Commonwealth Clash: VT v. UVA

The Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry has a long and storied history. The two teams first faced off in Charlottesville in 1895, but the name “Commonwealth Clash” was not coined until the 2014-15 season. Since its beginning, the Virginia Tech football team leads in victories against UVA 62-38. As of the 2024 season, the UVA football team has not won in Lane Stadium since 1998. The buildup to the game was tense, as both teams were 5-6 in their respective football seasons.

6 wins are needed for bowl eligibility, so the question remained:

Happy Senior Night! Photo courtesy of Andrew Single

Pregame

Long after the sun had set, the MVs entered Lane Stadium for the final home game of the season. Energy was high as we eagerly awaited kickoff. As Hokie fans began to arrive, we started our pregame stands performance with Bom Bom, followed shortly by Crosstown Traffic. The football team then presented their graduating seniors, including key players such as Kyron Drones, Bhayshul Tuten, Antwaun Powell-Ryland, and Aeneas Peebles. The Highty-Tighties then gave their final pregame show just before “Enter Sandman” welcomed the football team to the field.

First Quarter

William “Pop” Watson III made his collegiate football debut as quarterback for the Hokies. While the first few minutes of the quarter were slow, things quickly picked up after Tuten scored the first touchdown of the game. The Hokies later sacked UVA quarterback Tony Muskett. Before the quarter ends, kicker John Love successfully scores a 44-yard field goal, putting the Hokies in the lead 10-0.

Second Quarter

Photo courtesy of Andrew Single

Tension began to build in the second quarter as both teams struggled to score. The Cavaliers managed to score a field goal and made their debut on the scoreboard. Watson makes an impressive delivery to Jaylin Lane, who runs it into the endzone for another Hokie touchdown. Just before the end of the half, John Love scored a 31-yard field goal, securing a score of 20-3 as the clock hit zero.

Halftime

During halftime, the MVs took the field and the fan-favorite Metallica show made a return from the 2023 season. The crowd cheered as the MVs played a medley of iconic Metallica songs including “For Whom The Bell Tolls”, “Fuel”, “Fade To Black”, “Lux Æterna”, and “Enter Sandman”. At the end of the performance, the graduating MVs were announced, including drum majors Emily Tucker and Thomas Chase. Congratulations and happy trails to all of our graduating seniors!

Third Quarter

The intensity continued into the third quarter. A few minutes in, Watson ran the ball into the endzone, scoring the Hokies another touchdown. Later on, the Cavaliers managed to score a touchdown of their own along with a two-point conversion. Love scored another field goal for the Hokies, making the score 30-11 by the end of the quarter.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Single

Fourth Quarter

The Cavaliers managed to score another touchdown with a failed two-point conversion, giving them 6 points at the start of the fourth quarter. After a failed tackle from UVA, Tuten is able to run the ball 58 yards into the endzone for another Hokie touchdown—putting VT in a 20-point lead. The game ends with a final score of 37-17, and the Hokies win another Commonwealth Cup.

The students rush the field as the MVs perform their end-of-game concert of Metallica, VPI Victory March, Swag Surfin’, Tech Triumph, and Superman. With this win, the Hokies finish their football season 6-6. Let’s go bowling!

H4TH: VT v. Clemson

Hokies 4 the Hungry (H4TH) is a combined effort with the Montgomery County Christmas Store to provide meals and discounted gifts for those in need during the holidays. It is a tradition that the MVs have supported for several years and is one that many members of the band look forward to participating in. Events include a week-long interband competition with bonus point items, and “canned bean” deduction points to harm other sections in the competition.

On gameday, the band disperses to tailgates to collect more cans and raise funds for the store to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, and toys for their discounted Christmas store. It is a lot of fun for members of the band, but it is even more important to be supporting such a great cause in our community!

The Golden Knights Precision Parachute Team! (photo courtesy of Andrew Single)

First Half

The first quarter resulted in a tied score of 0-0, with both the Clemson Tigers and Virginia Tech Hokies showing off their strong defense. The excitement came when Clemson went for a field goal. Hokie’s Keyshawn Burgos blocked the kick, and Quentin Reddish recovered the ball, rushing it 77 yards for the first touchdown of the game! This ended the first half 0-7.

Halftime

This week’s show was Dark Disney, highlighting Villainous themes from several Disney classics, including “Hellfire” from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, “Anthem of Evil” from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, “Breath of Life” by Florence & the Machine (written for Snow White and the Huntsman), and ended the show with the main theme from The Pirates of the Caribbean, written by Hans Zimmer. The show was full of several moving shapes and lines, creating impactful images on the field. As always, it was another amazing performance in Lane Stadium full of cheers and excitement as the fans’ favorite themes from Disney classics were shared.

Roaming pep bands! (photo courtesy of Andrew Single)

Second Half

The second half was not as hopeful for the Hokies, as Clemson scored two touchdowns and held the Virginia Tech offense from any attempts at earning any points before the end of the third quarter. After the small break, Clemson pushed the Virginia Tech defense down the field again to score their last touchdown of the game. The Virginia Tech Defense still pushed to keep Clemson from running all the way down the field, however Clemson made their last advances with a final successful field goal attempt. However, the Hokies were not done. With Virginia Tech quarterback, Collin Schlee, making his debut during the second half, he threw a 14 yard pass to Ayden Greene, adding one last touchdown for the Hokies within the last few minutes of the fourth quarter. The game ended with a Clemson victory, 24-14.

Although the Virginia Tech Hokies were not able to clutch a victory, the Marching Virginians won big this week with the Hokies 4 The Hungry canned food drive! In total, the Marching Virginians collected 21,217 cans within the band, beating the band record set last year! Congratulations to the MV Nets for collecting the most cans and most points during our interband competition!

MVs unloading cans after a successful food drive! (photo courtesy of the Montgomery County Christmas Store)

Furthermore, a HUGE thank you to the Clemson Marching Band for donating 2,200 cans and $800 to our cause during their visit! The band also collected additional cans and monetary donations during our roaming pep bands, bringing our final count to a total of 24,518 cans and $16,000!

We want to give a big thank you to everyone who participated in our food drive to support the Montgomery County Christmas Stores and those in need in our community during the upcoming holiday seasons!

Pregame: VT v. Boston College

It was Thursday night college football under the bright lights in Lane Stadium, and the energy and fans did not disappoint!

In its most recent home game this past Thursday, Oct. 17, Virginia Tech squared off against the visiting Boston College Eagles in front of a sold out crowd in Lane Stadium. Sporting their new orange jerseys for the Orange Effect game, the Hokies played through the chilly Blacksburg autumn weather.

The Commonwealth. (Photo credit: AJ Joseph)

In the press conference the Monday prior to the game, Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry noted the tradition the Thursday night atmosphere would bring to Blacksburg.

“ESPN Thursday Night Football [and] Virginia Tech go hand in hand,” Pry said. “This series is tied 3-3 on Thursday night against Boston College, so it’s a rubber match.”

Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones also commented on the game as well as the energy that the sold out crowd would bring on Thursday.

“I was glad to be a part of it last year... Even on a Thursday night it’s sold out, so I’m glad to have these fans behind us and then just going out there and giving them a show Thursday.”

Pregame

Along the lines of tradition, the Marching Virginians performed one of our favorite shows Thursday night in our annual Pregame show. Cued by a drumline cadence, the MVs began their run onto the field, outlining the shape of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the process. Once set, the band performed its traditional Fanfare from “Superman,” and the piece’s grand ending marked the start of the pregame performance. 

Next came the well-known pieces in the Shenandoah Chorale and March, VPI Victory March, and Tech Triumph, which came after the controlled chaos that is the “toilet bowl.” 

