Shotgun Start

Bucknell stays on target to win shootout from long range; CC/N-P opens trapshooting season while hosting invite

John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

NASHUA-PLAINFIELD — Nick Bucknell said he’s never practiced trapshooting from the 27-yard line.

That just adds credence to basketball great Allen Iverson’s famous retort, “Practice!?! … Who needs practice!?!”

On his first shot from the back line, Bucknell crushed the clay, which was about 50 yards away or more when adding the flight distance from the trap house.

The shot made Nashua-Plainfield senior Bucknell the instant winner of an extended shootout against Osage’s Nathan Huftalin, after both hit 48 of 50 clays during a season-opening high school trapshooting invitational Saturday hosted by the Charles City/Nashua-Plainfield trapshooting team at the Nashua Fish and Game Club.

In the initial shootout from the 16-yard line, Bucknell and Huftalin both shot perfect rounds of 25. When moved back to the 19-yard line, both shooters missed twice forcing the sudden-death from the 27.

Huftalin missed his first shot; Bucknell didn’t, and was awarded second place in the individual boys competition.

“I’ve been in shootouts before, and I’ve won them before,” Bucknell said, “just not at that distance.

“I just tried to do what I normally try to do at any distance … stay under the bird.”

Jeff Morische of Osage was the boys champ with a perfect 50-of-50 round.

The girls individual champion, Kennedy Nie of New Hampton, also shot 50 of 50. Chickasaw teammates Katie Holschiag and Anna Holschieg placed second and third among the girls with respective scores of 47 and 45.

For Bucknell, his 48 round is the second best of his trapshooting career. He recorded a near-perfect 49 last season.

“I didn’t really practice or shoot much during the offseason,” Bucknell said. “I did deer hunt, but I didn’t have a good season.”

Led by Nie’s 50, New Hampton Red won the team competition with an overall 235 score.

New Hampton Grey was second at 223; New Hampton White was third at 220.

Charles City’s No. 1 team of Luke Hillegas (46), Dan Swartzrock (45), Shau Landt (43), Jacob Greenzweig (42) and Carter West (40) placed fourth with a 216 team score.

Charles City’s No. 3 team, paced by Bailee Bortz’s 41 which was tops among the CC/NP girl shooters, and a pair of 40 scores from Rebecca Tierney and Brenden Kvernevig, scored a 193.

Colby Gavitt’s 41 led Charles City’s No. 3, which scored a 190.

Bucknell and fellow Husky senior Chaska Hunt (44) helped Nashua’s lone full team score a 189.

“It turned out to be a nice day for shooting,” CC/N-P head coach Tim Laube said of a chilly, overcast morning that gave way to a clear and short sleeve-warm afternoon.

“There was no wind, and the birds flew nice today,” Laube said. “And we shot well for our first day competition. We’re on par at where we should be this early in the season.”

Nashua-Plainfield Trapshooting Invitational

April 1

At Nashua Fish and Game Club

TOP BOY INDIVIDUALS — 1. Jeff Morische (Osage) 50, 2. Nick Bucknell (Nashua-Plainfield) 48*, 3. Nathan Huftalin (Osage) 48.

* Won shootout.

TOP GIRLS INDIVIDUAL — 1. Kennedy Nie (New Hampton) 50, 2. Katie Holschlag (New Hampton) 47, 3. Anna Holschlag (New Hampton) 45.

TEAM RESULTS — 1. New Hampton Red 235, 2. New Hampton Grey 223, 3. New Hampton White 220.

4. CHARLES CITY 1 (216) — Dan Swartzrock 45, Jacob Greenzweig 42, Luke Hillegas 46, Shau Landt 43, Carter West 40.

CHARLES CITY 3 (193) — Brenden Kvernevig 40, Rebecca Tierney 40, Kaleb Osier 35, Bailee Bortz 41, Levi Robbins 37.

CHARLES CITY 2 (190) — Evan Schmidke 35, Ciana Sonberg 36, Bryce Hamm 39, Colby Gavitt 41, Devin Alton 39.

NASHUA-PLAINFIELD (189) — Chaska Hunt 44, Marissa Fuerstenberg 35, Nick Bucknell 48, Lane Leerhoff 29, Tyler Lantz 33.

CHARLES CITY 4 (135) — Dylan Bilharz 38, Jace Landt 37, Noah Orthel 35, Leo Trebbien 25.

N-P INDIVIDUALS — Bobby Gipple 36, Ashton Lamborn 32, Dominique Giffin 32.