BUNKER HILL, Ill. (MacBulldogs.com) — The Shotgun Sports team participated in the USA College Clay Target League National Championship this last weekend in Bunker Hill, Illinois. The competition consisted of two days of trapshooting with each athlete shooting at 100 targets (4 rounds of 25) each day.
The shoot saw 200 athletes representing 16 different teams from around the country. McPherson took all 16 of its shooters to the event.
As a team, McPherson secured seventh place of the 16 with a combined two-day score of 931 targets of a possible 1000. The team score is determined by the top five combined scores. Shooters contributing to this score are Riley Sojka (189/200), Zach Hawley (187/200), Leann Dalinghaus (187/200), Dominic Leech (186/200), and Mackenzie McEachron (182/200).
In their respective classes (Men’s Silver and Women’s Silver) Sojka and McEachron both secured second place finishes. This is Sojka’s second time placing in this event; previously taking second in the Junior Varsity class in the 2021 virtual championship (this year was the first time this championship was held in person).
As a freshman, McEachron reflects on her time with McPherson so far “Being a part of this team has been an amazing experience. I am so glad I have been given the chance to attend the championship. I never imagined placing but with all the support from family, friends, coaches, and teammates it pushed me to do better and try a little harder every time I walked up to the line. Being only a freshman, I cannot wait to see what the rest of my college experience will bring!”
In the Men’s Gold Class, Hawley took 24th and Leech took 32nd. Dalinghaus placed eighth in Women’s Gold Class (Classes were determined by season average). Other notable performers were Lucas Ratzlaff (181/200), Tate Brewer (180/200), and Marcello Dean (179/200). All in Men’s Silver class they took (in the same order) 10th, 11th, and 13th.
14 of the team’s 16 shooters shot at or above their season averages. Seven 25-Straights were shot by five different shooters during the scored rounds on Saturday and Sunday. A handful of PRs were set including a 98/100 by Sojka, 96/100 by Ratzlaff, 94/100 by McEachron, 94/100 by Dalinghaus, 91/100 by Dean, and 76/100 by Preston Goodwin.
This event wrapped up the Bulldogs Fall Season. They will begin practice again in February and look to continue their success at the ACUI/SCTP Collegiate Clay Target Championship in San Antonio, from March 16th to March 22nd.
