Clarke Central High School competes against 22 other teams at the Cedar Shoals High School meet on Sept. 17. The Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Raiders mixed (boys’ and girls’) team compete in eight events. “The girls basically had everything down, we just need to work on rope bridge,” JROTC Raiders girls team captain Jennifer Funez said. Photo by Julie Alpaugh.
By CONNOR MCCAGE – Staff Writer
The Clarke Central High School Raiders team practice and train for their meet at Jackson High School this Oct. 15.
The Clarke Central Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Raiders will participate in the Jackson Meet on Oct. 15. This is the meet that decides if the JROTC Raiders team will qualify for the state Raiders competition at Spalding High School in Griffin County.
“Right now, we are one place out of being qualified for state. We are in fifth place and Jackson is in fourth place,” Head of Raiders Sgt. Lorenda Harris said.
According to Harris, the team looks to perfect its rope bridge event and working on their endurance in preparation for the meet.
“We are a little slow (on rope bridge). We want to get it and get the best time we possibly can,” JROTC girls Raiders captain Jennifer Funez said.
Funez states the JROTC Raiders team is focused on making sure that their strongest event is a sure victory for them.
“We do amazing tire flips. We get them like that,” Funez said. “We have the course in our backyard, so it is very easy to do and perform as a team.”
The JROTC Raiders team have won four trophies, placing first and third on the humvee pull, third place in rope bridge, and second and fourth place in obstacle course. Despite the accolades the team has gathered, Harris is looking ahead to the upcoming meet.
“This is it. This right here is where we make it or break it,” Harris said.
