Raiders finish fourth in WPIAL rifle finals
Waynesburg Central and West Greene were solid on the range last Tuesday afternoon, but the WPIAL Rifle Championships demand perfection as demonstrated by Butler鈥檚 gold-medal winning performance.
The Golden Tornado won the team title with a score of 800-67x. Actually, Butler鈥檚 10 shooters didn鈥檛 drop a shot as all shot 100-6x or better.
Additionally, Butler had to play their way into the field, entering as the lone wild card team.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 phenomenal. Ten kids didn鈥檛 drop a score,鈥� praised West Greene coach Sam Crawford.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the team that has the capability to bang their way to an 800. Butler shot an 800 to get into the finals, too,鈥� said Waynesburg Central coach Rich Rush. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 great. Today was their day.鈥�
The Raiders were pretty close to perfect with their team score of 798-55x to finish fourth and earn a berth into the state team playoffs.
Colby Simkovic鈥檚 aim was true as he was one of four to shoot a perfect round of 100-10x.
Bryce Bedilion and Shelby Burkett both shot 100-7x. Taylor Burnfield finished with 100-6x. Tristan Cole and RJ Wolen both scored 100-5x. Talia Tuttle (99-9x) and Grace Kalsey (99-6x) rounded out the scoring.
Abby Ozohonish (99-5x) and Taylor Wasson (98-8x) did not factor in the final tally.
鈥淲e pretty much shot our average. Our 鈥榵 count鈥� was down a little, but that鈥檚 to be expected,鈥� Rush said of the Raiders, who won the Section 1 title with an 8-0 mark. 鈥淎ll of I ever ask of them is to shoot their best. That鈥檚 the way it鈥檚 been all year.鈥�
Rush said his squad was solid throughout the season.
鈥淟ast year, we were a little top heavy. This year we have 10 solid kids. Abby (Ozohonish) and Colby (Simkovic) were the only two to count in all eight section matches,鈥� said Rush.
West Greene finished sixth with team total of 797-55x.
DJ Jones and Gavin Tuason shared scoring honors for the Pioneers with 100-8x. Emma Crouse (100-7x), Piper Whitlatch (100-6x), and Owen Hughes (100-5x) also scored 100.
Sheyann Watson scored 99-9x. Alison Thomas (99-8x) and Ruby Rittenhouse (99-4x) also counted in the final score.
Brooke Miller and Zach Frye both shot 98-5x, but did not count in the final score.
鈥淭hey did pretty good. We shot our average,鈥� said Crawford.
鈥淪heyann Watson, Alison Thomas and Ruby Rittenhouse dropped a point. It鈥檚 the first point Shey has dropped this season,鈥� Crawford said of the Sam Cramer awardee. 鈥淏ut, Owen Hughes stepped up with 100.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no room for error. I think some nerves got to them.鈥�
Crawford had to adjust his lineup before the squad even left the school.
鈥淥ne of the starters got sick on the bus, so I had to put my 11th shooter in,鈥� explained Crawford.
Most of the Pioneers鈥� lineup was new to the WPIAL finals, so Crawford was satisfied how his squad performed.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy with the way things worked out. Shey and DJ are the only veterans,鈥� said Crawford.
Waynesburg is the home of the defending WPIAL individual gold medal with 2019 graduate Selena Phillips winning two in a row. The top 16 advance to the state tournament after the field shoots double targets (for a top score of 200).
鈥淎bby (Ozohonish), Bryce (Bedilion), Colby (Simkovic), and Grace (Kalsey) are going. I鈥檓 going to have a shoot-off between four today for the fifth spot,鈥� said Rush.
Watson, Jones, Rittenhouse, Thomas and Whitlatch represented West Greene when they returned to the Mt. Lebanon/Dormont 缅北禁地men鈥檚 Club last Thursday for the WPIAL Individual Rifle Championships. Watson earned the gold medal.