After competing in state championships and regional championships, the Newtown High School Marching Band & Guard will head to national championship competition this Saturday.

The NHS Nighthawks Marching Band & Guard surpassed 32 Connecticut high school bands with a top score of 94.638 to take the title of Division V Open State Champions at the USBands New England States Championships on Saturday, October 29, in New Britain.

One week later, at the USBands New England Regional Championships on Saturday, November 5, at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Bridgeport, Newtown took third place in its division in the preliminary round, and earned a spot in the finals, where they took seventh place in a field of 14 competing bands.

The Nighthawks' final competition of the season is Saturday, November 12, at the USBands Open Class National Championships at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.