Thirteen Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) units from local high schools gathered at Point Loma High School on a recent Saturday morning in an annual competition of organization, performance and physical prowess. This year’s event marked the first time PLHS has hosted the event. For the physical challenge, each school sent a 10-person team consisting of five male and five female cadets. Events included push-ups, sit-ups, a 5-by-400-meter relay race and distance throw. Points were awarded based on each team’s production, with a grand total at meet’s end determining the champions. Judges using military standards determine each cadet’s repetitions were correct. For males, San Diego High took first-place honors, with Serra High second and Lincoln High placing third. On the female side, Scripps Ranch High won, followed by San Diego and Serra Highs. San Diego was named overall winner. Other participating high schools were Hoover, Kearny, Morse, Madison, Crawford, Henry, Mira Mesa and University City. The Cadet Challenge is one in a series of competitions between units for the year-ending Stilwell Trophy, which includes best drilled first-, second-, third- and fourth-year units, varsity and first-year color guards. San Diego High leads with 185 points. Point Loma stands seventh with 107 points. At an earlier “Brain Brawl” academic event, Point Loma took third place. Instructors with the Point Loma High NJROTC program are Capt. Tom Cunningham and Jeff Feehley. Interested parents and students can find out information about the NJROTC program from Cunningham at [email protected].