Depth Again on Display at WPU Dominates Grand View Invite
Waukee–The William Penn shotgun sports team had a large variety of scorers as they fought through windy conditions to win the Grand View Invitational last Saturday and Sunday.
The Statesmen were first out of nine programs with a score of 1,669-for-1,750. Simpson placed second with a score of 1,582-for-1,750.
William Penn claimed wins in all four disciplines and had one of the two High Overall Athlete winners.
Saturday was split between Trap (WPU had a score of 494-for-500) and Sporting Clays (WPU had a score of 464-for-500).
On Sunday, the Statesmen won the Skeet competition at 493-for-500, while also taking the Super Sporting battle at 218-for-250.
Brianna Thompson (Jr., Campbellsport, Wis., Psychology) and Dryden DeKoning (Sr., Newton, Iowa, Business Management) shared the top honor in Trap with perfect scores of 100-for-100.
Trenton Giese (Fr., Muskego, Wis., Mechanical Engineering) was next at 99-for-100, while Cade Bowie (Jr., Benton, Ark., Business Management) was one back of him at 98-for-100.
The quartet of Mathew Brindley (Sr., Earlham, Iowa, Industrial Technology), Tanner Muff (Jr., Lincoln, Neb., Public Accounting), Colton Heintz-Kuderer (So., Mabel, Minn., Biology), and Hayden Lund (Fr., Beaverdam, Wis., Sports Management) also helped with the Statesmen scoring at 97-for-100.
DeKoning headlined William Penn’s efforts in Sporting Clays by tying for first at 95-for-100.
Muff was right in the mix as well at 94-for-100, while Giese and Noah De Boef (Sr., Leighton, Iowa, Industrial Technology) both ended up at 92-for-100. Heintz-Kuderer and Connor Gittings (Sr., Kansas City, Mo., Biology) were high on the board as well at 91-for-100.
Like Thompson and DeKoning in Trap, Nikolle Kussatz (So., Leighton, Iowa, Biology) also walked off perfect in a discipline, doing so in Skeet at 100-for-100.
Brindley gave Kussatz a run by posting a score of 99-for-100, while Emily Uitermarkt (Sr., Otley, Iowa, Elementary Education) was there as well at 98-for-100.
DeKoning and Muff were joined by Wyatt Kresser (So., Independence, Iowa, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management) and Ashley Hunter (Sr., Indianola, Iowa, Biology) as scorers at 97-for-100.
Muff wrapped up the weekend by sharing the Super Sporting crown with a score of 46-for-50. The squad also received contributions from Giese, Bowie, Kresser, and Carver Van Zee (Jr., Pella, Iowa, Industrial Technology) as each went 43-for-50.
Overall, Muff was the HOA champion at 334-for-350, while DeKoning collected runner-up honors at 332-for-350. Giese (330-for-350) and Kresser (325-for-350) placed in the top five as well, while William Penn finished with eight individuals in the top 10.
Kussatz’s 308-for-350 score was good for silver in the Female HOA race. Thompson (304-for-350) and Emily Sjoberg (Fr., Citrus Heights, Calif., Undecided) (303-for-350) ended up third and fourth, respectively, while Uitermarkt and Angie Wolfert (Jr., Waterford, Wis., Nursing) tied for fifth at 302-for-350. WPU had six of the top 10 scores on the women’s side.
“The team handled the windy conditions extremely well, and I am proud of how they stayed tuned in mentally when the targets varied,” Head Coach Colten Uitermarkt said. “This type of performance proves how mentally tough our athletes are. When they are mentally tuned in, nothing will affect their performance.”
Next Up: William Penn travels to Sparta, Ill. next Friday to Sunday to compete in the ACUI Fall Central Midwest Conference Championships.
