Oct. 24, 2016
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Twenty-eight high school bands from around the state showcased their talents in the fifth annual West Virginia State Marching Band Championship at the University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field on Saturday, Oct. 15. The Hurricane Middle School Band and the West Virginia University Marching Band, “the Pride of West Virginia,” also performed. A complete list of winners is included.
Cabell Midland High School won the Overall “Honor Band” Award and Old Gold Division Grand Champion, and Poca 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 Buffalo High School, Buffalo, Putnam County; Cabell Midland High School, Ona, Cabell County; Calhoun County Middle/High School, Mt. Zion, Calhoun County; Elkins High School, Elkins, Randolph 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; Nitro High School, Nitro, Kanawha County; North Marion High School, Farmington, Marion County; Paden City High School, Paden City, Wetzel County; Parkersburg High School, Parkersburg, Wood County; Petersburg High School, Petersburg, Grant County; Philip Barbour High School, Philippi, Barbour County; Poca High School, Poca, Putnam County; Ravenswood High School, Ravenswood, Jackson County; Richwood High School, Richwood, Nicholas County; Ripley High School, Ripley, Jackson County; Ritchie County High School, Ellenboro, Ritchie County; Sissonville High School, Charleston, Kanawha County; Spring Valley High School, Huntington, Wayne County; St. Albans High School, St. Albans, Kanawha County; St. Marys High School, St. Marys, Pleasants County; Wahama Junior/Senior High School, Mason, Mason County; Wayne High School, Wayne, Wayne County; Webster County High School, Upperglade, Webster County; Westside High School, Clear Fork, Wyoming County; and Wirt County High School, Elizabeth, Wirt County.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History (WVDCH) also inducted three former band directors into the State Marching Band Directors Hall of Fame. Honorees included Charles M. Oshel, the long-time band director at Ceredo-Kenova High School, Cabell County; Thomas R. Chafin, who spent 43 years as a band director at Spring Valley High School, Ceredo-Kenova High School, Wayne High School and Logan Senior High School; and James Thomas Bowen, who died in 2012 and was the band director at Guyan Valley High School in Lincoln County for many years. The inductees were selected from a list of nominations submitted to the WVDCH.
The West Virginia State Marching Band Championship was sponsored by the WVDCH 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 Caryn Gresham, deputy commissioner of the division, at (304) 558-0220 or caryn.s.gresham@wv.gov.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is an agency within the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts with Kay Goodwin, cabinet secretary. The division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org.
The winners of the State Marching Band Championship are as follows:
Overall Awards (Honor Band)
West Virginia State Honor Band: Cabell Midland High School
1st Runner-up: Ripley High School
2nd Runner-up: Philip Barbour High School
3rd Runner-up: Poca High School and Spring Valley High School
4th Runner-up: Parkersburg High School
Division Awards
Old Gold Division Grand Champion: Cabell Midland High School
Old Gold Division 1st Runner-Up: Ripley High School
Old Gold Division 2nd Runner-Up: Philip Barbour High School
Blue Division Grand Champion: Poca High School
Blue Division 1st Runner-Up: Sissonville High School
Blue Division 2nd Runner-Up: Buffalo High School
Class A Band Awards
1st Place: Cabell Midland High School
2nd Place: Ripley High School
3rd Place: Philip Barbour High School
Class A Music Awards
1st Place: Cabell Midland High School
2nd Place: Ripley High School
3rd Place: Spring Valley High School
Class A Marching Awards
1st Place: Cabell Midland High School
2nd Place: Philip Barbour High School
3rd Place: Ripley High School
Class A General Effect Awards
1st Place: Cabell Midland High School
2nd Place: Philip Barbour High School
3rd Place: Ripley High School
Class A Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Cabell Midland High School
Color Guard: Cabell Midland High School
Drum Major: Cabell Midland High School
Class B Band Awards
1st Place: Parkersburg High School
2nd Place: Greenbrier East High School
3rd Place: Wayne High School
Class B Music Awards
1st Place: Greenbrier East High School
2nd Place: Nitro High School
3rd Place: Huntington High School
Class B Marching Awards
1st Place: Parkersburg High School
2nd Place: Greenbrier East High School
3rd Place: Wayne High School
Class B General Effect Awards
1st Place: Parkersburg High School
2nd Place: Greenbrier East High School
3rd Place: Wayne High School
Class B Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Huntington High School
Color Guard: Nitro High School
Drum Major: Huntington High School
Class C Band Awards
1st Place: Webster County High School
2nd Place: Greenbrier West High School
3rd Place: Ravenswood High School
Class C Music Awards
1st Place: Webster County High School
2nd Place: Greenbrier West High School
3rd Place: Ravenswood High School
Class C Marching Awards
1st Place: Greenbrier West High School
2nd Place: Ravenswood High School
3rd Place: Petersburg High School
Class C General Effect Awards
1st Place: Webster County High School
2nd Place: Petersburg High School
3rd Place: Ravenswood High School
Class C Overall Awards
Percussion: Ravenswood High School
Color Guard: Ravenswood High School
Drum Major: Webster County High School
Class D Band Awards
1st Place: Poca High School
2nd Place: Wirt County High School
3rd Place: Wahama Junior/Senior High School
Class D Music Awards
1st Place: Poca High School
2nd Place: Wirt County High School
3rd Place: Wahama Junior/Senior High School
Class D Marching Awards
1st Place: Poca High School
2nd Place: Wirt County High School
3rd Place: Wahama Junior/Senior High School
Class D General Effect Awards
1st Place: Poca High School
2nd Place: Wahama Junior/Senior High School
3rd Place: Wirt County High School
Class D Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Poca High School
Color Guard: Poca High School
Drum Major: Wirt County High School
Class E Band Awards
1st Place: Sissonville High School
2nd Place: Buffalo High School
3rd Place: Paden City High School
Class E Music Awards
1st Place: Sissonville High School
2nd Place: Ritchie County High School
3rd Place: Paden City High School
Class E Marching Awards
1st Place: Sissonville High School
2nd Place: Paden City High School
3rd Place: Buffalo High School
Class E General Effect Awards
1st Place: Buffalo High School
2nd Place: Sissonville High School
3rd Place: Calhoun County Middle/High School
Class E Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Buffalo High School
Color Guard: Paden City High School
Drum Major: Sissonville High School
Miss Majorette
Miss Majorette: Danielle Milam, Richwood High School
Miss Majorette Runner-Up: Makaylah Wheeler, Huntington High School
Twirler Awards
1st Place: Richwood High School
2nd Place: Sissonville High School
Majorette Awards
1st Place: Richwood High School
2nd Place: Wayne High School
3rd Place: Philip Barbour High School
Best Overall Dance Team
Webster County High School
Best Dressed Director
Victor J. Iapalucci, Philip Barbour High School
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