April 22, 2021
Granbury Marine Corps JROTC rifle team members took top honors as both the Marine Corps Service Champions and National All Service Champions for the fourth year in a row at the JROTC Virtual Air Rifle Championships sponsored through the Civilian Marksmanship Program on April 7-8, 2021.
For the first time in the history of the program, Granbury fielded three teams – that included the Granbury High School squad’s entire lineup – in the national matches. The teams competed in the 3×20 air rifle event, featuring competitors firing twenty record shots from each of three positions (prone, standing, and kneeling) twice over the two-day contest.
GHS rifle team members competing were Ashton Arlington, Julia Czernik, Alexis DeLaPena, Sarah Folsom, Tye Foster, Parker Haydin, Jonathan Hutchison, Caroline Martin, Cadince McGrath, Sunnee Schumann, Kaylynn Slaughter, and Kameron Wells.
The GHS top squad of Folsom, Arlington, Haydin, and Slaughter shot a 4,709 - 327 out of a possible 4800 points to claim the national title. This finish was 52 points ahead of second-place East Coweta High School’s Marine JROTC.
Folsom led the team and shot a personal best of 1187 out of a possible 1200 points placing her first with the gold medal as an individual and claiming the title as the “Best in the Nation.” In addition, Haydin joined Folsom on the podium shooting a total of 1184 in both days that propelled him to a second-place finish overall.
"I liked the way everyone fought through the match for every point to claim the championship and shoot a school record,” commented Lt. Col. Scott Casey, the Senior Marine Instructor and rifle team head coach.
Granbury’s second team of DeLaPena, Schumann, Martin and Czernik placed fifth overall. The third squad of McGrath, Wells, Hutchison, and Foster placed 19th out of the field of 47 teams.
“Our second team was impressive, placing fifth overall,” Casey remarked. “Also, two of our freshmen standouts, Wells and Czernik, performed well by out pacing many seniors in the field. They are the future of the team, and I cannot wait to see what they will do next year.”
Casey continued, “This is a really big deal for this team as we have been preparing for this match all year trying to make it a fourth year in a row as national champions.
Pictured is the national champion team: (left to right) Ashton Arlington, Parker Haydin, Kaylynn Slaughter, and Sarah Folsom.
