Carrizales a repeat champion in 2024 Smallbore Silhouette Invitational

Defending champion Gavin Carrizales of Scottsbluff hit 38 of 40 targets to win the Nebraska Youth Smallbore Silhouette Invitational on Sept. 28 at Pressey Wildlife Management Area south of Broken Bow.

The championship is the third for the high school sophomore. In 2020, in only his second year of eligibility, the then-12-year-old shot the first perfect score in the event’s history. He hit 35 targets last year for his second championship.

High Girl Meighan Smith of Murdock hit 37 targets.

Carrizales, Makenna Quick of Alliance, Laney Bohl of Mitchell, and Lilian DeWitt of Minatare teamed up to give the Western Nebraska Shooting Sports its sixth straight team championship, hitting 132 of 160 targets.

The annual event, which was established in 1977, is open to all Hunter Education graduates who are at least 11 years old and have not graduated high school.

“I would like to congratulate all of the competitors, not only for their safe firearm handling, but for their overall performance,” Match Director Matthew Haumont said. “The hot temperatures and unexpected wind gusts made the day’s event a challenge for competitors of all experience levels. Saturday’s heat challenged everyone’s endurance.”

The 73 competitors from across the state fired 40 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition with a rifle unsupported and offhand at steel silhouette targets that were 43, 66, 84 and 109 yards in distance.

The 49^th annual Smallbore Invitational is scheduled for Sept. 27, 2025.

The results are:

Individual Awards

State Champion – Gavin Carrizales, Scottsbluff, 38 of 40

High Girl – 1. Meighan Smith, Murdock, 37; 2. Lilian DeWitt, Minatare, 33 (won shoot-off); 3. Laney Bohl, Mitchell, 33

High Boy – 1. Bereket Glendy, Broken Bow, 35 (won shoot-off); 2. Tristan Connell, Waterbury, 35; 3. Cameron Wagner, Seward, 34

Class B – 1. Ian Schiller, Scribner, 33; 2. Laura Borgelt, Wisner, 31; 3. Isaac Wooldrik, West Point, 30

Unclassified – 1. Emily Nelson, Scottsbluff, 31; 2. Axton Sugden, Seward, 30; 3. Boone Button, Harrison, 29

Senior Division – 1. Zane Meyer, Milford, 29 (tie broken by hits on furthest distance); 2. Isaac Enns, Holmesville, 29; 3. Makenna Quick, Alliance, 28

Junior Division – 1. Jenna Oman, Kearney, 28; 2. Ryder Asher, Atkinson, 27; 3. Lynn Miner, Emmet, 22

Heavy Scope – 1. Ryan Rempel, Beatrice, 28; 2. Konnar Jones, Pierce, 26; 3. Allan Brenner, Wayne, 24

Light Scope – 1. Noah Papiernik, Ord, 26 (tie broken by hits on furthest distance); 2. Jesse Oltmans, Beatrice, 26; 3. Wesley Thompson, Lexington, 23

Heavy Iron – 1. Taylor Kinnison, Kearney, 21; 2. Daniel Seiler, Omaha, 3

Light Iron – 1. Grayhm Beck, Fairfield, 19; 2. Parker Walahoski, Overton, 16; 3. Evan Kinnison, Kearney, 14

Best First-Time Shooter – Brinley Baker, Kearney, 11

Novice Light Scope – 1. Lincoln Schroeder, Amherst, 6

Novice Light Iron – 1. Tilden Hird, Norris, 2

Team Awards

High Overall – Western Nebraska Shooting Sports No. 1 (Gavin Carrizales, Makenna Quick, Laney Bohl, Lilian DeWitt), 132 of 160

4-H Teams – 1. Cuming County Sharpshooters (Isaac Wooldrik, Laura Borgelt, Tripp Meier, Ian Schiller), 117; 2. Wayne County Sharpshooters (Allan Brenner, Colton Sebade, Hunter Connell, Tristan Connell), 98; 3. Western Nebraska Shooting Sports No. 2 (Boone Button, Emily Nelson, Jeremy Missel, Justin Missel), 96

Open Teams –1.10X Shooters (Axton Sugden, Cameron Wagner, Emma Loxterkamp, Zane Meyer), 113; 2. Open Team No. 1 (Colt Aycock, Jase Sanders, Lynn Miner, Ryder Asher), 87; 3. Single Shot Sharp Shooters (Koltyn Kuper, Meighan Smith, Micah Jochum, Tilton Button), 85

School Teams – 1. Lawrence/Nelson (Grayhm Beck, Kaden Grams, Nathan Stokes, Owen Smiley), 38