Wadena-Deer Creek clay-target shooting team members practice at the Knob Hill Sportsman Club.
The Mid-State Conference will host the first-ever conference-sanctioned Clay Target Championship on May 17 at Knob Hill Sportsman Club in Wadena, Minn.
The tournament will start with practice rounds at 8 a.m. and scoring rounds at 10 a.m. Teams from Wadena-Deer Creek, Crosby-Ironton, Detroit Lakes, Pequot Lakes, Park Rapids and Staples-Motley will compete in both Varsity and Junior Varsity Divisions. The event is thought to be the first-ever conference-sponsored event in the state of Minnesota.
Each school will be represented by a five-member team at each level. The teams will shoot two rounds of 25 clay targets to determine conference supremacy. In the event of a tie, a shoot-off will determine a conference champion. Top male and female shooters will be recognized with a plaque in both the Varsity and Junior Varsity Divisions. Additionally, a Conference Champion will be determined in the Varsity Division with the top 10 shooters being named All-Conference and shooters 11-15 Honorable-Mention All-Conference.
Clay target shooting is the fastest-growing sport for high school athletes in the state of Minnesota. Last season, 11,040 students from 343 school participated in the sport. It is open to both male and female student-athletes in grades 6-12 who have completed a certified firearms safety course. The Minnesota High School Clay Target League sponsors a state championship, the “Largest Clay Target Event in the World,” on June 12-20 this year in Alexandria. The Minnesota State High School League also sponsors a state tournament at the Minneapolis Gun Club on June 24.
“We are very excited to host this first-of-its-kind event at the conference level,” said Wadena-Deer Creek Activities Director Norm Gallant. “We recognize the popularity and value of this activity and want to give our student-athletes a stage on which to perform and a chance to compete and earn recognition at the conference level. We think it will be a great event for our kids and our conference.”
Knob Hill Sportsman Club is located east of Wadena at 13334 Knobb Hill Road in Wadena, Minn. Spectators are encouraged to attend the event. Admission will not be charged and light concessions will be available. For more information, contact WDC Activities Director Norm Gallant at (218) 632-2310 or ngallant@wdc2155.k12.mn.us.