Sports : After 41,000+ shots, Red Cedar Shooters celebrate successes of 2013 season

Red Cedar Wrap-up: Rookie of the Year Tyler Stueck and Top Shot Drake Tilson.

These Red Cedar Shooters, shown with their coaches, were among letter winners this season.

Red Cedar Shooters' Seniors Daniel Ervin, Hunter Vogt and Stephanie and Tiffany Auen.

The 2013 trap shooting season brought “lots of firsts” to the Vinton-Shellsburg Red Cedar Shooters – as well as the firing of more than 41,000 shotgun shells – said coach Jeff Tilson.

Speaking during the team’s wrap-up/award presentation Tuesday night at the Izaak Walton facility, where the team holds its practice sessions and home meets, Tilson cited several individual and team accomplishments.

The team ended its season at the State Meet in Cedar Falls, where as a team the Red Cedar Shooters hit 79.45 percent of their targets – the team’s highest percentage at State in its four-year history.

Throughout the season (from the first practice March 4 to State on May 31), the shooters recorded a team total of 244 scores of 22 or higher (out of 25). This year’s shooters set a new record by carding 16 perfect 25 scores; the team also celebrated another 50 (25's from both 16 and 19 yards), by Drake Tilson, who was also named the Top Shot.

Brad Burroughs served as the assistant coach; Tilson urged other parents to help with the coaching. The team had 43 people sign up, 33 when practice began and 30 who participated throughout the season. And while four shooters are graduating seniors, Tilson said 16 eighth graders have already expressed interest in competing next year.

The program relies on volunteer coaches, assistance from the Iowa DNR and financial contributions or donations from several sponsors, including the Red Cedar Chapter of the Izaak Walton League. This year, fund-raising netted $18,560. The Ikes are planning to build a second trap house, which will help expedite practice and meet rounds.

Tilson shared some statistics from this season:

* 41,000 shots fired from March 4 thru May 31st;

* 11,413 targets hit in competition this season;

* 244 letterwinning scores recorded;

* 20 Letter winners;

* 16 25-straights shot this year;

* 1 50-straight shot this year;

* 11 “Expert” qualifications (10 scores of 19 or more out of 25);

* 10 “Distinguished Expert” qualifications (10 scores of 22 or more out of 25);

* 5 “Sharpshooter” qualifications (6 scores of 17 or more out of 25);

* 79.45% of targets hit at at the State Meet (the highest percentages of targets hit by the group at any meet or week of practice---ever);

* Top shot-----Drake Tilson, who hit 497 out of a possible 550 targets in competition this season. He achieved the Distinguished Expert qualification in 2012, and recorded a total of 45 scores of 22 or more out of 25 this season;

* Rookie of the Year---Freshman Tyler Stueck;

* Top Fundraiser---Caleb Svoboda;

* Most Improved Shooter---Tiffany Auen with a 27.62% improvement in her average over 2012. And Sara Jorgensen, with a 23.81% improvement in her average over 2012;

* 2013 Letter Winners: Drake Tilson, Sara Jorgensen, Tyler Stueck, Caleb Svoboda, Logan Salger, Daniel Ervin, Jared Merchant, Ben Wood, John Betterton, Hunter Martin, Jacob Patrilla, Nick Stein, Dalton Nelson, Hunter Vogt, Jacob Reisch, Kyle Jorgensen, Cole Garwood, Tiffany Auen, Bastian Primmer and Cole Emrich.