July 26, 2006

Arizona teams captured one national title, two second-place finishes and a third place at the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) skeet and sporting clays national championships July 15-16 at the Rochester Brooks International Trap and Skeet Club in Rochester, N.Y.

A record 18 states were represented at the event, producing the highest attendance in its six-year history. Nearly 220 youths competed in skeet and 170 in sporting clays.

Arizona teams, in only their second year of national competition against other state champions, had an excellent showing. The Ben Avery Clay Crushers, with squad members Wesley Borie, 13, and Lane Shank, 14, of Phoenix, and Brett Hoeppner, 14, of Cave Creek, won the junior novice division (grades 6-8) in the skeet championships. They also finished second in the sporting clays championships.

The Red Mountain Target Terminators (Hayden Edgmon, 15, Queen Creek; Kyle Wandelear, 15, Queen Creek; Justin Williams, 15, Gilbert) took second place in the senior novice division (grades 9-12) in skeet, while the Huachuca Hot Shots (Brielle Eaton, 16, Sierra Vista; Brisden Eaton, 18, Sierra Vista; Scott Usry, 16, Hereford) finished third in the senior novice division in sporting clays.

"We're very proud of the way our kids performed," says Anthony Chavez, shooting sports coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. "Some of these youngsters have made real strides in competitive shooting. They had a lot of fun and turned in a great showing."

Arizona's skeet and sporting clays squads won the right to represent the state at the nationals based on their performances at the Arizona Game and Fish Department's Commissioners' Cup state competition in March and April. Arizona's trap champions will represent the state at the SCTP national trap championships Aug. 8-9 in Sparta, Ill.

Arizona's SCTP is sponsored by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission and administered by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The national SCTP is sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation in collaboration with the Amateur Trapshooting Association, the National Skeet Shooting Association and the National Sporting Clays Association.

More than 800 kids-double last year's number-participated in Arizona's SCTP program this year. Nationally, more than 8,000 kids from 41 states participate.

For a list of results, visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department's Web site at azgfd.gov.