Despite traveling with only eight athletes, the Hillsdale College Shotgun Sports Team earned an HOA win at the ACUI/SCTP Eastern Conference Championships held at Jefferson Gun Club in Brooks, KY. Battling through the cold, rainy, cloudy, and sometimes windy conditions, the team took home first place in five of the six events and earned a variety of individual accolades. Around 90 athletes from 12 schools attended the shoot including Olivet University, University of Kentucky, University of Alabama, Purdue, Clemson, and Florida State.
The Chargers took first place in Skeet Doubles after breaking 237 targets out of a total of 250 and beating Clemson by just two targets. The squad score was from Jonathan Calabrese (48/50), Jackson Sokel (48/50), Madeline Corbin (47/50), Davis Hay (47/50), and Gavin Drill (47/50). Calabrese and Sokel earned second and third place in the men's division after a shootoff while Madeline Corbin took home women's second.
In Super Sporting, Hillsdale's score of 232/250 bested Clemson by 3 and Alabama by 5 to earn first place. Ava Downs (44/50) took first in the women's division after winning a three-way shootoff and Leif Andersen (48/50) finished with men's third after another shootoff. Rounding out the team score was Calabrese (48), Drill (47), and Hay (45).
Missing first by just three targets, the Chargers took home second place in American Skeet with a score of 492. Hay broke one of four perfect 100-straight scores and finished second after a shootoff. Corbin hit 98 targets, the best of any female competitor in attendance. Also scoring for Hillsdale were Andersen (99), Calabrese (99), and Drill (96).
The Chargers took first place in Sporting Clays with a total score of 440/500. The squad of Hay (92), Calabrese (88), Drill (87), Andersen (87), and Sokel (86) led University of Alabama by 8 targets. Hay won a shootoff to earn first place Men's while Corbin's 84 won 2nd in women's.
Sokel broke the only 100-straight by a male competitor in American Trap to win the gold medal. Corbin's 98 earned her second women's in the same event. Hillsdale's score of 491 gave them a 12-target lead over second place. Other contributing student-athletes were Hay (98), Calabrese (98), and Drill (97).
The final event of the competition was Trap Doubles. Hillsdale again took first place team, this time with 223 out of 250 targets. After yet another shootoff, Jonathan Calabrese earned first place men's division with Jackson Sokel finishing second. Madeline Corbin took home the women's third. Andersen and Drill were the final two scores for the Chargers.
"We showed the incredible depth of our roster," said head coach Jordan Hintz. "Even with only half the team and dealing with the weather, they rose to the challenge and brought home numerous awards. The Chargers have the skills and the mental toughness to go all the way."
The total of Hillsdale's six events was 2115/2250 putting them in first place above Clemson then Alabama. Jonathan Calabrese's excellent weekend earned him second place men's High Overall with 427/450. Davis Hay was Just two targets behind his teammate to take third. On the women's side, Madeline Corbin held a commanding lead over second place to win Women's High Overall. Three other Chargers (Sokel, Drill, and Andersen) also finished in the top 10.
Hillsdale looks ahead to an NSCA shoot at their own Halter Center on February 17th and then their invitational on the 24th. They continue training hard towards the ACUI/SCTP Collegiate Clay Target Championships held in San Antonio from March 19-23.
Results: https://app.sssfonline.com/results/team/836
1st Team High Overall – 2115/2250
2nd Men's High Overall – Jonathan Calabrese, 427/450
3rd Men's High Overall – Davis Hay, 425/450
1st Women's High Overall – 411/450
1st Team Skeet Doubles – 237/250
2nd Men's Skeet Doubles – Jonathan Calabrese, 48/50
3rd Men's Skeet Doubles – Jackson Sokel, 48/50
2nd Women's Skeet Doubles – Madeline Corbin, 47/50
1st Team Super Sporting – 232/250
3rd Men's Super Sporting – Leif Andersen, 48/50
1st Women's Super Sporting – Ava Downs, 44/50
2nd Team American Skeet – 492/500
2nd Men's American Skeet – Davis Hay, 100/100
1st Women's American Skeet – Madeline Corbin, 98/100
1st Team Sporting Clays – 440/500
1st Men's Sporting Clays – Davis Hay, 92/100
2nd Women's Sporting Clays – Madeline Corbin, 84/100
1st Team American Trap – 491/500
1st Men's American Trap – Jackson Sokel, 100/100
t-2nd Men's American Trap – Jonathan Calabrese, 98/100
t-2nd Men's American Trap – Davis Hay, 98/100
2nd Women's American Trap – Madeline Corbin, 98/100
1st Team Trap Doubles – 223/250
1st Men's Trap Doubles – Jonathan Calabrese, 46/50
2nd Men's Trap Doubles – Jackson Sokel, 46/50
3rd Women's Trap Doubles – Madeline Corbin, 43/50