MEXICO — Christine Briggs of Byron, an area third-grade student at Meroby Elementary School, received first place at the Regional Hoop Shoot on March 29 in Nashua, N.H.

She competed against five other 8- to 9-year-olds from New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Each contestant had a chance at shooting 25 foul shoots. Briggs made 20 out of 25 and then 4 out of 5 for a tie breaker.

Briggs won the Rumford Lodge of Elks Hoop Shoot on Dec. 8th at Mountain Valley High School, the District Hoop Shoot on Jan. 9th at Cony High School in Augusta, and the State Hoop Shoot on Feb. 2nd at Mount Blue High School in Farmington.

All Maine contestants received a Maine State Elks Hoop Shoot Champion jacket and wind pants, a stuffed Elliott the Elk, a white teddy bear, a small basketball, a frisbee, a waist bag with the Hoop Shoot logo on it, and a Hoop Shoot pin.

Briggs now qualifies to compete at the National Hoop Shoot in Springfield, Mass., on April 25, 26, and 27. She will compete against 11 other top girls from around the USA. The weekend will include a reception will be at the Basketball Hall of Fame with a former Harlem Globetrotter as guest speaker. There will be a breakfast with the stars before the shoot off. The weekend will end with a banquet.

The Rumford Lodge of Elks 862 has been supporting Briggs through these competitions.