OHIO STATE SHOOT

The 135th annual Ohio State trapshooting tournament began on Monday, June 21st and ran until Sunday, June 27th at their homegrounds.

EARLY ON

SCTP (Scholastic Clay Target Program) Day starts things off at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio, on Monday. They had an increase of 149 shooters from 2019 and managed 608 shooters in their 200 bird Singles event. Ryan Denes was high by himself with 200/200 for the individual award for the second time in a row. Winning for the Collegiate team was Buckeye Chippewa Trapshooting Club. The Buckeye Club also won the Senior/ Junior Varsity and the Intermediate/ Entry Level. In the Senior/Varsity category Centerburg Youth Shooting Sports took the win with 955 and they also won the Intermediate/ Advanced division with 890. For the Rookie Division, it was Moulton Gun Club Youth Shooters with 756. This year they offered a high overall which combined scores from skeet, sporting clays and trap. The Buckeye Chippewa Trapshooting Club took the first award. Monday is also a fun day for shooters, as they compete in a 50 bird-22 yard Charity Handicap event. 1st place went to Kevin Sigler, 2nd place was a tie--Breyden Paxson and Rife Denlinger, and in 3rd place was Travis Snyder. Then they moved onto a Miss and Out. They shoot one shot at a time from the historic concrete 27 yard marker from the last shot at Vandalia. You are able to buy-back in twice for $5. Colin Hotchkiss broke the first ten targets without using his buybacks while everyone else had already used theirs. John Thomas, who had used his previously, didn’t need any extra as he broke the 11th target while Hotchkiss used up both his and couldn’t break it. Taking third was Breyden Paxson.

Tuesday’s events were honoring the 2020 State Champions, and in the Ryan Denes Singles there were only

BY JACQUE SNELLENBERGER

four 100s broken. Ethan Keber (AA), William Brand (A), Dave Berlet (Senior Veteran) and Lady I shooter Hailley Ruhl. High in AAA were 99s and Michael Kemp came out victorious in the carryover. In the Madison Oswalt Handicap, a Sub Junior shooting from the 20.5 yard line named Lane Adkins broke the only 97 beating the rest of the field by two targets. In the Joseph Charnigo Doubles, 196 was high on the board and broken by Kyle Hamilton in Class AA. This left the 184s in AAA to carryover into the

next event with John Thomas coming out on top.

THE BEGINNING OF THE HOA

Wednesday started the overall and began with the Stock Lock II Handicap. The high score was 98 and was broken by two shooters—Jeff Fether and Mark Hall Jr. This was extremely convenient since Fether is resident and Hall is not, therefore they each garnered Champion trophies. The top three scores had the opportunity to shoot-off for the Stock Lock. There were 12 shooters with scores of 96, 97, or 98 and they shot two targets from each station at their ATA yardage. After the first ten targets it was down to seven shooters. After the second set of ten targets they had it narrowed to just four shooters—Daniel Fether, Stephen Morsch, Nicholas Oyler, and Chance Chase. After the third round, it was down to Fether and Chase. Fether made it through with another perfect ten to come out the proud owner of a Stock Lock II!

Twenty three shooters broke 100 straight in the Ohio Valley Stave Singles. Michael Wengerd took AAA Resident, Gary Smith AA, Sam Hawkins Junior, Gunner Hall Junior Gold, Danny Waulk Veteran, John Sayle Senior Veteran and Beverly Scott for Lady I. On the Non-Resident side of things with 100s were Keith Ditto AAA, Tyler Honnold Sub Junior, Ian Lawrence Junior Gold, Chris Vendel Sub Veteran, Donald Isham Veteran and Vernon Brown Jr. in Senior Veteran. The third event of the day was another Handicap event, the Krieghoff Handicap. Daniel Fether, Alexander Cornell, and Chance Chase each broke 99. Chase was the only Non-Resident. Fether, a Junior Gold shooter, broke 24 in the overtime round to best Cornell who fell back to runner-up.

DANIEL FETHER

THURSDAY

The Ohio Valley Veneer Doubles was the first event Thursday morning and high scores of 99 were all shot by Non-Residents—Richard Marshall Jr.(AAA), Ian Lawrence (Junior Gold) and Carl Chadwell (Sub Veteran). Marshall Jr. took AAA and the others took their categories. High for Residents were 98—John Thomas was the AAA winner and John Evick took home the Sub Veteran trophy.

