Top Five DCI Corps
(reprinted w/ permission from Nikk Pilato of Phantom Regiment)
Needless to say, breaking into the Top 5 at the DCI World Championships has been a very difficult thing to do. There have been certain corps that seemed to dominate the top 5, leaving very little room for other emerging corps. However, once in a while, these "little corps that could" do break into the top 5, unseating old favorites, The following is an analysis of the corps that have been in the top 5, and what they are doing nowadays. Enjoy...
The first DCI Finals is a distant memory, and unfortunately, many of the younger generation of corps kids don't really know much about that era at all, or indeed, even care about it. This is a shame, as it is easy to repeat mistakes if we do not profit from the knowledge of the past.
That first DCI Finals, held in Whitewater, Wisconsin in
1972, produced the following top 5:
1. Anaheim Kingsmen
2. Blue Stars
3. Santa Clara Vanguard
4. 27th Lancers
5. Argonne Rebels from Great Bend, Kansas
These were, if you will, the "charter members" of the DCI Top Five. So what became of them the following year? Well, the Santa Clara Vanguard went on to win its first of 5 DCI titles. The Blue Stars dropped to third place, and surprisingly, the world-champion Anaheim Kingsmen dropped to 6th place, while the 27th Lancers tumbled to 7th. Alas, the Argonne Rebels never made the Top Five again, dropping to 11th in 1973 and dropping out of Finals for good in 1974. The Argonne Rebels lasted until around the 1983 season, when they disappeared from the DCI map.
(Note from webmaster. The Great Bend Opies retired in 1973. Sandra Opie, Argonne Rebel brass instructor, was a DCI judge from 1973 to 1989. She was inducted inducted in the DCI hall of fame in 1995. Her husband, Glenn Opie, was inducted in 2003.)
This of course cleared a path for new members to DCI's Top Five in 1973:
The Troopers (2nd), the Madison Scouts (4th), and the Kilties (5th) joined
Santa Clara Vanguard (1st)
and the Blue Stars (3rd) atop the DCI elite.
However, the Blue Stars suffered a
difficult 1974 season, dropping from 3rd to 12th, and the Kilties slipped a
notch from 5th to 6th. The 1974 title once again went to the Santa Clara
Vanguard, while Madison inched to 2nd in a show of what was to come. Troopers
held on stubbornly, placing fifth, while the Kingsmen made a return to Top Five
status, placing 3rd. However, this would be the Kingsmen’s last stop in the Top
Five, and they eventually dropped out of Finals and went inactive after the 1986
season. However, the Top Five had a new face in the Muchachos, a corps that had
placed 8th the previous year.
The Muchachos’ luck did not sustain them through the 1975 season, as they
(and the Kingsmen) dropped out of Finals the next year, the Muchachos because
they were disqualified for marching an over-age member. Had they not been
disqualified, the Muchachos would likely have been a Top Five corps. Indeed,
some pundits claim that Muchachos had even won Semifinals and would have won the
whole enchilada! We will never know, as the recap sheets were torn up shortly
afterwards. They would cease to be sometime after the 1977 season.
The Madison Scouts became the first non-California corps to win the DCI
title, and SCV showed its amazing consistency by placing 2nd. The 27th Lancers
returned to Top Five status with a 4th place showing, and the Blue Stars
returned as well, placing 5th. But the real story here was the amazing climb of
the Concord Blue Devils, who took 3rd and would stay in the top 3 of DCI for the
next 12 years, winning 6 titles in the process.
Sadly, the Blue Stars dropped out of the Top Five into 9th in 1976, and
never recovered their potential. Although popular rumor contends that the Blue
Stars went inactive in the early 1980s, this is not the case. The name "Blue
Stars" was not used, but the "Blue Star Cadets" used the same instruments, wore
the same uniforms, and followed the same traditions. In 1986 the group dropped
"cadets" from their title and became the Blue Stars once more, eventually going
on to win the 1989 and 1993 Division III titles.
The Blue Devils won their first title in 1976. Madison came in 2nd, Santa
Clara (who lasted 8 years in the top 3 before dropping out in 1980) placed 3rd,
and a corps by the name of Phantom Regiment wowed the judges with the classics,
placing 4th. Good ol' 27th Lancers held on to the anchor spot at #5.
In 1977, the DCI Finals headed out west (Denver), the Blue Devils took title
#2, and the Phantom Regiment climbed into 2nd place, with Santa Clara Vanguard
securely in the third spot. These same 3 corps would remain the top 3 corps in
DCI for the next three years. 27th Lancers stayed in 5th place, and a wacky and
extroverted corps by the name of the Bridgemen landed in the 4th slot, although
they were later disqualified for marching an over-age member.