Hi, Hokie Bird! (photo credit: MV Online Content)

After Tech Triumph came the melodic “Copland Colors,” where the nation’s colors were marched out onto the field and were presented for the national anthem which soon followed.

Once the national anthem finished, and the cannon fired off, the band played Tech Triumph once again, and set up the tunnel for the football team’s run on to the classic “Enter Sandman” entrance.

First Half

After Boston College was unable to score on the opening drive of the game, the Hokies got off to a hot start with quarterback Kyron Drones running in an 11-yard touchdown on Tech’s first offensive drive of the game. This was later followed by two turnovers by the Eagles which led to two Virginia Tech scores, another one from Drones and then one from running back Bhayshul Tuten. Then, in the last two minutes of the half, the Hokies drove down the field and scored another touchdown on a reception from Tuten. By halftime, Virginia Tech had a commanding 28-0 lead.

Second Half

The Hokies got off to a slow start in the second half, starting off their first three possessions with a punt, interception, and fumble on their first three drives. Boston College responded to these miscues, scoring a touchdown on each of their answering possessions. The Eagles very quickly put up 21 unanswered points, and the score was 28-21 in favor of Virginia tech midway through the third quarter. The stress was slowly increasing in the MV stands, but as always, we figured Virginia Tech would pull through.

Hi, Thomas! (photo credit: Andrew Single)

The Hokies did just that as they erupted for 14 points in the fourth quarter. Bhayshul Tuten led the charge on offense, as he scored another touchdown on the board and then delivered the final blow to the Boston College defense with a 61-yard touchdown to put the Hokies up by 21 points. In doing all of this, Tuten also set the single-game rushing record in Virginia Tech program history with 266 rushing yards on the night. Boston College would be unable to score the rest of the game, and the Hokies would come away with the 42-21 victory. Virginia Tech now sits at a 4-3 record on the season, and is only two wins away from becoming bowl eligible for a second straight year. 

We’ll be back in Lane Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 26 when Virginia Tech takes on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in another pivotal ACC matchup. For that game, the band will be performing our homecoming show at halftime! 

As previously mentioned, the annual pregame show is one of the favorites among the Marching Virginians. From the run-on to the toilet bowl to setting the tunnel for “Enter Sandman,” we love every minute of the tradition the band brings to gamedays, especially on nights like the one this past Thursday. The tradition the game brought, not only for the football teams but for the band as well, serves as a reminder of what creates the backbone for the Spirit of Tech in its 50th year.

VT vs Rutgers - MV For A Day and Military Appreciation

This past Saturday, as Hokie Nation welcomed Rutgers University, the Marching Virginians had the wonderful privilege of hosting high schoolers from around Virginia!

All of us here at Virginia Tech were so happy to perform alongside our new high school friends (and hopefully prospective MVs!) during our Military Appreciation performance. Check-in began bright and early for our guests at 9:30, and the MVs began our practice at 10:30. Our repertoire included John Philip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever,” the service song of each military branch, and John Williams’s “Olympic Fanfare and Theme.”

Go Hokies! Photo courtesy of Andrew Single (MV Online Content).

First Half

The first quarter started off a bit slow back and forth between two teams, but later on Rutgers Running Back Kyle Monangai scored a 1-yard touchdown. At the very end of the first quarter Rutgers Running Back Sam Brown scored another touchdown for the opposing team, putting the score at 14-0 Rutgers. Quickly into the second quarter Hokie Running Back Bhayshul Tuten scores a 23-yard touchdown, making the score 14-7 Rutgers. Near the end of the second quarter, Hokie Quarterback Kyron Drones sacked in the endzone for a safety, putting the score at 16-7 Rutgers by Halftime. Afterward the hardworking football team moved out of the way for their friends in the Marching Virginians so we could have the field for halftime!

Halftime

As we took the field, this was an extra special performance since we were not only able to perform with the high schoolers, but we also had the honor of recognizing and remembering current and past members of the United States armed forces. We first performed each song that represented each branch of the armed forces, and any current or past member of the respective branch was asked to stand to be recognized. The high schoolers quickly joined us afterward to perform the “Olympic Fanfare and Theme” along with our national march, “Stars and Stripes Forever.” After playing “Tech Triumph” to end our performance, we were back in the stands to continue the game against Rutgers.

Tuba train! Photo courtesy of MV Online Content.

Second Half

The third quarter featured Rutgers in the lead after Brown scored a 5-yard touchdown. Going into the fourth quarter, Tuten quickly scored a 14-yard touchdown, with a 2-point conversion to Benji Gosnell. At 4:35 Tuten scored a 2-yard touchdown, with another 2-point conversion to Stephen Gosnell. This put both teams at a 23-23 tie. At 1:56 Rutgers broke the tie with a 24-yard field goal, winning the game with 26-23.

All of the MVs here in Blacksburg were incredibly honored to be able to meet with and perform with high schoolers, and to also recognize our veterans and current members of the armed forces. We look forward to seeing everyone back in Lane Stadium on Thursday, October 17th against Boston College! As always, Go Hokies!

50th Anniversary and Alumni Weekend - VT vs. Marshall

What better way to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Spirit of Tech than with a Alumni Day performance and a Virginia Tech Hokies victory? 

The VT vs. Marshall game weekend was packed with reunions, memories, and celebrations of what the Marching Virginians had accomplished. Friday night had started off with welcoming back the alumni with a reading session, allowing them to “warm up their chops” before their big performance on Saturday in Lane Stadium. The reading session was followed by an alumni banquet.

Alumni Event (Courtesy of Andrew Single)

The banquet was filled with Marching Virginians from every decade of the band, from 1974 all the way to current Marching Virginians sharing memories, exchanging stories, and celebrating how much this young marching band has accomplished. Emotions were very high as all looked back and dreamed of the future of the band.

“This 50th Anniversary had occurred because every person in this room left a part of them on that field,” Dave McKee shared during his speech to the Alumni. Sharing stories and looking at the band now, alumni were happy that their legacy still stood as a staple of not just Virginia Tech Football, but the atmosphere of so many students across many different colleges in the university. Dr. Polly Middleton ended the night by sharing “I hope you are always proud of the Marching Virginians… and I hope you look at the MVs with a sense of pride and excitement!”

Next up was GAMEDAY! All the current MVs and the Alumni met for rehearsal and shared with the Alumni the music and drill which would be shared with the thousands of fans in Lane Stadium.

First Quarter

Flyover! (Courtesy of Andrew Single)

The first quarter was slow and anxious at the same time, with Virginia Tech and Marshall making strong attempts to run the ball down the field with failed attempts. The quarter ended with excitement as Marshall punted the ball on 4th down. Jaylin Lane received the ball and ran 50 yards towards the North End Zone to celebrate a Virginia Tech touchdown with the Marching Virginians and student section to end the quarter at 7-0.

Second Quarter

We saw more action in the 2nd quarter, starting with Virginia Tech taking a 42 yard field goal to put the team at 10-0. Marshall pushed back as they pushed the Virginia Tech defense down the field making a 2 yard touchdown, pushing the Hokies at 10-7.

Halftime

As the game clock hit 0:00, the Marching Virginians took the field, opening their Alumni Day performance of “Aranjuez,” a band favorite which first made its debut in the Marching Virginians repertoire as another Jim Sochinski classic arrangement, and played throughout the 2010s and 2020s. Over 500 alumni members took to the field afterwards, with the combined Super Sousaphone section inviting everyone in Lane Stadium to the Hokie Pokie. Shennandoah and VPI Victory March followed, with the combined bands setting the field to present a large “50” for the 50th Anniversary. And just like that, the Marching Virginians finished Tech Triumph and sprinted back to their stands to continue rooting for the Hokies!