Event 8 was the Singles Class Championship and 18 perfect scores were broken. Winning for Residents were Austin Jacob AAA, Ethan Keber AA, Victor Dumbra in Class B, Alex Pore Junior, J.M. Perrill Junior Gold and Beverly Scott Lady I. Keith Ditto won AAA award for the NonResidents.The last event of the day was the President Steve Corwin Handicap. Non-Resident, Dave Shaeffer Jr. won it outright with a lone 99! 98s were broken, but again, by Non-Residents—Ricky Marshall Jr., Keith Ditto, and Brent Bennett. Bennett was a Sub Veteran so he took his category, while Marshall claimed the runner-up spot. Juniors Joseph Maitland and Mason Dye, Lady I shooter Malynn Hoskins as well as Jerry Fleming and Terry Mavis all broke 97s, tying for high Resident. It only took one round to determine the outcome--with a perfect score of 25, Dye became Champion, Mailtland and Hoskins took their category, Fleming, breaking a 21, became runner-up, and Mavis with a 20 took the third place trophy.

HALL OF FAME

After Thursday’s main events were shot and before the shoot-offs, the Ohio State Trapshooting Foundation had their annual Hall of Fame reception to toast the 2021 Hall of Fame Inductees—Frank “Lou” and Mary Hornyak, Kenneth F. Chaney (posthumously), and G. Courtney Haning. Turkey sandwiches, turkey roll ups, shrimp, fresh fruit, a variety of desserts, including chocolate shotguns, along with adult beverages were offered as refreshments! A saxophone player set the tone while people milled about looking at the Hall of Fame memorabilia. The OSTA always recognizes their State Teams with a polo shirt, hat and pin after the refreshments in front of the grandstands. (Photo 10)

FRIDAY

Friday was overcast and in the low 70s for the Legacy Handicap. Danny Waulk broke the only 100 to walk away with the Resident Champion trophy. For the Non-Resident Joel Stewart took home the Champion trophy with the only 99 on the grounds. By the time the Moody Trucking Doubles Class Championship rolled around, it looked like rain was coming. If your squad was in the middle you got drenched, but early and late squads lucked out. Non Residents Ian Lawrence (AAA) and Cody Davis (AA) were high with 99s in their classes. High for the Residents were Austin Jacob, Dean Townsend, Michael Kemp, Ryan Minyo with 98s. Townsend took Sub Veteran, while the rest of those had to carryover for AAA honors and Jacob took AAA with a 48 in the carry. Tate Hedrick won AA outright with his 98, while Madison Oswalt, who also had a 98, was high in Sub Junior.

OHIO HOF INDUCTEES G. COURTNEY HANING AND MARY & FRANK HORNYAK

SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP

Saturday started out cloudy but got brighter as the 893 shooters shot the State Singles Championship. Twenty one shooters broke the first hundred and 22 shooters broke the second hundred, but only Ian Lawrence from Illinois broke the deuce! Fighting for

IAN LAWRENCE

Ohio Singles Champion with 199s were Gunner Hall (Junior Gold), Seth Cooper (Junior Gold), Michael Wengerd, and Dirk Meckstroth. In the first round, Wengerd missed the first bird out for an early exit. Meckstroth went out in the second round, and in the third round neither one had a perfect score, but Hall broke a 24 to win the title and force Cooper back to his category, leaving Meckstroth runner-up and Wengerd the AAA winner.

DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP

Ed Detty was known for his love of the OSTA and his willingness to do anything he could for his sport and the association he loved. He will forever be missed and the OSTA OHIO STATE SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP

CH GUNNER HALL 199 RU DIRK MECKSTROTH 199 AAA MICHAEL WENGERD 199 AA BRYCE POSTEN 197 A TYLER WAITS 198 B J M PERRILL 197 C JERRY FLEMING 197 D EMERSON HALLIDAY 193 LD1 SUMMER GOBRECHT 198 LD2 PEGGY ANN WISE 193 SUB JR MADISON OSWALT 197 JR COLTON WOODS 198 JR GOLD SETH COOPER 199 SUB VET KEVIN DAWSON 198 VET ROGER PETERSON 196 SR VET TOBY WORKMAN 197 NON-RES CH IAN LAWRENCE (IL) 200

