With the final week of regular practice behind them, local high school trap and skeet shooters are setting their sights on the State Tournament. This past week was marked by a blend of competition and camaraderie, as coaches joined students on the shooting line for some friendly Annie Oakley rounds—a tradition that continues to build team spirit heading into the postseason.
In the 9A - Conference 2 Trap League, Bemidji High School secured the top spot with a total of 71,182.50 points, narrowly edging out Owatonna High School, who finished with 69,590.50. Hastings High School came in fourth with 53,344.00 points, holding steady among tough competition.
Gracie Majetich, a standout shooter from Hastings, claimed 3rd place among female athletes in the conference with a 21.70 average. She will be honored during the state tournament’s closing ceremonies in Alexandria. Other notable local finishers include Trent Westberg (22.80 average, Top 25 Male), Lydia Kieffer (18.40 average, 18th place female), and Ruby Timm and Addison Dorham, who tied for 19th with an 18.20 average.
In the 3A - Conference 1 Skeet standings, Hastings High School took third place behind Wayzata and Prior Lake, scoring a season total of 2,535.00. The team was led by Hudson Bauer and Reed Anderson, who each posted 23.50 averages, good for a tie at sixth place. Their performance also earned them an eighth-place tie in the league’s Top 10 Overall Male rankings. Brock Bauer rounded out the top performers with a 10th place finish and a 23.30 average.
Despite a strong showing during the regular season, Hastings will not send a full team to the National Tournament this year. For the first time in recent memory, no local athlete reached the Tier 1 qualifying average of 23, and the team did not meet the minimum number of Tier 2 qualifiers to register for team competition. Two individuals are registered for Nationals, though their participation remains uncertain.