Top marching bands in the area cause a storm of jams at competitions in Mercer County

MERCER COUNTY, WV (WVNS) – A total of 14 marching bands from across the two Virginias stormed into Hunnicutt Stadium to compete for the top trophies Southern Thunder XV had to offer.

Fall Friday nights are generally associated with epic clashes between football teams, with the bands providing the soundtrack for those games. As Princeton Senior High School Band Director Greg Richmond explains, bands get the undisputed top billings on fall Saturdays in their band competitions.

“It means a lot for the kids to be able to have their own day and go to these competitions on Saturdays. Also, for us, it is a big community event. [The City of] Princeton really helps us out a lot and it is a big fundraiser for the band,” said Richmond.

For the 2025 edition, the PSHS marching band’s show is called “Princeton on Broadway”, dedicated to tunes made popular by Broadway. However, they were not in the running for any of the awards at Southern Thunder XV.

“We do an exhibition. We do not compete because we are the host band, but we still get judged just so we can have those critiques to listen to, to get better,” said Richmond.

Southern Thunder XV was followed by the annual Beaver Classic marching band competition, which took place at Mitchell Stadium later in the day. Both Bluefield High School and Princeton took part in each other’s competition. Richmond said having the two competitions taking place on the same day help create a whole day of band-filled fun in Mercer County.

“We are very close [as] band directors in Mercer County, Bluefield, PikeView, Princeton, Montcalm…We all work together as best we can and support each other. We have got some really good bands in Mercer County for three schools that have very good bands in one county. Yeah, we’re competitive with some of the bigger counties like Kanawha and Putnam. We always support each other,” said Richmond.

Here are the final results from Southern Thunder XV:

Class D
 
Color Guard
3 – Summers County Comprehensive High School
2 – Wyoming East High School
1 – Webster County High School
 
Percussion
3 – Wyoming East High School
2 – Webster County High School
1 – Summers County Comprehensive High School
 
Drum Major
3 – Wyoming East High School
2 – Summers County Comprehensive High School
1 – Webster County High School
 
Band
3 – Wyoming East High School
2 – Webster County High School
1 – Summers County Comprehensive High School
 
Class C
 
Color Guard
3 – Bland County High School
2 – Shady Spring High School
1 – Bluefield High School
 
Percussion
3 – Oak Hill High School
2 – Shady Spring High School
1 – Bluefield High School
 
Drum major
3 – Bland County High School
2 – Shady Spring High School
1 – Bluefield High School
 
Band
3 – Bland County High School
2 – Shady Spring High School
1 – Bluefield High School
 
Class B
 
Color Guard
3 – George Washington High School
2 – Greenbrier East High School
1 – PikeView High School
 
Percussion
3 – George Washington High School
2 – Greenbrier East High School
1 – PikeView High School
 
Drum Major
3 – Tazewell High School
2 – PikeView High School
1- Greenbrier East High School
 
Band
3 – Greenbrier East High School
2 – George Washington  High School
1 – PikeView High School
 
Class A
 
Color guard
3 – NA
2 – Salem High School
1 – Cabell Midland High School
 
Percussion
3 – NA
2 – Salem High School
1 – Cabell Midland High School
 
Drum major
3 – NA
2 – Salem High School
1 – Cabell Midland  High School
 
Band
3 – NA
2 – Salem High School
1 – Cabell Midland High School
 
Overall
 
Majorettes
3 – NA
2 – Oak Hill High School
1 – Tazewell High School
 
Feature twirler
3 – NA
2 – Bluefield High School
1 – George Washington High School
 
Dance team
3 – PikeView High School
2 – Bluefield High School
1 – Shady Spring High School
 
Suzy Fry Spirit Award

• Wyoming East High School
   
   
  Overall General Effect
• Cabell Midland High School
   
   
  Overall Music Performance
• Cabell Midland High School
   
   
  Julie Kade Marching Award
• George Washington High School
   
   
  Matthew Hazelwood Drum Major of Distinction Award
• Bluefield High School
   
   
  Division 2 (Class D and C)
   
   
  Best Soloist Division 2
• Trumpet solo from Bluefield High School
   
  2nd Runner Up to Grand Champion Division 2
• Summers County Comprehensive High School
   
  1st Runner Up to Grand Champion Division 2
• Shady Spring High School
   
  Grand Champion Division 2
• Bluefield High School
   
   
  Division 1 (Class B and A)
   
   
  Best Soloist Division 1
• Flue Solo from Cabell Midland High School
   
  2nd Runner Up to Grand Champion Division 1
• PikeView High School
   
  1st Runner Up to Grand Champion Division 1
• Salem High School
   
  Grand Champion Division 1
• Cabell Midland High School

Here are the results from the 2nd Annual Beaver Classic:

Class D
 
Auxillary
3 – Independence High School
2 – Webster County High School
1- Liberty High School
 
Percussion
3 – Liberty High School
2 – Independence High School
1- Webster County High School
 
Drum Major
3 – Independence High School
2 – Webster County High School
1 – Liberty High School
 
Band
3 – Liberty High School
2 – Webster County High School
1 – Independence High School
 
 
 
 
Class C
 
Auxiliary
3 – NA
2 – Meadow Bridge Regional School
1- James Monroe High School
 
Percussion
3 – NA
2 – Meadow Bridge Regional School
1- James Monroe High School
 
Drum Major
3 – NA
2 – NA
1 – James Monroe High School
 
Band
3 – NA
2 – Meadow Bridge Regional School
1 – James Monroe High School

Class B
 
Auxiliary
3 – Oak Hill High School
2 – Shady Spring High School
1- Bland County High School
 
Percussion
3 – Bland County High School
2 – Oak Hill High School
1- Shady Spring High School
 
Drum Major
3 – Bland County High School
2 – Shady Spring High School
1 – Oak Hill High School
 
Band
3 – Bland County High School
2 – Oak Hill High School
1 – Shady Spring High School
 
 
Class A
 
Auxiliary
3 – NA
2 – Princeton Senior High School
1- PikeView High School
 
Percussion
3 – NA
2 – PikeView High School
1- Princeton Senior High School
 
Drum Major
3 – NA
2 – PikeView High School
1 – Princeton Senior High School
 
Band
3 – NA
2 – Princeton Senior High School
1 – PikeView High School
 

Open Class
 
 
Auxiliary
3 – NA
2 – NA
1- Cabell Midland High School
 
Percussion
3 – NA
2 – NA
1- Cabell Midland High School
 
Drum Major
3 – NA
2 – NA
1 – Cabell Midland High School
 
Band
3 – NA
2 – NA
1 – Cabell Midland High School
 
 
Mel Saunders Marching Excellence Award for Overall Marching Performance
 

• PikeView High School
   
   
  Overall General Effect
   
• Cabell Midland High School
   
   
  Overall Music Performance
   
• Cabell Midland High School
   
   
  Division 2 (Class B, C, and D)
   
   
  Best Soloist Division 2
   
  -Trumpet solo from Shady Spring High School
   
   
   
  2nd Runner Up to Grand Champion Division 2
   
• Bland County High School
   
   
  1st Runner Up to Grand Champion Division 2
   
• Oak Hill High School
   
   
  Grand Champion Division 2
   
• Shady Spring High School
   
   
   
  Division 1 (Class A and Open Class)
   
  Best Soloist
   
• Trumpet solo from Princeton Senior High School
   
   
  2nd Runner Up to Grand Champion Division 1
   
• Princeton Senior High School
   
   
   
  1st Runner Up to Grand Champion Division 1
   
• Cabell Midland High School
   
   
  Grand Champion
   
• PikeView High School