Cabell Midland wins Governor’s Cup Series

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Forty-six bands from around the state, including one exhibition band, showcased their talents in the eleventh annual West Virginia State Marching Band Invitational Championship at the University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field on Saturday, Oct. 29. The Milton and Barboursville middle school bands 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 Paden City 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.

Cabell Midland took home the 2022 Governor’s Cup Marching Band Series Championship trophy with a first-place finish in the overall standings. The Governor’s Cup consisted of 12 local competitions, along with the Marching Band Invitational finals. Points were awarded at each competition and then the winner was determined by the band who received the most points throughout the series.

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

Participating bands were Bluefield High School, Bluefield, Mercer County; Braxton County High School, Sutton, Braxton County; Buckhannon-Upshur High School, Buckhannon, Upshur County; Cabell Midland High School, Ona, Cabell County; Calhoun County Middle/High School, Mt. Zion, Calhoun County; Capital High School, Charleston, Kanawha County; Chapmanville High School, Chapmanville, Logan County; Doddridge County High School, West Union, Doddridge County (exhibition); Elkins High School, Elkins, Randolph County; Greenbrier East High School, Lewisburg, Greenbrier County; Greenbrier West High School, Charmco, Greenbrier County; Hurricane High School, Hurricane, Putnam County; Independence High School, Coal City, Raleigh County; James Monroe County High School, Lindside, Monroe County; Liberty High School, Clarksburg, Harrison County; Liberty High School, Glen Daniel, Raleigh County; Lincoln County High School, Hamlin, Lincoln County; Martinsburg High School, Martinsburg, Berkeley County; Musselman High School, Inwood, Berkeley County; Nitro High School, Nitro, Kanawha County; North Marion High School, Farmington, Marion County; Oak Hill High School, Oak Hill, Fayette County; Paden City High School, Paden City, Wetzel County; Parkersburg High School, Parkersburg, Wood County; Parkersburg South High School, Parkersburg, Wood County; Petersburg High School, Petersburg, Grant County, Philip Barbour High School, , Philippi, Barbour County; PikeView High School, Princeton, Mercer County; Poca High School, Poca, Putnam County; Princeton High School, Princeton, Mercer County; Ravenswood High School, Ravenswood, Jackson County; Richwood High School, Richwood, Nicholas County; Robert C. Byrd High School, Clarksburg, Harrison 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; South Charleston High School, South Charleston, Kanawha County; Wayne High School, Wayne, Wayne County; Webster County High School, Upperglade, Webster County; Westside High School, Clear Fork, Wyoming County; Williamstown High School, Williamstown, Wood 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 two into the State Marching Band Directors Hall of Fame. Honorees include Gail Kennedy, former band director at Spring Hill Junior High School, South Charleston High School and Poca High School, and the late Thomas Eschbacher, former band director at Washington Junior High School and Parkersburg South High School. 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 Andrea Nelson, public information specialist for the department, at (304) 558-0220 or Andrea.E.Nelson@wv.gov.

The winners of the State Marching Band Invitational Championship are as follows:

Governor’s Cup Marching Band Series

Champion: Cabell Midland High School

1st Runner-Up: Hurricane High School

2nd Runner-Up: Greenbrier East High School

3rd Runner-Up: Philip Barbour High School

4th Runner-Up: Capital High School

Overall Awards (Honor Band)

West Virginia State Honor Band: Cabell Midland High School

1st Runner-up: Musselman High School

2nd Runner-up: Hurricane High School

3rd Runner-up: Greenbrier East High School

4th Runner-up: Paden City 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: Hurricane High School

Blue Division Grand Champion: Paden City High School

Blue Division 1st Runner-Up: Shady Spring High School

Blue Division 2nd Runner-Up: Williamstown High School

Class A Band Awards

1st Place: Cabell Midland High School

2nd Place: Musselman High School

3rd Place: Parkersburg South 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 – French horn

Class B Band Awards

1st Place: Hurricane High School

2nd Place: Greenbrier East High School

3rd Place: Philip Barbour High School

Class B Best Overall Awards

Percussion: Princeton High School

Color Guard: Hurricane High School

Drum Major: Princeton High School

Soloist: Philip Barbour High School – trumpet

Class C1 Band Awards

1st Place: Paden City High School

2nd Place: Shady Spring High School

3rd Place: Williamstown High School

Class C1 Overall Awards

Percussion: Paden City High School

Color Guard: Paden City High School

Drum Major: Paden City High School

Soloist: Shady Spring High School – trumpet

Class C2 Band Awards

1st Place: Poca High School

2nd Place: Parkersburg High School

3rd Place: Sissonville High School

Class C2 Best Overall Awards

Percussion: Parkersburg High School

Color Guard: Poca High School

Drum Major: Parkersburg High School

Soloist: Poca High School – trumpet

Class D Band Awards

1st Place: St. Marys High School

2nd Place: Calhoun County High School

3rd Place: Bluefield High School

Class D Best Overall Awards

Percussion: Bluefield High School

Color Guard: Bluefield High School

Drum Major: Westside High School

Soloist: Webster County High School – trombone

Best Overall Show Band Awards

1st Place: Richwood High School

2nd Place: Philip Barbour High School

3rd Place: Oak Hill High School

Drums at the Capitol Competition

Champion: Philip Barbour High School

1st Runner-Up: Paden City High School

2nd Runner-Up: Princeton High School

3rd Runner-Up: Ripley High School

4th Runner-Up: Greenbrier East High School

5th Runner-Up: Parkersburg High School

Miss Majorette

Miss Majorette: Macie Watkins, Parkersburg South High School

Miss Majorette Runner-Up: Braylin Criner, Braxton County High School

Best Overall Twirler 

Parkersburg South High School

Best Overall Majorettes

Richwood High School

Best Overall Dance Team

Princeton High School

Best Dressed Director

Tim James, Cabell Midland High School

MEDIA NOTE: The WVDACH photographer will be working on photos from the event in the upcoming days. If you would like to request any specific photographs, please email Andrea.E.Nelson@wv.gov.