A Wet & Wild Week for MHS CTL

It was a wet and wild Practice Week 2 for the Marshall High School Clay Target League Team (MHS CTL) as Monday’s shoot night was cancelled due to a combination of rain and sleet that eventually turned to snow.  With rounds rescheduled for Wednesday and again on Saturday morning, the team found itself up against dreary and damp conditions, with skies opening up near the end of the midweek shoot, and a slight drizzle on Saturday.

Despite the conditions, scores rose across the board with Senior Captain Samuel Dieken logging the team’s first perfect round of the season, and the team’s overall average rose by 2.5 targets over Practice Week 1.

Dieken would log a 22 following his opening 25 for a total of 47, and would be joined by Junior Cody Kesteloot on rounds of 23 and 24 atop the leader board. Behind them, with totals of 46 were Karter DeSmet, Eric Leach, Andrew Mulso, Ryan VanMoer and Derrick VanOverbeke.  Top shooters for MHS CTL in Practice Week 2 were:

First       Last                    R1           R2           Tot
Samuel Dieken                25           22           47
Cody      Kesteloot            23           24           47
Karter   DeSmet               22           24           46
Eric         Leach                 23           23           46
Andrew   Mulso                22           24           46
Ryan      VanMoer             24           22           46
Derrick  VanOverbeke    23           23           46
John      Callens                 23           22           45
Nathan Leach                   22           23           45
Kaden   Strate                   22           23           45

“Our shooters have shaken out most of their jitters, settled in and are ready for the season,” said coach Nick Simonson, “and I’m excited to see where 2017 takes the team,” he concluded.

Up next for MHS CTL is the Reserve Week, where scores are held in case weather or other conflicts interfere with a week during the upcoming League Weeks from Apr. 24 to May 23.  The Reserve Week scores are also used as tiebreakers for any regular-season competition ties that may result, so while it isn’t an officially-counted week, the environment is more like a league week than a practice week.

MHS CTL is coached by a staff of 13 volunteers, and supported by a number of parents who help instruct, score and supervise 80 youth.  The program is funded by generous donations from a number of local conservation and sportsmen’s groups and area businesses including: Lyon County Pheasants Forever, Redwood River Sportsmen’s Club, National Wild Turkey Federation, Minnesota Trappers Association, Quality Deer Management Association, Marshall Radio, Lockwood Motors, ABRA Auto Body & Glass, Friends of the NRA, Gustafson C&C Course, Don & Gena Atcher.

For more information on the team and to keep up with MHS CTL, visit their official Facebook Page: facebook.com/mhsctl