WPU Near Top of Standings in Spring Opener
St. Louis, Mo.–The William Penn shotgun sports team started its spring season by giving some of the best teams in the nation quite a scare at the Lindenwood Invitational last Saturday and Sunday.
The Statesmen placed third out of 14 squads with a score of 1,394-for-1,500, while Hillsdale (Mich.) topped the standings at 1,403-for-1,500. Host Lindenwood, which has won 15 national titles, was just one shot out of the championship spot with 1,402 targets hit. Team scores were determined by combining the scores of each squad’s top five overall individuals.
William Penn opened the weekend by winning the Trap competition at 491-for-500. Dryden DeKoning (So., Newton, Iowa, Business Management) led the way with a perfect score of 100-for-100. Hunter Block (Jr., Eldridge, Iowa, Business Management) was right behind him at 99-for-100, while Raylee Bishop (So., Ankeny, Iowa, Civil Engineering) was at 98-for-100. Russell Malterud (Grad., North Branch, Minn., Master’s of Organizational Leadership) and Bryon Baca (Grad., Colorado Springs, Colo., Master’s of Organizational Leadership) both managed scores of 97-for-100 as well to get on the Statesmen scoring list.
The continued to shoot well, placing third in Skeet at 494-for-500, just two shots behind Lindenwood’s 496 makes.
Like DeKoning, Mathew Brindley (So., Earlham, Iowa, Industrial Technology) also posted a perfect score of 100-for-100, while the duo of Dominick Ver Meer (Jr., Pella, Iowa, Mechanical Engineering) and Cade Bowie (Fr., Benton, Ark., Business Management) were next at 99-for-100. Dryden DeKoning and Colten Uitermarkt (Grad., Otley, Iowa, Master’s of Organizational Leadership) rounded out the scoring at 98-for-100.
WPU fell off the pace a bit in Sporting Clays, again taking third at 433-for-500, while Lindenwood won the discipline at 443-for-500.
Brindley and Uitermarkt were both 89-for-100, while KayLynn Sieber (So., Marshall, Minn., Biology) helped out at 87-for-100. Bowie was in William Penn’s top five as well (86-for-100), and Ver Meer closed it out at 82-for-100.
The Statesmen were represented well in the High Overall Athlete standings. Sieber won the women’s crown at 276-for-300, while Brindley was fourth on the men’s side at 287-for-300. Uitermarkt, at 279-for-300, and Bishop, at 260-for-300, were both eighth in their respective races. Ashley Hunter (So., Indianola, Iowa, Biology) finished ninth amongst women as well (258-for-300).
“We performed very well for our first spring tournament against some of the best colleges in the country,” Head Coach Steve Heaton said. “To be only eight targets (out of 1500) away from the 15-time Division 1 national champions (Lindenwood) is very satisfying as a coach. We have some work to do in a short time to prepare for nationals, but I know we can get it done.”
Next Up: William Penn travels to Waukee Saturday and Sunday to compete in the Simpson Invitational.
