Marietta River City BBQ
2023-04-28 – 2023-04-29 · Marietta, OH · 📍 Washington County Fairgrounds · State championship
Reps: BECKY DRUETZLER, DAVE DRUETZLER · Prize money: $5,200.00
Grand Champion: High on the Hog (701.6800) · 42 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 UNDER THE RADAR
Entries
42
4 judged meats · 1 ancillary
Top score
701.6800
Winning margin
6.8456
GC over RC
Field average
654.83
median 657.29
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
1.1428 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
675.4056
10th place overall
Field spread
113.2228
winner to last place
Prize money
$5,200.00
on the line
Double threats
3
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 40%
beats 60% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
52%
of the 42 teams with a home region came from outside OH
Came back for more
56%
14 of 25 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.58 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1544
avg power rating going in · stronger than 50% of contests
Storylines
👑 A dynasty in the making
SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 14 tracked editions.
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
High on the Hog took the Grand Championship home to IL.
📸 Photo finishes
Chicken places 3–4: BooyaQ and BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 7–8: GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ and KEVLAR BBQ tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 4–5: HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO and PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
🛡️ Back to defend
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Under the Radar (won 2021), Peace, Love & Smokiness (won 2022).
🃏 An upset on the books
HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO came in rated below the field's top team, Under the Radar, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 24-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
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)
Where the field came from (home regions on file)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-06-12 | Marietta, OH 43724 | 17 | 705.1432 | SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ | 2 WORTHLESS NUTS, NATURAL BORN GRILLERS | |
| 2016-06-10 | Marietta, OH | 20 | 695.3716 | SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ | FOOMANCHOO BBQ | |
| 2017-06-09 | 922 Front St.( Washington County Fairgrounds) | 16 | 698.2400 | CONTAGIOUS Q | BROTHA K'S BOARBECUE | |
| 2018-06-08 | 922 Front St.( Washington County Fairgrounds) | 11 | 695.9544 | CONTAGIOUS Q | 270 SMOKERS | |
| 2019-04-26 | Marietta, OH | 922 Front St.( Washington County Fairgrounds) | 26 | 686.8228 | Slippery Pete's BBQ | SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ |
| 2021-04-23 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 29 | 695.9884 | Under the Radar | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS |
| 2022-04-29 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 25 | 698.8000 | Peace, Love & Smokiness | SmokinGhost BBQ |
| 2023-04-28 ← this one | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 42 | 701.6800 | High on the Hog | UNDER THE RADAR |
| 2023-04-28 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 18 | 178.8572 | The BBQ Bus | — |
| 2024-04-26 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 13 | 705.6800 | Chunky BBQ | CONVICTED PIGS BBQ |
| 2024-04-26 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 6 | 180.0000 | Chunky BBQ | — |
| 2025-04-25 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 10 | 702.8460 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | T & S BBQ |
| 2025-04-25 | Marietta, OH | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2026-04-24 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 15 | 696.5716 | Beer Time BBQ | Freedom Meat Repeat |
| 2026-04-24 | 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 | 178.8572 | 174.2856 | 171.9772 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.5600 | 175.4172 | 170.2628 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 174.8572 | 171.4056 |
| Brisket | 178.8572 | 171.9772 | 170.8112 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
42 entries · top 701.6800 · median 657.2912
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO | |
| 2 | UNDER THE RADAR | |
