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But the Blue Stars, who are favorites to make the championship finals as the one of the elite top 12 corps for the first time in 29 years, are thinking about a higher place — maybe even as high as eighth.
“It’s a huge jump to go from 14th to eighth, and no one would have believed that, but then this a great show,” said Brad Furlano, the Blue Stars’ executive director.
The Blue Stars returned to the world-class division two years ago and have taken 14th at the world championships both years.
On Saturday, the Blue Stars finished with the eighth highest score among all the world-class corps at the two-day DCI Eastern Classic regional championships in Allentown, Pa. They scored 87.25 points Saturday for fifth place that day and eighth overall.
The Blue Stars had better scores than five 2007 top 12 finalists — Glassmen of Toledo, Ohio, Boston Crusaders, Blue Knights of Denver, Colo., Colts of Dubuque, Iowa, and Spirit of Jacksonville State University in Alabama. But three corps were within a point of the Blue Stars.
The Blue Stars will be seeded 10th when they take the field Thursday at the DCI World Championship quarterfinals. They competed Sunday night in Westminster, Md., and have their last regular-season contest tonight in Massilon, Ohio.
“Now it’s about performing our best on a given night,” Furlano said. “It comes down to execution, emotion and performance.”
DCI EASTERN CLASSIC TOP 12
1. The Cavaliers, 95.9 (1st Friday)
2. Phantom Regiment, 95.825 (1st Saturday)
3. Blue Devils, 95.650 (2nd Friday)
4. Carolina Crown, 95.4 (2nd Saturday)
5. The Cadets, 94.350 (3rd Saturday)
6. Santa Clara Vanguard, 91.70 (4th Saturday)
7. Bluecoats, 90.8 (3rd Friday)
8. Blue Stars, 87.25 (5th Saturday)
9. Glassmen, 86.65 (4th Friday)
10. Boston Crusaders, 86.325 (5th Friday)
11. Blue Knights, 86.2 (6th Friday)
12. Crossmen, 85.375 (6th Saturday)
