Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 10, 1994                   TAG: 9408100084
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Matt Chittum
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

4,000 SEE WINNING PHANTOM REGIMENT

The Rockford, Ill., corps that has consistently placed in the top five in this summer's contests won the competition Tuesday night at Salem Stadium, edging out Santa Clara Vanguard by six-tenths of a point.

"We're down to the last few days of competition, where tenths of points really count," said Mary Loritsch, chairwoman of the Salem High School Band Boosters publicity and promotions committee, which brought the event to town.

Loritsch says there is another competition in Hampton, a regional in Allentown, Pa., and the world championships Aug. 15-20 in Boston.

A crowd estimated at 4,000 attended the event, which Loritsch says was a success. "This was by far the largest crowd ever [for an event of this kind in the area]," she said.