Youth Shooting League will hold car washes on May 17

WILTON — Members of the Wilton Fish & Game Association, parents, and friends gathered for a potluck dinner and awards ceremony to honor the many accomplishments of the WF&G Youth Shooting Competition League.

The shooting league consists of four different groups of youth shooters, ages 10-20. The Rimfire team and Firing Pins shoot in three different positions: kneeling, prone and offhand.

Single Shots One and Single Shots Two are beginner teams which shoot in the prone position to start and gradually work towards more advanced positions with experience.

Several members of the league participated in 12 invitational meets throughout the year, traveling to Augusta, Cumberland and Auburn. In Auburn the teams participated in the State 4 Position Open Championship. The WF&G Youth Shooting League placed very well with Connor Maurais taking first, Bailey Morrell second, Jared Roy third, Lindzee Ridley fourth, Mitchell Adams fifth and Meriah Holmes shot a prone-only set.

In the 2014 Postal Competition there were 14 three-position teams and 16 prone teams. Each team that competes has six shooters per team and the top four scores are counted. There are three divisions in the three-position shoots and three divisions in the prone position.

The teams shoot at the club’s indoor range once a week and then mail their targets to the Capital City Rifle Range for scoring. In the three-position category: Division 1, the Rimfire shooters, Jared Roy, Connor Maurais, Lindzee Ridley, Bailey Morrell, Corey Ridley and Gavin Sanders placed first and were very proud to learn that they beat the toughest team by one point.

In the three-position category: Division 3, the Firing Pins, took first place. Team members are Alex Kennedy, Alex Morrell, Curtis Morrell, Dakota Bailey, Mitchell Adams and Zack Black.

Cordell Welch, Matthew Drum and Benjamin Drum on the Single Shots One team took fourth-place in the Prone Division 1 category. Mikayla Warren, Zack Morrell and Johnathan Warren, shooters for the Single Shot Two team, placed second.

There was a great applause when trophies were presented to Jared Roy and Lindzee Ridley in the three-position competition. Jared placed as the high scoring junior, Lindzee placed as the high scorer in the Intermediate Jr. Girl category.

Club awards for 2014 were presented to shooters who scored in a possible 500 point match during a five-week interval. Single Shot One members: Cordell Welch, third with 101; Benjamin Drum, second with 226; and Matthew Drum, first with 284 points. Single Shot Two members: Zack Morrell, third with 142; Mikayla Warren, second with 180; and Johnathan Warren, first with 256 points.

Out of a possible score of 1500 points, the Firing Pins received: Zack Black, sixth with 452+3 bulls eyes; Mitchell Adams, fifth with 611; Dakota Bailey, fourth with 684+4; Alex Kennedy, third with 943+1 received a bronze award; Curtis Farmer, second with 951+6 received a silver award; and Alex Morrell, first with 978+9 received a gold award and top shot for 2014.

The Rim Fire team also did very well: Gavin Sanders, although he shot for only four weeks, placed sixth with 637; Corey Ridley, fifth with 846+2; Bailey Morrell, fourth with 1111+13; Connor Maurais, third with 1180+10 received a bronze award; Lindzee Ridley, second with 1198+11, received the silver award; and Jared Roy placed first with 1304+25 and received the gold award and top shot for 2014 shooting season.

The youth league members also participated in the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program. In this program the shooters score in certain positions which progressively get more challenging. Chevron Bars are awarded in promarksmanship, marksman, marksman 1st class and sharpshooter.

The shooters work up in the progression of difficulty. Connor Maurais and Jared Roy received bars in the expert category. Jared also received the distinguished expert bar.

The Youth Shooting League members are preparing for a car wash to earn funds to help support their shooting programs. Youth members will be in two locations on May 17. They will be at Franklin Savings Bank in Wilton and the Jay Fire Department from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The WF&G Youth League Shooting teams are collecting articles for a three-day Memorial Weekend Yard Sale on May 24, 25 and 26, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the clubhouse on Route 2. The members would be happy to collect unwanted items from those doing spring cleaning. Funds earned will be used to fund their youth programs. For pickup, contact Greg Roy, youth director, at 931-8724.

The Wilton Fish & Game monthly meetings are held on the third Sunday starting at 6:30 p.m. Membership forms may be picked up at the clubhouse or call Phil at 897-4305 or Bruce at 645-2131.