Suwannee High School (SHS) NJROTC Air Rifle Team competed in the State of Florida’s 2016-2017 NJROTC Postal Competition Area 7 at Oviedo High School on December 3.

SHS qualified for the state event due to them placing fifth as a team at the American Legion Post 16 Competition held at Eastside High School in September.

SHS sent down their four best shooters, Jordy King, Brittany Hernandez, Amber Deaton, and Cason Adams to the competition. At the competition, SHS finished 25 out of 57 teams in Area 7 with them finishing 293 out of 620 teams nationally.

Individually, the shooters placed as follows nationally:

Jordy King – 780 out of 2786 shooters

Brittany Hernandez – 944 out of 2786 shooters

Amber Deaton – 1072 out of 2786 shooters

Cason Adams – 2091 out of 2786 shooters

Although this is just the third year for the Air Rifle Team at SHS, Master Sergeant Doug Aukerman, says the team is very active with competitions. Aukerman says he has about 20 students in total actively participating in the Air Rifle Program at SHS. Shooters shoot twice a week beginning at the start of the school year and running through February. Assistant Coach Jeremy Smith also helps with the Air Rifle Program.

According to Aukerman, the National Rifles Association (NRA) gave SHS NJROTC a grant two years ago to help get the program started. The initial grant covered the essentials of an air rifle team, such as guns, pellets, and air. In addition to the grant money from the NRA, SHS’s Air Rifle Program is sponsored by the Suns of the American Legion Post 0779 and Centre Hall Pennsylvania.

Aukerman says he is awaiting to hear back the results of two different competitions. The Association of Aviation Ordnance men and the Fighting Rams Sporter Competition.

SHS’s Air Rifle Program has one more competition this season and it will be held at Stockbridge High School in January.