TJ’s air rifle team becomes second in city.
by Jasmine Kabera
photo by Kevin Fleming
With five wins and two losses under their belt, this year’s JROTC air rifle team is knocking out some serious competition in their quest to win gold.
Thomas Jefferson, along with nine other schools in DPS, compete in the Denver JROTC Round Ribbon Rifle Matches, and this year’s Spartan team seems to have shot straight to the top.
“This is the first time in at least 17 years that a TJ air rifle team has beaten Kennedy,” said First Sergeant Carl Gray, the team’s coach. The rifle team defeated the top ranked Kennedy team in their sixth match, with a score of 882 to 847. The team had won three straight matches: smashing Manual, Montbello, and North High Schools, and finally losing against East High School. The rifle team brought it back by winning against Lincoln, by shooting off one more point and ending with a score of 879 to 878. Not wanting to let down at last, the TJ rifle team came back with a victory against Kennedy and West.
The four members of the team include Senior and Team Captain Zahira Diaz, Senior Jessica Velasquez, Junior Pedro Perez and Sophomore Emma Olan. Diaz, Perez, and Olan have already qualified as experts and have therefore lettered.
To qualify for expert, all three had to shoot a score of 230-300 while doing 10 shots prone (laying down), 10 shots standing, and 10 shots kneeling. The ten ringed targets are drawn bordering a tan cardboard piece of paper that is changed with each new position. Each ring is numbered from 1 to 10, starting with the outer ring. During competition the judges examine the targets and determine where the shots landed and add up the numbers to announce a score. Afterward, everyone’s lowest score is thrown out and they combine the highest score. The team with the most points wins.
Each school’s air rifle teams consist of two squads: Team One (the equivalent of varsity) and Team Two (junior varsity). It is left up to the school to determine who is on each team.
“It’s cool, I like it,” said Diaz. “We get to meet new people and compete against other schools.” Diaz took the number 10 spot out of 57 contenders in DPS, with an average score of 227.57 out of a perfect 300. Perez followed close behind in the 13th spot with an average score of 223.43. Velazquez comes next in the 25th spot with an average of 205.43, and Olan made the 34th spot despite missing a meet, with an average score of 186.00.
At the end of the season the shooters will attend an award ceremony. The Top three teams will receive a team trophy and the members will receive individual trophies, as well. The 15 top shooters will receive medals to hang proudly on their JROTC uniforms.
With only two weeks left in their nine-week season, TJ took on George Washington High School November 4th. With GW and TJ both tied for the top spot, it was a heated match as both schools tried to stay number 2 in DPS. Unfortunately, TJ lost 887 to 902, just 15 points short of a victory. No matter the out come, TJ’s final match on November 11th against their biggest rival, South High School, will determine the legacy of a team that has risen from ashes.
