cadets 3. Bluecoats (+1) 4. Carolina Crown (-1) 5. The Cavaliers (+2) 6. Santa Clara Vanguard (-1) 7. Phantom Regiment (-1) 8. Madison Scouts 9. Blue Knights (+1) 10. Blue Stars (+1) 11. Boston Crusaders (-2) 12. Spirit of Atlanta (+2) Troopers, Crossmen and the Colts were the next three highest average scores of the week. Stepping Up to the Plate: As the 2014 Drum Corps International Tour marches into its second full week of competition, corps that will be making their first performances of the season include Music City (July 8, Ft. Wayne, IN) and Louisiana Stars (July 13, Muscatine, IA). Upcoming Events

After a day off, the Boston Crusaders will compete on Tuesday, July 8, in Fort Wayne, Ind.