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!

What Have the MVs Meant to You? - Senior Reflections

As the 2023 season of the Marching Virginians nears its end, we look forward to the new shows, memories, and of course new members for next year! Before we can do that though, we must look at who is moving on.

Our graduating senior class will present their final show on November 18, The Space Show. This group has been in the MVs for many years, building families and forging unforgettable memories. These seniors are not only saying goodbye to the band, but to some of their closest friends as well. The MVs have meant the world to them.

What Have the MVs meant to you?

“Starting off freshman year it was really hard to get into the groove for college without having your high school friends. Being in the MVs, everyone has the same experience and its easier to mesh with them and you keep those friendships outside of the season. It’s nice.”

Erin Stevenson, MV Pix (MV Online Content)

“I mean, it’s been my main source of social interaction in general. Starting off in COVID years, you didn’t really talk to anyone… but the band! So that was fun!”

Aaron Sexton, MV Nets (MV Online Content)

“For me, the MVs are just a great place to play music and meet a bunch of friends. I’m just having a great time, it’s an experience you get no where else.”

Robbie Platt, MV Bone (MV Online Content)

“It feels like the main reason that Virginia Tech is special to me. Being an MV makes it worth staying here.”

Sam Martin, MV Net (MV Online Content)

“The MVs are someplace I can go an hour and a half everyday to play music and see friends. It helps take me away from the studying and math, and that means so much.”

Silas Nickerson, MV Bone (MV Online Content)

Seniors, we’re sad to see you go, but we’ll aways have the memories we made together. Decades down the road, we hope you remember the practices, games, and band hangouts fondly. Even though you’re graduating and going on to do amazing things you’ll always be a part of the band. Don’t forget, MVs4Lyfe!

We hope your last home game in the beautiful Lane Stadium is one for the books. Though it’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday, tomorrow will surely be bright!