Ridgewood High School of West Lafayette, Ohio, was the overall winner of the 48th annual Band-O-Rama Saturday at Don Drumm Stadium.

The Marietta High School Wall of Sound earned a qualifying point for the second time this season. Twelve bands, 11 from Ohio and one from West Virginia, competed for trophies for auxiliary units, percussion units, marching and playing.

"This is our second (Ohio Music Education Association) competition this year and we qualified at both of them," said Ernest Cornell, director of bands at Marietta. "This continues a long history and tradition of qualifying in the first contest out. We've done this for the past 18 years."

Cornell, who is in his third year as band director, said qualifying early shows the band program is ready at the beginning of the season.

The Band-O-Rama theme was "Shadows," based on how shadows can have different meanings, Cornell said.

"They are sometimes eerie or sometimes you are not certain what's there," he said. "They can be fun or exciting, but the concept this year is what is the mystery and what is behind the shadows, what can come out of a shadow."

Cornell said the music was energetic and forceful.

Lisa Weekley, co-chairwoman of the Band-O-Rama, said the show is the oldest band show in Ohio and among the oldest in the United States.

She said the number of participating bands varies, but this year there were 12 competing. As host, Marietta is not eligible to compete, but can perform to qualify for the state competition.

Weekley said the show is also a fundraiser for the band program. The competition is open to any school.

She said the committee that organizes the show spends four months getting it ready.