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Trapshooting teams from around the state converged in Alexandria this week, and Northeast Range/Ely made quite an impression.
Junior Noah Backe finished in first place out of 960 students, winning the overall title with a score of 97 in the varsity division.
In addition to a first-place individual title, Northeast Range/Ely also won the junior varsity state title in the smallschool division at the Minnesota Trap Shooting Championship.
Backe had a perfect 50-for-50 in one round and a 47 in another in the high school varsity category.
Caden Roseth scored 92 in the varsity ranks and NRE also had a third-place varsity female finisher in Kamryn Bregier-Beno, who fired an 87 overall.
Laydan Hart had an 86 in the varsity boys division.
Backe, however, led the way for NRE and the entire state 1A field of nearly 1,000 competitors.
This marked the second time an NRE shooter won the state title in the eight-year history of the team. Lori Huseby also won a state individual championship.
While the varsity scored big at Alexandria, the meet marked the end of the year as NRE will not compete in t he M innesota State H igh School League’s state event later in the month at Prior Lake.
“We didn’t have enough kids during the season to shoot varsity scores, so we didn’t advance as a team,” said coach Julie Huseby.
At the junior varsity level, Talan Hart (89) and Peyton Roseth (84) had the top NRE scores and the local squad was first among all JV teams.
D.J. Serena also had an 89 in the JV category, followed by Alyssa Ice (83), Hunter Kosinski (82), Else Bee (82), Ryland Sandy (79), Lucas Stalboerger (79), Trynn Weisinger (79) and Hannah Ice (54).
In the Novice category, Sabrah Hart (67) had the top female score and Grady Anderson (44) was first among the NRE boys.
Amelia Sandy (64) and Tracy Thibodeaux (57) were next among NRE girls in the Novice level.
NRE had 18 shooters involved in Alexandria, with a near even split between Northeast Range and Ely students.
The team has been working since April, honing their craft and shooting weekly to tabulate scores in a regular season that culminated with the meet at Alexandria.
“I want to thank all of our sponsors that sponsored us for the whole year,” said Huseby. “Without them we wouldn’t be able to do this.”
