Youth Scholastic Pistol Program teams from Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire showed up for what would probably be their last match of the year before winter takes hold. This was the second annual state championship held at Pioneer Sportsmen's Club in Dunbarton, NH, for the SPP. Despite an unusually warm week, everyone was worried when the match started out with snowflakes. The snow quickly disappeared and stayed away, but the cold and wind did not. The good news is, everyone was dressed appropriately. There were many squads represented in eight divisions with the most competition in the college divisions. The match went quickly thanks to the professionalism of the Pioneer volunteers who are experienced at running monthly steel shoots. Scores were processed quickly thanks to Paula Nash. There was no standing around after the match as the youth all pitched in to help the staff take down the stages and canopies to prepare the facility for winter. Several shooters and coaches commented on what a well run match it was. Club president Lisa Van Biene was very impressed with the speed that all the shooters demonstrated as they competed for the best combined score. Pioneer would like to continue the tradition of hosting the state match next year and plans to schedule it in October 2016. Match director Andy Nash commented that Pioneer has the facility, staff, and equipment to handle many more teams next year.  

Courtesy of an extremely generous donation from Wilderness Whitetails, America’s premier whitetail outfitter located in central Wisconsin near Stevens Point, a young hunter by the name of Sam Novak bagged his very first trophy buck. He made a great 125-yard shot on a 202-inch-class whitetail, a buck that would make the most seasoned deer hunter green with envy. “Great experience!” said Novak, a 16-year-old from Bethesda, Maryland. “Great people, really nice lodge…I would love to do it again, this was better than I thought it could ever be!” Novak, of course, was talking about the hunt, the facility and the guides that helped him with this opportunity of a lifetime.

The hunt, donated by Shorty and Greg Flees, owners of Wilderness Whitetails, was auctioned off and won last March at a SCTP Fund Raising Banquet held in southeastern Wisconsin. The banquet is set up to raise funds for the SCTP’s Scholarship program providing much needed funding to SCTP athletes graduating from high school and continuing their education. More than $60,000 was given away to qualified SCTP senior athletes last year alone as a result of these banquets. The “high bidder” of the hunt happened to be Denis Karnosky, Novak’s grandfather and a member of the SSSF’s board of directors and executive committee. Denis had every intention of bringing his grandson on the hunt when he won it and had been looking forward to it since last March. “What a great time, I’m definitely coming back,” Karnosky said after the hunt and pictures were taken. Denis himself had also partaken in the hunting experience taking a fantastic 220-inch+ Wisconsin whitetail.

“Patronizing our sponsors is a good thing,” Tom Wondrash, the SCTP’s national director, said. “This is one of the most sought-after hunts at this banquet, and I want to sincerely thank Wilderness Whitetails for making it possible.” Wondrash booked the hunt along with Karnosky and Novak during Wisconsin’s peak rut season of early November and also took a beautiful 195-inch class trophy whitetail with a drop tine. Anyone interested in donating items for SCTP Fundraising banquets can contact Wondrash at twondrash@sssfonline.com or call him at 262-939-6664. Funds raised go toward the SCTP’s scholarship program for graduating seniors. If you are interested in a 5 star Whitetail “Hunt of a lifetime” at one of the best facilities in the country and hunting the biggest bucks in the world, please contact Shorty Flees or Greg Flees at 715-572-5334 or visit their website at http://www.wildernesswhitetails.com/ I’m sure they will get you in…….You will be happy you did!  

The SCTP National College Team Championships were held this past Halloween weekend at the Cardinal Shooting Center and Black Wing Shooting Centers just north of Columbus, Ohio. Even though the facilities were decked out with ghouls, witches, bats, zombies and spiders, the 209 College athletes representing 18 teams from 13 states were not afraid. In fact, they were focused and confident as they busted the 97,000+ targets thrown as a result of the 777 total registrations. “The teams had a great time and were welcomed with open arms by the staff at the Cardinal Center and Black Wing Shooting Facility,” Tom Wondrash, the national director of the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), said. “We were very happy that this could all be pulled off.  I would like to say a huge 'thank you' to all involved in making this a great experience for our college teams.” With the short notice of the WSRC closing effective October 1^st, the SCTP Team had to move the tournament. These venues in Ohio made a perfect setting and may prove to be the new home for next years and beyond for the SCTP National College Team Championships. Here are the HOA results. Please go to our website at www.sssfonline.org for the complete listing by clicking on “results” in the red tool bar, then go to SCTP and then “National." HOA Division I Champion – Lindenwood University / MO Runner Up – Bethel University / TN   Division II Champion – Clemson University / SC Runner Up – Midland University / NE 3^rd Place – Fort Hayes State / KS 4^th Place – Martin Methodist College / TN 5^th Place – Eastern Kentucky University / KY   Division III Champion – Hillsdale College / MI Runner Up – South Eastern IL University / IL 3^rd Place – Roane State College / TN 4^th Place – University of Alabama / AL 5^th Place – Concordia University / NE

Last week Jacksonville University's shooting team was noted as the "Team of the Week" on News 4 JAX. The team recently won the Southeast Collegiate Championship and swept the awards. You can learn a little bit about the team in this short video. In the video, David Dobson, head coach for the JU Shooting Team says the team’s success is the result of having the right team members. He told News 4 JAX, “It’s just like baseball or football, lacrosse or any other sport. Bring right people in and build the program directly.” Team member Sean Hensley credits his coach for the team’s success. “Once you’re in competition, it’s really subconscious,” Hensley said.  “You just practice what he’s taught you through the years he’s been coaching and teaching you, so it’s really second nature when you get out in the competition.” The station interviewed several of the team members who spoke of how they got involved in shooting. Team members are an assortment of football players, cheerleaders, military personnel and others who simply wanted to learn the sport. One team member said his interest in shooting peaked when he got involved with the Scholastic Clay Target Program while vacationing in Arizona. Team member Trysten Routledge said, “This team is incredible. Like you said, we have people from all walks of life. I would do anything for any of them. We’re a big family.”