FORT WORTH, T.X - The ILTexas Keller-Saginaw High School Marine Corps JROTC (MCJROTC) cadets competed in a drill meet at Horn Lake High School in Horn Lake, Mississippi on Saturday, February 26, where they received 1st place in the overall competition.

The ILTexas cadets placed first in Academics, Inspection, Armed Regulation Drill, Color Guard, and Physical Fitness. They then placed 2nd overall in Unarmed Regulation, Unarmed Exhibition, and Armed Exhibition.

With their 1st place win, the team is qualified to compete in Allen, TX for the Region 5 competition that will be held on March 26 at Allen High School. The team will be among the top 16 schools that advanced to the drill meet out of 65 total. Teams that place in the top three will advance to the national competition held later that month in Daytona Beach, Florida. 

^{ILTexas Keller-Saginaw HS MCJROTC 1st place trophies from a drill meet in Horn Lake, Mississippi. Photo courtesy of MSgt. Lee Lacey.}

Despite being around for just one year, the cadets at Keller-Saginaw High School (KSHS) have trained for months in preparation for the competitions. 

“Drill team routines and MCJROTC Academics competitions are new concepts for these cadets, but hard work and dedication is not,” said Master Sergeant Lee Lacey, the marine instructor at ILTexas KSHS. 

“Major Bauman and I are extremely proud of them and their hard work to date.”

Learn more about the Marine Corps JROTC program at ILTexas here.