Michigan, Georgia, Virginia, Arizona Dominate Field at National Youth Skeet and Sporting Clays Championships

Record 15 States Represented in Scholastic Clay Target Program Event

DETROIT—Youth shooting teams from Michigan, Georgia, Arizona, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Virginia earned national championships this weekend at the Scholastic Clay Target Program's (SCTP) National Skeet and Sporting Clays Championships held at the Detroit Gun Club.

A record 15 states were represented at the event, producing the highest attendance in its five-year history. More than 170 youths competed in skeet while 130 competed in sporting clays.

"Thanks to the hard work and commitment of volunteers around the country, SCTP’s success and popularity continues to skyrocket," said Zach Snow, shooting promotions coordinator for National Shooting Sports Foundation, which developed the youth program. "Over the past year, participation in the program in both skeet and sporting clays has grown by nearly 200 percent."

Michigan—the host of this year's event—was well represented with teams claiming national titles in skeet in SCTP's senior experienced and senior novice divisions as well as a national title in sporting clays in the senior novice division.

For one Michigan team, it was all about family chemistry. Brothers Matt and Jon Haver of Boyne City and their cousin Chris Haver of Clinton topped the senior novice field in both skeet and sporting clays. In skeet they missed just 17 of their 600 targets, while in sporting clays their 507 score was 31 higher than the second-place finisher.

"We had an awesome weekend," said Paul Haver, the team’s coach and father of Matt and Jon. "They came together and shot as a team this weekend and showed how they’ve matured as a team. They’ve all got the capability, they’ve all go the know-how to do it and they finally put it all together and made it happen. It was great."

Another Michigan team, three skeet shooters from Wayne County, topped the field in the senior experienced division, missing only 15 of 600 targets. With their 585 score, Paco Birch of Dearborn, Hunter Dzierbicki of Bloomfield Hills and Andy Fall of West Branch shot almost flawlessly on both Saturday and Sunday.

"They shot very well and they had a great time. That’s all that matters," said Wayne County coach Bob Martin. "They click as a very good team. They know when one guy’s down, what to say to him. They all have character and SCTP builds it."

Arizona also put in an impressive showing at the event, winning the junior novice and rookie divisions in skeet.

More impressive was the fact that two shooters on Arizona's junior novice Ben Avery Phoenix Firebirds—Wesley Borie of Phoenix and Ian Graham of Cave Creek—began shooting just five months ago. With the help of teammate Patrick Wood of Scottsdale, the team scored 536 out of 600, 30 more targets than the second-place team.

"They shot great," said Arizona coach Andy Borie. "They had their ups and downs and everything, but they learned how to pull through and help each other as a squad. They started out shooting 15s, 16s, 17s. Now they’re all shooting 23s, 24s and 25s. They’re all individuals, but they all come together for the team. I can’t say enough about any of them"

Arizona's rookie White Mountain Trappers, who placed first with a 316 total score, are also newcomers to skeet shooting. Dustyn Howard of Clay Springs, Alex Hoyt of St. Johns and Dennis Stover of Springerville began shooting with SCTP in March and now have the title of national champions.

"We performed very well for the first major competition we’ve had," said coach Robert Hoyt. "They’ve all improved so much. As a team, they have fun and that’s all that counts. It was fun and a good experience. And you better watch out because next year they’re going to be shooting even better."

Another state with multiple titles was Georgia, which won the junior experienced division in both skeet and sporting clays.

Georgia's Lake Oconee Remington team of Thomas Coggins of Bogart, Cody Reid of Acworth and Nick Wilson of Eatonton put in top scores of 569 in skeet and 461 in sporting clays.

"They were phenomenal," said coach Jay Reid. "They really stepped up to the plate and did a great job. I think experience has helped them. They’ve shot a lot of competitions over the last year and they’ve gotten really comfortable with competition. They’ve all bonded as friends and they really pick each other up. They just make a really good team."

Three other states claiming national titles were Nebraska, Virginia and Wisconsin.

For the second straight year, the Nebraska One Box Seniors are national sporting clays champions.  With an impressive 521 total score, Jacob Hueftle, Logan Spanel and Print Zutavern of Broken Bow dominated their field of shooters.

"They wanted the back to back," said coach Dave Stunkel. "They did well because they’re a team. It was no individual. It was all a team. That’s a good thing about SCTP. They get the chance to all shoot together. They get to put it all together and see what they can do as one group and they did it. It’s pretty awesome."

Virginia's Timber Ridge Junior Clay Busters were crowned national champions in sporting clays in the junior novice division. With their 451 total score, Daniel Foster of Drakes Branch, Nolan Hudson of South Hill, and Jacob Lawson broke 11 targets more than the second-place finisher.

"They did excellent," said coach David Fuller. "Actually, they shot a little better than their average score. They’ve been working together as a team, so they just had the drive. Like any team, if they don’t work together they wouldn’t be successful. They’re a good bunch of boys, all of them are good students, all of them are country boys, hunters and fishers, and they all like to shoot." 

Wisconsin's Hunter’s Park Young Guns won the rookie division in sporting clays with a 359 total score, 90 targets more than the second-place team. The rookie team includes Austin Klister of Greenleaf, Travis Miller of Fremont and Aaron VanDeHey and Wrightstown.

The top three teams in each division were awarded college scholarship money in the form of savings bonds with first-place teams receiving $1,000.

