Watson, Wasson earn state rifle medals
West Greene蘑菇视频 Sheyanne Watson (right) poses with coach Sam Crawford after medaling in the WPIAL Rifle Championships. Watson placed seventh in the PIAA Rifle Championship and was named to the Pennsylvania All-Tournament Team. (Submitted photo)
Waynesburg Central senior Hunter Wasson finished fifth in the PIAA Rifle Championship and was named to the Pennsylvania All-Tournament Team. (Submitted photo)
Waynesburg Central蘑菇视频 Hunter Wasson last advanced to the Pa. State Rifle Championships two years ago as a sophomore, and West Greene蘑菇视频 Sheyanne Watson had never participated in the state final.
Both advanced to the state final this year and both Greene County students capped the 2018-19 season with a medal.
Wasson managed to double out in his senior year after the Raiders captured third place in the team championship.
Watson finished seventh with a four-relay total of 409.9. The junior opened with a 106-99 score in the first two relays, and then closed a bit stronger with 103-101.9 in the final two rounds.
Watson was also honored on the PA State All-Tournament Team.
The Pa. State Rifle Championship is competed at two sites, one on the eastern side of the state and the other on the western portion of Pennsylvania. Frazier-Simplex Rifle Club in Washington was the site for the western side of the state.
The host site was familiar to the Greene County shooters, providing a more comfortable setting for the championship.
鈥淚t helped being their before. I was familiar with the lighting, and it was close to home,鈥� explained Watson. 鈥淚t was great to see local kids, as well.鈥�
West Greene and Waynesburg Central share the Waynesburg Sportsmen蘑菇视频 Club as their home range, and several other competitors from Section 1 advanced into the state final so Watson had a few familiar faces in the title match.
Watson was a bit anxious at the start, but settled in as the competition began.
鈥淚 was nervous, but I calmed down once I got in there,鈥� said Watson, adding, 鈥淚 was not as nervous as I was for the WPIAL (finals).鈥�
Watson shot her first two relays, took a break and then returned to complete the final two relays, taking about 40 minutes to complete her competition.
Watson competed on Thursday, Feb. 21, so she had to wait about a week for the final results to be tabulated. Now, she has a piece of school history with her seventh-place finish to earn the program蘑菇视频 first state medal.
鈥�(The wait for the final result) was nerve-racking,鈥� said Watson. 鈥淚t蘑菇视频 an accomplishment (to win the medal). I鈥檓 the first shooter to medal. It蘑菇视频 great. I love it.鈥�
Wasson finished fifth with a four-target total of 410.9. His strongest target was his second with a score of 105. The senior opened with 101.8, then came back with a 102.3-101.8 combination to close out the round. He was named to the Pa. State All-Tournament Team.
Wasson actually scored higher two years ago when he placed third with 409.9.
鈥淭he scores were crazy high. There were a lot of good shooters,鈥� said Wasson.
Frazier-Simplex was a comfortable, familiar site for Wasson.
鈥淚鈥檓 used to shooting there. I had no nerves going into that place,鈥� said Wasson.
Twelve teams from around the state and 41 individual shooters qualified for the state championship. The top five scores counted for the team totals with each shooter completing two rounds. All shooting was done from the prone position.
Wasson earned a second state medal when the Raiders finished third in the team standings with an aggregate score of 1016.9. His two-relay total was 206.8 (101.8-105).
鈥淭he team (playoff) had a lot more pressure to go out with a bang as a season. We got it done,鈥� said Wasson. 鈥淣ot a lot of people get to go out like that. I鈥檓 definitely satisfied the way I went out.
鈥淲e鈥檙e like family. It蘑菇视频 going to be hard to leave.鈥�
Everett edged Hempfield for the team title. Everett scored 1023.1, while the Spartans totaled 1022.4.
Colby Simkovic, who also earned all-tournament honors, led the Raiders in the team competition with 207.1 (102.9-104.2).
Selena Phillips, the two-time WPIAL individual gold medalist, finished with a score of 203 (101.2-101.8). She finished 13th in the individual standings with a score of 406.5 after shooting consistent rounds of 101, 101.8, 101.9 and 101.8.
Cameron Cernuska (200.3) and Bryce Bedilion (199.7) rounded out the top five scores for the Raiders.
Nick Guess (198.2), Abby Ozohonish (198.1), Grace Kalsey (196.9), Taylor Burnfield (196.2), and Shelby Burkett (193.3) also competed for the Raiders.
Southern Lehigh蘑菇视频 Michael Tilley won the state title with a four-target score of 416.7. Everett蘑菇视频 Camden Donahoe won the silver medal with a score of 413.7, with Avella蘑菇视频 Alayna Walther a close third with 413.3.
Everett蘑菇视频 Micah Fmura (4, 412.2) and Luke Brambley (6, 410.1), Du Bois鈥� Keith Fatula (8, 408) and Alex Long (9, 407.8), and Freedom蘑菇视频 Lleyton Herb (10, 407.6) rounded out the top 10 places.