Good Kids: USD 475 JROTC Raider team

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (WIBW) - This Veterans Day week, we are proud to announce the Junction City High Blue Jay Raiders are bringing home top national honors.

Junction City High’s Army Junior-ROTC Raider Team came home Monday morning from the Raider National Competition held in Molena, Georgia... That’s where they placed number one in the All-Service Division.

So you are looking at the best raider team in the country, and they’re from right here in northeast Kansas!

Among the competition categories, they finished first in one-rope bridge; then third in the physical team test and 5k ruck-sack march.

Sgt. First Class Ted Ehlers invited us over to help spread the word about their significant achievement, including tops in the all-service mixed division.

“This was my first year in ROTC and my first year too in Kansas. So being here and winning nationals it’s just amazing, I don’t know there’s just no words.” JCHS JROTC Cadet Nichol Tangcoy says.

“I feel really good about it. We worked really hard, the past years we haven’t been as physical as you know he has been with his other teammates, but you know we have a lot of heart and we put it out there.” JCHS JROTC Cadet Corporal Jack Calen says.

“Coming back here, and kind of being one of the underdogs of the high school, one of the teams that doesn’t get as much recognition, you know, to show them that ‘hey, you know, we’re doing good things too’ is a pretty awesome thing.” JCHS JROTC Battalion Commander Grant Shrader says.

“It’s a pretty good way to go out. My freshman year, I was on an all-girls team, and we didn’t do as good as the guys team did, but I mean coming back this year and being able to crush it was amazing.” JCHS JROTC Battalion Executive Officer Mahkayla Cole says.

The competition involved more than 3500 cadets from 74 schools in 21 different states.

You can join Ralph in saluting a Good Kid you know, by e-mailing your photos and nomination story to ralph.hipp@wibw.com

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