1978 saw the title awarded to the Vanguard, while Phantom lay heartbroken in
2nd place -a mere tenth of a point behind, the result of a one-tenth
penalty, thus averting DCI’s first title tie (for another 19 years anyhow). The
Blue Devils dropped to third, while Madison rejoined the Elite Five in 4th,
followed by the irrepressible Bridgemen.
1979 was title #3 for the Blue Devils, heartbreak #3 for the Phantom
Regiment in 2nd, and another top 3 finish for the Santa Clara Vanguard. In 4th
place was a surprising southern corps with a knack for big sounds by the name of
Spirit of Atlanta. Bringing up the anchor spot was the 27th Lancers.
The 1980s got started with a bang, as the Top Five were shaken up. Santa
Clara, a Top Five fixture since DCI’s inception, faltered in 1980 and fell into
7th place. The Blue Devils took title #4, and 27th Lancers missed the title by
less than half a point. The Bridgemen re-entered the top 5 in 3rd place, and
Spirit of Atlanta remained in 4th, while the Phantom Regiment dropped to 5th
place after 3 near misses with the title. This would be the last time the
Bridgemen placed in the Top Five, dropping to sixth in 1981, 8th in 1982, 11th
in 1983, and failing to make Finals in 1984 before folding in 1986. Not to
worry, gentle reader! The Bridgemen are currently in the process of a comeback,
so we may see their spirited ways before too long!
Spirit of Atlanta never made the Top Five again, although they remained in
Finals for many years afterwards. Although they folded briefly in 1995, they
have since returned and are making strides in the activity.
In 1981, the Santa Clara Vanguard became the comeback corps of the year by
racing from 7th to 1st and their 4th title. In 10 years of DCI competition,
Western corps had won 9 titles at that point! Blue Devils took 2nd, Madison took
3rd after a 2-year absence from the Top Five, and the 27th Lancers made their
last appearance in this elite group of corps. Phantom Regiment remained rooted
in 5th place.
1982 was the year of the Blue Devil, as they raced through the season
without a blemish on their record. SCV came in 2nd, and a new corps hit the Top
Five, the Garfield Cadets, who placed third. Phantom Regiment and Madison
rounded out the Top Five.
1983 saw the Garfield Cadets' first title, and it also saw something that
had never happened before in the DCI era: All 5 corps from the previous year’s
Top Five remained this year’s Top Five: 1. Garfield, 2. Blue Devils, 3. SCV, 4.
Phantom Regiment, 5 Madison Scouts.
Incredibly enough, the placements of the 1983 and 1984 seasons were mirror
images, with the top five corps remaining in their exact same positions, giving
Garfield their second straight title.
In 1985, the Phantom Regiment dropped to 8th, clearing the way for their
cross-state rivals, the Cavaliers, who placed 5th. 1985 was also memorable for
another reason: The Garfield Cadets won their 3rd straight title, a feat never
done before (and not done since).
In 1986 another new face joined the top 5: Suncoast Sound. Suncoast had
almost made the Top Five in 1983, placing 5th in the Semifinals before
succumbing to the Madison machine at Finals. Unfortunately, Suncoast never made
the Top Five again, and would fold within 10 years after moving out of Division I
In 1987 Phantom regained their Top Five status after a drop to 10th place
the year before, ousting Suncoast Sound. 1987 also marked the first time the
Blue Devils placed out of the top three since 1974, an astounding 12-year
streak. The Garfield cadets won their 4th title, besting 2nd place Santa Clara
by a mere tenth of a point.
In 1988 Madison won their 2nd title, jumping from 6th place the year before.
This unseated the Phantom Regiment, sending them to 6th place in the place of
the Scouts. Blue Devils ended a previously undefeated season by placing third,
and Santa Clara placed 2nd for the 4th year in a row. Garfield and Cavaliers
rounded out the top five.
In 1989, the Santa Clara Vanguard won their 5th title, while the Phantom
Regiment reclaimed their Top Five status from the Madison Scouts (who dropped to
7th). Cavaliers placed 3rd, while Blue Devils and Cadets filled out the rest of
the Top Five.
The woes of recent champions continued, as the previous year’s champion
dropped out of the top three for the 5th year in a row, this time with Santa
Clara dropping to 6th. There was another new face in the Top Five of 1990, as
the Star of Indiana muscled its way into 3rd place, ousting the Santa Clara
Vanguard out of the Top Five. The Cadets of Bergen County won title #5, and the
Cavaliers placed 2nd, their highest placement at the DCI Finals. Phantom and
Blue Devils, locked into a tie for 4th, rounded out the 1990 edition of the Top
Five.