OHIO STATE DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP

CH JOSEPH CHARNIGO 99 RU MICHAEL WENGERD 96 AAA AUSTIN JACOB 96 AA MICHAEL BLAIR 96 A ETHAN KEBER 94 B TIMOTHY MCMILLAN 92 C TYLER WAITS 95 D MIKE FREDERICKSEN 91 LD1 ELIZABETH TERNES 99 LD2 SHARON COGAN 91 SUB JR RANSOM MAY 96 JR ETHAN HOLCOMB 94 JR GOLD EMANUEL BUTDORF 95 SUB VET JEFFREY SCHLICHTER 96 VET ANDREW DAVIDSON 92 SR VET CHARLES GANDERT 91 NON-RES CH CHASE HORTON (IL) 99

recognized him and his efforts in the Ed Detty Memorial Championship Doubles. It was sunny, bright and warm for the 539 shooters who shot, but Chase Horton was the only NonResident with a score of 99 to win. Joseph Charnigo and Elizabeth Ternes were high for Residents with the same score. It only took one round to decide, as Charnigo ran them all, and Liz ran into some trouble on post three, which had been her nemesis all week in the Doubles.

HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP

In the Kolar Ohio Handicap Championship they saw 538 shooters participate. Bryce Posten, a 23.5 yard shooter from Ohio had the high score by himself with 98! He’s a student at the University of Akron and going for a mechanical engineering degree. Non Residents had five shooters break 97 for the top score—Garret Helms, Keith Ditto, Collin Hopkins, Timothy Burnett, and David Guaresimo. After the first round of Handicap, Guaresimo broke a 23 and took the Junior champion. Hopkins, breaking a 22, fell to 3rd place, while the other three broke 24s and had to do it again and go out for another round. Burnett broke a 22 and fell to Veteran. Ditto and Helms went back out to shoot again, only this time Helms didn’t miss any to take Champion, Ditto claimed runner-up.

HAA AND HOA

Joe Charnigo dominated for the Resident High All Around and Overall awards, beating the field by two and 15 birds respectively. The All Around for the Non Residents were determined by a shoot-off between Garett Helms, Keith Ditto and Chase Horton. After waiting for Helms and Ditto to finish their shoot-offs in the other events that day, Horton joined them where he promptly was the only one who missed in the Singles portion, but he was the only one who ran the 10 Handicap targets while Garret missed one and Ditto two. Horton missed one again in the Doubles, making Helms the Champion with 39/40, Ditto and Horton were tied again with 38s, but they decided upon themselves for Ditto to take runner-up and Horton taking AAA. Horton eked out a victory over Ricky Marshall Jr. by one in the Overall for the Non Residents

BRYCE POSTEN

OHIO STATE HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP

CH BRYCE POSTEN 98 RU AARON SCHWARTZ 97 3RD WALTER MADER JR. 97 4TH WILLIAM BRAND 97 5TH JOSEPH CHARNIGO 96 6TH JOHN THOMAS 96 7TH MICHAEL KEMP 96 LD1 MALYNN HOSKINS 94 LD2 TAMERA KAUFMAN 96 SUB JR KOLE KEUNNING 95 JR VERNON HOCHSTETLER 97 JR GOLD ZACK HOWELL 96 SUB VET MARK ROSE 95 VET JERRY DUNFORD 96 SR VET TONY GIOFFRE 97 NON-RES CH GARRETT HELMS (IL) 97

JOE CHARNIGO

The Ohio State Shoot is always one for the family as the grounds have a fishing pond, small park area, and lots of camping spaces. You should try it if you haven’t already.

