Marmion drill team goes to Purdue, brings home trophy
Marmion Academy’s nationally ranked Flannigan Rifles Drill Team competed at Purdue University’s Annual ROTC Drill Meet Feb. 4.
Led by this year’s commanders, Brian Wulff of Batavia and Nick Ondrla of Aurora, Flannigan Rifles competed against 18 teams and brought home eight first-place trophies and the coveted Commander’s Cup. This is Marmion’s 12th consecutive overall win at Purdue.
In individual events, senior Eddy Birth of St. Charles and junior John Pacer of Batavia won first place for Armed Exhibition Duet. Senior Matt Fazio of West Chicago won first place for Armed Exhibition Solo, and John Pacer won second place in the same event. Junior Christopher Felder of Batavia won fourth place in Armed Knockout.
Flannigan Rifles Infantry Drill Regulations teams owned the drill floor at the Purdue Armory, with Marmion’s IDR Platoon Teams taking first, second and third place, and IDR Squad Teams winning first and second place.
IDR Platoon C, commanded by Brian Wulff, took first place, while IDR Squad C, commanded by Nick Ondrla, also took first. IDR Platoon B, commanded by junior Max Meyer of Geneva took second place, as did IDR Squad B, commanded by senior Joe Brennan of Cortland.
IDR Platoon A, commanded by sophomore Jack Maley of South Elgin won third place.
Additional first-place trophies were earned by: Armed Exhibition Platoon, commanded by Eddy Birth; Unarmed Exhibition Squad, commanded by senior Stuart Quinn of Sugar Grove; Color Guard A, commanded by senior Jeremy See of Naperville.
A second-place trophy was earned by Unarmed Exhibition Platoon, commanded by Jeremy See, and a third-place trophy was won in Armed Exhibition Squad, commanded by senior Erik Liesen, senior of St. Charles.
Marmion’s Flannigan Rifles Drill Team, directed by John Gissel, SGM, USA (Retired), will compete in four regional drill meets, as well as the Army Nationals in Louisville, Ken. The season culminates with a trip to Daytona Beach, Fla., to compete in the National High School Drill Team Championships.
For more information on Flannigan Rifles, visit marmion.org.