The Wheeling Park High School speech and debate team left the school Thursday morning to a serenade from the WPHS band, along with cheers and well wishes from family and other fans, as they boarded the bus to Morgantown to compete for the state speech championship at West Virginia University. If the Patriots are successful, it will be the team’s 45th consecutive state championship. Competition starts Thursday with Congressional Debate and will conclude with the championship finals Saturday.

(Photo and video by Derek Redd)