Coverage by Chris Weber and Katie Ford 10:45 p.m. Join us tomorrow for the return of full DCI Louisville event. Thanks for being with us tonight! 10:20 The champions tonight, with a score of 80.45, The Cavaliers.

DCI Central Illinois Champions, The Cavaliers
"Winning is always nice, but the performance went well and that's what our focus is first," said Garrett Scharton, a Cavaliers pit member. Although he had to watch the performance from the sideline tonight as a result of an injury, Cavaliers' horn sergeant Chris Tavano had two words to describe what he saw tonight. "Powerful and Fun." Tavano hopes to be back into the show early next week. 9:45 p.m. After a long evening of drum corps, the crowd showed that they were still ready and willing to cheer as loud as they had in the beginning of the show and even more now. The Cavaliers took the field to an onslaught of cheering and well wishers as they were the last corps to perform on the night. "We have been setting the members up to add and change things and make those work tonight," said Bruno Zuccala, Cavaliers' assistant corps director. "The color guard was spectacular tonight." This was a sentiment shared by Jeff Danbom, color guard staff tech. "Probably our best show to date. They were emotionally strong and tighter than ever before even after adding new ballad work recently," he said. "Extremely intense crowd tonight," said Preston Krienke, mellophone. "We have put lots of work in the last couple days and it showed up tonight." 9:28 p.m. Before the show George Hopkins told The Cadets that they probably weren't going to see a crowd like this for a while, so take advantage of that. They did. The crowd was electrified as the corps performed their Jethro Tull inspired show, "Living in the Past." Horn line member Sarah Paradis said that a lot of visual things lined up for The Cadets tonight. "It was an overall good time out there, and the crowd was incredible," she said. "The group as a whole was great. Everyone was pushing through to the end and we had fun doing it," said Phillip Traini, Cadets' guard captain. 9:11 p.m. According to Bluecoats contra player Jordan Bultema, tonight was one of the best performances for the corps. "We performed as a team and hit everything perfect. I'm definitely looking forward to finals this year, getting better and getting it done," he said. Jeffrey Thompson, baritone player, was completely impressed by the crowd tonight. "They were very alive and into our show. It was just fun!" he said. Thompson is looking forward to the show finally coming together and clicking. Anthony Rodriguez's comments probably sum up the Bluecoats' performance tonight best. "Breathtaking and amazing," he said. "The band kids here are probably the greatest people to perform for. They love everything." 8:54 p.m. The Madison Scouts saw big payoff tonight after a long productive rehearsal earlier today. "This was the best show of the tour so far. The crowd helped out a lot," said Jared Brown of the mellophone section. "There was a big horn move in the closer that we cleaned today that really came together nice in the show." Glen Hauger, also from the mellphone section agreed. "This was definitely our best show of the season up to this point. The brotherhood this year is really 'gellin'" Hauger, who didn't march last season, said that he couldn't stay away this year. He found all of the sponsors he could in the winter to make him able to march this season. 8:37 p.m. The Colts came into tonight's performance with an arsenal of small changes to transfer from rehearsal to practice. "We added several small nuances in the ballad and adjusted several sets to make for an overall cleaner show," said horn sergeant Phil Snyder. "We are turning this show from several different segments into one complete show." Graham McLuhan, a soprano rookie, had his first experience in front of a Bands of America crowd tonight. "It was a blast to play in front of these people. They get on their feet almost every time you do something out there!" he said. Carl "Pip" Curtis, a second year tenor player, joins the Colts this year for his second season. A 12-year drum corps veteran, Curtis puts the International in "DCI" coming from the 37th Kingswood Drum and Bugle Corps in England prior to his stint with the colts. "The last closing statement is great. The tenor parts and drill are really fast there. It's great hype," said Curtis. McLuhan added that in the future the corps will be working on many of the same things they have been focusing on all year.

"Music ensemble sections, working on a unified sound and cleaning up visual sections will all be focuses in the rehearsal days to come," said McLuhan. 8:08 p.m. Hollie Bailey, a member of the Capital Regiment color guard came off the field tonight exhausted but with great feelings of accomplishment. "The show was great tonight. The BOA kids gave a lot of reinforcement when we are out there performing," said Bailey who added, "After a full day's rehearsal I'm ready for some rest." Bailey also said that this is the first night that the guard members premiered their new flags and uniforms. Delanor Bensen a baritone player said, "The baritone line is much improved tonight especially in the opener. We upped the tempo in the opener there and it came off well. No major tears in it." 7:46 p.m. Like many of the corps tonight, the crowd played a huge part in the success of tonight's performance for the Kiwanis Kavaliers. "This is the best crowd we have had all season," said Mike Seery, Kiwanis drum captain. "This marked our first standing ovation of the season which helped get the drum line really pumped. "Putting all the energy built up during the day into the show is just the best feeling in the world," added Seery. Liam Lynch, Kiwanis' horn sergeant, came into tonight's performance looking to please the crowd and perform better than the corps as a whole had two nights ago in Port Huron. He said they succeeded. "The best part of the show tonight had to be the quartet section and then eruption at the end of the show from the crowd showed us that we accomplished our goals," said Lynch. 7:29 p.m. Even after learning a new closer today, Southwind members were extremely pleased and excited about their performance tonight. "It was really nice to see three standing ovations for us," said soprano player Rachel Womack. "The attitude of the audience out there tonight was great!" Guard member Charisse Black also was pleased with the audience reaction. "It's so much fun out there with all of those band kids cheering us on. There was so much support from them out there," said Black. "It was awesome when the crowd got up on their feet at the end of the show," said soprano soloist Amanda McFarland. She also was extremely pleased to hit her double-G in her solo at the end of the opener. 7 p.m. Step off! Pioneer had the honor of taking the field first tonight offering their 2004 program, "Return to Ireland." Grant Beaman, a soprano player, said about tonight's show, "We put a lot of energy out there and are proud of what we've been working toward and accomplished on the rehearsal field." "The drum solo was really intense tonight," said baritone player Nina Franco. "There's killer drill during that section and great music to go with it." Many of Pioneer's horn line members were pumped during the drum solo tonight. "We put new horn flashes during that part which gives the accompanying drill a fresh new look," said euphonium player Robert Hays. 4:30 p.m. The Cavaliers ended a rehearsal in the stadium. The corps has been working with the Bands of America (BOA) marching band program to present a combined music and marching segment of The Cavaliers' 2004 opening number. "We had a lot of fun marching and preparing this performance with The Cavaliers these past couple days," said Jessica, a flute player from Wisconsin. "We spent the whole week working on the drill and music for this, and I am really excited for this performance." Drill sets were written for the band members that move around the central focus of The Cavaliers sets. Music has also been arranged for the combined performance. Yes that's right—Flutes, clarinets and saxophones out there tonight on the drum corps field. 4 p.m. Welcome to our limited LIVE coverage for the DCI Central Illinois event in beautiful Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University, Normal, Ill. Check back every half hour or so tonight for the latest pictures and comments from all of the corps performing here tonight. Thanks for joining us!