Marty Gibbs (above left) for the boys and Kendra Zimmerman (right) for the girls were the 2023 trap team Top Guns.
Gibbs, a senior, brought down 229 out of a possible 250 targets. Zimmerman, a sophomore, shot a 133 to lead the three girls on the team.
The pair and others were honored at an awards ceremony, held at the Caribou Gun Club on Wednesday.
Shooting stars for week one were sophomores Noah Hermel for the boys (44) and Kayla Bauer for the girls (25). For week two it was Gibbs and Hermel again for the boys (both with a 47) and Bauer again for the girls (25). For week three it was freshman Judd Gibbs and sophomore Reid Knish for the boys (both with a 46) and Bauer again for the girls (32). For week four it was Marty Gibbs for the boys (50) and Zimmerman for the girls (28). For week five it was sophomore Nick Simonette for the boys (49) and Zimmerman for the girls (34).
Most improved shooters were Austin Anderley (second from left) for the boys and Abigail Osness (second from right) for the girls.
Anderley, a seventh grader, shot a 23 in the first competition, went up to 30 a week later, then 34, then 35 and then back down to 34 in the final shoot. Osness, a junior, scored a 14 in competition week one and then upped her score by five targets the next week. In week three, she shot a 25 before slipping down to 18 in week four and to 11 in the final competition.
The following plan on competing at the state meet in Alexandria in June: Dakota Alitz, Arnold Cooper, Chase Bock, Gauge Bock, Henry Boelter, Judd Gibbs, Marty Gibbs, Tanyon Hoheisel, Urijah Hoheisel, Zayden Linder, Jake Mueller, Osness, John Ritchie, Kaden Schmidt, Adam Seeman, Nathan Seeman, Cole Stocker, Colton Tousley and Dylan Zimmerman.
Top guns for the weeks were Marty Gibbs (two and four), Nick Simonette (five), Noah Hermel (one and two), Reid Knish (three), Judd Gibbs (three) and Kendra Zimmerman (four and five). Missing is Kayla Bauer (one, two and three).
After the awards ceremony, the trap shooters enjoyed a fun Annie Oakley competition. Shooters take turns trying to connect with a clay target. If he or she misses, the shooter to his or her right can attempt to shoot it down, eliminating the shooter or shooters who missed. Sometimes three shooters will miss while the next one connects to eliminate all three. The last five or so who remain move back 10 feet or so, making hitting the flying target more difficult. The last shooter remaining wins.
The trap team minus a few