Claybreakers hit the target at state

The Fallon Claybreakers went out with a bang at the 2013 Nevada Youth Shooting Sports Association (NYSSA) state shoot recently.

Of the 103 shooters in Carson City, Fallon brought 34 and secured two individuals titles and won four of the five team shoots.

Derek Whitten nailed 195 out of 200 targets to win the varsity division, while Zach Barnes blasted 176 pigeons to win the intermediate class. In addition, Fallon tallied four second-place finishes with Olivia Barber (175, varsity), Jared Harmon (170, intermediate), Dylan Ernst (176, intermediate advance) and Dalin Conner (191, junior varsity).

Billy Coleman placed fourth (154) in the intermediate entry class, while Tyler Word (169, intermediate advanced) and Bryce Reid (177, junior varsity) took fifth.

As for the team competition, Whitten — who was also named Top Gun — and Barber led the varsity team as Fallon drilled 913 out of 1,000 targets for the win. They were joined by Tim Camper, Chris Vanderstoel and Carl Barnes.

The junior varsity squad of Conner, Reid, Jarryd Williams, Dominic Rushing and Ethan Bohnr hit 835 pigeons to claim the crown.

Word, Ernst, West Lawerence, Jacob Ledesma and Michael Richards II amassed a score of 824 to win the intermediate advanced division. In the intermediate entry class, Barnes, Harmon, Billy Coleman, Tristen Porter and Chandler Clevenger tallied 775 targets to win the championship.

“They just did so good,” said Fallon’s Scholastic Coordinator Pat Whitten.

The Claybreakers joined NYSSA last season and the organization has grown to six clubs (Fallon, Elko, Reno, Carson City, Yerington and Las Vegas) throughout the state.

The team consisted of 42 youth shooters this year and 14 coaches, three of whom are stationed at Naval Air Station Fallon. Pat Whitten said the number of coaches was a tremendous help, as well as securing individuals from the base.

“It’s nice to start breaking into NAS (Fallon),” she said. “They were so willing. They really want to be part of the community.”

The club practiced twice a week for 10 weeks leading up to the state shoot. All shooters trying out for the team must complete a safety course at the club before the first practice.

Pate Whitten said a goal for NYSSA is to begin one or two regular season shoots to prepare the youngsters for the state shoot.

Organization within NYSSA, though, is still in its infancy and Pat Whitten said the club is hopeful more shoots will spring up. One issues is several of the clubs do not have enough traps to support an event with more than 100 shooters.

Despite Nevada’s growing pains, though, the California Youth Shooting Sports Association’s club in Portola invited the Nevada shooters to its club earlier this year.

“We are invited into California, which is nice,” Pat Whitten said.