Warriors Claim Bobcat Invitational Title

LINCOLN, Nebraska – Competing in its final shoot of the fall season, Midland University captured the HOA Team title at the Lincoln Trap & Skeet Club over the weekend. The Warriors hit 1,443 out of 1,500 targets, finishing 53 points ahead of second-place Concordia University to claim the overall crown at the Bobcat Invitational.

The HOA team scores combined results from Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays events. Midland's Cole Kennedy earned the HOA Champion title, shooting 287 out of 300. Michael Martinez took HOA Runner-Up with a score of 286. In the Female HOA competition, Midland's Sarah Sjoberg and Samantha Nelson tied for first at 273. In a shoot-off featuring three pairs of Skeet Doubles followed by ten Trap targets, Sjoberg edged out Nelson by a single target to claim the title.

"This was a great way to end our fall season, for sure," said Midland head coach Jake McThenia. "Our upperclassmen set a high standard, showing what it takes to win. We had several athletes who had been close to victory before but finally capitalized on the opportunity. It makes me happy to see their hard work pay off."

Midland claimed first place in the Sporting Clays competition, hitting 454 out of 500 targets. Audric Scheidel shot a 93, Grayson Stuart recorded a 92, and Cole Kennedy shot a 91. Andy Grell, Michael Martinez, and Roy Warner III each scored an 89. Scheidel was the Male Champion in Sporting Clays, while Stuart was Runner-Up. Samantha Nelson won the Female Sporting Clays title with a score of 82, while Sarah Sjoberg was Runner-Up with an 81.

In American Skeet, Midland achieved first place by hitting 491 out of 500 targets. Hunter Martin scored a 99, while Mason Andelin, Chase Carrere, Amy Cawley, Cole Kennedy, and Sarah Sjoberg each scored a 98. Martin took the American Skeet Runner-Up title, losing in a shoot-off to Concordia's Devin Harris, 2-1. Cawley claimed the Female Champion title in American Skeet, with Sjoberg finishing as Runner-Up after Cawley won their shoot-off, 2-1.

Midland also earned first place in American Trap, connecting on 498 out of 500 targets. Gil Palmer, Brayden Bliss, and Michael Martinez shot a perfect 100, while Mason Andelin and Audric Scheidel shot 99. Palmer took the title as Male Champion in American Trap, with Bliss as Runner-Up after winning a shoot-off over Martinez, 2-1. Remini Huguenot claimed the Female American Trap title with a score of 96, narrowly defeating runner-up Samantha Nelson in a shoot-off after sweeping all three stations.

"A complete team effort is the best way to describe this shoot," said McThenia. "I'm proud to see this group continue to succeed, both as a team and as individuals."

The Warriors will resume their season in the spring when they compete at the Bulldog Sporting Invitational, hosted by Concordia in Brainard, Nebraska, on February 28 and March 1.