In 1991, the Star of Indiana took advantage of their newfound power, and
raced to the championship. This was also the first time that the top three were
all Midwestern corps. Santa Clara made a return to the top 5, which effectively
kicked out the Cadets, who had been top 5 fixtures since 1982!
In 1992 Phantom took a hard tumble, slipping to 8th place, and making room
for the Madison Scouts, who took 5th. This was also the year that the Cavaliers
took home their first title. Star of Indiana, who won Quarterfinals, found
themselves relegated to third while the Cadets moved into second place. The Blue
Devils placed 4th
Phantom made a strong resurgence in 1993, powering their way to 3rd, and
displacing the Madison Scouts, while Cadets won their 5th title. The Star of
Indiana suffered the biggest of heartbreaks by the smallest of margins: one
tenth, second place. Blue Devils and Cavaliers placed 4th and 5th respectively.
In 1994, the Star of Indiana dropped out of DCI, allowing the Santa Clara
Vanguard to move up into the Top Five for the first time since 1991. Blue Devils
finally recaptured their winning ways, and won their 7th title, the first since
1986, while Cadets placed 2nd and Phantom placed 3rd. The Cavaliers and Vanguard
rounded out the Top Five.
In 1995 Santa Clara Vanguard slipped a notch, which allowed Madison to
re-enter the Top Five after a three-year hiatus. Cavaliers won their 2nd title
this year, while Cadets placed 2nd for the second year in a row.
In 1996, the year of the infamous tie for first between Phantom Regiment and
the Blue Devils, Santa Clara turned the tables on Madison, replacing them in the
Top Five at 5th while Madison dropped to 6th. Cavaliers came in 4th, while
Cadets placed third.
In 1997 the Cavaliers suffered an uncharacteristic 7th place, the first time
out of the Top Five for them since the 1984 season, an impressive streak of 12
years. This low placement left room for Madison to sneak into fifth place, while
Regiment took 4th, Vanguard took 3rd, and Cadets took home yet another 2nd place
plaque as the Devils won #9.
In 1998 a new face appeared on the scene, the Glassmen, while Phantom
Regiment and Madison Scouts both fall out of the Top Five...the first time both
corps have been out of the Top Five together since 1986. Cadets win their 7th
title, while SCV places 2nd and Blue Devils take 3rd.
Additions: (added 27 July 2001):
In 1999, the Glassmen remained in the top 5 despite heavy opposition from the
Madison Scouts. Santa Clara and Blue Devils tied for the title, while Cavaliers
took third and the Cadets took 4th, their first time out of the top three since
1991.
The Year 2000 DCI Finals welcomed a new member to the Elite Top Five: The
Boston Crusaders, in only their 2nd year of Finals competition, after a long
history of heartbreak, powered their way past many established corps. We had
yet another tie, this time between Cadets and Cavaliers (giving them their 7th
and 3rd title, respectively), Blue Devils finished 3rd, and the Vanguard
finished 4th.
It breaks down like this: (written in 2000)
Argonne Rebels (1)
Boston Crusaders (1)
Kilties (1)
Muchachos (1)
Suncoast Sound (1)
Anaheim Kingsmen (2)
Glassmen (2)
Spirit of Atlanta (2)
Troopers (2)
Blue Stars (3)
Bridgemen (3)
Star of Indiana (4)
27th Lancers (7)
Madison Scouts (14)
Cavaliers (15)
Garfield Cadets (18)
Phantom Regiment (18)
Santa Clara Vanguard (24)
Blue Devils (26)
So what can we learn from this? Not much we didn’t know already. For most of
the last decade, the Top Five has been made up of some combination of the
following corps: Phantom Regiment, Madison Scouts, Cavaliers, Cadets, Vanguard,
and Blue Devils. For the first 4 years of the 1990s they were joined by the
talented Star of Indiana. In the 1990s, only two new corps broke in: The Star of
Indiana and the Glassmen. In 2000, the Boston Crusaders joined the mix.
Of the above corps, 9 are no longer competing in DCI. Consistency in drum
corps is a tough thing to achieve, and special congratulations are in order to
the Blue Devils and the Santa Clara Vanguard, corps that have placed in the Top
Five more than any other.
Many thanks to the following people for their invaluable help in this endeavor: Tom Shea, Brad Furlano, Frank Schoenbach, Scott Gordon, and the others that contributed bits and pieces...you know who you are. And a special thanks to Nikk Pilato of the Phantom Regiment.