IT was a “California gold rush” for Saipan Southern High School’s Manta Ray Battalion cadets, who returned as the overall champions of the Army JROTC Golden Bear West Coast National Drill Meet.
The cadets competed in Torrance, California on Saturday, facing 45 other drill teams from the various JROTC high school programs on the West Coast.
This marked the third consecutive year the Manta Ray cadets represented the CNMI, after qualifying at the state-level drill competition in March.
Aside from taking home the overall trophy, the cadets also won 1st place awards in armed inspection, armed exhibition, and unarmed inspection.
The battalion placed second in the color guard competition and unarmed four-man drill.
For unarmed duo and armed platoon regulation, the Manta Ray cadets bagged 3rd place trophies.
Unarmed drill team commander Ashley Villagomez said she feels “ecstatic.” A junior student, she wants to come back to California next year to keep the trophy on Saipan.
“I was able to place in all of the events that I was a part of, and I commanded so I’m really proud and I’m really proud of my team and all the special teams that participated because we all worked hard for this moment and it really paid off,” she said.
Villagomez said although the Manta Ray cadets keep “striking gold” at Golden Bear, they can still grow.
“I feel like there is always room for improvement,” she said. “It’s just minor things that we need to work on, like maybe more teamwork, more bonding to be able to work together a little more. But other than that, I think our team is pretty solid this year.”
Villagomez said she has spoken to her fellow cadets, who are mostly sophomores and juniors, and she believes that most of them want to take part in the competition next year.
For his part, senior student Eman Barce, the armed drill team commander, was thrilled to see their hard work finally pay off.
“After a year of hard work, a lot of emotions, blood, sweat, and tears — it feels really good to come back with the results we really wanted,” he said, adding that the team had been practicing six days a week since January.
“I’ve been with the Manta Ray Battalion since my sophomore year, so this is my third and last year. It feels great to have a last dance and end it with such a bang,” Barce said.
Shanna Villaluz, a cadet captain and drill team member, said many of her teammates are underclassmen. As first-time participants in the competition, they felt “really nervous,” while others were “excited” or “shy and scared,” she said.
A senior student, she invites other students to try out for the drill team.
“It’s a really fun experience,” she said. “You … get to compete off island if you … put in the hard work. You … get to meet new people and learn more about the program and learn more about what we do for everyone. I hope that you guys decide to join drill as it is an opportunity you … should take,” she said.
Retired Sgt. Maj. Richard Basa, the cadets’ Army instructor, thanked the Public School System, the Board of Education, SSHS Principal Vince Dela Cruz, chaperones and parents for their support and presence.
“We tried to win the traveling trophy, which is the highest Army trophy that you can get from Golden Bear and that thing is right here. We achieved that,” Basa said. “That was one of our goals.”
The Saipan Southern High School Manta Ray Battalion cadets pose with their trophies for a group photo at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport on Tuesday, April 29, after returning in triumph from the Golden Bear West Coast National Drill Meet in California.
The SSHS Manta Ray cadets take part in the unarmed platoon regulation competition.
The SSHS Manta Ray cadets represent the CNMI in Torrence, California.
The SSHS Manta Ray cadets take part in the unarmed exhibition portion of the competition at Golden Bear.
The SSHS Manta Ray cadets compete in the armed exhibition portion of the Golden Bear competition.
