First competition results in win for the Marching Broncos
The band is set to compete again Oct. 15 at a new level.
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Members of the band pose for a photo after the competition with their awards.
The Pascack Hills Marching Broncos won first place in Division B for all five categories: marching, percussion, performance, guard, and music, as well as first place overall in a competition hosted at Midland Park High School on Oct. 9.
“My expectations entering any competition is for the band to perform their very best and to strive for musical excellence at every opportunity. I am so pleased that everytime we perform, the band raises the bar on their own expectations and they meet the challenge each week. Over the season it is so cool to watch the band grow, mature and clean our halftime show into a top notch halftime performance,” Marching Band Director Ryan Dore said.
The band’s participation in this competition alone has not been done before.
Senior drum major Amy Sheehan has been part of the marching band for all four years of high school. Prior to the year Sheehan joined, the Marching Broncos was a pep band that only played in the stands at football games.
“The very first year we went to a competition [was in my freshman year], but we were just doing an exhibition…we weren’t actually competing. But then this year, we actually went and competed against the other bands, and we got first place,” she said.
In addition to winning first place overall, multiple facets of the group were recognized in the additional category awards.
“Winning best guard was so amazing,” senior and Color Guard Co-Captain Jacob Levin said. “I’m obviously psyched we won best overall, but winning best guard was huge because I think no one on guard expected it only because we’re a small, but mighty group.”
From left to right: Hills junior Jocelyn Adereth, Sheehan, and Levin.
The band practiced for weeks in preparation for their first ever competition season.
“We have been focusing on all the little details [and] getting feedback from our adult staff. We’ve been constantly trying to improve and because of that . . . we were able to show what we are capable of,” said sophomore and Marching Band Vice President Laila Collas.
The band is set to compete again Oct. 15 at a new level.
“The Verona competition will expose the band to new groups from North Jersey and I am excited to see how we do against other big, more competitive schools. This will be a great test for our program,” Dore said.
Bethany Chen is a senior at Hills. She joined the Trailblazer her sophomore year as a staff writer and edited for the Hills Life section her junior year. This year, Chen is excited to continue reporting on the clubs and student life at Hills.
Fun fact: Chen was born in Los Angeles, Calif.
Sabrina Moe is a Hills senior. She joined the Trailblazer her sophomore year as a staff writer and edited for the In-Depth section her junior year. This year, Moe is eager to edit for the College Corner section and to manage college news among the Hills community.
Fun fact: Moe enjoys listening to various genres of music, especially music from the early 2010s.
