Members of the unarmed drill team march.
SAIPAN Southern High School’s Manta Ray Battalion topped the overall armed and unarmed drill division at the CNMI’s 2025 drill competition, according to the school’s Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructor, Sgt. Maj. Richard Basa.
With their victory, the Manta Rays are headed to Torrance, California to compete in the Golden Bear West Coast National Drill Meet where they will face other high school drill teams. The competition takes place on March 26.
Eman Barce, the commander of the Manta Ray Battalion’s armed drill team, said in preparation for the local competition, he and the other cadets practiced three times a day from Tuesday to Friday.
Ashley Villagomez, who commands the unarmed drill team, said that on Mondays, a half-day at the school, they practiced twice a day.
Barce said he was pleased to see the results of all their hard work.
“It feels great after six to seven months of hard work,” he said. “It feels really good having your work paid off.”
He said this will be the third year in a row that SSHS will compete at the Golden Bear, adding that he always feels “hungry for more” competition off-island.
“Two years ago, we took the traveling trophy,” he said. “All the schools that compete at Golden Bear, whoever has the most points, they take the traveling trophy home. Our name has been on the traveling trophy a few times.”
He credits their instructor, Sgt. Maj. Basa, and his fellow cadets’ discipline as factors in their team’s success.
Although this will be Barce’s last year competing in drill since he is a senior, he is glad that eight of the 11 members of his team are freshmen, who can continue to grow in the program.
For her part, Villagomez said her team must continue to work together to be victorious.
“To do good in drill, you need to work together. It’s not just about one person,” she said. “Just because you’re good on your own doesn’t mean you’re going to be good as a whole team. To work with your team, you need to have a good bond. I would say don’t stand by yourself. Talk to your team members. Help them out even if you’re doing good and make sure the person next to you is doing good as well.”
Villagomez, who is a junior, said this was her first year being in charge of a team. Her unarmed team members are mostly sophomores and juniors, so they can again participate in the local competition next year.
Basa said the local competition this year was notable.
“I really want to recognize all the cadets in the CNMI from Kagman High School, Marianas High School, Rota High School, and Tinian High School. These guys do train hard. They give all the effort they can give. In a competition, somebody has to win, but I really make a hoo-ah for all the cadets in the CNMI for competing. It’s very competitive,” Basa said.
He also thanked SSHS Principal Vince Dela Cruz, Vice Principal Arisa Peters, Senior Director for Student and Support Services Jackie Quitugua, Sgt. Jonas Barcinas, Sgt. Michael Berbes, Drill Sgt. Luis Macaranas, Drill Sgt. Ricky Santiago, LTC Greg Sablan, Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence Camacho and the CNMI Board of Education.
