Missouri Military Academy Has Strong Showing in Missouri State Raiders Championship

Missouri Military Academy (MMA) hosted the Missouri State Raiders Championship on Saturday, October 23, 2021. A precursor to the ROTC collegiate level Ranger Competition, Raiders is a military-style competition conducted with an 8-man team. The one-day event includes a 5K road march, Raider Challenge Course, Physical Team Test (PTT), and Gauntlet Course, one-rope bridge, and obstacle course.

A total of 12 high schools, fielding 21 teams, from Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin participated in the competition, including the following:

• Blue Springs South High School, MO, 3 teams
• Knob Noster High School, MO, 2 teams
• Lafayette High School, MO, 1 team
• Lee’s Summit North High School, MO, 2 teams
• Marmion Academy, IL, 1 team
• Missouri Military Academy, MO, 2 teams
• Moberly High School, MO, 2 teams
• Nevada High School, MO, 1 team
• Ozark High School, MO, 4 teams
• Poplar Bluff High School, MO, 1 team
• Scott Reginal Tech Center (SRTC), MO, 1 team
• St. John's Northwestern Academies, WI, 1 team

Out of 14 male teams, MMA’s Colonels Raiders team 1 took fourth place overall in the championship with 2nd overall in the obstacle course. Both teams are coached by SFC John Biddle.

Team 1 member Cadet Bryson Powell (pictured above) came in first in the single-person Ultimate Raider Event with a time of 5:17 — a whole 21 seconds ahead of the 2nd place competitor! President Geraci recognized Cadet Powell for this accomplishment on Oct. 26 (photo below).

MMA Raiders Team 1 finished with 3rd place in gauntlet, 7th place for One-Rope Bridge, 2nd place for Obstacle Course, 3rd place in the 5K, 4th place in the Raider Challenge Course, and 4th place for the Physical Team Test (PTT). Team 1 members included the following:

• Patricio Regis (team captain)
• Gage Blanton
• Gabriel Iglesias Osorio
• Ryan Miles
• Connor Moore
• Clayton Nelson
• Bryson Powell
• Gavin Roberts
• Lucas Sydlewski
• Samuel Way

MMA Team 2 finished in fifth place overall. They finished with 2nd place in gauntlet, 3rd place for One-Rope Bridge, 3rd place for Obstacle Course, 5th place in the 5K, 7th place in the Raider Challenge Course, and 7th place for the Physical Team Test (PTT). Team 2 members included the following:

• René Garcia-Garza (team captain)
• Wayland Evans
• Kruze Hagan
• Roman Lowder
• Gabriel Ontiveros
• Louis Pfaff
• Angelo Urdaneta
• Allan Wilson
• Parker Woodruff

View more photos here.