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| SAL National Commander Earl Ruttkofsky, Precision National Champion Dempster Christsenson, Sporter National Champion Noel Maxwell, National Commander Paul A. Morin. |
USA SHOOTING RANGE, COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. – Noel Maxwell, a 13-year-old female shooter from Bowling Green, Kentucky preformed under intense pressure in the final shoot-off to capture the sporter crown at the 17th annual American Legion Junior Air Rifle National Championship, August 9-11. One record was broken as thirty junior air rifle competitors met at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
Maxwell, the youngest National Champion in the 17 year history of the program, claimed the sporter championship firing a 2309.7/2509. She shoots for the Corvette City Shooting Team, which is sponsored by Post 23.
Dempster Christenson, 17, of Sioux Falls, S.D., won the overall Precision championship with a score of 2462.2/2509. Christenson is a member of the Humboldt Sharpshooters, sponsored William H. Crippen Post 62.
Also observing the competition was 1992 rifle Olympic Gold medalist Launi Meili. Meili, got her start as youth through a shooting program sponsored by the Cheney, Washington American Legion Post. She recently assumed the duties as the rifle coach for the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Kurt Hakola set the new sporter final shoot-off record of 96.4 out of possible 109, eclipsing the old record of 93.7 set in 2004. Hakola also finished fifth overall in the sporter category with a score of 2263.4. The Port Crane, New York native shoots for the Binghamton Rifle Club, sponsored by Post 1845.
Rounding out the top five in the two categories were:
Precision competition - Kyle Smith shot a 2459.9 to take second place honors. Smith is from DuBois, Pa., and shoots for the, DuBois Rifle and Pistol Club, sponsored by DuBois Post 17.
Abigail Stanic of Wadsworth, Ohio, fired a 2452.8 to capture third place. She is a member of the Ashland Eagles, sponsored by Fairview Park Post 738.
Joseph Walkowicz finished in fourth place with a 2457.0. He is from Nashville, Tenn., and shoots for Montgomery Bell Academy, sponsored by Brentwood Post 156.
Rounding out the top five was Matthew Pueppke of Amenia, N.D., who shot a 2448.0. Pueppke, a 2005 national championship finalist shoots for the Buffalo Sharpshooters, sponsored by Dokken & Schroeder Post 223.
Sporter competition - Second place went to Marco Aguayo of McAllen, Texas, with a score of 2308.3. He is a member of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo H.S. JROTC marksmanship team, sponsored by Vermund G. Hanson Post 101.
Kaitlyn Martin of Peralta, N.M., fired a 2288.5 for third place. She shoots for the Valencia County 4-H Shooting Sports team sponsored by Post 85.
Taking fourth was Joe Montanez shooting a 2272.7. Montanez is also a member of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo H.S. JROTC marksmanship team.
The tournament staff selected Kaitlyn Martin as the recipient of the annual Francis M. Redington Sportsmanship award. The Francis M. Redington Sportsmanship award was established in May 2005 in the memory of Redington, a long time tournament staff member, who passed away in 2003. Martin was selected as the athlete competing in the national championship who best exemplified good sportsmanship and fair play.
The American Legion’s Junior Shooting Sports program offers junior shooters the opportunity to participate in Olympic-style competition while also providing instruction on the safe handling of firearms.
Contact: Mike Buss: 317/630-1249 or 1210