The halftime show was incredible. Over 800 Marching Virginians on the field, playing their hearts out, entertaining thousands with the melodies which have been shared for decades. This was a special show, as always, with every song arranged by late staff arranger James Sochinski. While no longer with us physically, his memories are carried by every MV who hits the field, as they play his pieces. And that made the show even more special than it already was. 

“Without Uncle Jim, we would not have been able to complete what we have accomplished... he poured every bit of sweat and knowledge into his arrangements.”

— Dave McKee

Third Quarter

Virginia Tech meant business, returning from halftime and pushing Marshall into the Red Zone for a 1 yard touchdown to push the score to 17-7. Marshall pushed the score with a 18 yard pass and touchtown to make a close 17-14. However, the Hokies returned shortly after to go 65 yards down the field, and finish with a 3 yard run by quarterback Kyron Drones, sliding past Marshall’s defense for a touchdown, leaving the score in the 3rd quarter to 24-14.

MVs and Hokie Football! (Courtesy of Andrew Single)

Fourth Quarter

The Hokies were not backing down yet, and started the quarter off strong with Drones throwing a 5 yard pass to Da’Quan Felton for a touchdown, sitting Virginia Tech at a comfortable 31-14. The Hokies held back Marshall for the rest of the game, guaranteeing another Virginia Tech Hokies’ victory for the books!

The Marching Virginians finished off their night in Lane Stadium with a new tradition, playing the ending medley from the Metallica show (Sad But True, Wherever I May Roam, Creeping Death, Lux Æterna, and of course, Enter Sandman) to celebrate all Virginia Tech victories. Lastly, the remaining fans saw a sky full of flying Marching Virginians as the night was finished with Superman.

The weekend was slam packed and exhausting for most, but it is memories that will be shared for a lifetime and never forgotten. However, the weekend’s festivities show what community has been built by this incredible organization. It is important to remember who has come, what is now, and what is to be – a grand show. 

In the words of the great Marching Virginians band director, Dave McKee, 

“Know the tradition, grow the tradition!”

Recap: Spring Game!

Today the Marching Virginians found themselves right back at the MVC gearing up for kickoff and their much-anticipated win! This past Saturday was Virginia Tech’s Spring Game, and this was a scrimmage that the football team opened up Lane Stadium for. A scrimmage is where a team goes up against itself, with half of the team vs. the other half of the team. None of us were exactly skeptical about winning our game, since it was Hokies against Hokies! We were so incredibly happy to be back together playing Tech Triumph, VPI Victory March, and many other beloved stand tunes. Read more to see which team WON the Spring Game, the Orange, or the Maroon Team!

photo credit to VT Recreational Sports

The morning began with several early risers who volunteered to play in the Marching Virginians Pep Band for the VT Run in Remembrance in honor of the Virginia Tech shooting that took place on April 16th, 2007. Atlas, one of our wonderful Senior Staff Assistants, led the band down to the intersection between Washington Street and Beamer Way. We were able to play a lot of our favorite tunes while the runners and walkers passed us by!

The Spring Game this year was quite close, with the Maroon Team securing a win of 21-14 over the Orange Team. During Halftime, although the MVs didn’t perform, special awards were given to the football team in recognition of their performance during the 2023 season.

(photo credit to Hokie Sports)

2024 Spring Ball Award Winners

Most Improved: Ayden Greene, Mansoor Delane

Frank Beamer Ultimate Teammate Award: Miles Ellis, P.J. Prioleau

Offensive MVP: Kyron Drones

Defensive MVP: Cole Nelson

Special Teams MVP: Jaden Keller

President's Leadership: Kaden Moore, Josh Fuga

Although we weren’t able to get all decked out in our uniforms, the MVs were so happy to get back together one last time before the 2024-2025 season. Tune in to see our preparations for the upcoming season! Springtime is the time for the MVs to pick out our new XO, Drum Majors, leadership, and film auditions to be sent in! We want to send a big thank-you to Hokie Nation for having us back in Lane Stadium this past Saturday, and we’re so excited to see everyone this coming August!

(cover photo credit to Hokie Sports)

Part 2: Let's Go Bowling! - VT vs Tulane

Parading through Annapolis. Photo credit to Robert White.

On the second day of the bowl game, the MVs tackled two opponents: a morning parade and the big event, The Military Bowl!

Before the sun had even touched the D.C. skyline, the MVs were up, dressed, and on the buses. Once the band arrived at the parade start site, we quickly ate a delightful breakfast and warmed up. The 1.6-mile-long route took the band on a tour of Annapolis where countless bowl game attendees greeted the band in high spirits! During the parade, the MVs played our classic marching medleys of drum cadences, Hokie Pokie, and Tech Triumph. As the parade finished up, the MVs headed back to the buses for a quick snack. At this time, a few of the band’s senior members performed for the President’s Reception and Hokie Club Reception.

Kicking to victory! Photo credit to Robert White.

After a short break, the MVs were recharged and ready for the big game! Together, the band marched into the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and took our seats in Section H. As the clock counted down to the beginning of the season’s end a familiar song pierced the air. Known to every Hokie fan, “Enter Sandman” by Metallica rang through the stadium. Like an earthquake, the stadium began to shake as the fans and band began to jump. The cheers for the VT football team were the loudest all season as the team charged onto the field. The team took its place, and the game began!

Halftime at the Bowl! Photo credit to Robert White.

By the end of the second quarter, VT had a strong 17-10 start to Tulane. This was despite a return of the MVs’ season enemy: rain. Fortunately, the first half experienced only a slight drizzle which let up by halftime. For the Military Bowl, the MVs put on a selection of our Metallica show. This consisted of songs such as “Fade to Black,” “Wherever I May Roam,” and … “Enter Sandman”! The band played “Tech Triumph” off the field, and we returned to our seats to watch the Tulane performance.

Return of the rain! Photo credit to Robert White.

As the second half picked up, unfortunately, so did the rain. This did not stop the football team from driving into Tulane’s defense, and it did not stop the band from playing to the end. At the close of the game, and the 2023 season, Virginia Tech won 41-20. This was the first bowl game win for all current members of the MVs, and we marched from the stadium proud to be a part of Virginia Tech.

To all Hokie football fans, we will see you again in Lane Stadium on September 7th.

Part 1: Let's Go Bowling! - VT vs Tulane

So, we didn’t actually go bowling — we got to go to a bowl game with the Hokies! Our super awesome football team, working tirelessly throughout this last football season, made it to the 2023-2024 Military Bowl in Annapolis, Maryland. Naturally, they needed the assistance of the Marching Virginians.

So, off we went on our journey to win the bowl game!

Two peas in a pod! Photo credit to Robert White.

Our trip began with buses throughout Virginia picking up MVs. Since many Hokies are on a much-deserved winter break, most of the band wasn’t in Blacksburg. Lots of arrangements were made in order for each of us to make it to Washington, D.C., where we would stay during our trip.

Some of us flew, some of us drove ourselves, and a lot of us rode the bus. Nevertheless, each of the MVs were ready to win the bowl game against Tulane.

Last rehearsal with the MVs. Photo credit to Robert White.

Before the busses got to the hotel, we made a pit stop at McLean High School in McLean, Virginia. Here the Marching Virginians had a super quick break for pizza, and then it was off to the field to do one more run of our halftime show.

We prepared an abbreviated version of one of our favorite shows, Metallica, for the bowl game. This was a show that we had already performed in Lane Stadium, so it was less stressful than having to learn a whole new one during finals season! We ran through a couple fun stand tunes, the music for the show, and then put the show on the field. After a couple announcements from Dr. Polly and Chad, we were back onto the buses to drive to our hotel in Washington, D.C.!

