The Merit Academy Shooting Club had several students compete at a mid-November competition at the Olympic Shooting Center.

The competition was hosted by the National Training Center Shooting Club and featured over 100 rifle and pistol competitors in several different categories.

There were only two competitors in the progressive position pistol/supported category. Merit’s Kora Valdez shot the high score. Valdez will likely be one of Merit’s first varsity pistol team members from the club when she gets to ninth grade.

In the progressive position rifle-supported event, Merit fourth grader Mia Anderson shot the highest score out of five competitors with a 562.2.

The Merit rifle team were the only progressive position rifle–standing unsupported competitors at this match. Kylan Smith, 11th grade, posted the high score, followed closely by ninth grader Daniel Campbell. Aci Henderson (10th grade) edged out Ashlyn Halcomb (ninth grade) for third place by only 7 tenths of a point.

“The Merit Academy Shooting Sports Club is the future ‘farm system’ for the Merit Academy varsity Rifle Team and the future varsity Pistol Team,” coach Michael Theimer said. “Those Club athletes who continue to train over the next few years will become one of the top varsity shooting teams in the country. The potential is definitely there.”