April 18, 2024
Shaw Local
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Carroll County Longspurs compete in state, national competitions

The Carroll County Longspurs Trap Shooting team competed in state and national competitions. In the front row, left to right, are: Ashlyn Foster, Kegan DeZell, Kenny Clemens, Case Harmston, Ella Wackerlin, Elizabeth Dinderman, Eli Haas, Jon Dinderman, Max Ferguson, and Parker Whiting Middle row: Coach Dr. Greg Harmston, Ryan Sauer, Conor DeZell, and Coach Brock Wackerlin. Back row: Coach Jared Sauer, R.J. Clemens, Avery Wackerlin, Jon Floming, Torin McPeek, Ben Feick, Weston Haas, Jack George, Hannah Dinderman, Brynn Wackerlin, and J.T. Bressler. Not pictured are Coach Jill Harmston, Cole Tuftee, Tanner Farwell, Frank Drennan, Adair Pempilton, Dawson Christiansen, and Wrigley Robinson. (Photo supplied)

The Carroll County Longspurs, a singles trap shooting team founded in 2008 by James “Lefty” Wackerlin, recently competed in state and national events within the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP).

Shooters are divided into competition groups as follows: rookies (3rd through 5th grade), intermediate entry (1st year of shooting 6th through 8th grade), intermediate advanced (2nd year or more of shooting 7th and 8th grade), junior varsity (1st year of shooting 9th through 12th grade), varsity (2nd year or more of shooting 10th through 12th grade), and collegiate (college students).

The Longspurs shooting season starts in April and goes through mid-July. Student athletes compete as full squads (5 shooters) and as individual male and female competitors.

Most recently, the Longspurs competed at both the state and national levels. The two competitions are held annually with Illinois State competitions taking place at the World Shooting Complex in Sparta, Illinois, and Nationals, which has most recently been held at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio.

Notable individual state results for the Longspurs were as follows:

• Case Harmston, second place, collegiate overall

• Dawson Christianson, fifth place, junior varsity male

• Parker Whiting, fifth place, intermediate advanced male

• Jon Floming, eighth place rookie male

• Cole Tuftee, 14th place, intermediate entry male.

The squad results were as follows:

• Intermediate entry, first place (Jack George, Weston Haas, Cole Tuftee, Avery Wackerlin, Hannah Dinderman)

• Intermediate advanced, third place (Max Ferguson, J.T. Bressler, Kenny Clemens, Benjamin Feick, Parker Whiting)

• Junior varsity, fourth place (Kegan DeZell, Elizabeth Dinderman, R.J. Clemens, Adair Pempilton, Dawson Christiansen)

2,606 student athletes competed at the National level in singles trap, with hundreds of squads at each level.

The Longspurs placed as follows:

• Collegiate, 34th, Case Harmston

• Varsity, 29th, Conor DeZell, Jon Dinderman, Ella Wackerlin, Ryan Sauer, Fank Drennen

• Junior varsity, 27th, Kegan DeZell, Elizabeth Dinderman, R.J. Clemens, Adair Pempilton, Elijah Haas

• Intermediate advanced, 29th, Max Ferguson, J.T. Bressler, Kenny Clemens, Benjamin Feick, Parker Whiting

• Intermediate entry 18th (Jack George, Weston Haas, Cole Tuftee, Avery Wackerlin, Hannah Dinderman).

Other Longspurs competed individually since they did not have full squads. These shooters include rookies Jon Floming, Brynn Wackerlin, Tanner Farwell, and Torin McPeek; intermediate advanced shooter Wrigley Robinson; and junior varsity shooter Ashlyn Foster.

Varsity shooter Conor DeZell earned the All Scholastic Team Award which is obtained by shooting a minimum score of 190 at an SCTP event and maintaining a 3.0 or above grade point average in school.

The Carroll County Longspurs are coached by volunteers Brock Wackerlin (head coach), Dr. Greg Harmston, Jared Sauer, and Jill Harmston.