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YOKOSUKA, JAPAN – For the first time in Red Devil history, four members of the Kinnick Marksmanship team have qualified to compete at the Navy National JROTC Air Rifle Championship.
On January 9, 2025, Kinnick's strongest shooters – Team Captain Angel Chavez (12th), Captain Angel Chavez (12th), Jack Hopkins (12th), Autumn Hendra (11th), and Keira Hoffman (11th) –traveled to Robert Service High School in Anchorage, Alaska, to compete in the Area 23 Manager’s Invitational Sporter Championship. After a solid performance, they earned second place overall and secured a spot at the Navy National JROTC Air Rifle Championship in Alabama.
Upon arrival, the host school welcomed the team and gave them time to adjust to the Athena scoring system, which differed from what they were accustomed. The cadets overcame challenges of international travel, including jet lag and rifle adjustments, and remained focused, knowing they had to recover fast for the competition.
Six teams competed, each consisting of four shooters.
“Kinnick was part of the first group on the firing line,” said Kinnick High School JROTC Instructor and Marksmanship Coach Lt. Cmdr. Steve Myers (ret.). “Scores were displayed in real-time on a smartboard behind the line, intensifying the pressure. In the first relay, Kinnick shooters placed well, securing 1st and 2nd, along with two more spots in the top 8. However, the second relay had Oak Harbor claiming most of the top positions, leaving only 3 Kinnick shooters on the leaderboard. The final part of the event was a high-pressure, knockout-style competition in the standing position, where shooters had to block out all distractions and noise, testing their ability to focus on the range. One by one, they were eliminated until only one remained. Oak Harbor took first place, but Kinnick shooters performed exceptionally well, with Jack Hopkins in 5th place, Autumn Hendra placing 6th, and Keira Hoffman in 7th overall.”
When the final scores were tallied, Oak Harbor won with a score of 2056, while Kinnick trailed closely with 1947. Since Oak Harbor had already qualified for Nationals during the postal phase, Kinnick's second-place finish secured them a spot to compete at a higher level.
“This marks a historic moment, for these four shooters became the first to advance to Navy Nationals in 30 years,” Myers said.
The Navy National JROTC Air Rifle Championship will take place February 16-18, 2025, in Anniston, Alabama.