Once we reached the beautiful Washington Hilton hotel, the MVs ventured down to one of the conference rooms to pick up their super cool swag! After picking up our swag, we hopped into bed very early. We had quite a big day ahead of us!

read Part 2 by Seth Boehringer for more of our Bowl Game recap!

January 11 correction: the captions previously attributed the photos to MV Online Content. The attributions have been changed to Robert White.

Commonwealth Cup + Bowling! - VT vs. UVA

(Andrew Single)

A weekend Hokies and Hoos alike look forward to all season, the Smithfield Commonwealth Cup is the traditional Virginia Tech vs University of Virginia football game, played during NCAA football rivalry week. This game was one with a lot riding on it: not only did we want to keep our claim to the Commonwealth Cup Trophy, but winning this game meant the Hokies would be bowl-eligible. 

Coming back from Thanksgiving break, Marching Virginians traveled via bus, car, and even plane to reconvene in Charlottesville for the game. As we suited up in our uniforms, the energy on the buses was electric; this specific football game between the two universities goes back to October 5, 1895. Luckily, the Hokies have won 18 of the last 19 games, so the MVs went in incredibly hopeful that the team would secure another win. 

The band got into Scott Stadium half an hour before kickoff, setting up and getting ready for the game. Once the game kicked off, it was otherworldly. 

(Andrew Single)

The Hokies football team immediately took the lead, with a field goal five minutes into the game, putting us on the board. Offensive players such as quarterback Kyron Drones, wide receiver Stephen Gosnell, and running back Bhaysul Tuten took to widening the gap throughout the first half, ending at 24-0. The band played stand tune after stand tune, celebrating all the points with a resounding chorus of Tech Triumph. Playing and singing the band’s favorite spirit spots continued to motivate the team, who played some of the best football seen all season. While Virginia had the ball, the defensive linemen truly exhibited the famous “Lunch Pail Defense,” amounting to many tackles for loss and six sacks total, three of which were consecutive. An interception from Mansoor Delane right before halftime had all the Hokies in the crowd cheering, many knowing from that point that the game had been won. 

Halftime included an amazing performance from the Cavalier Marching Band, with tunes such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” for all of Scott Stadium to enjoy. It was so amazing to be able to watch another wonderful marching band’s performance. 

(Andrew Single)

The game resumed with an 84-yard pass from Drones to Felton for a touchdown, the score being 31-0. After this, Virginia got on the board with a field goal, but the MVs still knew that the Hokies were taking it home. With a final touchdown from Malachi Thomas, the game ended 55-17, the highest number of points ever scored by a team in Commonwealth Cup history. The band kept Hokie spirits alive, with fans in the section singing along to familiar stand tunes.

This game was one for the books, with it being Brent Pry’s first Commonwealth Cup game. Graduating seniors got to see one last win against UVA before they close out their careers as Marching Virginians. With this closing out the regular season, the band is bursting with excitement to find out where the Hokies are going bowling.

H4TH - Virginia Tech vs. NC State

This past week was quite the week for the MVs! This week was Hokies for the Hungry, Senior Night, and Parents Night! Before rehearsal during the long-awaited competition for who would donate the most to H4TH, each section was hard at work. From the Pix all the way to the VTubas, each of the sections within the Marching Virginians put their heads together to find a way to win the competition! Every day there was a new “bonus item,” where a certain canned food would earn a section extra points in the competition. However, there was always an item that one section could sabotage another section with: canned beans. If a section saw fit, they could put cans of beans onto another section’s donation pile and drag their points down. This created quite the rivalry between the sections in the MVs this week. After such an eventful week of friendly competition, the Tubas and the Nets were named the winners of Hokies for the Hungry!

This weekend was also our Parents Weekend! We invited parents and families of our MVs to see a sneak peak of our Space Show that we’d be performing for the game, and for dinner with us as well! Each of us were so grateful to spend time with and meet other families this past weekend!

Roaming pep bands! Photo credit: MV Online Content

During the middle of our fundraiser, the MVs enlisted the help of friendly Hokie tailgaters before the game against North Carolina State this past Saturday! The MVs were divided up into what we called “Roaming Bands” and each band went to a section of campus where we played for the tailgaters. Depending on what someone donated, whether is was a monetary donation or a canned good, we would play one of our stand tunes for the group. We absolutely loved getting to meet each of the tailgaters, and we are so very thankful for each of their contributions! After meeting and playing for everyone going to the game that afternoon, we were off to Lane Stadium!

First Half

The game between the Hokies and NC State was off to a slow start during the first quarter, with the score sitting at 0-0. Right into the second quarter, NC State wide receiver Kevin Concepcion scored a touchdown from a 3 yd pass by their quarterback, Brennan Armstrong. A little while later, NC State scored another touchdown, putting the score at 14-0 against Virginia Tech. Quickly after, Virginia Tech wide receiver Turner-Bradshaw scored a touchdown against NC State. The opposing team quickly responded with yet another touchdown, putting the score at 21-7 at the end of the first half.

Halftime

And just like that, the MVs performance was just a clock-tick away; we had the Space Show to perform. Our last show of the season in Lane Stadium included Gustav Holsts’s “Mars,” “Defying Gravity” from the popular Broadway show Wicked, and familiar tunes from Star Wars and Star Trek. Just before we performed works from Star Wars, by John Williams, we invited the graduating seniors and graduate students up to the front sideline to be recognized. This is our traditional senior recognition, for their tremendous effort in each practice and performance. Each of the graduating MVs has been a role model for new and returning MVs; they are what being a Marching Virginian is all about. We will miss them dearly, and we wish them all the best.

Second Half

After halftime, the Hokies were back in business on the field. NC State’s quarterback scored a touchdown a little bit before halfway through the third quarter. VT scored another touchdown in response, and NC State quickly sped ahead. This put the score at 35-14 at the end of the third quarter. The Hokies scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but fell short of a win against the opposing team by 7 points. NC State won against Virginia Tech with 35-28.

Hi there! Photo credit: MV Online Content

As we wrap up our 2023-2024 season, we look forward to our game against the University of Virginia this coming weekend! In the spirit of Thanksgiving, each of us are thankful for our graduating MVs, donations for Hokies for the Hungry (including donations from NC State’s marching band, the Power Sound of the South!), and our MV families! We look forward to seeing you at our game against UVA in just a couple days!

Metallica! - VT vs. Syracuse

Exit light

Enter night

Take my hand

We’re off to never-never land

“Enter Sandman,” Metallica

Well, the MVs were off to Lane Stadium; not quite neverland. This particular game, Virginia Tech was up against Syracuse University, and it was scheduled for a Thursday. It was definitely odd to wake up and attend class and then be zipping up our uniforms eight hours later. Nevertheless, it was gameday. We had a game to win!

Fireworks! (MV Online Content)

First Half

The first half was off to a great start as Hokie kicker John Love scored a 43-yard field goal, putting Virginia Tech in the lead at 3-0 against Syracuse. With six minutes left on the clock, running back Malachi Thomas made a 16-yard pass to wide receiver Da’Quan Felton. And with just under two minutes left in the first quarter, Love scored a 32-yard field goal, putting the Hokies in the lead at 13-0. Virginia Tech hit the ground running in the second quarter with another field goal by Love, putting the score at 16-0. Felton then makes a 62-yard pass from quarterback Kyron Drones. With the score now at 23-0, kicker Brady Denaburg from Syracuse scores a 43-yard field goal, giving the opposing team 3 points. Virginia Tech quickly speeds ahead with running back Bhayshul Tuten scoring a 3-yard touchdown.

