Oct. 30, 2018
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thirty-six high school bands and two middle school bands from around the state showcased their talents in the seventh annual West Virginia State Marching Band Invitational Championship at the University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field on Saturday, Oct. 27. The Princeton Middle School Band opened the event. A complete list of winners is included.
Cabell Midland High School won the Overall “Honor Band” Award and Old Gold Division Grand Champion, and Paden City Jr./Sr. High School won the Blue Division Grand Champion award. Bands were judged on general effect, marching and maneuvering, music, music effect, percussion, drum major, color guard, majorettes and feature twirler.
Participating bands were Bluefield High School, Bluefield, Mercer County; Buffalo High School, Buffalo, Putnam County; Cabell Midland High School, Ona, Cabell County; Braxton County High School, Sutton, Braxton County; Calhoun County Middle/High School, Mt. Zion, Calhoun County; Chapmanville Regional High School, Chapmanville, Logan County; Clay-Battelle Middle/High School, Blacksville, Monongalia County; Gilmer County High School, Glenville, Gilmer County; Greenbrier East High School, Lewisburg, Greenbrier County; Greenbrier West High School, Charmco, Greenbrier County; Huntington High School, Huntington, Cabell County; James Monroe High School, Lindside, Monroe County; Lincoln County High School; Hamlin, Lincoln County; Musselman High School, Inwood, Berkeley County; Nitro High School, Nitro, Kanawha County; Paden City High School, Paden City, Wetzel County; Parkersburg High School, Parkersburg, Wood County; Philip Barbour High School, Philippi, Barbour County; Poca High School, Poca, Putnam County; Princeton Middle School, Princeton, Mercer County; Ravenswood High School, Ravenswood, Jackson County; Richwood High School, Richwood, Nicholas County; River View Middle School, Bradshaw, McDowell County; St. Albans High School, St. Albans, Kanawha County; Scott High School, Madison, Boone County; Sherman High School, Seth, Boone County; Sissonville High School, Charleston, Kanawha County; Spring Valley High School, Huntington, Wayne County; Tygarts Valley High School, Mill Creek, Randolph County; Tyler Consolidated High School, Sistersville, Tyler County; Wayne High School, Wayne, Wayne County; Webster County High School, Upperglade, Webster County; Westside High School, Clear Fork, Wyoming County; Wirt County High School, Elizabeth, Wirt County; Woodrow Wilson High School, Beckley, Raleigh County; and Wyoming East High School, New Richmond, Wyoming County.
The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History (WVDACH) also inducted seven current and former band directors into the State Marching Band Directors Hall of Fame. Honorees included Jeff Bryant, former band director for Greenbrier East High School; Joe Hardin, current band director at Spring Valley High School; Stephen Jarrett, former band director for Braxton County High School; Michael Knepper, current band director at Musselman High School; James Porter, former longtime band director for Ravenswood High School; Bob Scott, former band director at Capital High School; and Wayne Smith, former band director at Tyler Consolidated Middle/High Schools. The inductees were selected from a list of nominations submitted to the WVDACH.
The West Virginia State Marching Band Invitational Championship was sponsored by the WVDACH in participation with the VH1 Save The Music Foundation and the Higher Education Policy Commission. The State Marching Band Championship helps to promote, encourage and celebrate arts education throughout West Virginia.
For more information about the State Marching Band Championship, contact Andrea Nelson, public information specialist for the department, at (304) 558-0220 or [email protected].
The winners of the State Marching Band Invitational Championship are as follows:
Overall Awards (Honor Band)
West Virginia State Honor Band: Cabell Midland High School
1st Runner-up: Musselman High School
2nd Runner-up: Spring Valley High School
3rd Runner-up: Greenbrier East High School
4th Runner-up: Paden City Jr./Sr. High School
Division Awards
Old Gold Division Grand Champion: Cabell Midland High School
Old Gold Division 1st Runner-Up: Musselman High School
Old Gold Division 2nd Runner-Up: Spring Valley High School
Blue Division Grand Champion: Paden City Jr./Sr. High School
Blue Division 1st Runner-Up: Wayne High School
Blue Division 2nd Runner-Up: Lincoln County High School
Class A Band Awards
1st Place: Cabell Midland High School
2nd Place: Musselman High School
3rd Place: Greenbrier East High School
Class A Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Musselman High School
Color Guard: Cabell Midland High School
Drum Major: Cabell Midland High School
Soloist: Cabell Midland High School
Class B Band Awards
1st Place: Spring Valley High School
2nd Place: Nitro High School
3rd Place: St. Albans High School
Class B Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Spring Valley High School
Color Guard: Spring Valley High School
Drum Major: Nitro High School
Soloist: Spring Valley High School
Class C Band Awards
1st Place: Wayne High School
2nd Place: Lincoln County High School
3rd Place: Tyler Consolidated High School
Class C Overall Awards
Percussion: Wayne High School
Color Guard: Wayne High School
Drum Major: Poca High School
Soloist: Lincoln County High School
Class D Band Awards
1st Place: Paden City Jr./Sr. High School
2nd Place: Sissonville High School
3rd Place: Bluefield High School
Class D Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Sissonville High School
Color Guard: Paden City Jr./Sr. High School
Drum Major: Sissonville High School
Soloist: Paden City Jr./Sr. High School
Class E Band Awards
1st Place: Gilmer County High School
2nd Place: Wyoming East High School
3rd Place: Wirt County High School
Class E Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Gilmer County High School
Color Guard: Calhoun Middle/High School
Drum Major: Wirt County High School
Soloist: Gilmer County High School
Best Overall Show Band Awards
1st Place: Richwood High School
2nd Place: Webster County High School
3rd Place: Sherman High School
Miss Majorette
Miss Majorette: Catherine Blankenship, Lincoln County High School
Miss Majorette Runner-Up: Kristen Cox, Braxton County High School
Best Overall Twirler
Braxton County High School
Best Overall Majorettes
Philip Barbour High School
Best Overall Dance Team
Webster County High School
Best Dressed Director
John Kimble, Braxton County High School
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