OHIO STATE HIGH ALL AROUND

CH JOSEPH CHARNIGO 392 RU AUSTIN JACOB 390 AAA MICHAEL WENGERD 389 AA MICHAEL BLAIR 384 A TYLER WAITS 385 B DAVID SWIGART 378 C TYLER SCHOCK 371 D CHAD KARLEN 370 LD1 ELIZABETH TERNES 384 LD2 CAROLE CARNEY 369 SUB JR KOLE KEUNNING 380 JR ETHAN HOLCOMB 385 JR GOLD BRYCE POSTEN 389 SUB VET JEFFREY SCHLICHTER 383 VET JERRY DUNFORD 379 SR VET MIKE DEHABEY 374 NON-RES CH GARRETT HELMS (IL) 392

OHIO STATE HIGH OVER ALL

CH JOSEPH CHARNIGO 1162 RU JOHN THOMAS 1147 AAA RYAN MINYO 1143 AA PATRICK MCCARTHY 1137 A THOMAS HART 1132 B RICHARD HENRY 1106 C J M PERRILL 1136 D DANIEL FETHER 1096 LD1 ELAINA MCCARTHY 1129 LD2 BETTY PETERSON 1072 SUB JR MADISON OSWALT 1124 JR ETHAN HOLCOMB 1125 JR GOLD BRYCE POSTEN 1146 SUB VET JOHN EVICK 1123 VET ROGER PETERSON 1103 SR VET MIKE DEHABEY 1122 NON-RES CH CHASE HORTON (IL) 1170

SHOOTER PROFILE GUNNER HALL

The Ohio State Singles Champion lives in Circleville, Ohio and grew up on a farm working as a farm hand for Metzger Bros. Farms. He grew up with a gun in his hands and was always outside plinking around with a BB gun. Since his dad enjoyed hunting, fishing, and the outdoors, it was only natural that he was the one that got him started at a very young age shooting. Discipline was big in his household, especially with the guns. Privileges were lost if he didn’t show the respect guns deserved, and that included cleaning. A neighbor invited him along to the local club when he was 12 years old. He began shooting with a youth model Remington 20 gauge and was considered a natural even back then.

Even though Gunner is only a Junior Gold shooter, he has been competing for years and has some impressive wins under his belt such as in the SCTP Nationals where he placed 2nd with a 200 straight, and at the Ohio State SCTP youth shoot he has won back to back with a 199 one year and a 200 the next. At the AIM Nationals in Sparta, Illinois, he decided to try out the handgun competition and was the only youth there to hit every target. It was his first time ever shooting a handgun and he won first place! He has also traveled to Colorado and shot the USA Open International Trap where he placed 5th in Doubles overall and 1st in his age group. It happened to be the last year Double Trap was offered as a discipline.

An interesting tidbit on how Gunner began his love of Federal shells—when he was starting out shooting, his dad bought him shells, not realizing they were the pink Federal Breast Cancer Awareness shells. Gunner was mad and thought it was a joke at first, but when he went out and ran his first 100 straight with them, he changed his mind about pink not being cool. It’s all he prefers to shoot now, assuming he can get them.

The day Gunner ran his first 200 straight was at Madison County Fish and Game--a small club outside London, Ohio--with his pink shells. They were having their yearly Chesser Memorial shoot honoring the family of Fred Gilliam, who happened to be one of Hall’s mentors. This was special to Gunner since it was held in a friend’s honor. He qualified to represent their club at the state shoot that year, and he was the youngest shooter ever to win that memorial shoot at 14 years of age. Gunner loves shooting trap because, “Anyone can break targets, but it’s the people who can control their thoughts really well that stand out. I like that it’s a mind game. You have to have your mind in the right place in order to break targets. Trap shooting is getting on the line, clearing your thoughts and doing the same routine repetitively every single time you shoot.”

These days you can find Gunner shooting his Browning Citori 725 Trap with a Kick-Eez pad shooting about 300 practice targets a week. It used to be about 1,000 when ammunition was plentiful. Like everyone else, he’s set goals. He’d like to make the Ohio State Shooting Team this year, since it’s his first year getting back into shooting after taking a few years off to focus on school and work. When he’s not practicing, he’s working on the farm, and arranging his shoot schedule around the seasons. Looking back, Gunner appreciates his parents, “I don’t come from a wealthy family, so shooting was always hard on everyone including my parents. They did their absolute best to keep me shooting and I’m thankful for that. Now I’m on my own and I know why I couldn’t shoot every single competition. This sport is expensive.” But he’s managing shooting, farming, taking classes to complete his Agriculture Business Degree at Ohio Christian University with a bit of hunting and fishing as well. This kid can do it all! n