The Hawthorne Marching Bears placed 4th at nationals on November 2.

Facing the freezing cold, Hawthorne competed against  Monsignor Farrell High School, Saddle Brook High School, Matawan Regional High School,  Wayne Valley High School, and Lenape Regional High School. Hawthorne scored 85, the highest score it has received in two years.

The HHS Marching Bears scored high enough to move on to the finals and faced off against every band that was competing, instead of within a size category. Bands ranged from around fifty, a similar size to Hawthorne, to over two hundred people marching.

Unfortunately the HHS Marching Bears placed last in the final round. However, this was the first time the marching band has ever made it to championships, let alone the finals . The winner of the competition was Elizabeth High School with a band of over two hundred people vs Hawthorne’s fifty.

This was the Marching Bears’ final competition closing out the marching season.

Now there will be a break before parade season goes into full swing. The next marching band performance will be on December 7 for the Santa parade here in Hawthorne.