By Eleanor Wallace
Over the weekend of May 14-15, the Greenwood Bulldogs Trap Shooting team competed in the West regional of the AGFC Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program (AYSSP) at the AGFF range in Jacksonville, Arkansas. The Greenwood Bulldogs trap shooting team took 72 student-athletes, and 20 athletes qualified for the state competition on June 4-5.
The school team started in 2008 — the third year of the AYSSP program. Until 2020, when we lost our practice field at Chaffee and our season to Covid precautions, Greenwood had the largest program in the state averaging 120+ students per season. The program was excited to return to competition in 2021, even though we still don’t have a permanent practice location. Due to concerns about practice locations and uncertain Covid precautions, the coaches capped the 2021 roster at 80 students to ensure adequate practice time would be available to the entire roster.
Grades 6-8, the junior division of AYSSP, competed on Friday. Of the six squads of five athletes, two qualified for the state competition on Friday, June 4. The Pure Powder squad, consisting of Levi Rockford, Dax Turner, David Bronson, Blake Christiansen and Brooklyn Crites, clinched the #16 spot with a score of 81 out of 125 targets. Pure Powder won the tie breaker of four squads at 81 with Blake Christiansen’s high score of 22 out of 25. Trap Attack placed third in the region with a score of 97/125. Trap Attack members are Cadance Norris, Will Rupert, Maddie Creason, Dace Drennan and Jayden Lawler.
“These kids have worked very hard this season and we are proud to see them compete and excel in this non-traditional sport that teaches gun safety and helps them develop a love of shooting sports,” shared Ann Russell.
The senior division, grades 9-12, competed on Saturday. Ten squads of five athletes took the field. Two more squads of Greenwood Bulldogs qualified for the state shoot on Saturday, June 5. Blazing Barrels with Hunter Morris, Pierce Holland, Cash Lenderman, Jayson McGaugh and Noah Becvar scored 215 out of 250 targets, placing 12th out of 105 squads. Jayson had a near-perfect score of 49/50. The second squad, Powder Monkeys, with Corben Webb, Savvy Shoppach, Jake Robbins, Deacon Drennan, and Hayden Leonard, scored 219 of 250 placing 9th. Nine graduating seniors competed in their final AYSSP regional, several of which have been with the program for seven years.
