Sherrard Middle School West Virginia History Bowl Team 1 defeated Mountain View West Virginia History Bowl Team 1 by a score of 38 to 17 to capture this year’s state title, making them Mountain State champions five years in row.
Coached by Dan Gatts and Jeff Stephens, this year’s championship-winning team consisted of Evan Gatts, Harmony Goddard, Ruby Hunter and Lauren McGraw. The Rams won five games to secure the 2026 crown. Each student received a trophy and an electronic device to celebrate their win.
The team began its journey to The Culture Center, at the State Capitol Complex, in Charleston by winning the 10th annual Marshall County Schools West Virginia History Bowl held at the Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in November. From there, two SMS teams placed at the Region VI WV History Bowl in February at Independence Hall in Wheeling. That’s where they punched their ticket to the WV Capitol Complex for the statewide contest.
Sherrard Middle School West Virginia History Bowl Team 2, made up of Liam Garbark, Lilly Goddard, Gracey Hubbard and Sophie Philipps, earned fifth place at the state match.
This year’s victory at the 17th annual competition marks the sixth time Sherrard Middle School has secured the state’s highest honor in the West Virginia History Bowl.
Meanwhile, Coach Gatts has guided a record-setting eight teams to the state title. Before becoming a teacher at Sherrard Middle School, he previously led the Cameron High School Dragons to state victories in 2015, 2017 and 2018. Gatts’ Sherrard Middle School team also collected state trophies in 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
The WV History Bowl began in 2010 for eighth-grade students from around West Virginia.