Master’s division contestant Kylie Thompson takes aim at the North Dakota 4-H State Shotgun Match. (NDSU photo)

BISMARCK, N.D. (NDSU Extension) – Morton, Dickey, Hettinger and Ramsey counties took home the top honors in the 2022 North Dakota 4-H State Shotgun Match held recently in Bismarck.

The match was held at Capital City Sporting Clays near Menoken, North Dakota. The competition brought 46 shooters from across the state.

The 4-H shotgun events consist of trap, skeet and sporting clays. Seniors and juniors shoot 100 trap, 50 clay and 50 skeet targets. Shooters received one point for every target hit.

The senior division champion team was Morton County with members Kaden Schafer, Jack Gebhardt, Joshua Entzel and Rachel Dunlop. The team shot a combined score of 513 out of 600 in the three events and qualified for the 2023 4-H National Invitational in Grand Island, Nebraska. Top shooter Ty Awender also will represent team North Dakota with his score of 188 out of a possible 200.

The top shooters in the senior division were:

First – Ty Awender, Dickey County, with a score of 188; also top scorer in sporting clays with 46 out of 50 skeet with 48 out of 50.
Second – Kaden Schafer, Morton County, with a score of 176.
Third – Adam Kautzman, Hettinger County, with a score of 174; also top scorer in trap with 95 out of 100.
Fourth – Trace Christ, Stutsman County, with a score of 173.
Fifth – Jack Gebhardt, Morton County, with a score of 169.
The Hettinger County team of Westin Gilman, Eddie Sprenger, Brayden Wiesinger and Jake Sprenger scored 393 out of 600 to claim first place in the junior division.

The top individual scorers in the junior division were:

First – Brayden Berg, Ramsey County, with a score of 158 out of 200; also top scorer in trap with 89 and skeet with 35.
Second – Westin Gilman, Hettinger County, with a score of 143; also top scorer in sporting clays with 35.
Third – Eddie Sprenger, Hettinger County, with a score of 132.
Fourth – Ty Kremer, Ramsey County, with a score of 130.
Fifth place – Brayden Wiesinger, Hettinger County, with a score of 118.
In the master’s division, Kylie Thompson scored 169 out of 200.