The Lafayette Contest of Champions Trav-eling Cup will reside at Oakville Senior High School for the next 12 months.

Under the direction of David Meador, the Oakville High Marching Tigers were awarded the traveling cup after capturing first place in the finals at the recent La-fayette Contest of Champions competition.

Twenty-six bands from Missouri and Illinois entered the Contest of Champions.

Oakville was placed in the AA Division for the preliminary competitions and the Marching Tigers finished first overall in the division, winning honors for Outstanding Music, Outstanding Visual Performance, Outstanding Auxiliary (Color Guard) and Outstanding Percussion.

In the finals, Oakville won the honors for Outstanding Visual Performance and Out-standing Auxiliary. Based on its overall success, Oakville was named the first-place marching band and presented with the traveling cup.

The Oakville High Marching Tigers Band is comprised of 102 members, including 16 in the Color Guard unit. Drum majors are Colleen Pisoni, Madeline Diekemper and Laura Nelson.

Darren Dukart is assistant band director, Ellen Baker is the Color Guard instructor and the percussion instructors are Scott Waggner and Kriste Ludwig.

The next competition for the Oakville High Marching Tigers Band will be Satur-day, Oct. 15, at the Francis Howell Central Marching Band Festival.