WAUKEE, Iowa—The Wartburg Clay Target Sports won the Four-Year School State Championship this past weekend with a score of 1596. The Knights also won sporting squad and skeet, took second in trip and third in super sporting squad.
 
Team standings

1. Wartburg            1596
2. Simpson             1566
3. Coe                1534
4. Grand View        1482
5. Waldorf               1308
6. Buena Vista      1300

Wartburg's finishes
Trap: 2^nd; 478
Sporting Clays: 1^st; 437
Skeet: 1^st; 493
Super: 3^rd; 188

Event standings
Trap

1. Simpson             482
2. Wartburg            478
3. Coe                      475
4. Grand View        471
5. Dordt                   448
6. Waldorf               432
7. Buena Vista      422

Sporting squad

1. Wartburg            437
2. Simpson             417
3. Coe                      396
4. Grand View        376
5. Waldorf               355
6. Buena Vista      332
7. Dordt                   322

 
Skeet

1. Wartburg            493
2. Simpson             474
3. Coe       469
4. Grand View        467
5. Buena Vista      402
6. Waldorf               381

Super sporting squad

1. Coe       194
2. Simpson             193
3. Wartburg 188
4. Grand View        168
5. Buena Vista      144
6. Waldorf               140

Top performers

• Case Harmston shot a 100 in skeet to win that individual title; won sporting male title; won male High overall
• Parker Miklaszewski shot a 99 in trap; won the trap title; took second in skeet; took third in sporting; placed 3^rd in male High Overall
• Tyler Portwood took second place in Sporting
• Cody Sharp took third place in Super Sporting
• Libby Faust won female skeet title

 
Coaches comments
What a weekend! The state tournament is not the biggest tournament of the year in terms of number of targets or athletes, but it is probably the second most important, behind nationals. This team set three goals for themselves this year and one of which was to win the state tournament with a score of 1,596 targets broken out of 1,750. With the pressure of the importance of the event and also the competitiveness of the individual placements and awards, the 12 athletes accomplished one of the greatest feats in the team's history, winning the Iowa State College Conference Championship.

To achieve this goal, the athletes worked hard through the fall season with many ups and downs, working towards their individual goals with 110% focus both on the field and on off the field. We knew we had the potential to win this event, but needed the scores to achieve it and those scores were brought to the table. We traveled with the whole team of 12 athletes to this event, the most at any shoot this season and the scores presented were not just from the same five, but 11 of the twelve athletes provided a top five score to count towards the discipline placement and HOA.

I have to start off with a big congratulations to Case Harmston on his first ever 100 straight in Skeet as that is quite the feat in itself, especially at a state tournament. Parker Miklaszewski also overcame challenges in a trap shoot off beating two other competitors for the trap title and also breaking a 99 in skeet running the first three boxes. Libby Faust also provided a phenomenal skeet score of 99 by running at least the back 75 targets. Carter Rudolph and Tristan Straight also provided top five scores in skeet with 98 and 97, leading to a school record of 493/500. Sporting Clays was another discipline where the team proved their skill with the top three placings and many close behind that. Congratulations to Case Harmston on his win of first place High Overall as well, a well-deserved award for his efforts over the fall season as well as Parker for his third place HOA finish. His 98 in trap and 99 in skeet are continued scores of an elite level athlete that deserves the recognition. Lastly, I was to shoutout Cody Sharp for his third place Super Sporting finish, one target behind first and second and also Tyler Portwood for his second place Sporting Clays title. The ultimate combination of individual talent and all-around teamwork made this goal realistic at the beginning of the season and to watch it successfully happen was something of greatness. I cannot express my satisfaction and gratitude to the team enough for their hard work and dedication to giving all of their effort to breaking each individual target. 
 
I would also like to congratulate Tanner Holden, our assistant coach, and Dylan Defenbaugh, our student-athlete assistant coach as they have helped push athletes to their potential through the season. Both athletes and I appreciate their hard work, guidance, and coaching at practices and competitions helping to make our lives easier. 
 
Next event
The Knights are off from competition until the spring portion of their schedule, which will be at the Spring Central Midwest Conference Championship Feb. 28-March 2 in Columbia, Mo.