MERCER COUNTY, WV (WOAY)- Multiple bands from our viewing area competed at the first ever Bluefield Beaver Classic and the annual Princeton Southern Thunder competitions in mercer county. These competitions are two of the many invitationals in the governor’s cup marching band series.
We had eight high school bands from our area competing in the Beaver Classic and nine bands in Southern Thunder.
Liberty and Independence competed in Beaver Classic and then Summers County and Oak Hill competed in Southern Thunder. Shady spring, Pikeview, James Monroe, Woodrow Wilson, and Greenbrier East went back-to-back and competed in both. Princeton and Bluefield performed in exhibition and competed in both as well.
As said, the Beaver Classic was the first time Bluefield held a band competition and the first at Mitchell stadium. They coordinated with the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History to make this part of the Govenor’s Cup series.
This series helps support the marching arts in our communities as they receive cash prizes throughout the season. Band director Nick Hinkle explains how competitions like this support our local communities and most importantly the students.
“It’s important to bring a band competition to Bluefield of the massive effect it has on the community and the visitors from outside coming in. The impact our students see that people come out to see them, and not just my students Bluefield High School, but the students all across these two states and to perform and put on something that’s really meaning for an audience,” said Hinkle, Bluefield’s Band Director. “Bands travel to all the away games, they support their schools and everything they can do. So, to have a day that’s just for the bands and they get to showcase what they’ve been working on all summer is really really special and important for these students.”
Let’s see how our schools did in the Beaver Classic (BC) and Southern Thunder (ST).
Awards For Liberty High School (Class D):
Color Guard: 2nd (BC)
Percussion: 3rd (BC)
Drum Major: 3rd (BC)
Band: 3rd (BC)
Overall Majorettes: 2nd (BC)
Awards For Summers County High School (Class D):
Color Guard: 2nd (ST)
Percussion: 1st (ST)
Drum Major: 2nd (ST)
Band: 2nd (ST)
Suzy Fry Spirit Award
Awards For Independence High School (Class D):
Color Guard: 3rd (BC)
Percussion: 2nd (BC)
Drum Major: 1st (BC)
Band: 1st (BC)
Class D Champion (BC)
Awards For Shady Spring High School (Class C):
Color Guard: 3rd (ST)
Percussion: 2nd (BC)
Drum Major: 2nd (BC), 3rd (ST)
Band: 2nd (BC), 3rd (ST)
Overall Dance Team: 2nd (BC), 2nd (ST)
Division II 1st Runner Up (BC) and (ST)
Govenor’s Cup 3rd Runner Up (BC) and (ST)
Awards For Pikeview High School (Class C):
Color Guard: 3rd (BC), 1st (ST)
Percussion: 1st (BC), 1st (ST)
Drum Major: 3rd (BC)
Band: 1st (BC), 1st (ST)
Overall Dance Team: 1st (BC), 1st (ST)
Division II Soloist with Saxophone (BC)
Division II Soloist with Flute (ST)
Class C Champion (BC)
Division II Grand Champion (BC) and (ST)
Govenor’s Cup 1st Runner Up (BC)
Overall General Effect (ST)
Awards For Bluefield High School (Class C):
Percussion: 2nd (ST)
Drum Major: 1st (ST)
Overall Dance Team: 3rd (ST)
Matthew Hazelwood Drum Major of Distinction (ST)
Govenor’s Cup 4th Runner Up
Awards For Oak Hill High School (Class C)
Overall Twirler: 3rd (ST)
Overall Majorettes: 1st (ST)
Awards For Woodrow Wilson High School (Class B):
Color Guard: 3rd (BC), 2nd (ST)
Percussion: 3rd (BC), 2nd (ST)
Drum Major: 2nd (BC), 1st (ST)
Band: 2nd (BC), 2nd (ST)
Overall Twirler: 1st (BC), 1st (ST)
Overall Majorettes: 1st (BC), 3rd (ST)
Division I 2nd Runner Up (BC) and (ST)
Awards For Greenbrier East High School (Class B):
Color Guard: 2nd (BC), 1st (ST)
1st for Percussion (BC), 1st (ST)
Drum Major: 3rd (BC), 2nd (ST)
Band: 1st (BC), 1st (ST)
Class B Champion (BC)
Division I 1st Runner Up (BC) and (ST)
Govenor’s Cup 2nd Runner Up (BC) and (ST)
Awards For Princeton High School (Class B):
Color Guard: 1st (BC)
Percussion: 2nd (BC)
Drum Major: 1st (BC)
Band: 3rd (BC)
Division I Soloist with Trumpet (BC)
If you’re a band director in our viewing area and wish to share scores and upcoming competitions that your band is doing, please email me at the email address at the below.
sdavanzo@woay.com
As the band season goes on, I will continue to cover it and highlight our high school band members and their accomplishments.