A beautiful gameday sunset! (MV Online Content)

Halftime

It was now time for the Hokies to take a break off the field, and they very nicely handed the field over to the Marching Virginians. This show was extra special because we had the honor of competing against other marching bands across the United States in the Metallica Marching Band Competition: For Whom the Band Tolls! Our show consisted of famous works by the band, including “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “Fuel,” “Fade to Black,” “Sad But True,” “Wherever I May Roam,” “Creeping Death,” “Lux Æterna,” and the Hokie favorite “Enter Sandman.” The crowd in Lane Stadium during our performance even chimed in when we played “Enter Sandman!” The football team was ready to take on Syracuse for the third and fourth quarters, so we headed back up to our spot back in the stands after the show.

Hi, Hokie Bird! (MV Online Content)

Second Half

At the beginning of the second half, Virginia Tech received two points for a team safety. Soon after, Syracuse scores a touchdown, putting the score at 32-10, with the Hokies in the lead. With just 8 seconds left of the third quarter, Love scores a 24-yard field goal. The score was now 35-10. The fourth quarter stayed stagnant, with Love finishing out the game with another field goal. The Hokies won 38-10 against Syracuse.

The Hokies are now gearing up for their game against NC State on November 18th — we hope to see you there! For now, the MVs are preparing for our next performance in Lane Stadium. As always, go Hokies!

Welcome Home, Hokies! - VT vs. Wake Forest

Alumna Linda Correll Dances In the Rain! - Photo Credit Macey Early

This previous week, Hokie Spirit was stronger than ever as Virginia Tech celebrated its homecoming! Kicking off Monday, a week-long series of events were held. Homecoming culminated in the parade on Friday, October 13, and the Homecoming football game against Wake Forest on Saturday, October 14.

Homecoming Parade – Friday, October 13

AJ Joseph, MV Sax, Giving a Gameday Grin - Photo Credit Macey Early

A beloved tradition by the Blacksburg community, the mile-and-a-half parade began at 7 p.m. at Lane Stadium with the Marching Virginians in the middle of the procession. Through downtown Blacksburg, the band was cheered on by riveted spectators all clapping and dancing to the beat of the MV sound. Along the way, countless people got to enjoy the MVs as they alternatingly performed the Hokie Pokie and every Hokie’s favorite song, Tech Triumph! After going down Washington Street and up Main Street, the MVs arrived at the Drillfield to perform for the homecoming pep rally. The attendees of the pep rally enthusiastically greeted the band and watched on as the MVs played through VPI and Mr. Brightside.

Homecoming Football Game Against Wake Forest – Saturday, October 14

Kicking off at 3:30 PM, the first few minutes of the game was a blow-for-blow rivalry with neither team seeming to let up. The Hokies offense pushed through and at the 10:42 mark of the second quarter, running back Bhayshul Tuten scored the Hokie’s first touchdown of the game! John Love followed with a successful kick, and six minutes later he made a 37-yard field goal. Soon after, quarterback Kyron Drones made a 75-yard pass to wide receiver Jaylin Lane with another successful kick by Love. The first half ended Wake Forest 10 to Virginia Tech 17. 

Topher Pantano, MV Bone, Cheers on The Hokies - Photo Credit Andrew Single

The halftime show by the Marching Virginians was very special for three reasons. Firstly, the MVs performed our much-loved Power Closer; a mash-up of the tunes VPI and Shenandoah. This was followed up by a special extended performance of the Hokie Pokie, in which we were joined by MV Alumni for Alumni Day. Lastly, MVs were able to assist in the presentation of the 2023 Virginia Tech Homecoming Court, during which the band played the gentle Moonlight & VPI as the nominees were led onto the field. After the crowning of the homecoming court the band performed the heartwarming Alma Mater, and finished halftime with a rousing run of Tech Triumph! 

On the way back to the stands, many MVs witnessed the Hokie football team emerge from Beamer tunnel for the third quarter. Like water bursting from a dam, the team exploded onto the field, and every MV was certain of one thing: Virginia Tech was intent on winning. This proved to be true as the Hokies defense was at its peak this season, only giving up 19 yards against Wake Forest. This was key to the Hokies victory, as Wake Forest only scored once in the second half: a 34-yard field goal at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Matching their opponents, the Hokies soon after made a 36-yard field goal. This was followed with a touchdown by a 12-yard pass from Kyron Drones to Jaylin Lane. The final score was Hokies 30 to Wake Forest 13. The Hokies will next play Syracuse on Thursday, October 26 at Lane Stadium.

Hokies Win! - VT vs. Pitt

The MV version of our great Commonwealth! Source: Macey Early

This past Saturday the Hokies were up against the Panthers, who traveled all the way to Lane Stadium from Pittsburgh, PA.! Luckily, we had super awesome weather, and the MVs were ready to perform. Typically we perform during halftime, but this game we had the exciting opportunity to march the pregame show!

This particular game was extra special because the MVs had a very special visitor come to say hello. Her name is Mrs. Letitie Clark, Ryan “Stack” Clark’s lovely mom. Stack was a member of the Marching Virginians’ Baritone section, and was a victim of the Virginia Tech shooting that took place on April 16, 2007. At every rehearsal, game day, and event that the MVs are involved in, we remember the lasting impact Stack made on our band. His spirit, energy, and loving personality are just a few of the characteristics that we as MVs hope to have just half of. The Spirit of Tech was honored on Saturday to welcome his sweet mom, Mrs. Clark, back to the Marching Virginians Center.

We were also joined by College Marching, an organization that travels across the United States promoting collegiate marching bands. The MVs were so happy to be able to meet the representatives from this awesome organization!

The Bones performing during pregame. Source: Macey Early

Here are the MVs performing for an absolutely packed Lane Stadium before kickoff! Our Pregame performance included the Superman theme, Shenandoah, our VPI Victory March, Copland Colors, the Star Spangled Banner, and every Hokie’s favorite song, Tech Triumph!

First Half

The Hokies quickly took the lead in the first quarter with a 54-yard touchdown, putting them in the lead 7-0. Pitt quickly caught up with a 75-yard pass from quarterback Phil Jurkovec to their wide receiver Bub Means. The score was now tied 7-7. Hokie quarterback Kyron Drones finished out the first quarter with a short touchdown run, putting Tech in the lead with 14-7 against Pitt. Before Halftime, the Hokies scored yet another touchdown, putting the score at 21-7.

The Highty-Tighties performance at halftime. Source: Macey Early

As the football teams took their break at the end of the second quarter, the Highty Tighties took the field to perform their halftime show! The Highty Tighties is the marching band for the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, and it was their turn to perform last Saturday. They just amazed all of Lane Stadium with their musicality and accuracy during their show! Afterward, the football team got right back to work.

Second Half

The Hokies began the 3rd quarter with the football and quickly scored a touchdown from 10 yards out. Within just seconds Pitt’s quarterback Jurkovec passed the ball onto running back C’Bo Flemister across 61 yards, putting the score at 14-28 against Tech. Pitt then scored another touchdown, making the score 21-28. Tech quickly sped ahead, scoring another touchdown. Tech triumphed, scoring 35-21 against Pitt.

This past Saturday was such an incredible night for each of us; the MVs were so happy to be able to meet Stack’s wonderful mom, Mrs. Clark, meet representatives from College Marching, and land a win against Pittsburgh! Go Hokies!

