On December 9, 2023, the NJROTC Orienteering team took home first place in the regional orienteering competition, setting them up to break a school record.
The team is headed by captain Andrew Wilson and co-captain Mike Du Plessis, “I run the practices,” Wilson said, “I make sure that everyone’s ready … and I do my best to lead them.”
Orienteering involves using a map and compass for land navigation. The only difference in NJROTC competitions is the competitive aspect. “You’re trying to run through the map as quickly as you can, trying to find different points along the way to run back to the end,” Wilson said.
Wilson has been orienteering since his freshman year and has gotten to see the teams success in past competitions. “We won Area 5 last year, but in some years prior, I don’t think we have won it. I know my freshman year we got second,” Wilson said. “It’s really cool to win the area.”
Wilson wanted to highlight Alan Krus’s performance during the championship.since Krus earned first place overall. “He got the highest score in the whole competition out of everyone in our region,” Wilson said.
Winning the regionals competition has brought Wilson and his team one step closer to completing their goal and making school history. “Winning the area means we can go to Nationals, and that’s been our focus all year,” Wilson said.“We have never won nationals. Actually, my freshman year, when we got second place, that tied for our highest ranking.”
The NJROTC Orienteering finals are in March.
