Please note that when looking at the scoring recaps, all judges' sheets, including General Effect, are divided in half before being added toward the final score. This is due to the use of two Visual Effect and two Music Effect judges. Keep in mind, however, the Effect averages are not divided in half before being added to the final score, while all the other captions are. Therefore, when it is mentioned that one corps' caption (other than GE) was 0.80 down to another corps' caption score, it really means that spread was worth 0.40 in the final overall score.
After tying for first place on Friday, July 29 in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Blue Devils (1st-94.80) surged into the lead among all the top corps for the first time this season. After being 3rd in both Visual Effect and Music Effect in San Antonio, the corps took 1st in Visual Effect and 2nd in Music Effect in Atlanta. All three Visual captions (Performance, Ensemble and Color Guard) placed 1st, and while Brass took 3rd, (0.20 under 1st place Carolina Crown), both Music Ensemble and Percussion took 1st.
Slipping 0.70 behind from the night before, The Cadets (2nd-94.10) switched Effect placements with Blue Devils. The only other caption as high as 2nd was Brass. All Visual captions and Music Ensemble and Percussion finished in 3rd.
So, why did The Cavaliers (3rd-93.45) drop 1.35 under Blue Devils from being 0.10 ahead in San Antonio? At last week's Southwestern Championship, the corps only won Music Ensemble, was 3rd in Visual Ensemble and Brass and 2nd in every other caption. In Atlanta, the corps dropped to 4th in Visual Performance and Brass and was 2nd in every other caption except for 3rd place finishes in both Effect captions.
For the second consecutive weekend, Carolina Crown (4th-92.60) finished 0.85 under 3rd place. Their strength was Brass, which once again finished on top, and Visual Performance moved up from 3rd to 2nd. However, every other caption was 4th except for Percussion, which finished in 5th.
Phantom Regiment (5th-90.50) was 2.10 behind Crown last week and didn't gain any ground this week, finishing 2.15 behind. Both Effect captions were 5th, as was Visual Performance, Visual Ensemble and Music Ensemble. Color Guard and Brass took 6th and Percussion 7th. (In San Antonio, the guard took 3rd.)
Bluecoats (6th-88.65) kept about the same spread over the next corps down from San Antonio. Both Effect captions and Music Ensemble was 6th, with Brass 5th and Percussion 4th. The corps' Achilles Heel is the three Visual captions; 8th in Performance, 9th in Ensemble and 10th in Color Guard. (Those first two captions were 5th and 7th in San Antonio.)
Santa Clara Vanguard (7th-88.25) tied for 8th in Visual Effect and placed 9th in Music Effect. The corps' highest caption was 5th in Color Guard, followed by 6th in Percussion and Visual Performance. Visual Ensemble and Brass took 7th, but Music Ensemble placed 9th.
Boston Crusaders (8th-87.55), gained 0.90 on SCV in one week, largely by moving up 0.90 to take 6th in Visual Ensemble. Both Effect captions and Visual Performance finished 7th, Color Guard and Music Ensemble 8th, and Brass and Percussion placed 9th.
Madison Scouts (9th-86.20) fell from 0.75 to 1.35 behind Boston Crusaders, dropping from 10th to 13th in Music Ensemble and from 11th to 14th in Percussion. A tie for 8th in Visual Effect and 8th outright in Music Effect was supported by 8th in Brass and 7th in Color Guard and Music Ensemble. Visual Performance finished 9th.
Blue Knights (10th-84.75) opened up 0.40 from a tie with the Blue Stars in San Antonio. The corps' best captions were 8th in Visual Ensemble and 9th in Color Guard. Percussion and Music Effect took 10th, Music Ensemble and Visual Effect (a tie) were 11th and Brass finished 12th.
Blue Stars (11th-84.35) placed 8th in Percussion, 10th in Visual Effect, Brass and Music Ensemble, 11th in Music Effect, Visual Performance and Color Guard and 12th in Visual Ensemble.
Spirit of Atlanta (12th-82.45) opened up a spread of 0.55 over the 13th place corps last week (Glassmen) to 1.45 over the 13th place corps this week (Troopers). A tie for 11th in Visual Effect was matched by 11th place in Brass and Percussion. Music Effect, Visual Performance and Music Ensemble placed 12th. Visual Ensemble took 15th and Color Guard 17th, dropping 0.50 and three placements from San Antonio.
Troopers (13th-81.00) remained 0.05 from Glassmen, but this week, switched positions with the corps they've been so very close to score-wise all season. The highlight for the corps was 10th in Visual Ensemble, with both Effect captions, Visual Performance and Brass next in 13th, (tying with Glassmen in Visual Effect). Color Guard took 13th and all the preceding placements were pulled down by 17th place finishes in Percussion and Music Ensemble, the latter caption dropping a full 1.00.
Glassmen (14th-80.95) took 11th in Visual Ensemble and 12th in Percussion, 13th in Visual Effect (a tie) and Color Guard, and 14th in the four remaining captions.
The Academy (15th-79.40) was 13th in Music Ensemble and Color Guard, 15th in both Effect captions, 18th in Visual Performance and 16th in the remaining three captions.
Colts (tie 16th-78.35) took 12th in Color Guard, 15th in Brass, 17th in Visual Ensemble and 16th in everything else.
Crossmen (tie 16th-78.35) gained 0.75 on Colts, finishing 14th in Visual Ensemble and Color Guard, 15th in Visual Performance, Music Ensemble and Percussion, and 17th in the remaining captions.
Pacific Crest (18th-75.85) were 18th in every caption except for 17th in Visual Performance.
Mandarins (19th-73.30) were 19th in Visual Effect, Visual Performance, Color Guard and Percussion, 21st in Music Ensemble and 22nd in all other captions.
Teal Sound (20th-73.00) finished 18th in Music Effect and were 19th in Brass and Music Ensemble, placing 20th in Percussion and 21st in everything else.
Jersey Surf (21st-71.65) took 19th in Visual Ensemble, 20th in Visual Performance and Color Guard, 21st in Percussion and 22nd in the remaining four captions.
Cascades (22nd-71.20) were 20th in both Effect captions (tying with Mandarins in Music Effect) and Music Ensemble, 21st in Brass, 22nd in Visual Performance and Color Guard and 23rd in Visual Ensemble and Percussion.
Pioneer (23rd-68.55) finished 2nd in Visual Ensemble and Percussion and 23rd in the remaining captions.
Judges in Atlanta included:
Visual Effect – Tim Ochran
Visual Effect 2 – Michael Stone
Music Effect – Nola Jones
Music Effect 2 – David Starnes
Visual Performance – Michael Lentz
Ensemble Visual – Deborah Torchia
Color Guard – George Oliviero
Brass Performance – Jeff Harper
Ensemble Music – Jay Webb
Percussion Performance – Martin Griffin
View the complete scoring recap from Atlanta.