The Rain Game - VT vs. Purdue

Makenzie Perks, Net, showing MV Spirit During the Marching to Victory; Photo Credit: Macey Early

On Saturday, September 9, the Marching Virginians started their day just like any other game — running the show, taking a break to eat, suiting up, and marching to Lane Stadium. But soon, this day would become anything but a regular football game. 

About 30 minutes prior to kickoff, Lane Stadium was evacuated due to inclement weather, so the fans and the MVs took shelter underneath the concrete. During this time, many MVs found themselves surrounded by students and fans of both Virginia Tech and Purdue, who all told us how great the band was and how much they appreciate us being at the game! This kept our spirits up, and we headed back into Lane Stadium ready for kickoff!

The trombones performing one of their spectacular routines; Photo Credit: Andrew Single

As soon as the game was underway, all those in attendance were sure of one thing: these teams were bringing their A-game. The Boilermakers exploded onto the field and secured a touchdown less than four minutes after kickoff. The Hokies were sure to turn things around when the game was delayed again due to torrential rain and lightning. Due to the wonderful help of the managers, senior staff assistants, and leadership, the band had their raincoats on and all belongings secured in no time. Together, the MVs headed into the Beamer-Lawson Indoor Practice Facility to wait out the rain. 

Despite the circumstances, the spirit of the band was not diminished. Many marchers took the time to visit other sections and meet someone new. Others passed the time by singing or dancing, and some alumni even stopped by for a bit. Eventually, the game was rescheduled for kickoff at 6:15, and so the band returned to the Marching Virginians Center, excited to see the Hokies finish the brawl with Purdue.

A group of trumpets show how awesome it is to be back at the game, plus they found a feathered friend; Photo Credit: Andrew Single

Finally, nearly 6 hours after its initial kickoff time, the game was in full swing. With 6 minutes left in the second quarter, quarterback Grant Wells made a quick pass to Bhayshul Tuten who made a 30-yard dash down the sideline, and despite being tackled at the very end, scored a touchdown for Virginia Tech. With three minutes left in the first half, the Hokies took a field goal attempt. Kicker John Love made a career-high 41-yard field goal, bringing the Hokies to 10 versus Purdue 17. As the first half came to a close, Grants Wells received a snap and made a 10-yard pass to wide receiver Jaylin Lane. The game was now neck-and-neck!

Maren Stokes, Colorguard, cheers on the team to victory; Photo Credit: Jess Savage

Flooding the field with fury, neither team let up a single point during the third quarter with one highlight being a 39-yard gain from a pass by Wells to wide receiver Stephen Gosnell. As the Hokies intensified their offense in the fourth quarter, Purdue scored another touchdown from a series of long runs, making the score 24-17. With 6 minutes left, the Hokies were able to tackle Purdue quarterback Hudson Card during a QB power play and stopped the drive. Putting in a last bit of energy, backup quarterback Kyron Drones was put into play and Tech made a quick snap resulting in a 26-yard gain. Despite the ferocity displayed by the Virginia Tech Hokies, the final score was 24-17, Purdue wins. 

The Hokie spirit displayed during this game is something to marvel at. Fighting against the forces of nature, the football team grappled for victory at every minute of the game, and fans and the band alike all witnessed the team’s determination to the very end.

On Saturday, September 16, Virginia Tech faces off against Rutgers at the SHI Stadium in Piscataway, NJ.

MV for a Day 2023 - VT vs. ODU

Like many other Hokie fans across Virginia Tech’s campus and beyond, the Marching Virginians and hundreds of high schoolers welcomed the first game of the season with lots and lots of maroon! This past Saturday, September 2, was not only Virginia Tech’s first football game of the season, but it was also MV for a Day for the Marching Virginians! We had the tremendous opportunity of welcoming nearly 600 high school students to march alongside us in Lane Stadium.

Many of our members have fond memories of marching in high school, and some even attended MV for a Day themselves before becoming a member in college. Saturday was such a special day for each of us; all of the MVs just loved being able to march with all of the high schoolers!

The MV Drumline jumping to Enter Sandman. (Photo courtesy of Beau Wong)

1st Half

Our game started off to a promising start as the Hokies found themselves at 2-0 against Old Dominion. Into the second quarter, quarterback Grant Wells scored the first touchdown of the season with a 20 yard pass up the middle to wide receiver Jaylin Lane. After several plays, the score at halftime was 10 for ODU and 16 for Virginia Tech.

The MVs and high schoolers performing together during halftime. (Photo courtesy of Beau Wong)

Halftime

As our hardworking football team took their break, the Marching Virginians (and our high school friends!) took the stage — or, Worsham Field — during halftime. This past weekend the Marching Virginians put on our Superhero show, which consisted of well-known works from various film series. These included Avengers, Dr. Strange, Black Panther, and Loki. The MV’s performed music from Loki and Dr. Strange, and afterward our high school friends joined us to play music from Black Panther and Avengers. After our performance, we let the football team have their field back.

Touchdown! (Photo courtesy of Beau Wong)

2nd Half

Jumping back into the game, the each football team was hard at work trying to secure a win. Tech scored a touchdown early into the third quarter, with ODU scoring one soon after as well. ODU’s score became stagnant at 17 throughout the rest of the third and fourth quarter. Virginia Tech scored another touchdown, along with a couple field goals afterward. Virginia Tech won 36-17.

Stick around for upcoming posts from our blog! Hokie Nation is thrilled with such a great start to our football season, and the MVs cannot wait to march in Lane Stadium again in a few days! We would like to extend a HUGE thank you to all of our staff, leadership and high school band administration for all of their hard work and cooperation in making the MV for a Day go off without a hitch.

And, as always, go Hokies!

H4TH – VT vs. GT

This past week, the Marching Virginians participated in the 26th annual Hokies for the Hungry, a week-long canned food drive and donation competition that benefits the Montgomery County Christmas Store. The Montgomery County Christmas Store serves low income families in the New River Valley area, providing non-perishable food and other useful items during the holiday season.

HOKIES FOR THE HUNGRY

The different sections of the MVs compete in can collection, seeing who can bring in the most amount of items every single day. Bonus items are announced for each day, tripling points for certain items. Thousands of cans of food were counted every single day, to be loaded on a truck at the end of rehearsal. Many amazing members of this organization volunteered to count and load the cans, preparing for our big shipment on Sunday. This year, the winners of the can competition was our amazing horn section, bringing in the highest average amount of cans per person!

Two managers counting cans during the concert on Friday! (Source: Callie Ayala)

Hokies for the Hungry has its biggest day on Saturday, before game day. The band was split into seven smaller bands, designated to certain locations to play for tailgaters. Tailgaters can donate money to hear their favorite song, with some songs being worth up to $200! This is another opportunity to collect cans as well, adding to the final donation right before Sunday. 

Alongside the can donation war, monetary donations are collected throughout the week. Social media was plastered with photos and graphics, successfully raising thousands of additional dollars for the Montgomery County Christmas Store.

Halftime and Alumni Day

VTubas and Alumni doooo the Hokie Pokie! (Source: HokieSports)

Today was Alumni Day for the Marching Virginians! Alumni Band Day is an opportunity for alumni from the Marching Virginians to come back and perform with the band at halftime. People who have moved away and graduated a long time ago get to come back and have an amazing day with our current members. Hundreds of Alumni got to the MVC bright and early, and were able to relive their college days in rehearsal with their section. Active members of the MVs got to catch up with their older friends, reminiscing on the time spent with them years ago.

Alumni Band Day is an amazing opportunity to stay involved with the Marching Virginians after you finish your time at Virginia Tech. It truly is great to get to know the people who came before you in this wonderful organization.