| 3 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 4 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 5 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 6 | BooyaQ | |
| 7 | TIRE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 8 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 9 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 10 | C&M BBQ | |
| 11 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 12 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 13 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 14 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 15 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 16 | DETROIT SIBLING RIVALRY | |
| 17 | GREY STREET BBQ | |
| 18 | KEVLAR BBQ | |
| 19 | ELEGANTLY VIOLENT BBQ | |
| 20 | ALE YEAH BBQ | |
| 21 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | |
| 22 | FAT HEAD'S BREWERY & SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 23 | GO BIG OR GO BBQ | |
| 24 | CONVICTED PIGS BBQ | |
| 25 | BO B Q BBQ | |
| 26 | Freedom Meat Repeat | |
| 27 | Sucka Bone BBQ | |
| 28 | Brisket Bones n Brews | |
| 29 | Taken Care of BBQ | |
| 30 | D'em Ohio City Boyz | |
| 31 | BlueDog BBQ | |
| 32 | Lock 44 BBQ | |
| 33 | CIRCLE L BBQ | |
| 34 | SMOKIN JOHNNY Q | |
| 35 | BROTHA K'S BOARBECUE | |
| 36 | Lumber Jack BBQ | |
| 37 | JOE'S SMOKIN' HOLE BBQ | |
| 38 | DNF BBQ Mike | |
| 39 | Smokin Bark BBQ & Catering, LLC | |
| 40 | First Due Que | |
| 41 | Moonshine Mike's BBQ | |
| 42 | BG's Badass BBQ |
Chicken
42 entries · top 178.8572 · median 166.8686
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sucka Bone BBQ | |
| 2 | TIRE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 3 | BooyaQ | |
| 4 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 5 | HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO | |
| 6 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 7 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 8 | KEVLAR BBQ | |
| 9 | DETROIT SIBLING RIVALRY | |
| 10 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 11 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 12 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 13 | UNDER THE RADAR | |
| 14 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 15 | Lock 44 BBQ | |
| 16 | Freedom Meat Repeat | |
| 17 | C&M BBQ | |
| 18 | FAT HEAD'S BREWERY & SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 19 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 20 | CONVICTED PIGS BBQ | |
| 21 | Smokin Bark BBQ & Catering, LLC | |
| 22 | Taken Care of BBQ | |
| 23 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | |
| 24 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 25 | BO B Q BBQ | |
| 26 | ALE YEAH BBQ | |
| 27 | BlueDog BBQ | |
| 28 | SMOKIN JOHNNY Q | |
| 29 | ELEGANTLY VIOLENT BBQ | |
| 30 | BROTHA K'S BOARBECUE | |
| 31 | CIRCLE L BBQ | |
| 32 | BG's Badass BBQ | |
| 33 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 34 | GO BIG OR GO BBQ | |
| 35 | GREY STREET BBQ | |
| 36 | D'em Ohio City Boyz | |
| 37 | Moonshine Mike's BBQ | |
| 38 | Lumber Jack BBQ | |
| 39 | Brisket Bones n Brews | |
| 40 | DNF BBQ Mike | |
| 41 | JOE'S SMOKIN' HOLE BBQ | |
| 42 | First Due Que |
Pork Ribs
42 entries · top 176.5600 · median 162.5600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 2 | CONVICTED PIGS BBQ | |
| 3 | GREY STREET BBQ | |
| 4 | HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO | |
| 5 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 6 | Brisket Bones n Brews | |
| 7 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 8 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | |
| 9 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 10 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 11 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 12 | KEVLAR BBQ | |
| 13 | ELEGANTLY VIOLENT BBQ | |
| 14 | UNDER THE RADAR | |
| 15 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 16 | Sucka Bone BBQ | |
| 17 | Lock 44 BBQ | |
| 18 | ALE YEAH BBQ | |
| 19 | BooyaQ | |
| 20 | TIRE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 21 | DETROIT SIBLING RIVALRY | |
| 22 | C&M BBQ | |
| 23 | BROTHA K'S BOARBECUE | |
| 24 | JOE'S SMOKIN' HOLE BBQ | |
| 25 | CIRCLE L BBQ | |
| 26 | DNF BBQ Mike | |
| 27 | D'em Ohio City Boyz | |
| 28 | Taken Care of BBQ | |
| 29 | Freedom Meat Repeat | |
