SFCC finishes the semester strong

Lonoke, Ark.-The State Fair Community College shooting sports team competed at the Tri-State event in Lonoke, Ark on Oct. 25-26. The event consisted of 100 American trap, 100 sporting clays and 100 American skeet per participant. The event was split between the Remington Gun Club and the Jacksonville Shooting Sports Complex.

SFCC opened the competition with a strong performance in American trap. As a team, SFCC scored a 482 out of 500. Sophomore Broc Barnes of West Plains, Mo. led the team with a 99. Sophomore Mitchell O'Reilly of Belton, Mo. contributed a 96. Sophomore David Thomlinson of Hughesville, Mo. pitched in with a 96. Sophomore Caleb Hensley of Belton, Mo. also scored a 96. Sophomore Ava Cooper of West Plains, Mo. shot 95.

SFCC wrapped up day one of the competition with sporting clays. As a team, SFCC shot 471 out of 500. Sophomore Mason Rohan of Laddonia, Mo. led the team with a score of 97. Thomlinson scored 96. Sophomore Ben Wieland of Bunceton, Mo. chipped in with a 94. Sophomore Alex Hill of          Belton, Mo. contributed a 92. Freshman Buzz Harris of Smithton, Mo. also shot a 92.

SFCC finished competition at the event shooting American skeet on Sunday. As a team, SFCC shot 482 out of 500. Thomlinson led the team with a 99. O'Reilly added a 96. Barnes contributed a 96. Freshman Ava Chevalier of Belton, Missouri also scored 96 which is a personal best. Rohan pitched in with a 95. The team total in American skeet is a school record.

Several SFCC student-athletes earned individual and team awards at the event. Cooper earned high overall female with a score of 274. She also earned first place female in trap to go along with second place in sporting clays and second in skeet. Chevalier earned first place in female skeet and third place in trap. Chevalier was also the third high overall female with a total of 265.

Barnes earned first place in male trap. Thomlinson earned first place male high overall with a total of 291 to go along with a second place in skeet. Rohan placed third in sporting clays.

"We fought rain and mist throughout the entire weekend," said head coach Sarah Manuel. "I think the weather helped the kids focus just a little bit more. We also finished in second place in the team high overall with a total score of 1,408. That top five consisted of David Thomlinson Broc Barnes, Mason Rohan, Ben Wieland, and Mitchell O'Reilly. We have come very far as a team. Our squads are starting to mesh. It is very promising to see as a coach. It was a good way to end the fall semester. We have a good mixture of freshmen and sophomores. Our kids are starting to get seen by four years colleges and universities they just have to keep working. I would like to highlight Buzz Harris. He has come a long way from the start of the season and has really shown a lot of drive along with Ava Chevalier."

SFCC will return to action on February 7 at the SFCC FREEZE- OUT.

David Rohrbach

SFCC Athletics