Competitors in the finals of the precision division take their shots in the 2019 Junior Shooting Sports competition at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Saturday, July 27, 2019. Photo by Chet Strange/The American Legion

30 youth invited to American Legion air rifle championship

The American Legion 3-Position Junior Air Rifle Championship was canceled last year to ensure participant safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This July, The American Legion is looking forward to hosting its top 30 finalists in Colorado Springs, Colo., for the annual air rifle championship.

The top 15 shooters in the precision and sporter categories from The American Legion postal tournaments will compete in Colorado Springs July 20-24. The air rifle marksmen will shoot a .177 caliber air rifle in three positions: prone, standing and kneeling. The top eight shooters in both categories will be finalized July 23 and advance to the championship round the morning of July 24.

One competitor will win the championship title in each category, along with a $5,000 college scholarship provided by The American Legion and the Sons of The American Legion. A $1,000 scholarship, provided by the American Legion Auxiliary, will be awarded to the second-place finisher in each category.

The precision and sporter champions will attend the 102nd American Legion National Convention in Phoenix in August to be honored alongside other American Legion youth program champions.

The following are the competitors in both the precision and sporter category, along with their team affiliation.

Precision

1. Isabella Baldwin – Nashville, Tenn.; Harpeth Hall High School

2. Allison Buesseler – Stacy, Minn.; Minnesota Centershots

3. Katrina Demerle – Hamilton, Ohio; Fairfield Sportsmen’s Association

4. Gracie Dinh – Starkville, Miss.; Starkville Gun Club

5. Sarah Folsom – Granbury, Texas; Granbury High School MCJROTC

6. Nicolette Hoffman – Armour, S.D.; Dakota Sharpshooters

7. Marcus Klemp – Missoula, Mont.; Hellgate Gold

8. Griffin Lake – Emmaus, Pa.; Ontelaunee Jr. Rifle Team

9. Logan Michael – Lincoln, Calif.; Lincoln California Lead Heads

10. Emma Pereira – Chesapeake, Va.; Patriot Shooting Club of Virginia

11. Natalie Perrin – Coopersville, Mich.; Grand Rapids Rifle & Pistol Club

12. Danielle Vigil – Yorktown, Va.; Patriot Shooting Club of Virginia

13. Elysa Walter – Sugar Hill, Ga.; Georgia Competitive Shooters

14. Claudia Weber – Palmrya, Pa.; Palmyra Jr. Rifle Team

15. Anne White – San Antonio, Texas; Texas Hill Country Shooters

Sporter

1. Claudia Allen – Binghamton, N.Y.; Binghamton Rifle Club

2. Lee Billings – Morgan, Utah; Utah Military Academy

3. Maya Cameron – Fort Mill, S.C.; Nation Ford High School MCJROTC

4. Shelby Carr – Alliance, Neb.; Guns R Us 4H

5. Tha Dah – Des Moines, Iowa; Des Moines North MJROTC

6. Isabelle Fetting – Fort Mill, S.C.; Nation Ford High School MCJROTC

7. Noah Hammock – Rutherfordton, N.C.; R-S Central High School MCJROTC

8. Amarissa Jackson – Winthrop Harbor, Ill.; Zion Benton NJROTC

9. Kayla Kalenza – Fort Mill, S.C.; Nations Ford MCJROTC

10. Ashley Mendez – Middletown, N.Y.; American Legion Post 151

11. Bailey Milender – Superior, Mont.; Montana 10x Shooting Sports

12. Kyle Orr – Fort Mill, S.C.; Nation Ford High School MCJROTC

13. Jeremiah Vonzell – Wadsworth, Ill.; Zion Benton NJROTC

14. Dylan Walden – Clover, S.C.; Clover High School AFJROTC

15. Ayden Wells – Des Moines, Iowa; Des Moines Iowa North MCJROTC