The Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) Raider Team competed at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis on Saturday, October 11. Schools from Fort Wayne and Romeoville, Illinois, also competed against local area schools.
Major Tom McGrath, the Senior Marine Instructor, commended the cadets for the extra effort they exhibited despite being short-handed.
“We had two key cadets who did not make our 4:15 am report time for the school bus ride to Indianapolis. Our cadets really bonded together to make up for that lack of talent and expertise caused by those cadets being no-shows.”
Raiders is a physically demanding competition, roughly based on skills required of Marine Force Reconnaissance or Army Rangers. Schools are allowed to have a male and female substitute due to the rigor of the meet. MCHS only had the minimum number of required females.
“I really want to recognize our female cadets: Cadets Staff Sergeants Payton Downs and Mercedes White, along with Privates First Class Renee Oakes and Sophie Williams, for giving everything that they had with no break; the only school to do that,” said Marine Instructor Master Sergeant Jeff Benak.
With the planned National Raider Meet at Fort Knox, Kentucky, cancelled due to the federal government shutdown, the Wolves will turn their attention to their Military Drill Team.
The team will be partnering with the MCHS band and choir to conduct a Veterans Day Ceremony on November 11 at 1:30 pm in the school gym. The ceremony is also open to the public, with a special invitation to area veterans. The event will be livestreamed on the MCAS YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in person. Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deutich will be the guest speaker.
MCHS will host a Drill Meet on November 15 in the school gym. Admission is free and is open to the public. The Cadets will also continue to support area social service organizations, such as the Salvation Army Food Drive and the Marine Corps League’s Toys for Tots campaign, on top of MCHS athletics.