On the western banks of Lake Erie in Port Clinton, Ohio, 226 of the best junior three-position precision shooters gathered at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center with their sights set on victory.
The National 3PAR Championship was held July 7-9 and hosted teams and individuals who qualified for the event through postal matches and regional championships. The sister competition for 3PAR Sporter was held just a few weeks prior where Bethany Shirley won the individual championship and North Brunswick HS NC 1 clinched the team victory.
The Air Rifle competition was fierce, but there was still plenty of time for the competitors to have some fun. After the success of the activities last year, the CMP brought back fan-favorites like the beach party and movie night, and also hosted a variety of food trucks during the matches.
CMP’s Airgun Manager Katie Harrington said, “These athletes worked very hard to qualify for this event and we want to make sure that we provide them with activities and events that make the event fun. It’s great to see them enjoying the sun, sand and music at the beach parties and movie nights, as well as mingle with other juniors from around the country.”
Despite the fun in the sun, the athletes came prepared to tackle the competition each day. The top eight scores of the competition advanced to the finals, which were held at the end of the second day of competition.
The eight athletes in the final remained still and focused as the crowd cheered them on with explosive reactions, applause, cowbells, the wave and dancing. It was a lively crowd, perfect for a nail-biter of a final. At one point there was a two-way tie for 3rd place and a four-way tie for 5th place!
Briley Sralla got out to an early lead and maintained it until a 9.5 took her from 1st to 3rd on her last shot of the competition. Meanwhile, Maggie Palfrey and Jack Ogoreuc had been slowly gaining ground against Sralla during the standing portion of the final.
It all came down to the last shot. Palfrey delivered a 10.6 to edge out Ogoreuc’s 9.4. The difference between their final scores? Just 0.6 points. That’s the kind of razor-thin margin that had the crowd on the edge of their seats during the final moments.
I caught up with Maggie Palfrey after the competition to see how she was processing the win and learned that she only started shooting 3PAR this past February. She said, “my goal going into the competition was just doing the best I could and have fun with it.” She added that her mindset during the final was affected by her supporters saying, “my teammates and coaches’ positive words before the final, and smiles during it were so encouraging.” The music and noise of the crowd helped tune her own negative thoughts out and allowed her to focus on each shot.
Palfrey didn’t even know she had one when it was all over. “I was in shock that I was in first place. It was super exciting. I was happy that all my friends and coaches were there to support me through it.”
Only one can win first place, but many others walked away having achieved personal goals. Several 3P Athletes earned their final points towards their distinguished badges at this competition.
To earn the junior distinguished badge, they needed to earn 30 EIC credit points in designated competitions and 10 of the 30 points must be won in National Championship competitions. Please join us in congratulating the following junior athletes on their commendable accomplishment:
Anahad Kohli – Lafayette Gun Club, VA
James Wright – Lumpkin Co. HS, GA
Sebastian Abaunza – Ole Mill Rangers Red, GA
Evan Williams – Lafayette Gun Club, VA
Kai Labine – Lafayette Gun Club, VA
Isadora Zuo* – Tussey Mountain Jr 4H, PA
Naya Talarico* – Gallatin Valley Sharp Shooters, MT
Olivia Harvey* – Hendersonville HS MCJROTC, TN
Owen Stauch* – Fort Harmer Junior Rifle, OH
Devin Wagner* – Mason Dixon Junior Rifle Club, WV
Nicole Berger* – Gallatin Valley Sharp Shooters, MT
Henry Riffe* – Borealis Bullseyes, AK
Brynn Foster* – Ole Mill Rangers Red, GA
Matthew Hutson* – Ole Mill Rangers Red, GA
Leah Rogers* – Tallulah Falls HS, GA
Elizabeth Coyer* – Oil City Jr. Rifle Team, PA
Megan Fondy* – SIRPC Juniors, IN
Christina Morris* – Lafayette Gun Club, VA
Danica Gamble* – Yellowstone Rifle Club, MT
Molly Mitchell* – Yellowstone Rifle Club, MT
*Earned their final points at this competition
This year the Tatanka Buffalo Trophy was awarded to the high scholastic team, Eldorado High School with members Rhiannon Moore, Haylie Garcia, Jamie Spoonamore, Carter Paas and James Koerber (coach). Their team’s name will be engraved on the trophy and displayed in the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center. Eldorado High School won with a score of 4,643 – 274X, edging out Granbury High School by a tiebreaking 9 X’s.
The top scoring team overall was Southern Indiana Rifle and Pistol Club with a score of 4,707 – 331X. The top three teams were given a check from the CMP with the top team receiving $2000 for their program.
It’s always difficult to say goodbye to graduating seniors, but it’s so exciting to watch them continue to chase their dreams. The top three senior athletes from the CMP 3PAR Nationals – Katlyn Sullivan, Carley Seabrook, and Jack Ogoreuc – were each awarded $1,000 scholarships to support their pursuit of higher education. It’s not goodbye, it’s see you real soon!
Thank you to all who participated in this event. It’s an honor to host this event year after year and watch the juniors put their preparation into practice and achieve success individually and as a team.
Results: https://ct.thecmp.org/app/v1/index.php?do=match&task=edit&match=29061
Photos: https://cmp1.zenfolio.com/p640915874
The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation that places its highest priority on firearms safety and marksmanship activities, with a focus on youth. CMP’s programs encourage personal growth and build life skills, with such initiatives as its junior training and competition programs, Affiliated Club program and scholarships providing support to citizens of all backgrounds across the nation. Learn more about the CMP at https://thecmp.org/.
Read the full article here
