Zion Benton, Nation Ford Sweep Podiums at JROTC Air Rifle Service Championships

By Ashley Brugnone, CMP Writer 

In February, junior ROTC cadets gathered together in the north, south and west to compete in the scholastic JROTC Three-Position Air Rifle Service Championships. Competitors at each location are awarded based on individual scores as well as overall team accomplishments according to military service branch (Army, Navy, Air Force or Marin Corps). Athletes compete in sporter or precision air rifle disciplines.  

Notable performances were given by sporter team members of Zion Benton High School in Illinois (Navy) as well as sporter members from Nation Ford High School in South Carolina (Marine Corps) – each securing the Top 3 places at their event locations. Because of their talented athletes, the teams ultimately went on to earn first place in their respectable team competitions as well.

Also containing place-holding athletes were precision teams Kaiserslautern High School, AE (Air Force, Germany), Joshua High School (Navy) and Granbury (Marine Corps) High Schools, both of Texas. The teams earned two of three spots on the podium.

The JROTC Air Rifle Service Championships, conducted by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), were held in three locations: Chandler, AZ; Anniston, AL; and Camp Perry, Ohio, over the weekends of Feb. 6-8 and Feb. 14-16. Rifle athletes in JROTC programs reached the Regional events after competing in the Postal match in the fall.

The final step in the JROTC Championship series is the National Championship, scheduled to be held at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center at Camp Perry, Ohio, March 19-21. 

Like the Postal and Regional events, the National match is a 3×20 air rifle competition, where competitors fire 20 record shots from three positions: prone, standing and kneeling. A total of 28 teams and 32 individuals qualified for the National sporter competition, while 17 teams and 17 individuals qualified for the precision event.

Visitors are welcome into the range to observe the National Championships at any time during the match, with free admission. For more information on the JROTC Championships, visit http://thecmp.org/air/jrotc-air-rifle-national-championship/. 

Below is a list of the overall Top 3 Individual and Team competitors of the JROTC Regional Service Championships. For a complete list of results, visit https://ct.thecmp.org/JROTCServiceResults. Photos may be viewed and downloaded at https://cmp1.zenfolio.com/f352538054.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:

Army JROTC:

Sporter:

1. Riley Mills, Canon City High School, CO – 1188.8
2. Katrena Silletto, Denver North High School, CO – 1186.4
3. Kyle Massey, Spanish Springs, NV – 1185.7

Precision:

1. Maria Tortorelli, Stuttgart High School, AE – 1260.6
2. Dante Aletto, Sarasota Military Academy, FL – 1257.4
3. Gatlin James, Piedra Vista High School, NM – 1256.5

Air Force JROTC:

Sporter:

1. Asa Lassiter, Clover High School, SC – 1161.9
2. Trinity Heine, South Anchorage High School, AK – 1160.5
3. Olivia Reeves, O’Connor High School, TX – 1151.8

Precision:

1. Isabelle Ploechinger, Kaiserslautern High School, AE – 1266.1
2. Brycen Gran, Monroe Area High School, GA – 1253.5
3. Juliana Hosey, Kaiserslautern High School, AE – 1251.7

Navy JROTC:

Sporter:

1. Halie Creekmore, Zion Benton High School, IL – 1215.6
2. Alexia Resendiz, Zion Benton High School – 1205.8
3. Jeremiah Vonzell, Zion Benton High School – 1191.3

Precision:

1. Ionee Mendoza, Parlier High School, CA – 1274.8
2. Parker Haydin, Joshua High School, TX – 1271.0
3. Carlos Martinez, Joshua High School, TX – 1269.0

Marine Corps JROTC:

Sporter:

1. Maya Cameron, Nation Ford High School, SC – 1212.3
2. Kayla Kalenza, Nation Ford High School, SC – 1202.3
3. Alana Ruggiero, Nation Ford High School, SC – 1197.0

Precision:

1. Philip Becker, Granbury High School, TX – 1285.9
2. Kaylene Castillo, Eldorado High School, NM – 1272.7
3. Allison Henry, Granbury High School, TX – 1272.3

TEAM RESULTS:

Army JROTC:

Sporter:

1. Pueblo County High School, CO – 4285-121x
2. Lebanon High School, OR – 4259-102x
3. Boca Ciega High School, FL – 4255-102x

Precision:

1. Stuttgart High School, AE – 4626-259x
2. Fountain Fort Carson High School, CO – 4608-256x
3. Sarasota Military Academy, FL – 4592-226x

Air Force JROTC:

Sporter:

1. Clover High School, SC 1 –4265-124x
2. South Panola High School MS 1 – 4183-98x
3. Volcano Vista High School, NM A – 4172-114x

Precision:

1. Kaiserslautern High School, AE – 4571-217
2. Cherokee High School, GA – 4560-219x
3. Volcano Vista High School, NM – 4555-228x

Navy JROTC:

Sporter:

1. Zion Benton High School, IL – 4433-167x
2. Patuxent High School, MD – 4291-119x
3. Santa Fe High School, NM – 4283-133x

Precision:

1. Joshua High School, TX – 4641-283x
2. Oak Harbor High School, WA – 4569-221x
3. Camden County High School, GA – 4568-234x

Marine Corps JROTC:

Sporter:

1. Nation Ford High School, SC A – 4435-171x
2. Jack C. Hays High School, TX – 4404-147x
3. Nation Ford High School, SC B – 4322-115x

Precision:

1. Granbury High School, TX 1 – 4692-320x
2. East Coweta High School, GA 1 – 4662-289x
3. La Cueva High School, NM 1 – 4658-288x

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.