Marion High School students won the NCKTC High School Invitational Gas Metal Arc Welding contest in Beloit on Friday for a third consecutive year. They competed against 18 schools and 29 teams.

Marion had six students place in the top 25. Raleigh Kroupa placed first, Nicholas Stuchlik, fifth, and Bret Voth placed sixth. A second Marion team placed ninth overall.

Team members read and interpreted blueprints to correctly place and perform 4 welds on both 3/8” and ¼” plates. They also were given a written test on Mig welding. Students were allowed to use Lincoln or Miller welders and were required to set the welder, perform several position welds according to blueprint specification, and make the weld on the proper side and of the proper size.

Students competing from Marion included Kroupa, Voth, Stuchlik, Dylan Carpenter, William Adame, Malachi Sippel, Bryce Shults, and Dylan Pippin.