Cape JROTC cadets excel at Raider Challenge competition

The Cape Henlopen High School JROTC Raider Team, composed of primarily freshmen, participated in the annual Sussex Tech Invitational Cadet Raider Challenge March 16 and competed against nine other teams from Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey.

The Raider Challenge is a physically grueling series of individual and team events that tests each cadet’s physical fitness, stamina and teamwork. The competition began with a physical fitness test consisting of a mile run, push-ups and sit-ups, followed by a land navigation course, a first-aid/stretcher carry course of 100 yards, a 30-foot one-rope bridge construction and crossing event, and a five-kilometer forced march over broken terrain.

In this first competition of the season, the Cape team finished with a first place in both the physical fitness and first aid events, and an overall third place among the competitors. Cadet Cassidy Blevins won the individual first-place award for the highest female physical fitness score with a 287 out of 300 points.

The team, led by Cadet Capt. Mark Couchman, consisted of cadets Breanna Batter, Cassidy Blevins, Sarah Koon, Alexandria Mueller, Josh Betts, Quinten Bradford, Alex Dominick, Ross Hicks, Dean Hysock, Pete Leskovic, Sylvester Lovett, Eric Miller, Jack Ragone and Kevin Wright.