Regular Season Title Streak Snapped as WPU Takes Silver at Midland
Oskaloosa–A week after beating its Cornhusker State rival, the William Penn shotgun sports team fell on the road as it competed in the Midland Invitational last Friday through Sunday.
The Statesmen were just outside of the winner’s circle, placing second out of 16 teams with a score of 1,396-for-1,500. Host Midland secured the win at 1,410-for-1,500. The winning score was determined by adding together the top five HOA scorers from each squad.
In the process, WPU’s regular-season winning streak was snapped at 10. The incredible run spanned over three seasons, beginning on March 4, 2023 at the Simpson Invitational.
Trenton Giese (Fr., Muskego, Wis., Mechanical Engineering) had a huge weekend, winning High Overall Athlete honors at 289-for-300, including topping the Sporting Clays and Skeet standings.
William Penn opened with a 445-for-500 score in Sporting Clays, which was second in the field. Giese’s 95-for-100 was best among all competitors, while Wyatt Kresser (So., Independence, Iowa, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management) was next at 93-for-100.
Cade Bowie (Jr., Benton, Ark., Business Management) (87-for-100), Hunter Block (Grad., Eldridge, Iowa, Master’s of Organizational Leadership) (86-for-100), and Colton Heintz-Kuderer (So., Mabel, Minn., Biology) (84-for-100) also scored for the navy and gold.
Gittings’ perfection of 100-for-100 then paced his crew to a Skeet victory at 494-for-500. He was the lone shooter to hit all of his targets.
The trio of Tanner Muff (Jr., Lincoln, Neb., Public Accounting), Noah De Boef (Sr., Leighton, Iowa, Industrial Technology), and Brandon Nord (Jr., Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., New Media) were right behind him at 99-for-100, while the quartet of Dryden DeKoning (Sr., Newton, Iowa, Business Management), Nikolle Kussatz (So., Leighton, Iowa, Biology), Connor Gittings (Sr., Kansas City, Mo., Biology), and Emily Uitermarkt (Sr., Otley, Iowa, Elementary Education) all tied for a scoring spot at 97-for-100.
William Penn concluded the Invitational by tying for another runner-up trophy, this time in Trap at 482-for-500. De Boef and De Koning were at the top of the Statesmen standings at 98-for-100, while Hayden Lund (Fr., Beaverdam, Wis., Sports Management) hit 96 of his 100 targets. The foursome of Gittings, Brianna Thompson (Jr., Campbellsport, Wis., Psychology), Cole Henning (So., Wilton, Iowa, Industrial Technology), and Hunter Stenoien-Bowen (Jr., Avoca, Iowa, Engineering Technology) managed scores of 95-for-100 as well.
In addition to Giese winning the HOA award, Kresser was seventh in the standings at 280-for-300. Uitermarkt placed third in the Female HOA race at 266-for-300, while Sjoberg was right behind her in fourth (262-for-300).
“I am proud of how diligent the team has been working throughout this year,” Head Coach Colten Uitermarkt said. “The hard work and dedication is clear. Though the results were not quite what we had hoped for, I know this team is more driven than ever before to prepare for the rest of the season.”
Next Up: William Penn returns to Oskaloosa Friday through Sunday to host the William Penn Invitational at Mahaska County Izaak Walton League.
