October 23, 2019

 News…

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Forty-two bands from around the state, including 36 competing bands and six exhibition bands, showcased their talents in the eighth annual West Virginia State Marching Band Invitational Championship at the University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field on Saturday, Oct. 19. The Princeton Middle School Band opened the event with the national anthem. A complete list of winners is included.

Cabell Midland High School won the Overall “Honor Band” Award and Old Gold Division Grand Champion, and Wayne 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.

This year’s event also included a drumline competition, with Cabell Midland High School winning first prize.

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 Middle School, Chapmanville, Logan County; Clay County High School, Clay, Clay County; Doddridge County High School, West Union, Doddridge County; Frankfort High School, Ridgeley, Mineral County; Greenbrier East High School, Lewisburg, Greenbrier County; Greenbrier West High School, Charmco, Greenbrier County; Huntington High School, Huntington, Cabell County; Hurricane High School, Hurricane, Putnam County; Liberty High School, Glen Daniel, Raleigh County; Lincoln County High School, Hamlin, Lincoln County; Magnolia High School, New Martinsville, Wetzel County; Man Senior High School, Man, Logan 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 High School, Princeton, Mercer County; Princeton Middle School, Princeton, Mercer County; Ravenswood High School, Ravenswood, Jackson County; Richwood High School, Richwood, Nicholas County; Robert C. Byrd High School, Clarksburg, Harrison County; Shady Spring High School, Shady Spring, Raleigh County; St. Albans High School, St. Albans, Kanawha County; St. Marys High School, St. Marys, Pleasants County; Scott High School, Madison, Boone County; Sherman High School, Seth, Boone County; Spring Valley High School, Huntington, Wayne County; Trap Hill Middle School, Glen Daniel, Raleigh County; Tygarts Valley High School, Mill Creek, Randolph County; Valley High School, Pine Grove, Wetzel 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 five current and former band directors into the State Marching Band Directors Hall of Fame. Honorees include Debra Price, director of the Paden City High School marching band; A. Keith Reed, director of the Morgantown High School marching band; Gary Stewart, former director of the Point Pleasant High School marching band; Roger Walker, director of the Frankfort High School marching band; and Dale Riley, former director of the Hurricane High School marching band. 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 Save The Music Foundation, Conn-Selmer Division of Education, the West Virginia Department of Education 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 Bethany Cline, deputy curator for the department, at (304) 558-0220 or Bethany.K.Cline@wv.gov.
                 
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: Greenbrier East High School
2nd Runner-up: Philip Barbour High School
3rd Runner-up: Spring Valley High School
4th Runner-up: Hurricane High School

Division Awards
Old Gold Division Grand Champion: Cabell Midland High School
Old Gold Division 1st Runner-Up: Greenbrier East High School
Old Gold Division 2nd Runner-Up: Philip Barbour High School
Blue Division Grand Champion: Paden City High School
Blue Division 1st Runner-Up: Wayne High School
Blue Division 2nd Runner-Up: Ravenswood High School

Class A Band Awards
1st Place: Cabell Midland High School
2nd Place: Greenbrier East High School
3rd Place: Philip Barbour High School

Class A Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Cabell Midland High School
Color Guard: Cabell Midland High School
Drum Major: Cabell Midland High School
Soloist: Huntington High School – trumpet

Class B Band Awards
1st Place: Spring Valley High School
2nd Place: Hurricane High School
3rd Place: St. Albans High School

Class B Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Hurricane High School
Color Guard: Hurricane High School
Drum Major: Spring Valley High School
Soloist: Woodrow Wilson High School – trumpet

Class C Band Awards
1st Place: Wayne High School
2nd Place: Ravenswood High School
3rd Place: Lincoln County High School
                        
Class C Overall Awards
Percussion: Wayne High School
Color Guard: Wayne High School
Drum Major: Wayne High School
Soloist: Ravenswood High School – trumpet

Class D Band Awards
1st Place: Paden City Jr./Sr. High School
2nd Place: Poca High School
3rd Place: Bluefield High School
            
Class D Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Paden City Jr./Sr. High School
Color Guard: Paden City Jr./Sr. High School
Drum Major: Paden City Jr./Sr. High School
Soloist: Paden City Jr./Sr. High School – trumpet

Class E Band Awards
1st Place: St. Marys High School
2nd Place: Wirt County High School
3rd Place: Westside High School

Class E Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Wirt County High School
Color Guard: Calhoun Middle/High School
Drum Major: Westside High School
Soloist: St. Marys High School – trumpet

Best Overall Show Band Awards
1st Place: Richwood High School
2nd Place: Webster County High School
3rd Place: Sherman High School

Drums at the Capitol Competition
Champion: Cabell Midland High School
1st Runner-Up: Philip Barbour High School
2nd Runner-Up: Poca High School
                        
Miss Majorette
Miss Majorette: Kristen Cox, Braxton County High School
Miss Majorette Runner-Up: Rylee Shinn, Richwood High School
             
Best Overall Twirler 
Braxton County High School

Best Overall Majorettes
Philip Barbour High School

Best Overall Dance Team
Princeton High School

Best Dressed Director
John Kimble, Braxton County High School

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