June 25 wasn’t just any normal lazy summer Friday for T-County Clay Busters, a local chapter of the Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program.
The co-ed team, comprised of fifth through 12th-grade students from Atoka, Brighton, Munford and Covington, were heading to Nashville for the state championships in trap shooting.
The rookie squad of five – Daegan Hatch (score 80), Cash McNeley (80), Wesley Perry (80), Jonathan Taylor (79), and Dereck Gardner (69)- hit 375 of 500 targets, putting them in first place with one team still left to report scores as the team left the venue to return to Tipton County.
The whole team gathered before leaving to hear the news and pass out awards. Our rookie team had placed first at regionals earlier in the month, shooting a squad total of 340 out of 500. Also, at the same regional event, Kynadee Arndt won third place for Intermediate/ Entry Level with a score of 72 out of 100 and Katelyn Gardner won third place in Senior/Varsity with a score of 96 out of 100.
The week after SCTP Regionals, on June 12, the team also placed well at the AIM district competition held in Shelby County.
Team individual award winners were Sam Long, second place Junior Men; Cash McNeley, second place Sub; Rachel Carter, third place Junior Lady; Kynadee Arndt, third place Sub Junior; and Daegan Hatch, fifth place Pre Sub.
The Sub Junior Squad of Brody Campisi, Brock Hill, Trenton Stafford, Kynadee Arndt and Grady Douglas took fousrth. Placing fifth was the Sub Junior squad consisting of Mason Carnell, McNeley, Gunnar Timbs, Hatch and Taylor. Also, placing 5th was our Junior Squad of Aiden Griggs, Seth Crook, Chandler Carmack, Hunter Ward and Sam Long.
We are incredibly proud of our team and coaches. All their hard work has paid off. No matter the conditions – rain, snow, cold and windy, blistering heat or COVID-enforced social distancing – they have all showed up for practices and competitions with a positive attitude and have done their best.
T-County Clay Busters has now taken home two state championships in two consecutive years. We wish them well as they head off to AIM Nationals being held in Sparta, Ill. on Aug. 2-3.
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