CONCORD — The BlackJack unit from the Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy in Elizabethtown won its second straight National Society of Pershing Rifles Drill Championship against a stiff field of competitoin. Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy is the only high school to win a Pershing Rifles Nationals.
This year, the PRBLA cadets beat the University of Toledo, which finished second overall, and Camden Military Academy, which took third.
Cadets competed against 24 Pershing Rifles, Pershing Angels and BlackJacks units from all over the United States. A total of 23 college drill teams were represented and one other high school made up this year’s competitive field. The meet was held in Concord on the infield of the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Paul R. Brown’s cadets competed in six events — earning third place in Regulation Platoon commanded by Passion Graham; three first-place trophies in Regulation Squad Armed commanded by Josclynn Coleman, Color Guard commanded by Brittany McMillan and Platoon Exhibition Armed commanded by Passion Graham.
Following are the final placements for the John J. Pershing Drill Meet:
Overall
First place: B-4 (BJ) The Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy
Second place: L-1 University of Toledo
Third place: A-4 (BJ) Camden Military Academy
Exhibition Platoon
First place: B-4 (BJ) PBLA
Second place L-1 University of Toledo
Third place: A-4 (BJ) Camden Military Academy
Exhibition Squad
First place: L-1 University of Toledo
Second place: G-7 Kansas State University
Third place: A-4 (BJ) Camden Military Academy
Regulation Platoon
First place: M-4 Appalachian State University
Second place: C-4 Clemson University
Third place: B-4 (BJ) PBLA
Regulation Squad
First place: B-4 (BJ) PBLA
Second place: A-4 (BJ) Camden Military Academy
Third place: C-4 Clemson University
Color Guard
First place: B-4 (BJ) PBLA
Second place: L-1 University of Toledo
Third place: G-10 UCLA
Solo
First place: B-4 University of South Carolina
Second place: B-6 East Tennessee State University
Third place: J-1 Wright State University
Tandem
First place: L-1 University of Toledo
Second place: H-4-5 (PA) Alabama A&M
Third place: A-4 (BJ) Camden University
