Missouri Military Academy JROTC Raiders Compete at 2024 Raider Challenge National Competition

The Missouri Military Academy (MMA) JROTC Raiders competed at the 2024 U.S. Army Cadet Command Junior ROTC Raider Challenge National Competition, held October 24-27 at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Competing in the Masters Level - male division, MMA achieved impressive placements across various events — including finishing in the top 10 in four events — ultimately finishing 83rd out of 278 teams.

"Participating in Raiders is among the toughest physical and mental challenges our cadets can face at MMA, and we are proud of how these young men represented the Academy in this national competition," said MMA President Brigadier General Richard V. Geraci, USA (Ret). "The resilience, determination, teamwork and grit it takes to be a Raider truly embody the principles we aim to instill in every cadet."

MMA placements:

• One Rope Bridge: 26th Place
• Physical Team Test: Ninth Place
• 5K Run: Ninth Place
• CCR (Cadet Challenge Relay): Ninth Place
• Gauntlet: 21st Place
• Battle Fit: Ninth Place

“This year’s team had a strong performance at the 2024 Raider Nationals,” said Raiders Coach 1SG William A. Blue (Ret). “Their behavior was exemplary — they listened carefully to instructions from the team captain and coaches and competed well in each event.”

Blue noted that while the team performed exceptionally well, there is always room to grow. Paying closer attention to detail, particularly in events like the One Rope Bridge, could help the team fine-tune their skills and build an even stronger foundation for next year’s competition.

Led by Coach Blue and Assistant Coach MAJ Wayne Welander, USA (Ret), the 2024 Raider Nationals roster included the following MMA cadets:

• Cadet Kruze Hagan ’25, Kirksville, Missouri (team captain)
• Cadet Adam Swenson ’25, Youngstown, New York
• Cadet Ryan Miles ’25, Dallas, Texas
• Cadet Jonathan Valesa ’25, Kansas City, Missouri
• Cadet Deonte Kerns ’26, Lincoln, Nebraska 
• Cadet Daniel Bravo ’27, Dublin, California
• Cadet Luis Rey ’26, México City, México
• Cadet Roberto Lavalle ’26, Teziutlán, México
• Cadet Alexander Pro ’25, St. Charles, Missouri
• Cadet Miles Matthews ’25, Fairfield Bay, Arkansas
• Cadet Christopher Song ’26, Southlake, Texas
• Cadet Luis Sass-Zaragoza ’28, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Cadet Braxton Phasey ’25, Rogers, Arkansas
• Cadet Malachi Imrie ’25, Manchester, Missouri

A unique highlight from this year’s competition was Cadet Adam Swenson, who brought his bagpipe to Fort Knox, adding a memorable note to the event. Cadet Swenson played the bagpipe as the team marched between events, and again during the 5K Run, providing an inspiring start and finish for his teammates. His bagpipe playing drew attention from leadership, and he was awarded four coins for his spirit and performance, including one from the U.S. Army Cadet Command Commanding General. Cadet Swenson’s performance culminated in a solo on stage at the awards ceremony, where he played before an audience of over 2,000 JROTC cadets from around the nation. See photos below.

Looking ahead to next year, team captain Hagan Kruze expressed confidence in the Colonels Raiders' future as he passed leadership to Cadet Deonte Kerns. As the new team captain, Cadet Kerns will work with other returning Raiders, including Cadets Bravo, Rey, Lavalle, and Sass-Zaragoza, plus others who join, to build on this year’s progress.

Congratulations, cadets!

View more photos here.