by Taylor Massey
The Republic High School JROTC Marksmanship Team has stood out statewide at marksmanship competitions in the past month. The team, comprised of an Old Shooter Team and a New Shooter Team, placed third in Washington, Missouri. Additionally, the four members of the Old Shooter Team placed third at the Missouri State Rifle Championships.
In Washington, eight students competed for Republic. Johnson Alvarez, Daniella Ornelas, Ryan Schatz, and John Birdwell made up the Old Shooter Team, which simply means they have participated before. The New Shooter Team was also made up of four students: Gracie Trantham, Mailie Stinson, Andrew Casey, and Molly Mason. There were 18 teams at this competition, and the team placed third place in each class.
However, the team’s achievements did not stop there. In the last week of January, the four students on the Old Shooter Team in Washington competed for Republic at the Missouri State Rifle Championships. This competition took place over a three-day period from January 26-28 at Webb City High School, which recently built a new archery and rifle range for JROTC students.
Ornelas, who is currently in her second year of being on the marksmanship team, said the competition had three different positions for competitors to shoot in. They began in prone, then shifted to standing, and ended in the kneeling position. They shot in each position for 20 minutes and shot at an electronic target 20 times during that time span.
At the state championships, Republic placed third out of 27 teams and 127 total competitors from across the state of Missouri. This marks the highest score and placement for Republic at this tournament in six years.
Through these competitions, Ornelas said she has learned more about what marksmanship has to offer and how it benefits her.
“I enjoy the calmness the sport has to offer,” she said. “I gain critical thinking where I have to make decisions in a timely manner, moving my stance and sights to my scope and learning how to adjust to unpredictable environments.”
“JROTC and marksmanship have taught me to become more of a learner and gain confidence,” she added. “This has helped me come out of my comfort zone and has helped me become more outgoing.”