The annual South Jersey Army JROTC Drill League Championship took place at Lenape on Feb. 3.
Lenape High School Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) recently hosted their 18th Annual Major A. Notarfrancisco Drill Meet and South Jersey Army JROTC Drill League Championship.
Thirteen high schools from New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia converged onto the Lenape High School campus on Saturday, Feb. 3, to challenge each other in precision drill and Color Guard events.
This event included schools such as Fort Hamilton High School from New York and the Philadelphia Military Academy.
More than 500 competitors, coaches, and family members observed a day full of dedicated performances in 10 different graded events.
Judges were local area military recruiters, as well as cadets from Rowan University, who belong to their Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps at the university.
Lenape High School ultimately outperformed these teams and won the overall competition, earning first place in six events and third place in one event.
By winning their home drill competition, Lenape High School Army JROTC was able to sweep all four competitions.
This led to Lenape earning the overall 2017–2018 South Jersey Drill League Championship and the right to compete against the best teams in the Second Brigade of Cadet Command at Francis Lewis High School in Queens, New York on March 3.
According to school officials, what impressed Lenape High School’s Army JROTC Senior Army Instructor Lt. Col. (Retired) Ron Tuczak and their Army Instructor Sgt. First Class (Retired) John Mondelli about the season was the cadets’ consistent performance while always striving to improve.
Additionally, officials say the future looks bright for Lenape’s JROTC program and Drill team because each event was led by a different cadet.
Winning cadet leaders included seniors Kaitlyn Doyle, Jesus Nieto-Walle, Brianna Valentin, sophomore Samantha Coon and freshman Matt Dunmire.
