Winners in the Senior Rifle division are all smiles after punching tickets to the state competition.
The Mountaineers 4-H Shooting Sports Club is headed to the highest level of competition in the state after a strong showing at the 2023 West Region 4-H Shooting Sports Tournament this past month at Polk County Gun Club in Columbus.
In the regional tournament, counties from across Western North Carolina competed in shotgun, rifle, archery, muzzleloader and pistol. Mitchell County’s strong showing punches its ticket to the state 4-H tournament later this month.
Deren Hise, Daniel McClure (third place) and Tristan Justice advanced to the state tournament in the Senior Shotgun Division.
Deren Hise, Thomas Hise, Bryson Connor Miller, Tristan Justice and Bransen Pittman advanced in the Senior Rifle Open Sights Division.
Dawson Silvers advanced in Senior Rifle Telescopic and Senior Archery Compound Hunter/Sporter. He also placed second in Senior Archery Compound Match and second in Senior Overall Match. Riley Silvers also punched his ticket in the Senior Archery Compound Hunter/Sporter.
In the Senior Small Bore Pistol Team Division, Deren Hise, Thomas Hise, Bryson Connor Miller and Branson Pittman earned a second-place finish to punch their ticket to the state tournament.
Daniel McClure and Dawson Silvers took Senior Individual Muzzle Loading by storm as Silvers placed first and first place overall in the senior competition.
Emma Sellers, Adien Sellers, Ezra McClure, Keegan Robinson advanced in the Junior Rifle Team Open Sights Division taking third place. Emma took the junior overall first-place spot.
Brandon Robinson and Zeb Pittman advanced in Junior Rifle Telescopic. In Junior Individual Archery Compound Division, Emery Brown placed first and second in junior overall archery along with teammate Ciara Silvers who finished third and advanced to state.
Riley McCourry held the second-place spot for the Junior Individual Air Pistol and advanced to state.
“We would like to thank our sponsors and volunteer coaches who donated their time and local businesses who financially supported the team which helped make it all possible,” said Tristan Justice, team vice president. “We are looking forward to leaving the Mountaineer Shooting Sports mark in Ellerbe and hopefully bringing home some trophies.”