The Game

WR #11 Tucker Holloway goes all the way with a 90 yd punt return! (Source: HokieSports)

Initially down after the first quarter, the Hokies effectively rallied with 20 points in the second quarter! Through the last two quarters, both the Hokies and the Yellow Jackets were neck and neck, until Georgia Tech was able to just squeak past Virginia Tech, and take home a win with a one-point lead. While this season has been rough on the Hokies and their fans, every week we see the team develop a little bit more, and for now, that’s all we can ask for. The Marching Virginians will always root for our team, no matter what!

Check back next week for the Marching Virginians taking on Duke on the road in Durham, NC!

Homecoming – VT vs. Miami

Warm-up in the cold! (Source: Beau Wong)

On the morning of October 15th, the Marching Virginians could be heard warming up in the frigid October air. After a brief but productive rehearsal, it was game time! After a three-week hiatus from Hokie football, the MVs were more than excited to get back into Lane and put on a show. That day, we’d be going up against Miami, a team that’s had their own fair share of high and lows this season.

High-fives! (Source: Beau Wong)

The March to Victory was particularly lively and jam-packed this time around. Why? Because it was homecoming, of course! Along with the usual tailgaters and super-fans, hundreds of alumni new and old lined the path to Lane Stadium and high-fived the Marching Virginians as they passed by.

1st Half

After the usual pre-game ritual in Lane, it was game time! The first half was disappointing for Hokie fans, to say the least. There were whispers of losing our streak of not being shut out; it's the third-longest active streak in the nation among FBS schools at over 350 games long. The first quarter ended 0 VT - 10 Miami.

WR #3 Da’Wain Lofton running the ball (Source: HokieSports)

With the Hokies down 0 - 17 at halftime, the MVs knew we had to do all we could to keep morale high in Lane Stadium. We got down onto the field and did what we do best; have the time of our lives out on the field!

Halftime

The Marching Virginians take the field! (Source: Beau Wong)

Preparing to perform the Virginia Tech Alma Mater (Source: Beau Wong)

This show was Homecoming, so we played a blend of traditional tunes and newer, more modern tunes. We played Preamble and the theme from Game of Thrones, which are both new this year, and marched into the shape of the vintage big VT. We finished the Game of Thrones theme with the form of a crown and a big “2022” to celebrate the homecoming royalty for this year. Next, we marched into a big block to play Moonlight and VPI as the homecoming royalty candidates made their way onto the field with their companions. After the three members of the Homecoming Court were named, Lane Stadium sang along to Alma Mater. And what better way to end a show than with every Hokie’s favorite song? The MVs Tech Triumphed off the field and completed our homecoming halftime show to lots of applause from the audience!

2nd Half

RB #24 Malachi Thomas making a picture-perfect play! (source: HokieSports)

The third quarter didn’t provide much hope for the Hokies, as the score was 0 VT - 20 Miami by the end of it. After another scary quarter of no scoring for the Hokies, the Hokies had a miraculous fourth quarter with two touchdowns. Though our shutout streak was saved, it wasn't enough to defeat the Miami Hurricanes, and the Hokies came away with another tough loss. 

The Hokies, hands on each others backs, listening to the band perform (Source: HokieSports)

Though the outcome of the game wasn’t how we’d hoped, the MVs still have a lot to be grateful for. The weather was beautiful and it’s always an honor to cheer on the Hokies. Afterall, we’re called The Spirit of Tech for a reason!

Pregame – VT vs. West Virginia

Our March to Victory (source: HokieSports)

Thursday night football has a special effect on Hokie Nation — with Lane Stadium sold out of seats and a game against old-time rivals, the game was a hard-fought battle! This was the first time we had played against West Virginia at home since 2004, when Virginia Tech left the Big East Conference. The rivalry, starting in 1912, is currently led by West Virginia with 30 wins for West Virginia, 23 for Virginia Tech, and 1 tie. The crown jewel of the rivalry, however, is the “Black Diamond Trophy”: a trophy that began getting exchanged between the two schools in 1997 and named as such to represent the coal country across the two neighboring states.

Pregame

The MVs spelling out “TECH” (Source: HokieSports)

The Corps presenting the colors (Source: HokieSports)

This game was special to the Marching Virginians because it was out pregame performance! Instead of taking the field during halftime, the MVs took to the field before kick-off and performed out classic pregame show, filled with tunes classic to the Marching Virginians and Virginia Tech. The band began the performance by running onto the field in the form of the commonwealth of Virginia, and performed Superman. We gave a bow and played Shenandoah while two of our VTubas ran around the commonwealth. As the tubas ending in the location of Blacksburg, the band launched into cut time, and moved into the form of “The Big VT”, a set that is iconic to the band. We performed VPI Victory March –– a march that was composed in 1941 to commemorate an invigorating football victory, and has been performed ever since –– as we landed in a spell-out of the word Hokies. We then form another VT in the opposite direction, and then run in a massive circle, a move that is affectionally referred to as the Toilet Bowl. We spell out TECH facing both sides of the field, and then began out presentation of the flags of the United States, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Corps of Cadets flag, and a Virginia Tech flag. We performed Copland’s Colors, an arrangement of Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, as we presented a company front with the flag bearers right in the front, which was a very powerful moment and resulted in great applause! We then performed the national anthem, Tech Triumph, and then formed the tunnel for the team to run through at the end of Enter Sandman. It was an amazing experience to be a part of one of the best entrances in college football!

1st half

The Hokies taking the field through a tunnel of MVs (Source: HokieSports)

After an eventful pregame, the MVs were ready to do what we do best; hunker down and cheer on the Hokies to victory! The defense fought hard against West Virginia’s advances, only allowing three points to be scored during the first quarter. The second quarter, the Hokies offense stepped up, scoring a touchdown in the second quarter to lead over WVU’s 6 points after another field goal. With just 11 seconds left in the first half and the Hokies still full of hope, the Mountaineers scored a 24-yard touchdown to gain a 13 - 7 lead over the Hokies.

Halftime

The Pride of West Virginia (Source: WVU Foundation)

What’s better than watching one band perform at halftime? Watching two, of course! We got the special treat of hosting West Virginia’s band, the Mountaineer Marching Band, as they performed a Bruno Mars-themed show, featuring hits like Treasure, 24K Magic, and Runaway Baby. The Highty-Tighties, Virginia Tech’s regimental band, also performed a show –– their one halftime performance of the season. In the north end zone of Lane Stadium, the Marching Virginians enjoyed their only chance to sit back and relax while other bands entertained the crowd with a halftime show.

2nd Half

Running Back #23 Keshawn King breaking through West Virginia’s defense (Source: HokieSports)

After yet another 3 point gain for WVU, the Hokies closed within 16-10 on a field goal with around 4 and a half minutes left in the third quarter. Unfortunately, West Virginia answered, scoring on a 6-yard run at the beginning of the fourth quarter. It got ugly from there, with the Hokies scoring no points in the fourth quarter and the Mountaineers scoring an additional 17 to finish out the game.

Interesting to note –– the Hokies were hindered by penalties all night, committing a whopping 15 penalties for 132 yards. This is the highest number of penalties committed by the Hokies this season; the previous record being 14 penalties for 100 yards against ODU. The team was also riddled with penalties on both offense and defense, slowing any progress the team fought to make.

Though the football team wasn’t dominant on the field that night, they’re still #1 in the hearts of the Marching Virginians. We have loved our new tradition of singing Tech Triumph with the team at the end of the game, no matter the outcome. The relationship between the band and the team is a special one, and we look forward to supporting the Hokies for years to come.

Check back next week as we introduce our blog writing team!

All information referenced is courtesy of Wikipedia, the Virginia Tech History site, HokieSports, and ESPN.

