William Penn Takes Third in Strong Field at Midland Invite

Lincoln, Neb.--The Statesmen shotgun sports faced its toughest competition thus far this year and came away with a top-three finish at the Midland Invitational Saturday and Sunday.

WPU finished third out of 12 teams with a score of 1,416-for-1,500, while host Midland and Fort Hays State (Kan.) tied for first at 1,423-for-1,500.  The last time the three programs faced off was at the ACUI National Championship last March with William Penn claiming the crown, while Fort Hays State was second and Midland finished fourth.

The Statesmen had their best showing in Skeet, tying for first at 492-for-500 with Connor Gittings (Sr., Kansas City, Mo., Biology) and Cade Bowie (Sr., Benton, Ark., Business Management) leading the way at 99-for-100.

The sextet of Emily Sjoberg (So., Citrus Heights, Calif., Business Management), Adison Sholes (Jr., Indianola, Iowa, Public Accounting), Landyn Roland (Jr., Knoxville, Iowa, Industrial Technology), Mason Ward (Grad., Twin Falls, Idaho, Master's of Organizational Leadership), Ian Darragh (Fr., Eagle, Idaho, Business Management), and Izaac Zihlman (Fr., Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Business Management) also scored for the team at 98-for-100.

WPU took the bronze in Sporting Clays (434-for-500), while Trenton Giese (So., Muskego, Wis., Mechanical Engineering) guided the entire field at 91-for-100.

Bowie and Darragh were next at 87-for-100, while an 85-for-100 from Hayden Lund (So., Beaverdam, Wis., Sports Management) and an 84-for-100 from Cole Henning (Jr., Wilton, Iowa, Industrial Technology) also figured into WPU's score.

Zihlman's perfect 100-for-100 in Trap assisted the Statesmen to fourth place in the discipline at 490-for-500.  Trenton Hol (Fr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Industrial Technology) and Addison McGehearty (So., Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Secondary Education) tied for second on the Statesmen at 98-for-100, while Sjoberg and Michael Hudnut (Fr., New Sharon, Iowa, Nursing) put up scores at 97-for-100.

Giese's overall weekend of 283-for-300 was strong enough to place second in the High Overall Athlete standings, one shot off the title.  Darragh was in the top 10 as well, tying for eighth at 281-for-300.

In the Female HOA standings, Sjoberg matched Giese as a runner-up placer at 278-for-300, while McGehearty was fourth (272-for-300).

"The depth of this team is so strong, and many of the freshmen have shown great strides," Head Coach Colten Uitermarkt said.  "Though we did not perform to our capabilities, the passion and drive in each of the athletes for success was evident after the loss.  Character is shown through losses, and I know we will see some great character moving into future practice."

Next Up: William Penn returns to Oskaloosa to host the William Penn Invitational Friday through Sunday.  The event will be held at the Mahaska County Izaak Walton League.