Homestead club members earn honors

The Homestead 4-H Shooting Club won first-place team honors in both BB gun and air rifle at the State 4-H BB Gun and Air Rifle Championships held recently in Beatrice.

This is the sixth year Homestead 4-H has taken first place in Air Rifle. They have taken first place in BB gun, five out of the last six years.

Micaela Jochum of Beatrice was the top Sporter Air Rifle shooter and Sarah Broeker of Seward was the top Precision Air Rifle shooter.

Elizabeth Starr was the top BB gun shooter.

The State 4-H qualifying match for BB and Air Rifle competitors took place at Beatrice High School March 17-18.

There were 130 registered competitors in BB guns and 87 competitors in air rifle.

The local 4-H Homestead Shooting club sponsored the event.

During the competition, each BB gun competitor was given a chance to shoot four targets with 10 record bullseyes.

Each competitor has 10 minutes at each position to shoot 10 record bulls with a possible score of 100 for each target. The four positions are prone, standing, sitting and kneeling.

The targets are then scored according to the placement of the BBs on the bull with a possibility of scoring 100 for each position.

In addition to shooting, the BB gun competitors take a test that covers the safety and handling guidelines of the shooting sport.

The test is scored and can equal 100 points towards their final scoring results.

The individual results for the BB gun tournament are broken into age brackets and medals are awarded to the top finalist in each of the four positions: prone, standing, sitting and kneeling, the top four places according to the total score of all positions and then the top total score with the test.

Air Rifle competitors have two different classes. They can shoot sporter and precision.

The differences in these categories include the equipment used and the guns allowed for competition.

The precision group wears special clothing that is more supportive and uses specialized air rifles.

The sporter group can't use all of this attire and is restricted in the type of air rifle allowed.

During the precision shooting, the competitors shoot four targets in the standing position with each target totaling a possibility of 100 and a total possible score of 400.

The sporter groups shoot three positions: prone, stand and kneel.

At each position, they shoot two sets of targets. Each target can equal 100 points, with a total possible score of 600.

Each air rifle class was awarded medals according to the top four placements of total score and the sporter group was also awarded medals to the top total score in each position.

State 4-H BB Gun and Air Rifle Championships

Beatrice Results

BB GUN

8-year-olds

Overall: 2. Haley Staroscik, Beatrice, 335.

Kneeling: 1. Haley Staroscik, Beatrice, 88.

9-to-10-year-olds

Prone: 1. Braden Nowka, Beatrice, 94.

Sitting: 1. Nowka, Beatrice, 97.

11-to-12-year-olds

Overall: 4. Bryce Hermsmeier, DeWitt, 366.

13-to-15-year-olds

Overall: 2. Alyssa Wolken, Beatrice, 379.

Standing: 1. Wolken, Beatrice, 93.

Kneeling: 1. Wolken, Beatrice, 98.

Team: 1. Homestead 4-H Team 1 (Alyssa Wolken, Alex Niedfeldt, Amber Staroscik, Alyssa VanLaningham and Brandon Staroscik), 2335.

AIR RIFLE SPORTER

8-to-10-year-olds

Overall: 4. Braden Nowka, Beatrice, 355.

Prone: 1. Nowka, Beatrice, 155/200.

Kneeling: 1. Nowka, Beatrice, 140/200.

11-to-12-year-olds

Overall: 3. Andy Buhr, Adams, 454.; 4. Bryce Hermsmeier, DeWitt, 415.

13-to-14-year-olds

Overall: 1. Wolken, Beatrice, 538.; 2. Alex Niedfeldt, Beatrice, 535.; 3. Amber Staroscik, Beatrice, 506.

Prone: 1. Alyssa VanLaningham, Beatrice, 189/200.

Standing: 1. Niedfeldt, Beatrice, 171/200.

Kneeling: 1. Wolken, Beatrice, 189/200.

15-to-18-year-olds

Overall: 1. Jochum, Beatrice, 561.

Prone: 1. Jochum, Beatrice, 196/200.

Standing: 1. Jochum, Beatrice, 188/200.

Kneeling: 1. Jochum, Beatrice, 177/200.

Team: 1. Homestead 4-H team #1 (Jochum, Wolken, Niedfeldt, Amber Staroscik), 2140.

AIR RIFLE PRECISION

13-to-14-year-olds

OverallL 1. Niedfeldt, Beatrice, 338.; 3. Amber Staroscik, Beatrice, 321.; 4. Wolken, Beatrice, 317.

15-to-18-year-olds

Overall: 2. Sheena Mahloch, Plymouth, 378.; 3. Jochum, Beatrice, 377.; 4. Clint Sejkora, Burchard, 369.