The Hillsdale College Shotgun Sports Team came away victorious after a long, cold weekend of competition at the ACUI/SCTP Fall Central Midwest Conference Championships. Held at the World Shooting and Recreation Complex in Sparta, IL from October 13-15, the event saw 24 colleges and over 300 athletes compete in the largest collegiate clay target match of the school year so far. Athletes competed in 100 targets each of American Trap, American Skeet, and Sporting Clays plus 50 each of Trap Doubles, Skeet Doubles, and Super Sporting. Teams in attendance included University of Illinois, Lindenwood University, Mississippi State University, University of Missouri, University of Alabama, and University of Tennessee Southern.
The Chargers started the shoot with Trap Doubles (236/250) and Skeet Doubles (245/250), winning 3rd and 1st place team respectively. Seniors Jessica Strasser (48/50) and Ida Brown (47/50) took first and second in the women's division in trap doubles with Strasser (49/50) also taking third in women's Skeet Doubles. Sophomore Davis Hay's perfect 50/50 in Skeet Doubles earned him the men's gold medal for the event.
With a total score of 460/500 and just two targets behind Lindenwood University, Hillsdale took second place team in Sporting Clays. Brown's score of 92/100 was the top women's score of the event and Hay (95/100) again medaled, this time bronze, after a short shoot-off. Also contributing team scores were sophomore Jordan Sapp (92), junior Joshua Corbin (92), and senior William Stuart (89).
Hillsdale proved yet again that it is a powerhouse in American Skeet, breaking 497/500 as a team again after an identical performance the weekend before. This was the highest team total at the match, 7 targets ahead of Lindenwood and 14 ahead of third-place University of Alabama. A duo of Chargers broke perfect scores: junior Kyle Fleck and freshman Luke Johnson who were awarded first and second individually after an exciting shoot-off. Missing just a single target, freshman Madeline Corbin took home second place individual woman. Rounding out the team's score, also with 99s, were Hay and Joshua Corbin.
Leading the field by just a single target, Hillsdale was awarded first place Super Sporting Team after breaking 241/250 targets as a squad. Brown and Joshua Corbin both hit 49/50 targets to earn first women's and second men's respectively. Sapp and senior Jackson Sokel both were just a target behind Brown and Corbin with Johnson earning the fifth spot with 47/50.
The final event of the shoot for the Chargers was American Trap. The squad of William Stuart (100/100), Ida Brown (100/100), freshman Ava Downs (99/100), Fleck (99/100), and Hay (98/100) smashed 496 out of a possible 500 targets on their way to take first place team. UT Southern was two targets back and Lindenwood was three behind Hillsdale. Stuart and Brown both won their respective categories with Downs shooting off to take second place women's.
"This was one of the best experiences we've had as a team," said head coach Jordan Hintz. "We needed everyone to perform to take home these trophies. We continue to show that we are as talented as anyone and have the drive to win. This is the most talented group we may have ever had and our student-athletes continue to make real progress."
Breaking 2175/2250 targets as a team, the Hillsdale Chargers took home the coveted 1st place Team High Overall award, their second of the season. They topped Lindenwood University by a slim four targets. Third place UT Southern was 37 behind. Davis Hay (433/450) and Ida Brown's (428/450) incredible performances earned them first place men's and women's individual High Overall honors respectively. Madeline Corbin's 413/450 finished third in women's HOA while Joshua Corbin narrowly missed an HOA medal after a shoot-off.
"Our shotgun team travels to compete head-to-head with some of the most prestigious collegiate shotgun programs in the nation," said assistant coach Dale Royer. "Watching our team's triumph reminded me of David and Goliath. Our 16-man roster battled Lindenwood University, 15-time D1 National Champions that brought 50 of their 79-man roster to compete. Skilled marksmanship and academic excellence are the heartbeat of the Hillsdale College Shotgun Team. Our humble program has established itself as a beacon of excellence throughout collegiate shotgun sports nationwide."
The Chargers next travel to San Antonio, TX to compete in the National Sporting Clays Association's National Championships and then finish the season with the Michigan College Clay Target Championships.
Results: https://app.sssfonline.com/results/team/836
Overall
1st place High Overall Team – 2175/2250
Davis Hay – 1st place Men's High Overall, 433/450
Ida Brown – 1st place Women's High Overall, 428/450
Madeline Corbin – 3rd place Women's High Overall, 413/450
Trap Doubles
3rd place Team – 236/250 (Jessie Strasser, Jordan Sapp, Ida Brown, Joshua Corbin, Davis Hay)
Jessie Strasser – 1st place Women's, 48/50
Ida Brown – 2nd place Women's, 47/50
Skeet Doubles
1st place Team – 245/250 (Davis Hay, Jordan Sapp, Jessie Strasser, Leif Andersen, Kyle Fleck)
Davis Hay – 1st place Men's, 50/50
Jessie Strasser – 3rd place Women's, 49/50
Sporting Clays
2nd place Team – 460/500 (Davis Hay, Ida Brown, Jordan Sapp, Joshua Corbin, William Stuart)
Davis Hay – 3rd place Men's, 95/100
Ida Brown – 1st place Women's, 92/100
American Skeet
1st place Team – 497/500 (Kyle Fleck, Luke Johnson, Joshua Corbin, Davis Hay, Madeline Corbin)
Kyle Fleck – 1st place Men's, 100/100
Luke Johnson – 2nd place Men's, 100/100
Madeline Corbin – 2nd place Women's, 99/100
Super Sporting
1st place Team – 241/250 (Joshua Corbin, Ida Brown, Jackson Sokel, Jordan Sapp, Luke Johnson)
Joshua Corbin – 2nd place Men's, 49/50
Ida Brown – 1st place Women's, 49/50
American Trap
1st place Team – 496/500 (William Stuart, Ida Brown, Ava Downs, Kyle Fleck, Davis Hay)
William Stuart – 1st place Men's, 100/100
Ida Brown – 1st place Women's, 100/100
Ava Downs – 2nd place Women's, 99/100