SCTP was developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and offers young men and women in grades 12 and under the opportunity to compete as a team in trap, skeet and sporting clays for state and national championships as well as college scholarship money. It's all designed to instill in participants safe firearms handling, commitment, responsibility, leadership and teamwork. Nearly 40 states and 6,000 youths take part in SCTP. The program has seen phenomenal growth in 2005. Nationally, there were 933 participants in sporting clays this year and 923 in skeet, compared to 331 in sporting clays and 366 skeet participants in 2004. In trapshooting, the program has more than 5,500 participants.

Final Results

Skeet

Senior Experienced Division
1. Michigan—Wayne County Sportsman (Two)—585. Paco Birch, Dearborn; Hunter Dzierbicki, Bloomfield Hills; and Andy Fall, West Branch.
2. Virginia—Virginia State 4H (Team 1)—575. Liz Daubenschmidt, Virginia Beach; Jake McPherson, New Kent; and Wayne Kidd, Powhatan.
3. Michigan—Multi-Lakes Clay Wackers—572.Wade Cooke, West Bloomfield; Emmett Moody, West Bloomfield; and Daniel Williams, Redford.

Senior Novice Division
1. Michigan—Charlevoix Haver’s 3—584. Matthew Haver, Boyne City; Jonathon Haver, Boyne City; and Chris Haver, Clinton.
2. Georgia—Quail Pointe Young Guns—570. Jason Cone, Ochlocknee; Steven Highsmith, Boston; and Tyler Stephenson, Boston.
3. Michigan—Charlevoix CBC—563. Aidan Bell, Petoskey; Josh Chingwa, Petoskey; and Steve Coen, Charlevoix.

Junior Experienced Division
1. Georgia—Lake Oconee (Remington)—569. Thomas Coggins, Bogart; Cody Reid, Acworth; and Nick Wilson, Eatonton.
2. Indiana—Glenns Valley Claybusters (Blue)—544. Luke Broderick, Martinsville; Chris Mayfield, Martinsville; and Abe Shelley, Mooresville.
3. Indiana—Glenns Valley Claybusters (Green)—524. Chris Ferguson; Greenwood; Callin Temperly, Greenwood; Kyle Wagoner, Martinsville.

Junior Novice Division
1. Arizona—Ben Avery Phoenix Firebirds—536. Wesley Borie, Phoenix; Ian Graham, Cave Creek; and Patrick Wood, Scottsdale.
2. Georgia—Lake Oconee (Ruger)—506 (won in shoot off). Troy Crisp, Buckhead; Eli Franks, Buckhead; and Rob Horton, Eatonton.
3. Virginia—NAS Oceana Top Gunners—506. Dominic Flanders, Charles City; Chris Kobiela, Virginia Beach; and Carter Naff, Virginia Beach.

Rookie Division
1. Arizona—White Mountain Trappers (Team 1)—316. Dustyn Howard, Clay Springs; Alex Hoyt, St. Johns; and Dennis Stover, Springerville.
2-3. Not awarded.


Sporting Clays

Senior Experienced Division
1. Nebraska—Nebraska One Box Seniors—521. Jacob Hueftle, Broken Bow; Logan Spanel, Broken Bow; and Print Zutavern, Broken Bow.
2. Colorado—Colorado Cottonwood (B)—516. Sam Jordan, Avondale; Josh Martin, Pueblo; and Daniel Shinevoich, Pueblo.
3. Michigan—Michigan Island Clay Wackers—479. Emmett Moody, Bloomfield; Dan Williams, Redford; and Wade Cooke, West Bloomfield.

Senior Novice Division
1. Michigan—Charlevoix Haver’s 3—507. Matthew Haver, Boyne City; Jonathon Haver, Boyne City; and Chris Haver, Clinton.
2. Virginia—Virginia State 4H Sport Team—476. Jake McPherson, New Kent; Sloan Burns, Midlothian; and Matt Kline, Strasburg.
3. Louisiana—Clay Wings Shooters (A)—474. Joseph Dulaney, Sikes; Ethan Hall, Quitman; and Dillon McCartney, Winnfield.

Junior Experienced Division
1. Georgia—Lake Oconee (Remington)—461. Thomas Coggins, Bogart; Cody Reid, Acworth; and Nick Wilson, Eatonton.
2-3. Not awarded.

Junior Novice Division
1. Virginia—Timber Ridge Junior Claybusters—451. Daniel Foster, Drakes Branch; Nolan Hudson, South Hill; and Jacob Lawson, Skipwith.
2. Wisconsin—Hunter’s Park Hammers—440. Taylor Dorak, Sobieski; Ethan Klister, Greenleaf; and Anthony Tedeschi, DePere.
3. Arizona—Ben Avery Phoenix Firebirds—437. Wesley Borie, Phoenix; Ian Graham, Cave Creek; and Patrick Wood, Scottsdale.

Rookie Division
1. Wisconsin—Hunter’s Park Young Guns—359. Austin Klister, Greenleaf; Travis Miller, Fremont; and Aaron VanDeHey, Wrightstown.
2. Arizona—White Mountain Trappers (Team 1)—269. Dustyn Howard, Clay Springs; Alex Hoyt, St. Johns; and Dennis Stover, Springerville.
3. Not awarded.
 

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, formed in 1961, is a non-profit trade association. NSSF directs a variety of outreach programs to promote greater participation and a better understanding of the shooting sports, emphasizing safe and responsible ownership of firearms. For further information, please visit www.nssf.org.

For more information about SCTP or to request photos (Photos available), contact Steve Wagner, NSSF public relations director, at (203) 426-1320 or swagner@nssf.org. Visit SCTP online at www.nssf.org/sctp.

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