| 30 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 31 | Smokin Bark BBQ & Catering, LLC | |
| 32 | Moonshine Mike's BBQ | |
| 33 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 34 | FAT HEAD'S BREWERY & SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 35 | GO BIG OR GO BBQ | |
| 36 | BO B Q BBQ | |
| 37 | Lumber Jack BBQ | |
| 38 | BlueDog BBQ | |
| 39 | SMOKIN JOHNNY Q | |
| 40 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 41 | First Due Que | |
| 42 | BG's Badass BBQ |
Pork
42 entries · top 178.8572 · median 164.2744
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | UNDER THE RADAR | |
| 2 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 3 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 4 | C&M BBQ | |
| 5 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 6 | GREY STREET BBQ | |
| 7 | TIRE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 8 | HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO | |
| 9 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 10 | BooyaQ | |
| 11 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 12 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 13 | KEVLAR BBQ | |
| 14 | GO BIG OR GO BBQ | |
| 15 | Brisket Bones n Brews | |
| 16 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 17 | FAT HEAD'S BREWERY & SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 18 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 19 | BO B Q BBQ | |
| 20 | ELEGANTLY VIOLENT BBQ | |
| 21 | BlueDog BBQ | |
| 22 | Lumber Jack BBQ | |
| 23 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 24 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 25 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | |
| 26 | SMOKIN JOHNNY Q | |
| 27 | CONVICTED PIGS BBQ | |
| 28 | Taken Care of BBQ | |
| 29 | DETROIT SIBLING RIVALRY | |
| 30 | ALE YEAH BBQ | |
| 31 | Freedom Meat Repeat | |
| 32 | Sucka Bone BBQ | |
| 33 | D'em Ohio City Boyz | |
| 34 | DNF BBQ Mike | |
| 35 | CIRCLE L BBQ | |
| 36 | Lock 44 BBQ | |
| 37 | First Due Que | |
| 38 | BROTHA K'S BOARBECUE | |
| 39 | Smokin Bark BBQ & Catering, LLC | |
| 40 | JOE'S SMOKIN' HOLE BBQ | |
| 41 | Moonshine Mike's BBQ | |
| 42 | BG's Badass BBQ |
Brisket
42 entries · top 178.8572 · median 164.8400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO | |
| 2 | UNDER THE RADAR | |
| 3 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 4 | ALE YEAH BBQ | |
| 5 | BACKDRAFT BBQ | |
| 6 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 7 | DETROIT SIBLING RIVALRY | |
| 8 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 9 | BooyaQ | |
| 10 | GO BIG OR GO BBQ | |
| 11 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 12 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 13 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 14 | C&M BBQ | |
| 15 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 16 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 17 | ELEGANTLY VIOLENT BBQ | |
| 18 | First Due Que | |
| 19 | TIRE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 20 | FAT HEAD'S BREWERY & SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 21 | BO B Q BBQ | |
| 22 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 23 | D'em Ohio City Boyz | |
| 24 | JOE'S SMOKIN' HOLE BBQ | |
| 25 | Taken Care of BBQ | |
| 26 | Freedom Meat Repeat | |
| 27 | CIRCLE L BBQ | |
| 28 | BlueDog BBQ | |
| 29 | Brisket Bones n Brews | |
| 30 | BROTHA K'S BOARBECUE | |
| 31 | GREY STREET BBQ | |
| 32 | SMOKIN JOHNNY Q | |
| 33 | BG's Badass BBQ | |
| 34 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | |
| 35 | KEVLAR BBQ | |
| 36 | Lock 44 BBQ | |
| 37 | DNF BBQ Mike | |
| 38 | Lumber Jack BBQ | |
| 39 | CONVICTED PIGS BBQ | |
| 40 | Sucka Bone BBQ | |
| 41 | Smokin Bark BBQ & Catering, LLC | |
| 42 | Moonshine Mike's BBQ |
Ancillary categories
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
Ancillary — Dessert
12 entries · top 179.4400 · median 172.5886
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 2 | Smokin Bugatti BBQ | |
| 3 | GREY STREET BBQ | |
| 4 | ALE YEAH BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKIN JOHNNY Q | |
| 6 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 7 | BooyaQ | |
| 8 | Taken Care of BBQ | |
| 9 | FAT HEAD'S BREWERY & SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 10 | Moonshine Mike's BBQ | |
| 11 | First Due Que | |
| 12 | Sucka Bone BBQ |