Southeast Bulloch and Statesboro High Schools’ JROTC Raider Teams traveled recently to the State Raider Meet at Spaulding High School in Griffin, and each took home top honors.
    Both Raider leaders Major Jeff Odegaard (SEB) and CSM Joe Depenhart (SHS) were proud that their teams performed so well competing against schools which had 250 or more cadets. Only 39 schools out of the nearly 120 schools with JROTC teams even qualified for the state meet.
    SEB’s team came home with their first-ever State Raider Meet Championship Trophy. Led by Major Jeffrey Odegaard and co-captain Sky Reicherter, they won their title in the One Rope Bridge event. According to Odegaard, the team clocked in at 1 minute and 48 seconds, despite the frigid weather.
    There were four other events: Cross Country Rescue (carrying a litter loaded with three 30-pound packs on a run), Team Run (a team-together 3K run), Fitness Test (each cadet carries
10 30-pound sand bags/ammo cans for 50 yards) and Tire Flip (flipping a tractor tire down a course).
    Raider Leader Command Sergeant Major Joe Depenhart accompanied the two Statesboro High School JROTC Raider teams into the competitions: the boys Raider team, led by Cadet First Sergeant Edjare Wilson; and the SHS girls Raider team, led by Cadet Lieutenant Ashante Rivers.
    After both SHS teams placed first in the Regionals, the girls Raider team placed third in the Tire Flip event, in which they man-handled a 300-pound tire all the way down a course.
    The girls team went on to place sixth overall in the State Raider Meet competition. CSM Depenhart said, "I am very proud of our showing this year at State. This is the best we’ve ever done.”
    He added, “I am very optimistic about next year because the female team consisted of 9th to 11th graders, and they’ll be back next year. I have always enjoyed Raiders because of the way it emphasizes teamwork. The Cadets can’t be successful if every member isn't doing their part."