Courtesy: Hillsdale Athletic Department
Six members of the Hillsdale shotgun team received All-American honors at the Association of College Unions International and Scholastic Clay Target Program Collegiate National Championship, March 15-21.
The Chargers placed fourth overall, competing against 107 teams at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, Texas.
Junior Luke Johnson took fourth overall, qualifying for the first All-American team. Senior Davis Hay and freshman David Texas Ardis tied for 19th overall, qualifying for the second All-American team.
Freshman Zach Hinze and sophomore Taylor Dale also qualified for the second All-American team, with Dale also qualifying in the women’s All-American division with a fourth-place finish in the women’s category. Junior Madeline Corbin also qualified for the women’s All-American team with an 11th-place finish in that category.
Fifth-year senior Kyle Fleck was an honorable mention at the shoot.
Competitors who place top 10 overall qualify for the first All-American team, while those who place 11-20th qualify for the second All-American team. Athletes who place top 10 specifically in the men’s or women’s categories qualify for gender specific All-American teams, and those within five places of All-American status earn an honorable mention.
Hillsdale won the American Skeet category after shooting 496 targets out of 500, with Hay and Fleck shooting perfect 100s.
“Our strongest event was American Skeet,” head shotgun coach Jordan Hintz said. “We took first place in Division II, and in addition to that, we actually tied for the highest score of any team, regardless of any division.”
The Chargers took second in the Super Sporting event and third in Doubles Skeet.
Hintz said adverse weather put the Chargers behind as they shot Trap early in the week.
“Unfortunately half our squad, including some of our better Trap Doubles competitors, shot on Monday, which was by far the worst conditions of the week,” Hintz said. “Luck plays a big factor.”
According to Hintz, while the team struggled early on, its performance in the Super Sporting and Sporting Clays events moved it up in the rankings.
“From my perspective on the last day, it looked like we were going to place fifth,” Hintz said. “But we shot so amazingly well on the last day that it got us within six targets of making the podium, which is just awesome.”
Senior team captain Leif Andersen said Hillsdale’s underclassmen had a great showing at the shoot.
“We have a strong underclassmen presence on the team,” Andersen said. “A lot of kids we brought in, like Brayden Hoppa, Zach Hinze, and even David Texas, all had really good weeks. They had really bright moments where they shot well, which is really good to see because that’s the future of the team.”
According to Andersen, the team also won a side tournament while in Texas.
“Two guys invented this game called Make-a-Break, and it’s in a Sporting Clays format,” Andersen said. “It’s supposed to be entertaining enough for people to watch on TV.”
Hintz added that the team’s win in the event, which involves shooting targets with different point values in pairs, was unexpected.
According to Hintz, although the team didn’t accomplish everything it wanted, its goals going forward remain the same.
“The goals remain unchanged,” Hintz said. “The goal is to win that first-place DII high overall, hitting the big stepping stones on the way at the regional shoots, and continuing to have athletes earn the opportunity to represent Team USA overseas.”
Johnson said the team must stay committed to repeat their success in 2024.
“We definitely still have a future, but we need to work hard for next year,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to lose another one in a row.”
Junior Ava Downs will compete in the International Shooting Sport Federation Shotgun World Cup in Tangier, Morocco, March 27-April 3. The shotgun team’s official season is over until the fall, but several other Charger athletes will compete individually in national and international competitions in the coming months.
