Community News
Drill Team Extends Record At State Meet
By
Mar 25, 2008, 11:13

The Bainbridge High School Air Force JROTC Drill Team extended their record for "top five" finishes to five years this past Saturday at the Air Force JROTC State Championships at the Perry Ag Center.

Left to Right:  Cadets Jessica Merritt, Kristen Stone, Adam Anderson,Erick Juarez, Glorietta Williams, Gage Proper, Gillian Andrews, Charles Screen (behind Andrews), Derrick Akins, Skyler Biddle, Jonathan Reid, Ryan Schoeneman, Jessica Byrd, Alex Higley, Tiffy Blocker, Stephanie Cannon, Darren Good (behind Cannon), Avery Chestnut, Stephen Dunn, Bitisha Hamilton, Jessica Dunlap, Julie Good, Katelynn Proper, Andrew Davidson, Phillip Lambert.

Led by Seniors Kristen Stone and Phillip Lambert, and Junior Jessica Merritt the Bainbridge cadets earned an Overall Fifth Place trophy against very tough competition for the Air Force JROTC State Championship. 

Cadet Phillip Lambert led his Armed Drill Team to a First Place Trophy and a State Championship in the "Armed Drill Category".  This was the second time Bainbridge has earned "state championship bragging rights in this category."  The previous time was in 2000 when former Cadet Commander Ryan Lewis led a Bearcat team to the Armed Division Championship.

In the competition for the overall championship, Cadet Jessica Merritt's team earned a third place and Cadet Merritt was selected for the third place trophy in the "Most Impressive Commander" competition.  This was against 26 competing team at the meet.

In Color Guard competition among 37 teams, Kristen Stone's team earned a fifth place trophy.  These accomplishments combined to give the team an overall fifth place trophy for their fifth consecutive year in state competition.  This is a record that is unequalled by any other drill team competing during the past five years.

Also, in individual competition among over 500 cadets, twelve Bearcat Cadets earned a position in the "final round of individual drill competition."  They were Seniors Kristen Stone, Phillip Lambert and Jessica Byrd; Juniors Derrick Akin, Jonathan Reid, and Andrew Davidson; Sophomores Erick Juarez, Tiffy Blocker, and Ryan Schoeneman; and Freshmen Adam Anderson, Jessica Dunlap, and Bitisha Hamilton.  Sophomores Juarez and Blocker are both finalists from National Competitions at Montgomery, Alabama and Daytona Beach, Florida.  At the state meet Erick Juarez finished eighth among those 500 cadet competitors.

Colonel Breedlove commented that "This was the best 'top to bottom' group of competition teams we've ever seen at the state championships.  Everybody was competitive and there was no dominant team.  Our cadets should be very pleased with these results as we turn our attention to "The Nationals" at Daytona Beach, Florida in May.  We have some very specific goals for that meet and I believe our leaders are focused on earning the best results we've ever had there.  As always, we appreciate the support from our school leadership and the people of our local community as we prepare for this very important drill meet."