AUBURN — Lewiston Elks Lodge No. 371 held its local Hoop Shoot contest Sunday at Hasty Community Center. Six competitors from around the area were vying for the title of Hoop Shoot Champion and the opportunity to advance to the District, State, Regional, and finally the National Championships to be held in Springfield, Mass., in April.

Local winners were: Boys, age 8-9, Jacob Hodgman; Girls, 10-11, Carli Stone; 12-13, Molly Murray.

The contest was divided into three age groups, including the 8-9 year olds, 10-11 year olds and 12-13 year olds. Each contestant shot 25 free throws, with the highest scorer winning each age group. Members of the Lewiston Elks Lodge provided the officiating and judging during the event.

Now in its 39th year, the Elks “Hoop Shoot” Free Throw Contest has seen more than 100 million participants since its inception, making it the largest coeducational youth sports program in the nation. Funded entirely by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Elks National Foundation, the Elks “Hoop Shoot” Free Throw Contest has served as a testing ground for sports legends Cleveland Cavaliers’ Trajan Langdon, WNBA 2001 Rookie of the Year Jackie Stiles, Iowa men’s basketball head coach Steve Alford, Olympic gold medalist and former Golden State Warriors star Chris Mullin, former North Carolina State star Jennifer Howard, and former Chicago White Sox third-baseman Chris Snopek. The Elks are a patriotic and philanthropic fraternal organization with over 900,000 members in more than 2,100 communities.