JROTC Raiders sweep awards at Huntington North regional contest
The Marion High School JROTC Raider Team battled it out last weekend against a field of 16 teams from across central and northern Indiana who met to compete at Huntington North High School. Once again, the Giants faced off against two of their rivals, the Concordia Lutheran Cadets and the Huntington North Vikings. But at the end of the day, the Giants walked away champions.
“It truly is amazing to watch the team perform under the stress and pressure of competition — nothing seems to rattle them,” said retired Col. Gary Blagburn, coach of the Raider Team and MHS JROTC Senior Army Instructor. “The outcome is never assured, and the competition is always intense.”
The Giants secured their win by taking first place in five of the six events: the physical team test, gauntlet, 5 kilometer run, one-rope bridge, and tire pull. The single event the team did not win was the vehicle push, and they missed victory by only three seconds. Because the vehicle push is not an event at state and National competitions, the team does not focus much training time on it.
The Giants had two individual Raiders who competed in the Ultimate Raider event at the conclusion of the team event on Saturday, Aug. 31. Cadet Hickson Love and Cadet Danielle Purdy, both MHS sophomores, represented Marion in the male and female divisions, respectively. The Ultimate Raider event started with a distance run, followed by a cross country obstacle course. Cadet Love and Cadet Purdy represented Marion JROTC extremely well, and they both finished in first place.
“These two cadets’ performance was nothing less than outstanding,” Blagburn said. “At the end of a grueling day of competition, to dig down deep and win the Ultimate Raider was awesome.”
This was the first time either cadet had competed to be the Ultimate Raider.
The Huntington North match was the first competition for the team as they began their path to the Raider State Championship to be held at Camp Atterbury on Oct. 5.
“This competition allowed the team to gauge where they stand with some of the teams they will see at the Raider State Championship,” Blagburn said. “The State Championship is where it will really matter as to how they finish. We know that teams will bring their best.”
Following the State Championship, the Giants will travel to Fort Knox, Ky., the third week of October to compete in the Army Raider National Championship.
Attending these Championships is a costly adventure with transportation, lodging and meals. The JROTC Dept. is accepting donations to help these cadets continue to excel. Donations can be mailed to the School at 750 W. 26th St, Marion, IN 46953.
“Our community has been very generous in the past,” Blagburn said. “We are truly grateful for any support and look to make our mark once again at the national level.”
