WPU Defends Home Turf for First Title of Fall
Pella–The Statesmen shotgun sports team claimed its first crown of the fall as it won the William Penn Invitational Saturday and Sunday.
William Penn was first out of six teams with a score of 1,808-for-2,000, holding off Midland (Neb.) (1,800) by eight shots. Iowa Western CC (1,779) was also in the mix.
The competition, which was held at Black Oak Clays Range, featured the disciplines of Trap, Doubles Trap, Sporting Clays, and Super Sporting.
The navy and gold were first in both Trap (494-for-500) and Sporting Clays (441-for-500), while taking second in Doubles Trap (456-for-500) and Super Sporting (417-for-500).
Trenton Hol (So., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Industrial Technology) topped all shooters in Trap with a perfect 100-for-100.
Morgan Hodge (Sr., West Liberty, Iowa, Nursing) and Brianna Thompson (Sr., Campbellsport, Wis., Psychology) were next at 99-for-100, with Hodge winning the shoot-off to take the female title.
Wyatt Kresser (Sr., Independence, Iowa, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management) and Addison McGehearty (Jr., Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Undecided) also scored for the team at 98-for-100.
Sporting Clays served as the difference-maker as the Statesmen beat Midland by 12 shots.
Trenton Giese (Jr., Muskego, Wis., Mechanical Engineering) headlined the individual standings at 92-for-100, while Kresser posted a score of 90-for-100.
Ian Darragh (So., Eagle, Idaho, Business Management), at 89-for-100, and John Duld (Fr., Shawnee, Kan.) and Colton Heintz-Kuderer (Sr., Mabel, Minn., Biology), both at 85-for-100, produced for WPU as well.
Lexi Henning (Sr., Wilton, Iowa) was the women’s champion in Doubles Trap at 94-for-100, while Izaac Zihlman (So., Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Business Management) (93-for-100), McGehearty (91-for-100, and Evie Petersen (Fr., Tipton, Iowa) (90-for-100) also eclipsed the 90-target mark.
Hayden Lund (Jr., Beaverdam, Wis., Sports Management) was a scorer for his crew as well at 88-for-100.
Kresser’s 85-for-100 was the best mark for William Penn in Super Sporting, while Hol and Rusin Ivanoff-Ladd (Fr., Smackover, Ark.) were right on his heels at 84-for-100.
Cole Henning (Sr., Wilton, Iowa, Industrial Technology) managed an 83-for-100, while Duld and Heintz-Kuderer tied at 81-for-100.
Emily Sjoberg (Jr., Citrus Heights, Calif., Undecided) was not a top-five scorer for WPU in any event, but she was extremely consistent throughout the weekend, and that consistency landed her the title of Female High Overall Athlete at 338-for-400.
Kresser paced all Statesmen at 352-for-400 to take seventh overall, while Hol was second for WPU (eighth overall) at 350-for-400.
“The team shot very well overall,” Head Coach Colten Uitermarkt said. “Our freshmen continue to progress with our leaders helping with that development. Our team cohesion has been wonderful. The lightning delay on Sunday stopped us at a critical point in the tournament, but our athletes came back out strong and determined. It was a good team win.”
Next Up: William Penn travels to Lincoln, Neb. Saturday and Sunday to compete in the Midland Invitational.
