Shooters claim national honor

Daily Sun sports

SPARTA, Ill. - Representing the state of Nebraska recently in national competition, the Beatrice Scholastic Clay Target Program team finished as runners-up in the Junior Varsity Division for shooters in grades 9-12.

The Beatrice team included Jordan Bender of Holmesville, Keith Hartley of Beatrice, Cole Bures of Odell, Jason Pike of Beatrice and Sheena Mahloch of Plymouth.

During the national competition at Sparta, Ill., the Beatrice team shot 977 of 1,000 targets.

The White Flyer Claybusters from Pennsylvania won the Junior Varsity national title with 981 targets broken. Another Pennsylvania team finished third with 967 targets.

SCTP, which was started by the National Shooting Sports Foundation in 2000, sponsors competition in trap, skeet and sporting clays.

In all, there were five divisions at the national shoot — Varsity, Junior Varsity, Intermediate Advanced, Intermediate and Rookie.

More than 1,600 shotgunners from 35 states competed during the SCTP Trap National Championships with nine states represented on the medal stand.

In order to qualify for the national shoot, the Beatrice squad had to win the division’s state championship.

The team claimed the state title, breaking 928 of 1,000 targets. The score also made them the high overall team at the state event.

On the first day of national competition, the Beatrice team broke 485 of 500 targets.

Hartley had the best individual score, breaking 98 of 100, while Mahloch, Bures and Bender broke 97 and Pike 96.

During the final round, the Beatrice team broke 492 of 500 targets to give it its 977 total and national runners-up finish.

Bures led the team, breaking 100 straight targets during the second day, while Mahloch finished with 99, Hartley and Bender with 98 and Pike with 97.

For their efforts, the Beatrice shooters received a team trophy, individual medals and a $250 savings bond.