6/22 - Pacific Procession

Santa Clara Vanguard - 74.900

Blue Knights - 70.400

Phantom Regiment - 70.300

Pacific Crest - 64.100

Mandarins - 60.300

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Blue Devils B - 59.900

Vanguard Cadets - 58.700

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The Pacific side of drum corps has been a battleground lately between Santa Clara Vanguard and Blue Devils, and last night was no exception. Although the Blue Devils weren't accounted for at the competition, it did not stop Vanguard and both their child corps, Vanguard Cadets and Blue Devils B, from clashing for the top spot and showing how much they've improved. With five world class and two open class corps, it was quite a night, especially comparing their scores to their eastern tour counterparts, and seeing how much they've improved from their last performances. Yet each performance showed more promise for them, and won't stop any time soon. As seen, Pacific Procession ended by retreat/awards, where Santa Clara Vanguard took 1st in the World Class circuit as a 74.900, a decently sized outlier gap from the rest, and Blue Devils B taking 1st in the Open Class circuit at a 59.900. It's still early season, so we'll expect these two corps to go even higher and progress more from their current standing. Yet, we can never count out the others, as their performance levels are still progressing and getting better by the minute as they rehearse over each and every section of their show.

To start off, the Open Class performances featuring Blue Devils B and Vanguard Cadets were given short attention, yet highlighted the competitiveness between the two, and will surely be memorable this season. With Blue Devils B taking in the higher scores of General Effect 1, Visual, and Music Analysis, it gave them the up-leading that allowed them to take 1st (59.900) over Vanguard Cadets. However, Vanguard Cadets took over General Effect 2 and Brass Analysis with a slightly higher percentage over BD2, giving them a 58.700. They have shortly but noticeably improved from their last performance at Moonlight Classic, where Blue Devils B took first with a 57.150, and Vanguard Cadets shortly behind with a 56.650. However, the gaps rise and fall more and more, so we're bound to see a bunch of breakthroughs between the two, whether if they'll stay neck and neck to eachother, or if any other Open Class corps we haven't seen much of will rise up and begin to clash with them as well.

Upon World Class, performances (in order by their score), included Santa Clara Vanguard (74.900), Blue Knights (70.400), Phantom Regiment (70.300), Pacific Crest (64.100), and Mandarins (60.300). As seen, gaps began to emerge between Phantom Regiment, Pacific Crest, and Mandarins, at an entire 10 point range, however, there was a very close difference for 2nd and 3rd place between Blue Knights and Phantom Regiment. Progressively throughout the early season, just as we've seen a fight between Blue Devils and Santa Clara Vanguard, and The Cadets and Bluecoats, Phantom Regiment and Blue Knights have held another intense rivalry that we hope to see emerge more throughout the season. It's both known though that both have immensely with their 2015 programs, however it won't be known exactly on who will be over the other and who will give more out onto the field than the other will. Whatever we can expect though, it's going to be a harsh season with the amount of rivalries brewing from how close the scores are.