Local teams compete well at AIM
The Amateur Trapshooting Association's Grand American begins today at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, but local teams fared well in the recent Academics Integrity Marksmanship (AIM) competition, held July 27 to Aug. 1 at the WSRC.
The ATA's youth shoot included squads from Steeleville, Trico, Pinckneyville, Christ Our Savior Lutheran and Sparta.
In the Singles competition, Steeleville's Hunter Fedderke led his team in the Junior B division with a score of 196, busting 98 of 100 targets in each round of the event. Kaleb Diercks also scored high in the Junior AA division with a score of 195, earning a 96/100 in the first round and 99/100 in the second.
Other Warriors results were Hayden Harris (Junior B, 187), Haley Troue (Junior B, 178) and Noah Valleroy (Junior A, 185). Across all divisions, 39 shooters finished with a score of 197 or better in singles competition - including Harrisburg's Cale Love with a 199.
Shootoffs precede the awards ceremony to determine places.
"Four of the five shot above their average, so I was pleased with that," said Steeleville coach Mark Troue. "To my knowledge, unfortunately, Hunter's score was not good enough to place.
"The competition's pretty stiff up there. There's not much room for error."
The AIM shoot ends Steeleville's 2016-17 season, which is Troue's last as Steeleville's coach. Wendell Taylor will take over beginning this fall.
Troue highlighted a season in which Steeleville had two shooters, Diercks and Troue, place third in their respective divisions in the Southern Illinois Youth Scholastic Shooting Association.
"That's the first time Steeleville has had shooters place in the SIYSSA," Troue said.
Earlier this summer, Steeleville also competed in the U.S. Open at the WSRC. The Warriors' Open squad - consisting of Eli Wittenborn, Mallory Moore, Grace Knop, Zachary Knop, and Jayden Hood - placed third in their division, giving them a trophy and medallions with a combined score of 783/1,000.
Steeleville's Junior Varsity team - consisting of Jesse Fedderke, Eric Stegmann, Christopher Taylor, Luke Bartens and Brenden Mezo - placed second, also giving them a trophy and medallions.
"Steeleville's been fortunate," Troue said. "We've had a great group of kids and parents who help with fundraising and it's just been a great experience."
As far as what's next, Troue said the team will take a little bit of a break before beginning next season.
"We start back up again in the fall," he said. "There will be a couple of shoots at Sparta and Rend Lake to get the new shooters acclimated."
In other Singles results, Trico's Curtis Diercks led his team in the Junior AA division, finishing with a 196 after busting 99 of 100 targets in the first round of competition. Other Trico Trap Team competitors were Michael Rathert (Junior A, 193), Hailey Nagel (Junior A, 187), Austin Ebers (Junior A, 188) and Ethan Carruthers (Junior AA, 195).
Trico also became the FFA Division national champions in the Singles division with its results,
For Christ Our Savior Lutheran High School's team, Victor Rahlfs led the Bird Bustin' Soldiers with a score of 180 in the Junior C division. Other results are Jonathan Reith (Junior C, 170), Corey Whitton (Junior A, 151), Brie Luebkemann (Sub Junior D, 58) and Lexi Luebkemann (Junior D, 53). The Luebkemanns only competed in the first round of the competition.
To view all scores from the Singles competition, visit www.aim4ata.com/pdfs/2017Singles_AllScores.pdf.