Albion school will keep clay target shooting team
Provided photo: The Albion High School Clay Target Club is shown last year competing for the first time in the New York State Clay Target League. Pictured from left include: Gina Fox, Chris Rice (coach), Cole London, Ryan Uderitz (coach), Zac Albright, Drew Caldwell, Mike Donahue (coach), Austin Aman, Shane Hastings, Jordan Boccacci-Phillips, Ryan Krenning (kneeling), Sawyer Braley, Ben Hickman, Austin Furness, Patrick Brien, Alex Rustay, Jacob Fuller, Nick Sacco, Jeff Atwell (coach) Tim Brien (coach). Missing from photo: Jessica Fox, James Hapeman, Max Hapeman and Will Trembley.
ALBION – The Albion Board of Education voted on Monday to continue a clay target shooting team at Albion High School.
The team, the Clay Crushers, debuted last year and finished 9th out of 65 teams at state meet. Patrick Brien and Alex Rustay both received All-State honors last year.
Three of the team members – Brien, Rustay and Shane Hastings – competed at the USA High School Clay Target League National Championship at Mason, Mich.
The Board of Education approved the team for the 2020 season, which starts in March. However, the board declined a request to expand the participation eligibility to students as young as 12. The board opted to keep participation at the high school level for this year, wanting to get at least another year of experience for the team.
The Albion team members participate at the Barre Sportsmen’s Club. The Albion team competes against other schools that do their trap shooting on their home trap fields. They compare their scores online. Shooters try to hit 50 targets, which are sent out of a machine at 43 miles per hour.
Although students younger than the high school level can’t be on the school team they can still participate in clay target shooting through the Barre Sportsmen’s Club beginning at age 12.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Andrew Uderitz of Albion takes a shot at the trap target last April. The ammunition is donated by local sportsmen’s clubs and the Friends of the NRA.
