Jul 15, 2018 4 min read

Twenty-eight members of the Hunting Hills Hawkeyes, Greene County’s Scholastic Clay Target Program team, received 34 awards during the Pennsylvania Scholastic Clay Target Program Sporting Clays Championship, held Saturday, June 16, at Blue Ridge Sportsman’s Club in Harrisburg.

The event involved more than 225 youth shooters from across the state competing in a 100-target shoot to determine state winners in seven skill divisions: rookie, intermediate entry, intermediate advanced, junior varsity, varsity, mixed open and collegiate.

Awards were given to the top three teams in each division, as well as the highest overall and first-through-third-place scorers in each division. A total of 53 Hunting Hills Hawkeyes members participated in the shoot.

Hawkeyes squads took first place in four divisions, second place in one division, and third place in three divisions, along with nine individual and one collegiate award.

Rookie: The squad consisting of Brendan Cole, Dylan Hughes and Samuel Riley took first-place in the rookie division with a combined score of 195. Riley placed first with an individual score of 72.

Intermediate Entry: There were no placements in the intermediate entry division.

Intermediate Advanced: The Hawkeyes placed first and third in the intermediate advanced division. The first-place squad consisting of Robert Dillion III, Owen Hughes, and Ethan Wise had a combined score of 229. A combined score of 218 placed Ivan Pavick, Devon Pezzino and Jacob Stroud in third place. Dillon placed first with an individual score of 81, and Wise placed third with an individual score of 80.

Junior Varsity: Squads placed first and third in the junior varsity division. The squad consisting of Keehn Dunlevy, Garret Efaw and Zach Wilson won with a combined score of 243. The squad consisting of Parker Grimes, Tucker Hughes and Thaine Miller placed third with a combined score of 232. Efaw placed first with an individual score of 88, and Terry Anderson placed second with an individual score of 83. Kyleigh Kozel also placed first with an individual score of 75 for the female category.

Varsity: The Hawkeyes placed first and second in the varsity division. The first-place squad consisting of Zach Abbott, Cameron Cernuska and Tristan Cole won with a combined score of 262. A combined score of 260 won second place for the squad consisting of Dylan Henkins, Arran Hinerman and Dylan Miller. Hinerman placed second with an individual score of 90, and Cole placed third with an individual score of 90.

Mixed Open: In the mixed open division, Grace Kalsey won second place with an individual score of 52 in the female category.

Collegiate: Patrick Hughes placed first with an individual score of 92 and won high overall among all shooters.

The team’s home base of Hunting Hills is owned and operated by Sally and Roy Sisler, who first approached the Greene County Commissioners in 2008 about starting a Scholastic Clay Target Program.

More than 60 students in grades five through 12 have participated each year since the pilot program began in 2009. Overseeing this year’s program were head coach Chuck Mallory and assistant head coach Randy Coss, along with several assistant coaches.

Nationally, the programs are sponsored by the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation.

Locally, the Greene County Commissioners, Hunting Hills and the Department of Recreation sponsor the program with support from Amity Asphalt Paving Inc., First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Greene County, the Friends of the National Rifle Association, Gateway Engineers Inc., Kesterson-Rush Funeral Home, Laurel Aggregates, Midway Foundation, National Wild Turkey federation Warrior Trail gobblers, and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

The program’s mission is to promote and teach young people the fundamentals of gun safety, team work and outdoor sports.

“The Greene County Board of Commissioners applaud the members of the Hunting Hills Hawkeyes for their achievements in this recent championship,” said Commissioner Blair Zimmerman. “These youths deserve to be commended for their efforts, and the Commissioners are proud to be one of the team’s sponsors.”

For more information on the Hunting Hills Hawkeyes, call the Department of Recreation at 724-852-5323, or visit www.co.greene.pa.us.