A statement win
13.1540
points clear of the field
Wider than 94% of the 4,722 championships in the data
The champion won by 13.1540 points — a wider margin than 94% of championships in the data.
Marietta River City BBQ 2017
Jun 9–10, 2017 · Marietta, OH · 📍 922 Front St.( Washington County Fairgrounds)
CONTAGIOUS Q won Grand Champion at the Marietta River City BBQ on June 9, 2017 in Marietta, OH at 922 Front St.( Washington County Fairgrounds), scoring 698.2400 in a field of 16 teams. BROTHA K'S BOARBECUE took Reserve Grand Champion with 685.0860. Category winners: Chicken — CONTAGIOUS Q (177.1428); Pork Ribs — BRUTUS AND COMPANY (176.5600); Pork — BROTHA K'S BOARBECUE (175.4172); Brisket — CONVICTED PIGS BBQ (177.7028). This is the 3rd of 14 editions of this contest on record; the 2016 edition was won by SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ; the next was held in 2018.
The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)
How the field scored
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
630.05
median 667.59
698.24 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 177.14
- Pork Ribs 176.56
- Pork 175.42
- Brisket 177.70
141.66
177.70
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2015 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
16
4 judged meats
Top score
698.2400
Winning margin
13.1540
GC over RC
Field average
663.52
630.05698.24
median 667.59 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
4.5716 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
662.7200
630.05698.24
10th place overall
Field spread
68.1948
winner to last place
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 41%
beats 59% of 4723 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
35%
7 of 20 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.52 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,554
avg power rating going in · stronger than 41% of contests
Storylines (6 found in this contest's numbers)
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 14 tracked editions
SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 14 tracked editions.
- 2015
- 2019
A rookie on the podium
2nd
at their first tracked contest
BROTHA K'S BOARBECUE finished 2nd overall in the first contest the data has them cooking at all.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 5 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 6–7: WINE 'EM AND SWINE 'EM BBQ and BRUTUS AND COMPANY tied on 167.9656 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 8–9: PIT"SBURGH SMOKERS and SUCKA BONE BBQ TEAM tied on 163.3828 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 6–7: BURNING PIG BBQ edged SUCKA BONE BBQ TEAM by 0.0116.
- Chicken 6–7 · tie
- Pork 8–9 · tie
- Brisket 6–7 · 0.0116
- Chicken 5–6 · 0.0116
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
CONTAGIOUS Q took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 4th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 3rd
- Pork 2nd
- Brisket 4th
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ (won 2015).
- SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ · 2015
This contest's own records (1 in the KCBS record book)
Records held by every edition of this contest put together, not just this one afternoon.
Score curves (score by finishing position — steep cliffs mean a spread field, flat lines a knife fight)
Category showdown (top / average / median score per meat)
Score distribution
Biggest rating movers (power-rating points won and lost at this contest)
Did form hold? (pre-contest rating vs overall finish — ratings called it if the dots climb to the right)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 12, 2015 | Marietta, OH | Marietta, OH 43724 | 17 | 705.1432 | SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ | 2 WORTHLESS NUTS, NATURAL BORN GRILLERS |
| Jun 10, 2016 | Marietta, OH | Marietta, OH | 20 | 695.3716 | SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ | FOOMANCHOO BBQ |
| Jun 9, 2017 ← this one | Marietta, OH | 922 Front St.( Washington County Fairgrounds) | 16 | 698.2400 | CONTAGIOUS Q | BROTHA K'S BOARBECUE |
| Jun 8, 2018 | Marietta, OH | 922 Front St.( Washington County Fairgrounds) | 11 | 695.9544 | CONTAGIOUS Q | 270 SMOKERS |
| Apr 26, 2019 | Marietta, OH | 922 Front St.( Washington County Fairgrounds) | 26 | 686.8228 | Slippery Pete's BBQ | SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ |
| Apr 23, 2021 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 29 | 695.9884 | Under the Radar | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS |
| Apr 29, 2022 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 25 | 698.8000 | Peace, Love & Smokiness | SmokinGhost BBQ |
| Apr 28, 2023 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 42 | 701.6800 | High on the Hog | UNDER THE RADAR |
| Apr 28, 2023 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 18 | 178.8572 | The BBQ Bus | — |
| Apr 26, 2024 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 13 | 705.6800 | Chunky BBQ | CONVICTED PIGS BBQ |
| Apr 26, 2024 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 6 | 180 | Chunky BBQ | — |
| Apr 25, 2025 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 10 | 702.8460 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | T & S BBQ |
| Apr 25, 2025 | Marietta, OH | — | — | — | — | — |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 15 | 696.5716 | Beer Time BBQ | Freedom Meat Repeat |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 11 | 176.5600 | Puddleduck BBQ | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.1428 | 167.9772 | 166.2628 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.5600 | 171.9884 | 162.8116 |
| Pork | 175.4172 | 169.6800 | 162.8000 |
| Brisket | 177.7028 | 172.5828 | 167.4172 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
16 entries · top 698.2400 · median 667.5944
Chicken
16 entries · top 177.1428 · median 167.1200
Pork Ribs
16 entries · top 176.5600 · median 166.2686
Pork
16 entries · top 175.4172 · median 163.3828
Brisket
16 entries · top 177.7028 · median 169.9714