February 12–14 marked an extraordinary weekend for junior shooting sports as the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), in cooperation with the Missouri Marksmanship Education Center, hosted the Navy JROTC National Championships at its new state-of-the-art training facility in Columbia Missouri. Fifty-one sporter teams and twenty precision teams converged from across the nation to compete for national honors. Representing twenty-two states—and even a Department of Defense school from Japan—the championship field reflected the growing strength and reach of scholastic marksmanship.
Competition was fierce from the first relay to the final shot, but Indiana athletes rose to the occasion in commanding fashion. Floyd Central High School of Floyds Knobs not only claimed the National Championship title in the Precision division, but also shattered the Navy record in 3P Precision Air Rifle with a 4709 The Highlanders delivered a performance for the ages, placing three athletes into the individual final and ultimately capturing first, second, and sixth place overall.
In a dramatic championship final, Lacy Schilmiller held off Ysabelle Martinez in a contest that came down to the final shot. A dominant prone stage proved decisive, with Schilmiller securing the national title by a razor-thin margin of just four-tenths of a point. It was the kind of composure-under-pressure performance that defines champions and underscores the mental discipline required at the highest levels of junior competition.
With their national title secured, the Highlanders now set their sights on the All-Service National Championship at the end of March. There, they will face the formidable Pirates of Granbury High School, the reigning powerhouse in JROTC precision rifle. Last year’s showdown between these two programs was decided by a mere two points out of a possible 4,800, one of the closest finishes in recent memory. All indications suggest this year’s matchup will once again be a tightly contested battle between two elite programs at the pinnacle of junior marksmanship.
Indiana shooting sports continues to demonstrate not only competitive excellence but also the depth of talent being developed within its scholastic programs. As Floyd Central prepares for its next challenge, one thing is certain: the Hoosier State will be well represented on the national stage.
Article was written by:
James Hall, OLY
Director of Sport Advancement
Marksmanship USA
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