The Becker Trap Shooting team has qualified for the MSHSL state tournament to be held this weekend (Saturday) at the Minneapolis Gun Club in Prior Lake. Just 40 teams qualify  to send a squad of five shooters and two alternates. 

 

Becker will be sending Carter Garding, Adam Golembeck, Josiah Christensen, McKenna Anderson and Evan Schmidt. Alternates are Logan Mattson and Alayna Roske.

 

Minnesota is the only state in the country to conduct a state high school association-sponsored clay target tournament. The first tournament was held in 2014 and involved 24 teams and 104 individual competitors. Buffalo earned the team championship and Gust Lundeen of Dassel-Cokato won the individual title. 

 

Last year, Jack Knaus of Kimball High School was the 2016 individual champion while New Prague was the team champion.

 

Mills Fleet Farm is the presenting sponsor of the 2017 State Clay Target Tournament.

 

Trapshooting is a sport of movement, action, and split-second timing. It requires the skill to repeatedly point, fire and break 4-1/4 – inch discs that are tossed through the air at a speed of 41 miles per hour. 

 

 

“High school trapshooting has experienced tremendous growth throughout the past decade,” said Dave Stead, executive director of the Minnesota State High School League. 

 

“In 2014, the first year that we sponsored the Clay Target tournament, there were 6,100 student participants involved in the sport,” he said. “That number has since increased to 8,600. We look forward to working with Mills Fleet Farm to provide these student-athletes with a memorable tournament experience.”

 

Opening ceremonies start at 8:30 a.m. at the club with team competition starting at 9 a.m. Team awards are then presented around 1:30 p.m.

 

The individuals commence at 2 p.m. with awards kicking off at around 4:30 p.m. Awards are announced and distributed promptly after competition is complete.

 

Admission and parking are free.