The Oak Harbor High School Navy Junior Reserve Office Crops sporter rifle team will compete in the national NJROTC competition Feb. 18-20 at Fort Perry, Ohio.

The Wildcats received word Friday, Jan. 15, that they were invited after the team that qualified above them declined to attend. Oak Harbor shot a qualifying score in a district postal match in November. That score was compared to others from across the nation, and the leaders received invitations to the national finals.

Competing for Oak Harbor will be co-captains Steven Richards and Mia Gehrmann, along with Micah Moss and Elizabeth Adams. Julia Flake will serve as the alternate.

The top teams from the Navy nationals will earn berths in the JROTC championships in March. Oak Harbor was second among Navy teams in 2015, according to coach Dave Goodman.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Goodman said. “I didn’t think we were going to get to go.”

“We are shooting really, really well right now,” he added.

The U.S. nationals will take place at Fort Perry later this year, and this will give the new Oak Harbor shooters a “great opportunity” to get used to the site, Goodman said.

All of the Wildcat Battalion teams and individuals, including the shooters, will compete in a Northwest Divisional match at 8 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, at Oak Harbor High School. The Wildcat shooters have a five-year winning streak in divisional competitions.

Sunday, Jan. 17, the shooters head to Olympia to take part in the state championships.