The Hillsdale College Shotgun Team traveled to Sparta, IL from February 27th to March 1st to compete in the ACUI/SCTP Spring Central Midwest Conference Championship. Over 160 athletes representing 12 colleges from across the country were in attendance. Competitors shot 50 each of Trap Doubles, Skeet Doubles, and Super Sporting plus 100 each of American Trap, American Skeet, and Sporting Clays.
The Chargers started strong in Skeet Doubles, breaking 246/250 total targets as a team. Freshman Zach Hinze (50/50) and sophomore Nathaniel Meloro (50/50) led the way with additional scores of 49/50 from both junior Madeline Corbin and senior Davis Hay. Junior Luke Johnson and freshman Max Versluys each hit 48 targets. The team finished just a single target behind Division 1 Lindenwood University and 14 ahead of Iowa Central Community College. Corbin earned 2nd place in the Women's division.
Hillsdale again took 2nd place team in Trap Doubles, 4 targets behind Lindenwood and 5 ahead of Iowa Central. A trio of Chargers hit 49/50: Hay, senior Leif Andersen, and sophomore Lucci Kern. Dale and sophomore Marin McKinney each broke 48 targets. After shoot-offs were settled, Kern and Dale brought home women's 2nd and 3rd place respectively.
The highlight of the weekend was American Skeet. Breaking 499/500 targets, a program best, Hillsdale took 1st place by just a single target over Lindenwood. Bethel University finished 3rd. Four Chargers hit a perfect 100/100: Hinze, Corbin, Dale, and Hay. Freshman Brayden Hoppa completed the squad after breaking 99 targets. Corbin narrowly beat Dale in the shoot-off to bring home Women's 1st and 2nd respectively while Hinze and Hay went on an extended tiebreaker resulting in 2nd place for the former after 15 pairs.
Andersen (81/100) shot Hillsdale's best score on a challenging Sporting Clays course. Also putting up scores for the team were Dale (78/100), Hoppa (77/100), Hay (77/100), and Hinze (75/100). The team score of 388/500 fell short of 1st place Lindenwood, but was 1 target ahead of Bethel University in 3rd. Dale tied for the second highest women's score and came away with silver after a shoot-off.
The final day of competition brought with it stronger winds, near-freezing temperatures, and inconsistent lighting. The Chargers again earned 2nd place as a team in Super Sporting between Lindenwood and Iowa Central. Hinze (43/50) was in a shoot-off for 3rd, but ultimately did not place. Andersen and Corbin each hit 40/50 and Johnson, junior Alex
Hoffman, and Hay all broke 39 targets. Corbin took 2nd place Women's and Dale finished 3rd.
In American Trap, Hillsdale again finished 2nd behind Lindenwood and ahead of Iowa's Hawkeye Community College. Senior Sophia Bultema broke 97/100 and was in a shoot-off for Women's 3rd place. After going through 45 targets in three rounds, she fell just short. Also breaking 97 was Hoppa and 96/100 were broken by Hinze, Hoffman, and Dale.
With a total team score of 2059/2250, the Chargers earned 2nd place High Overall. 1st place went to Lindenwood and 3rd to Bethel. Dale (406/450) took 2nd place Women's HOA, just a target shy of 1st. Corbin (396) earned the bronze women's HOA. McKinney (387) was 4th and Kern (381) was 5th. Hinze tied for 5th men's HOA with 411/450 and just behind was Hay and Andersen with 407/450 tied for 7th.
"There's a lot to be excited about our performance," said Head Coach Jordan Hintz. "It's tough for 16 athletes to go head-to-head against another team with over 50, but we were right there in several disciplines including taking 1st in Skeet. Signs point to a great National Championship in a couple weeks."
The Hillsdale College Shotgun Team next looks ahead to the ACUI/SCTP Collegiate Clay Target Championships in San Antonio, TX from March 16-21. They aim to reclaim the title of Division II High Overall Team National Champions.
Results: https://app.sssfonline.com/nationals/5028
High Overall
2nd Place Team
Taylor Dale – 2nd Women's
Madeline Corbin – 3rd Women's
Skeet Doubles
2nd Place Team
Madeline Corbin – 2nd Women's
Trap Doubles
2nd Place Team
Lucci Kern – 2nd Women's
Taylor Dale – 3rd Women's
American Skeet
1st Place Team
Zach Hinze – 2nd Men's
Madeline Corbin – 1st Women's
Taylor Dale – 2nd Women's
Sporting Clays
2nd Place Team
Taylor Dale – 2nd Women's
Super Sporting
2nd Place Team
Madeline Corbin – 2nd Women's
Taylor Dale – 3rd Women's
American Trap
2nd Place Team
