This is a BIG deal! (If you don't know or care about Drum Corps, don't read this!)

'Crown' jewels sparkle in Sunshine State

Sunday, July 13, 2008 - 12:32 AM Florida in all of its heat and humidity didn’t deter thousands of drum corps fans from descending on the Citrus Bowl Saturday night, to witness 10 top Open and World Class corps compete during the DCI Orlando Premier Event. Turning a page in the history books, Carolina Crown surpassed the Cadets for the first time ever, taking the gold medal with a score of 85.625 and notching a victory unlike any other in their 18-year history.
Carolina Crown drum majors Mark Whitfield (L) and Evan VanDoren receive the gold medal at the Orlando Citrus Bowl.

Carolina Crown executive director Kevin Smith could be found after the show by the corps’ buses, giving hugs and high-fives to a long line of corps members. Crown members were jubilant tonight, and supporters passing by leant their own calls of congratulation to the atmosphere. Smith beamed as he said, “This is a pretty big night for us. To win a big weekend show like this and to do it over a great corps like the Cadets with all of their history is just amazing.”
The audience has continued to feed the energy of Carolina Crown all season, and Smith said, “We’ve been getting great reactions from the start. The guys on the design team did a tremendous job putting this show together after a really great program last year. You never know whether you’re going to be able to top the one from before, but it’s really going great. The crowds are loving it and that’s what we care about.”

The Cadets certainly kept the contest close, and with their score of 85.125 were exactly half a point behind Crown, earning their share of top placements from the judges. The Bluecoats, bronze medalists with a score of 82.550, took first in the percussion caption as the corps unveiled numerous changes to the way their program, “The Knockout,” is staged.