FONTANA, CA – Fontana High School’s Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (MCJROTC) marksmanship team captured the Sporter League championship and earned a league Most Valuable Player honor for senior Angel Posada, capping an undefeated postseason run.

The championship performance marked Fontana MCJROTC’s 10th consecutive postseason victory, completing a 10–0 run and following an undefeated regular season. Competing in the Champions Division, Fontana closed the final match with a comeback win.

In the final, Fontana rallied during the standing phase — widely considered the most demanding position of the competition — after trailing early. The team erased the deficit and pulled away late to secure the win, with Posada leading Fontana shooters and supported by strong performances from teammates across all positions. As the postseason closes, Fontana High now sets its sights on Marine Corps Nationals, with the opportunity to advance to All-Service Nationals in March and compete against the highest ranked marksmanship teams from across the nation.

“Once they establish that confidence and know what they’re doing, they stop second-guessing themselves,” said FOHI MCJROTC Senior Marine Instructor, Lieutenant Colonel Rugsithi Denny Meelarp. “They make the adjustment on their own, and they move forward. You don’t have time to dwell on success or failure. You refocus, you adjust, and you get ready for the next thing. Life’s not going to stop, so you shouldn’t either.”

For Posada, the league MVP recognition capped a season defined by determination and a team dynamic centered around friendship and a collaborative culture. A second-year marksman and senior, Posada earned the Sporter League MVP award after setting the league’s top postseason average of 584.9, emerging as one of the most reliable competitors.

“I started in the program from zero,” Posada said. “I wasn’t really good at it at first, but with time, I kept improving. I learned a lot from the people around me, and they helped me get to where I am now.”

Posada described consistency as the defining factor in earning the MVP distinction, noting that success in league competition requires steady performance week after week. Rather than focusing on being the top scorer every time, he emphasized effort, focus, and the ability to perform under pressure.

That approach is the cornerstone of the training environment within Fontana MCJROTC’s marksmanship program, where repetition and self-correction are central to development. Practices average 20 hours a week where technical precision, breathing control, and mental focus are mainstay aspects of training. Shooters are trained to recognize their own adjustments and apply corrections independently, building confidence in their decision making.

Beyond technical training, Posada credited the program’s culture for helping him grow. He described the team as a close-knit group built on mutual support, where teammates push one another to improve on and off the range. According to Posada, the program’s structure translates to his academic and personal life where he applies those skills to time management, balancing academics, training, and personal responsibilities. Cadets are expected to maintain strong grades while committing to a demanding practice schedule.

As he prepares to graduate, Posada said he plans to attend Cal Poly Pomona, majoring in microbiology and carrying his passion for marksmanship into archery.

“We put in the work and the effort, but at the same time we’re students,” Posada said. “To be in marksmanship, we have to stay on top of our grades. Shooting comes second. Our team is built around people who know how to manage their time and be mature enough to handle school, practice, and everything else. Academics come first, always.”

PHOTO CAPTION:

MCJROTC_LEAGUE_CHAMPIONS1: Members of Fontana High School’s MCJROTC marksmanship team celebrate after securing the Sporter League title and a league Most Valuable Player honor, completing a flawless postseason run following an undefeated regular season.