Blackhawk Students Shoot in National Competition

From Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, 244 student-athletes representing 25 schools gathered at Brittany Shooting Park in Bunker Hill, Illinois, for three days of clay-target shooting, camaraderie and near-perfect scores. Blackhawk Technical College’s Alexis Seeley, Jillian Schue, and Teygen Riley-Ochsner competed in the 24th College Clay Target National Championships. 

During the two-day competition, each shooter took aim at 200 targets at the Illinois State Trap Shooting home grounds, Brittany Shooting Park. 

At the end of competition, Seeley finished in 20th place among women and 78th overall with a score of 182. Schue finished in 30th place among women and 216th overall with a score of 147. Riley-Ochsner finished in 56th place among men and 226th overall with his score of 142.

Coach Tim Rockhold said, “I am thankful for the support the Blackhawk community shows for our Clay Target Team, and I am proud of all the effort and time our team has put in over the fall season. I look forward to the spring season!”

The winning team was Lindenwood University from Missouri, which scored a combined total of 982, securing the National Team Championship. The runner-up was Lake Land College of Illinois, which scored 972. Montcalm Community College from Michigan rounded out the top three with 948.

Seeley finished the regular clay target shooting season in first place for females in the conference and tied for sixth overall. Schue finished 10th overall for the conference.

The competitors also took practice rounds competing in a Cosmic Clays fun shoot on Halloween night, which was done in black light. They also toured the newly constructed Illinois State Trapshooters Association Hall of Fame.