BY MATT SIMPSON

The Oxford High School Marine Corps JROTC Air Rifle team is fired up after finishing 8-0 in the Air Force Marine Corps Distinguished Division, making them the division champions.

This is the first time the JROTC Rifle Team has won a championship, which is a big achievement for OHS.

The JROTC program has its own air rifle firing range, which is where the OHS team shoots for competitions.

“We have basically virtual matches,” said Senior Marine Instructor Col. Doug Cromwell. “We shoot here in our firing range, I run things through the scanner, and I score them, and the results get sent off to the Orion National Air Rifle League.”

The Orion National Air Rifle League, the league that OHS won the division title in, consists of teams from all over the country. OHS is in the Distinguished Division, which comprises teams from California, Louisiana, Texas, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

OHS also competes in the Mississippi/Louisiana Rifle League, which obviously is composed of teams from Mississippi and Louisiana.

Brianna Sims, a senior student and assistant coach, and Harrison Davis, also a senior, help all the younger JROTC students.

“I help people that need help shooting,” Sims said.

“She coaches younger students because she is a senior,” Cromwell said about Sims. “Seniors help the younger kids throughout the course of the year. Lots of times, Brianna and Harrison will be here well after they have finished shooting because they are helping some of the younger kids.”

The rifle team chooses four people to shoot for each of their competitions.

“A team is four shooters and we will shoot one prone, one kneeling, and one standing,” David said. “Or we shoot two prone, two kneeling, and two standing, depending on what match it is.”