Military Appreciation – VT vs. Wofford

This past Saturday was our annual Military Appreciation game! Hokie fans followed the “White Effect”, veterans were recognized, and the Highty-Tighties joined the Marching Virginians for our halftime show! The Hokies played Wofford College, a private college from Spartanburg, SC (and previous employer of our men’s basketball coach, Mike Young!). Despite an 11 AM kick-off — the earliest in Hokie football history — Lane Stadium was filled with 62,043 fans ready to cheer on the team!

1st Quarter

The Hokies take the field! (source: HokieSports)

While jumping to Enter Sandman, the fans and student sections sounded a bit more awake and ready for Hokie football! After the early-morning kick-off, the Hokies and Terriers pushed back and forth for the majority of the quarter. The Hokies averaged 5.6 yards per play on first downs, forcing the Terriers to continuously fall back. Towards the end of the quarter, the Hokies eventually got within range to go for a field goal on a fourth down, putting them in the lead. The score at the end of the first quarter was Wofford 0 – VT 3.

2nd Quarter

#2 Jadan Blue making a legendary catch! (source: HokieSports)

The second quarter allowed the Hokies to showcase our wide receiver, #2 Jadan Blue! Blade made three separate memorable catches over the course of the game, sending the crowd into hysteria! Blue also made his first touchdown as a Hokie during the second quarter, helping the Hokies put up a 17-point quarter! The Terreirs couldn’t handle the pressure put on them by our quarterback, #6 Grant Wells. The score at the end of the second quarter was Wofford 0 – VT 20.

Halftime

A tank formation as the band performs the Army hymn (source: HokieSports)

The Highty-Tighties (source: HokieSports)

The Marching Virginians opened our performance with Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the U.S.A. We then began our Armed Forces Medley, a collection of the anthems for each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. Starting with Wild Blue Yonder, the Air Force’s anthem, we formed a plane on the field; Anchors Aweigh, the anthem of the Navy, was performed from the form of an anchor; the Marine’s Hymn was performed from a spell-out of the word “Marines”; Semper Paratus, the anthem of the Coast Guard, was performed in the form of a boat and the letters “C” and “G”; and The Army Goes Rolling Along was performed from the form of a tank". We then performed our national march, The Stars and Stripes Forever, and invited the Highty-Tighties onto the field to help us complete the form of the United States. Cadets in the Air Force ROTC unfurled a large U.S. flag in the middle of the set, and the combined bands received grateful applause! The combined bands ended our halftime performance with every Hokie’s favorite song, Tech Triumph!

The Marching Virginians and the Highty-Tighties form the United States (Source: HokieSports)

3rd Quarter

The Lunch Pail Defense (source: HokieSports)

When the MVs returned to the stands, the Hokies Lunch Pail Defense had its time to shine! Thanks to our star linebacker #4 Dax Hollifield, the Hokies allowed a mere 1.52 yards per run from Wofford, bolstering the Hokies defense as one of the strongest in the ACC at the moment! The score at the end of the third quarter was unchanged: Wofford 0 – VT 20.

4th Quarter

#22 Bryce Duke's first touchdown of the season!

(Source: HokieSports)

#22 Bryce Duke's first touchdown of the season!

(source: HokieSports)

#22 Bryce Duke's first touchdown of the season!

(source: HokieSports)

The fourth quarter opened up the opportunity for another first touchdown as a Hokie for running back #22 Bryce Duke. That many Hokie touchdowns wouldn’t have been possible without QB Grant Wells putting up 314 throwing yards! Much to the Hokies disappointment, however, the dreams of the game being Wofford’s third consecutive shutout were ended with less than ten minutes left in the quarter, as Wofford made a 3-yard touchdown run. While the touchdown put a slight damper on the mood, the Hokies still kept pushing through to the very end! The final score was Wofford 7 – VT 27. The Hokies record currently stands at 2-1 overall.

#4 Connor Blumrick and the team sing to Tech Triumph (source: HokieSports)

Check back next week for when the Hokies take on West Virginia at home for the Black Diamond Trophy!

All information referenced is courtesy of HokieSports, ESPN, and Bill Roth of the Virginia Tech Sports Network.

MV for a Day – VT vs. BC

It was an electrifying night in Lane Stadium this past Saturday as the Hokies took on Boston College in our first home game of the season! Coming off of a rocky start to the football season, the Hokies, backed by the Marching Virginians and every Hokie fan, cheered out team on to a 27-10 victory!

Though the game was exciting, the Marching Virginians had an even more exciting day – it was MV for a Day! We had over 500 high school students join us on Worsham Field from 10 states and over 70 schools to perform one of our show tunes,We Don’t Talk About Bruno, and a game-day classic, The Hokie Pokie.

1st Quarter

The Hokies take the field! (Source: HokieSports)

From the moment the Marching Virginians entered Lane Stadium, the excitement of game day became infectious! Many of the upperclassmen were refreshed to be back to jumping in Lane Stadium with 330 of their best friends! Once the game started, the Marching Virginians had no time to rest — not even a minute into the quarter, #9 Armani Chatman intercepts a pass and runs it straight to the 10 yard line! The crowd became deafeningly loud as all of our hopes for an exciting season were coming to realization. The score was BC 0 – VT 10 at the end of the first quarter.

2nd Quarter

#4 Conner Blumrick avoiding a tackle (Source: HokieSports)

Just one minute into the second quarter, #23 Keshawn King ran a 65-yard touchdown that got every Hokie on their feet! The Marching Virginians were ecstatic to see our team do so well under our new head coach, Brent Pry. For the remainder of the quarter, the Hokie’s Lunch Pail Defense proved to be hard to break, lead by #45 TyJuan Garbutt, having his greatest game of his career. With minutes left in the half, the Marching Virginians left the stands, and prepared to take the field for halftime! The score was BC 3 – VT 17 at the end of the second quarter.

Halftime

When halftime came around, the MVs took the field with our hype video playing on the jumbotron. We opened with the fiery latin tune, El Toro Caliente, featuring trumpet soloists Tommy Doubleday, Spencer Melillo, and Thomas McWithey.

Our trumpet section performing El Toro Caliente (source: HokieSports)

We then invited all 500 high schoolers onto the field to perform the hit song from Disney’s Encanto, We Don’t Talk About Bruno. We then had our VTubas rush to the front of the field to perform a fan favorite, The Hokie Pokie. After out tubas put on a stellar performance, we ended our halftime performance with every Hokie’s favorite song, Tech Triumph.

VTubas and MVs for a Day doing the Hokie Pokie (source: HokieSports)

3rd Quarter

#92 William Ross going for a kick (Source: HokieSports)

After halftime, the action picked up again as the Hokies Lunch Pail Defense once again held off Boston College, with a total of 6 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. As the Hokies continued to move the ball, #80 Kaleb Smith made a one-armed catch that brought the Hokies straight into the red zone! The score was BC 10 – VT 24 at the end of the third quarter.

4th Quarter

The Hokies cheer along to the Marching Virginians performing Tech Triumph (Source: HokieSports)

The Marching Virginians continued to cheer on our team to another field goal as light rain started falling. In some of the final moments of the game, it became clear that the Hokies were on their way to win the game they came in with 51.2% odds. The final score was BC 10 – VT 27. At the end of the game, the football team — as they do after every win — came to the north end zone to hear the band play and sing Tech Triumph, and Coach Pry celebrated along with us. It was a picture perfect opening home game to our season, and to the Pry Era of Hokie football!

Coach Pry celebrates his first home, season, and ACC win with Virginia Tech! (Source: HokieSports)

Check back next week for when the Hokies take on Wofford!

All information referenced is from ESPN and HokieSports.com