Chargers sweep Michigan College Clay Target State Shoot

Nov 04, 2023

The Hillsdale College Shotgun Team again showed they are capable of amazing things at the Michigan College Clay Target State Shoot. The event, hosted on November 4^th at Hillsdale's own John Halter Shooting Sports Education Center, featured nearly 50 athletes from six collegiate shotgun programs across the state of Michigan. In attendance were Hillsdale, Michigan State University, Olivet University, Ferris State University, Montcalm Community College, and Mid-Michigan College. Athletes shot 100 each of American Trap, American Skeet, and Sporting Clays. Team scores were composed of four athletes in each event.

Led by a trio of perfect 100-straights from seniors Ida Brown and Jessie Strasser plus junior Josh Corbin, the Chargers broke 399 out of a possible 400 targets in American Trap. Second place Olivet scored 375/400 and Ferris finished third. After a shoot-off, Brown and Strasser earned first and second place women's trap respectively while Corbin took 1^st in men's. Seniors Jackson Sokel and Will Stuart both broke 99 targets and were given second and third place individual men respectively after a shoot-off. 3^rd women's went to freshman Madeline Corbin.

American Skeet went similarly, the Chargers again breaking 399/400, this time with perfect scores from Sokel, Stuart, and sophomore Leif Andersen. Three 99s followed from Josh Corbin, Brown, and Strasser. After ties were broken via shoot-off, Sokel was given the top prize with Stuart and Andersen finishing second and third respectively. Brown and Strasser were first and second in the women's category. Second place team was again Olivet with 358 targets and third went to Montcalm.

Sporting Clays was again a big victory. Hillsdale broke 384/400 targets with second-place Olivet hitting 308 and third-place MSU 293. The top squad was composed of Josh Corbin (98), Andersen (98), Brown (96), and Stuart (92). Corbin bested Andersen in a shoot-off for first and second with Brown the outright women's champion. Second and third women's went to Strasser (91) and Madeline Corbin (88). A three-way tie for third in the men's category between Stuart, junior Gavin Drill, and freshman Luke Johnson ended with Stuart taking the bronze.

With an impressive 1182/1200 targets broken, Hillsdale took first place team High Overall ahead of Olivet and Michigan State. Josh Corbin hit a total of 297/300 for the highest individual score of the competition. Andersen's 295 earned him silver with Stuart's 291 taking third. Brown finished as women's HOA champion after missing only 5 targets on the day. Strasser's 290 was good for women's second place with Madeline Corbin earning the women's bronze.

"It can be difficult to perform when athletes are also working an event, but it did not slow us today," said head coach Jordan Hintz. "We continue to keep pushing and making progress. For a team our size, to consistently put up these near-perfect scores is basically unheard of. This team is incredible and putting in hard work. If we don't lose sight of the end goal, there will be amazing things yet to come."

The Chargers will now wind down the season and look ahead to the Spring and, ultimately, the ACUI/SCTP National Championships in March.

Results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UdPT5FHTjIAVCQNhn-t8BsoVGO_UOZNhBqEURzQjPHg/edit#gid=1597169059

High Overall

1^st Team – 1182/1200

Joshua Corbin – 1^st men, 297/300

Leif Andersen – 2^nd men, 295/300

William Stuart – 3^rd men, 291/300

Ida Brown – 1^st women, 295/300

Jessica Strasser – 2^nd women, 290/300

Madeline Corbin – 3^rd women, 280/300

American Trap

1^st Team – 399/400: Jessica Strasser, Ida Brown, Joshua Corbin, Jackson Sokel