The Marion High School JROTC Raider team finished their fall season with another great performance, earning third place at the elite All-Service JROTC Raider National Championship in Georgia.
The Marion High School JROTC Raider team competed at the All-Service Raider National Championship on Nov. 18 and 19, 2023, in Molena, Ga.
The Giants traveled to Molena, Ga., for this highest-level competition, where they faced the best Raider teams from JROTC units representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and even a Coast Guard program. Being no strangers to competing at this level, and coming off a fifth-place finish at the All-Army Raider National Championship at Ft. Knox, Ky., two weeks earlier, the Giants were ready to take on the best that all the various services could offer.
The Giants fielded a co-ed/mixed team and competed on Nov. 18 and 19 in the Masters Division, reserved for the most competitive teams. The mixed teams compete with four girls and six boys in each of the five events. About 70 teams from around the country competed in the Masters Division.
“It felt great to place third as a team,” said Marion High School senior Steven Fuller, the team’s captain. “We really performed at our best and had tons of improvement all season long.”
Marion High School JROTC cadets Danielle Purdy, Kylar Pettus, Grace Carpenter, and Damarie Weaver hurdle an obstacle during the physical team test event at the All-Service Raider National Championship.
Their improvement was evident by the Giants also winning the Indiana Raider State Championship again this year. It was the third time the Giants had won the state championship in the four years it has been held.
“Our Raider team has a history of excellence,” said retired Lt. Col. David Farlow, the coach of Marion’s Raider team and the Senior Army Instructor for the MHS JROTC. “We have multiple state and national championship placements under our belt. It is a legacy of hard work, dedication and commitment to team work. I am not surprised, nor disappointed in the performance of this year’s team. They strived for and achieved excellence.”
This year’s Raider team was relatively young in terms of experience with only three seniors and two juniors on the squad of 14 cadets. But that did not stop the team from competing with everything they had. The Giants placed in fourth place or higher in all five of the competitive events in Molena.
Marion High School JROTC cadets Steven Fuller and Alexa Ortiz run through the mud pit during the cross country rescue event at the All-Services Raider National Championship.
“I think we did our best,” said MHS senior Jocelyn Lopez-Gomez. “I am very proud of everyone on our team, especially the younger cadets that gave their best the entire season.”
Having competed in the Masters Division, the Giants were able to pick one male and one female to compete as individuals in the Ultimate Raider event. The Giants tapped senior Steven Fuller and freshman Danielle Purdy to compete in the 1.75-mile run that included wearing a 35-pound backpack and required the Raiders to scale several obstacles. Fuller finished in an amazing third place, and Purdy finished in 12th against the very best each team could offer.
“It was a great season,” Farlow reflected. “It has been one of my greatest joys as an instructor to coach the Raiders over the years. These kiddos are simply amazing."
Marion High School freshman Danielle Purdy was tapped by her team to compete against the very best female Raiders during the Ultimate Raider event at the All-Service Raider National Championship.