Oct. 25, 2017
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thirty-eight high school bands from around the state showcased their talents in the sixth annual West Virginia State Marching Band Invitational Championship at the University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field on Saturday, Oct. 21. The Hurricane 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 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; Chapmanville High School, Chapmanville, Logan County; Doddridge County High School, West Union, Doddridge County; Elkins High School, Elkins, Randolph County; Greenbrier East High School, Lewisburg, Greenbrier County; Greenbrier West High School, Charmco, Greenbrier County; Hannan Junior/Senior High School, Ashton, Mason County; Huntington High School, Huntington, Cabell County; Independence High School, Coal City, Raleigh County; Jefferson High School; Shenandoah Junction, Jefferson County; Lincoln County High School; Hamlin, Lincoln County; Nicholas County High School, Summersville, Nicholas 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; 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; St. Albans High School, St. Albans, Kanawha County; St. Marys High School, St. Marys, Pleasants County; Scott High School, Madison, Boone County; Shady Spring High School, Shady Spring, Raleigh 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; Wahama Senior/Middle School, Mason, Mason County; Wayne High School, Wayne, Wayne County; Webster County High School, Upperglade, Webster County; Weir High School, Weirton, Hancock 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 Division of Culture and History (WVDCH) also inducted five current and former band directors into the State Marching Band Directors Hall of Fame. Honorees included Kenny Bond, former band director for Wahama Senior/Middle School; Richard T. Frush, educator and band director in Mineral County for 33 years; John Paul Lynch Sr., band director at Sistersville and Martinsburg high schools for a combined 32 years; J.P. Lynch, current Jefferson High School band director; and Arnold F. Weese, long time band director and music teacher in Randolph and Barbour counties. The inductees were selected from a list of nominations submitted to the WVDCH.
The West Virginia State Marching Band Invitational 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 proud to be able to present its programs at no charge to the public, but without a solution to the state’s budget situation, this could be the last year that programs of this type could be offered. The division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, is an agency within the Office of Secretary of Education and the Arts with Gayle Manchin, cabinet secretary. It 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 Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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: Jefferson High School
2nd Runner-up: Spring Valley High School
3rd Runner-up: Ripley High School
4th Runner-up: Poca High School
Division Awards
Old Gold Division Grand Champion: Cabell Midland High School
Old Gold Division 1st Runner-Up: Jefferson High School
Old Gold Division 2nd Runner-Up: Spring Valley High School
Blue Division Grand Champion: Poca High School
Blue Division 1st Runner-Up: Woodrow Wilson High School
Blue Division 2nd Runner-Up: Webster County High School
Class A Band Awards
1st Place: Cabell Midland High School
2nd Place: Jefferson 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
Soloist: Cabell Midland High School
Class B Band Awards
1st Place: Spring Valley High School
2nd Place: Greenbrier East High School
3rd Place: Parkersburg High School
Class B Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Spring Valley High School
Color Guard: Spring Valley High School
Drum Major: Spring Valley High School
Soloist: Spring Valley High School
Class C Band Awards
1st Place: Wayne High School
2nd Place: Lincoln County High School
3rd Place: Nicholas County High School
Class C Overall Awards
Percussion: Wayne High School
Color Guard: St. Albans High School
Drum Major: Lincoln County High School
Soloist: Nicholas County High School
Class D Band Awards
1st Place: Poca High School
2nd Place: Woodrow Wilson High School
3rd Place: Webster County High School
Class D Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Poca High School
Color Guard: Poca High School
Drum Major: Wahama Senior/Middle School
Soloist: Ritchie County High School
Class E Band Awards
1st Place: Paden City High School
2nd Place: Sissonville High School
3rd Place: Buffalo High School
Class E Best Overall Awards
Percussion: Sissonville High School
Color Guard: Paden City High School
Drum Major: Sissonville High School
Soloist: Paden City High School
Miss Majorette
Miss Majorette: Savannah Tinnel, Nicholas County High School
Miss Majorette Runner-Up: Chelsea Cogar, Webster County High School
Best Overall Twirler
Nicholas County High School
Best Overall Majorettes
Nicholas County High School
Best Overall Dance Team
Webster County High School
Best Dressed Director
Lewis C. Woodard, Webster County High School
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