OSKALOOSA — The Statesmen shotgun sports team walked off with a huge win and some extraordinary hardware as it claimed the NCSSAA Central Regional title last Friday through Sunday.

William Penn was first out of 12 teams with a final score of 1,423-for-1,500.  Midland was second at 1,402-for-1,500, while Concordia (Neb.) earned the bronze at 1,395-for-1,500.  As victors, the Statesmen were awarded WWE-style championship belts.

The event began with American Trap and the navy and gold nipped Concordia by two shots with a tally of 489-for-500.

KayLynn Sieber (So., Marshall, Minn., Biology) led all females in the discipline and also paced WPU as she finished 99-for-100.  Hunter Block (Jr., Eldridge, Iowa, Business Management) and Dryden DeKoning (So., Newton, Iowa, Business Management) were next at 98-for-100, while Mathew Brindley (So., Earlham, Iowa, Industrial Technology) and Dominick Ver Meer (Jr., Pella, Iowa) each ended up at 97-for-100.

William Penn then tied for first in American Skeet at 492-for-500.  There was a four-way tie for first place in the individual standings at a perfect 100-for-100, including Colten Uitermarkt (Grad., Otley, Iowa, Master’s of Organizational Leadership).  Uitermarkt just missed claiming his own gold, placing second overall.

Brindley and Ver Meer were also in the mix as each went 99-for-100, while Christopher Berkshire-Lewis (Jr., Kansas City, Mo., Business Management) and Russell Malterud (Grad., North Branch, Minn., Master’s of Organizational Leadership) both hit 97 of their 100 targets.

The Statesmen narrowly missed a clean sweep of the disciplines, falling by just one shot in Sporting Clays at 458-for-500; Midland’s 459-for-500 won the event.

Berkshire-Lewis headlined not only the navy and gold, but also all male shooters at 95-for-100.  Uitermarkt was in the silver position for WPU at 94-for-100, while Block and Malterud tied at 90-for-100.  Ver Meer’s 89-for-100 rounded out the team’s scoring and secured the HOA title for William Penn.

Uitermarkt was William Penn’s top individual in the HOA standings, placing fourth among men at 289-for-300.  Ver Meer and Brindley were right behind him at 285-for-300 and 284-for-300, respectively.  Malterud, in 10th at 283-for-300, and Block, in 11th at 282-for-300, also finished high in the men’s competition.

Sieber guided the Statesmen in the female standings in third place at 272-for-300.  Raylee Bishop (So., Ankeny, Iowa, Engineering) was sixth at 265-for-300 and Holly Boeke (So., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Biology) was eighth at 261-for-300.

“We knew this was probably going to be one of the biggest tournaments of the season,” Head Coach Steve Heaton said.  “This was going to be a test to really see where we stand in the NAIA by going up against the best developed teams out there.  I cannot be prouder of how this team came together for three days of intense competition to come out champions.   I push them very hard because I know they are capable of being the best and they just proved it!”

Next Up: William Penn closes out the fall season on November 4-6, traveling back to Waukee to compete in the NCSSAA Iowa State Shoot.