On November 16th, 85 high school Junior ROTC marksmen representing 12 rifle teams from Washington and Oregon met on Saturday in Lebanon, Oregon for the first Cascade Mountain League JROTC Drill Meet Rifle Match of the 2024-25 season. The high school marksmen filled 5 relays at Lebanon High School to test their marksmanship skills in the first of 5 contests that the Cascade Mountain League conference will hold this season. Shooters competed in 3 position rifle matches consisting of 20 record shots in the kneeling, prone, and standing positions.

In the sporter class, Cadet First Sergeant Melissa Villegas fired the Blue Devil’s highest score with a career-high 541 out of 600, taking the Gold medal in the Sharpshooter Class and leading WaHi’s sporter team to a 2nd place finish with Cadet Corporal Jaycee Cox taking the gold medal in the Expert Class with a 528. The Blue Devil Sporter team was rounded out by Cadet Major Claire Wooster finishing on a 515 for a silver medal in the Sharpshooter Class and Cadet Captain Saphira Rynaski with a 516 shooting in the Master Class. The team finished the day setting a new school record for the sporter team with 2100 points out of 2400, behind the winning team from Lebanon High School who ended on 2135.

The Blue Devils swept the Precision Class with Cadet Lieutenant Claire Calvert claiming gold with a final score of 580, followed close behind by Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Hannah Goin in a virtual tie with a 580. The medal was decided by both ladies’ center x ten count with Calvert coming out just ahead of Goin 32-28. The scoring precision team was rounded out by Cadet Captain Sarah Nelson shooting a career high of 577, followed closely by Rifle Team Captain Evan Graham behind a 570.

“This is the first time in several years we have shot a score over 2300 on the precision team,” said WaHi Rifle Team Coach Mark Mebes after the match. “That is extremely encouraging this early in the season.”

At the conclusion of the day, Walla Walla’s Precision Team took first place over the team from Redmond, Oregon, 2307 to 2075.

“Even though we shot well today, everyone came off the line with something that we could have done better,” said Graham on Saturday “ If we can keep improving as the season progresses it’s exciting to think how far we could go this year.”

Walla Walla’s Rifle Teams return home this week to host the Pardini Air Nationals Qualifier next Saturday at Walla Walla High School.