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WSU band honors UW bus crash victims by playing fight song at Apple Cup

By Shelby Miller, KIRO 7 News
By Shelby Miller, KIRO 7 News

PULLMAN, Wash. — Practicing the University of Washington’s fight song is something Washington State band members never thought they’d do, but the Cougars learned the notes Friday before the rivalry game.

“I think ‘Bow Down to Washington’ is going to sound really good, so I think it’s going to be a good day today,” said Jazmine Edmiston, a Cougars trumpet player.

This year, Washington’s biggest football game brought the teams closer together.

A bus carrying UW’s Marching Band crashed Thursday evening on the way to the Apple Cup, keeping them from the big game.

“It’s kind of part of the Apple Cup, UW’s fans being here, our fans being here, so their fight song is part of the Apple Cup as much as ours is,” said Andrew Bovenkamp, who’s on the Cougars drumline.

On Friday morning, the Cougars quickly decided the Huskies' fight song would still be played.

“It’s a show of sportsmanship, of course, for their fans, but (also) of support for what those students and staff are going through, because it’s a very traumatic event,” said Cougars Athletic Band Director Troy Bennefield. “We’re not going to have it memorized, we didn’t have time to do that, so we’re actually going to have flip folders for the first time this year, but we wanted to make sure if we’re playing it that we’re playing it well.”

Bennefield said there is a lot riding on the game. Although he wants his team to win, he said the most important part is that everyone stays safe.

“No matter what happens in the rivalry, we’re all Washingtonians, and we all care for the well-being of those kids,” said Bennefield.

“Rivalry is just for sports. We’re all friends and family at the end of the day,” said Edmiston.

UW said Friday two people were still in the hospital, but they are expected to recover.

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