The Marion High School JROTC Raider Team battled it out recently against a field of 14 teams from across the Midwest, some as far away as Wisconsin, who met to compete at Hobart High School. Once again, the Giants faced off against their biggest rival, the Hobart Brickies. This year, the Giants fell just short, finishing second overall.
“The battle these two schools put on is great to watch,” said retired Col. Gary Blagburn, coach of the Raider Team and Senior Army Instructor for MHS JROTC.
The Marion High School JROTC Raider team poses for a photo after their runner-up finish at the Hobart competition.
The Giants and the Brickies were fighting hard for each event, providing nail-biting outcomes. The Giants took first in the physical team test event, and were right behind Hobart in three the other four events. In the 5K event, the Giants finished third.
“We tried our best,” said Cadet Nick Purdy, Raider Commander and an MHS senior. “We’ll see them again later this week at State and a few weeks after that at Nationals, and that is when it really matters.”
The Marion High School JROTC Raiders’ compete in the physical team test at the Hobart competition. The Giants won the PTT event.
Purdy noted that the Giants are on a similar path to Nationals this year.
“Last year they beat us during local meets, he said, “but at Nationals we were able to put it all together and placed higher than them.”
The Hobart match was the final competition before the Raider State meet at Camp Atterbury on Oct. 4, followed by the Raider National Championship to be held at Fort Knox, Ky., from Oct. 23 to 26.
“Hobart has defeated us twice this season,” Blagburn said. “But the Army Raider National Championship is where it will really matter. The Raiders seem to be just about at their peak, so the competition is going to be intense.”
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, or made online here.
“Our community has been very generous in the past,” Blagburn said. “We are truly grateful for any support and look to make our mark at the national level.”