Webb City cadets place in top three of regional and national rifle championships

Webb City JROTC rifle teams won first and third place in their 20-state region and second nationally last weekend at Camp Perry, Ohio.

“It was nice to have two Webb City teams on the podium at one time,” says their instructor, Lt. Col. Dustin Elder, about the regional awards ceremony.

The team of Johnathon Tatum, Katelyn Miller, Preston Burton, Yaisa Walker and Aleena Arias won the regional championship and ranked second nationally.

Getting third place in the region was the team of Samuel Fisher, Lilly Othick, Avery Pennock, Blake Wininger and Anthony Kulju.

Going to Camp Perry isn’t new to Cardinal Battalion. But this was the first time they were competing at the same time in the National Army JROTC Championships.

Camp Perry was one of three regional sites. Competitors were from 20 states and Department of Defense schools from Army Europe. Regional results are compared to determine the national results.

Just to qualify for regional competition is an achievement. Elder notes there are 1,000 JROTC units that have rifle teams.

Of the eight individual regional finalists, five were from Webb City.

Johnathon Tatum placed first regionally and second nationally, while Katelyn Miller was fourth in the region and seventh in the nation.

Other regional finalists were Preston Burton, fifth; Yaisa Walker, seventh, and Blake Wininger, eighth.