Fouke, Magnolia take Youth Shooting Sports South Regional tournament

May 18, 2022

Randy Zellers

Assistant Chief of Communications

JACKSONVILLE — A tightly contested South Regional Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program Senior Division was won by the Fouke Claybusters Trap Shooting Team with a score of 237 out of 250 attempts. The event was held Friday and Saturday at the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation Jacksonville Shooting Sports Complex.

First and third place were only separated by four clays. Second place went to the Texarkana Arkansas Razorback Red Trap Team with a total of 235. In third place was the Nashville Scrapper Trap Team 1 with a total of 233.

The top 16 South Region Senior Division teams advanced to the AYSSP State Championship, which will be held June 4: Fouke Trap Shooting Team; Texarkana Razorback Trap Team; Nashville Scrappers 1; AshdownTeam 1; White Hall Bulldogs; Backwoods Trap Shooters 2; Springhill Gold; Camden Fairview 1; Smackover Big Bucks 1; Magnolia Panthers 1; Sharpshooters Sr. Hornets 1; Ashdown Team 2; Nashville Scrappers 2; MVSA Angry Birds; Backwoods Trap Shooters 1; Hamburg Trap Team 2.

The Panthers Jr. 1 team from Magnolia took full advantage of fair weather during Friday’s South Region Junior Division tournament at the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation Jacksonville Shooting Sports Complex, posting a winning 111 clays out of 125 attempts.

Second- and third-place teams were so closely matched it came down to a tiebreaker to determine their finishing order. Texarkana Razorback Trap Team Red Squad and Nashville Scrapper Junior 1 both broke 104 clays out of a possible 125, but it was Texarkana who won the tiebreaker. In a tiebreaker, the team with the single highest individual score would take the top position. In this case it actually came down to the second highest shooter, as both teams had a single shooter who broke 24 clays. In the end the second highest shooter for Texarkana had a score of 22, while the Nashville Scrappers had a second highest shooter who posted a 21.

“The competition can be that tight,” Jimmy Self, Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said. “We also had another tie today for seventh and eighth place in which all five shooters posted identical scores, in that case it comes down to the captain of each team’s score.”

The top 16 West Junior Division teams advanced to the AYSSP State Championship, which will be held June 3: Magnolia Panthers Jr. 1; Texarkana Razorback Red Squad; Nashville Scrapper Jr. 1; Ashdown Jr. 1; Magnolia Panthers Jr. 2; Spring Hill Jr. Gold; Crossett Eagle Eyes Jr. 1; Bradley Bears Jr. 1; Nashville Scrapper Jr. 2; Ashdown Jr. 2; GMCS Saints Jr. 1; Foreman Jr. 1; DeWitt Jr. 1; Texarkana Razorback Blue Squad; Smackover Little Bucks 1; and Stuttgart Ricebirds Jr. Group 4.

In the Senior Division, Randall Miller of Fouke was perfect on the day, hitting 50 of 50 clays. Also turning in perfect scores were Hunter Mize, Jacob Kuhn, Tyler Brenke and Williams Lewis. They will all compete head-to-head against other perfect shooters in the Champion of Champions event June 4. Friday’s competition saw the Junior Division’s first perfect round. Boe Bridges of Ouachita Jr. 1 was flawless in his performance, dusting every clay target thrown in front of him. He will compete head to head against other perfect shooters in the Junior Champion of Champions event, June 3.

There is no admission charge to watch the shooting sports competition and youngsters can enjoy an archery station; fishing for stocked catfish at the complex’s pond; food, photographer and gun equipment vendors; and more. East Region teams will conclude the regional action on May 20-21. After a week off for the Memorial Day holiday, the 64 remaining teams in both juniors and seniors converge in Jacksonville June 3-4 for head-to-head tournament bracket competition to determine state championships. Complete team and individual scores are available at https://apps.agfc.com/ayssp.