SHOOTERS TAKE AIM AT STATE MEET

By Jennifer Carlson
Contributing Writer
    Thirty-one of Marshall County’s Sharpshooters came out to compete on Saturday at their home tournament.
    The theme for the teams’ names were “sauces,” and kids ranging in age from 8-18 participated with a total of 176 kids put their shooting skills on display. 
    The Britton Tournament was the last regular season competition for the Sharpshooters.  The season will culminate with the State 4-H Shoot in Pierre at the end of the month. 
    The hometown 8-9 year-olds came out second as a team.  Silver medals were awarded to the “Circus Wings” team of Ariana Crawford, Rhyker Bender, Rylee Carlson, Charlie Cutler and Corban Crawford.  The kids collectively shot a team score of 2133 and 31 centers.  Other 8-9 year-olds that shot for Marshall County were James Raabe, Leo Schuller, Becket Rapkoch, Gage Beck, Andrew Bolzer, Sophia Bennett, Hendrix Stutelberg and Aleece Patterson with that division made up of 45 shooters.
    For the second year in a row, Ariana Crawford came out on top of the 8-9 year-old division at the home tournament.  She aggregate first place trophy buckle with a score of 468 and 13 center shots. She also placed first individually in standing (95-5) and kneeling (94). Crawford was the top Marshall County shooter in prone with her eighth place finish (93-3) and she placed fifth in sitting with a 92 and two centers.
    Rhyker Bender also placed Top 10 in the 8-9 year old aggregate.  She earned eighth place overall with a score of 436 and seven centers.  Individually, Bender placed sixth in standing (84-1), second in sitting (95-3) and seventh in kneeling (85-1).
    Corban Crawford has made his presence known in his first year of shooting with Marshall County.  Crawford finished 10th in the 8-9 year-old aggregate with a score of 432 and six center shots.  He was third individually in standing with a score of 87-1.
    Gage Beck, also a first-year shooter, placed individually in kneeling.  His score of 82 and four centers earned him the 10th place ribbon.
    The Marshall County “Horseradish” team also took home silver medals in the 10-11 year-old division with its score of 2283 and 50 center shots.  Team members were Rosalyn Rapkoch, Faustina Rapkoch, Skylar Bender, Tony Cutler, and Harry Cutler.  The additional 10-11-year-old competitors for the day were Adalyn Kanizar, Cooper Nack, Lucas Knudson, Tinley Beck, and Elaina Schamber.   The 10-11 year-old division listed 43 competitors.  
    The Rapkoch sisters were the top aggregate shooters in the 10-11 year-old division.  Rosalyn finished third overall with a score of 465-13.  Individually, she won the 10-11 year-old sitting (99-6), placed fifth in kneeling (91-3) and ninth in standing (85-2). Faustina finished sixth in the aggregate, just six points behind her sister (459-10).  Individually, Tina was third kneeling (93-3) and was onbe of only two shooters in her division to score a perfect 100 on her safety test.
    Other shooters in the 10-11 top 10 were Skylar Bender, second in prone (97-5), 3rd in standing (89-2), and 10th in sitting (94-3); Tony Cutler, fifth in prone (95-4), 10th in standing (84), and sixth in kneeling (91-2); Lukas Knudson, ninth in sitting (94-4); and Harry Cutler, eighth in kneeling (90-3).
    The 12-Up division “Red Hot” team of Amelia Crawford, Alivia Crawford, Nick Cutler, Joanna Cutler, and Jacey Melroe accumulated a team score of 2356 and 66 center shots, to earn their silver medals.  Rylan Carlson also shot in the 12-up division that listed 76 shooters.
    Amelia Crawford’s talents as a marksman are worthy of special recognition, as she rounds out her last year of eligible competition in the 12-up division.  She finished second in the aggregate by one point (483-18).  Individually, she won the  kneeling with a score of 97 and six centers, placed fourth in sitting (98-5), fifth in prone (98-6), and ninth in standing (92-1).
    Jacey Melroe also had a strong day, finishing seventrh in prone (97-5), eighth in kneeling (95-3), and tied for 10th in sitting with Rylan Carlson, with a score of 96 and 4 center shots.  Alivia Crawford placed sixth in standing (92-4) and 10th in kneeling (94-3).  Joanna Cutler won the sitting title (99-6) and her brother, Nick, placed seventh in standing (92-3).  Nick was also the only Marshall County shooter to score a perfect 100 on the safety test in the 12-Up age division.
    Two shooters represented Marshall County in the Senior Division.  Chris Cutler was the Senior winner with a score of 482 and 17 centers.  Austin Crawford placed third overall (477-17).  Individually, Cutler won sitting (96-3), placed third in prone (97-6), and second in standing (94-2).  Cutler and Crawford tied for first in kneeling with scores of 97 and six center shots.  Crawford placed sixth in prone (93-1), third in standing (92-3), and second in sitting (95-4), and was the only Senior shooter to score a 100 on the safety test. 
    Additional participants for the shooting season are Charlie Schuller, Delilah Maxwell, Josiah Satterlee, and Tuf Hagen.