Carrizales wins fifth Smallbore Silhouette Invitational title

Gavin Carrizales of Scottsbluff won his fifth state championship at the 50^th annual Nebraska Youth Smallbore Silhouette Invitational on Sept. 26 at Pressey Wildlife Management Area south of Broken Bow.

The Scottsbluff senior hit 39 of 40 targets, then survived a shoot-off with High Boy Tristan Connell of Waterbury, who also shot a 39.

Carrizales won his first championship in 2020 at age 12 in only his second year of eligibility, shooting the first perfect score in the event’s history. He won again in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Macy Prothman of Hoskins was High Girl with a 36.

The Wayne County Sharp Shooters No. 1 team of Colton Sebade, Mackenzey Connell, Macy Prothman, and Tristan Connell won the high overall team award, hitting 140 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. “We are proud to report another incident-free event.

“There were several instances of sportsmanship and integrity on display throughout the day,” Haumont said. “On several occasions, I witnessed older, more experienced kids mentoring and offering advice to our novice competitors.”

The 54 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 51^st annual Smallbore Invitational is scheduled for Sept. 25, 2027.

The results are:

Individual Awards

State Champion – Gavin Carrizales, Scottsbluff, 39 of 40 (won shoot-off)

High Girl – 1. Macy Prothman, Hoskins, 36; 2. Emily Nelson, Scottsbluff, 35; 3. Mackenzey Connell, Waterbury, 32

High Boy – 1. Tristan Connell, Waterbury, 39; 2. Brandon Thomsen, Pierce, 37; 3. Jace Langley, Beatrice, 35

Class B – 1. Colton Sebade, Wayne, 33 (decided by hits on rams); 2. Axton Sugden, Seward, 33; 3. Laura Borgelt, Wisner, 32

Unclassified – 1. Chisum Pelster, Harrison, 32 (decided by hits on rams); 2. Paisley Conner, Henry, 32; 3. Ruger Pelster, Harrison, 32

Senior Division – 1. Ryder Asher, Atkinson, 32; 2. Ashlyn Wardyn, Broken Bow, 30; 3. Jeremy Missel, Mitchell, 29

Junior Division – 1. Hoyt Rasmussen, Broken Bow, 31 (decided by hits on rams); 2. Haylee Hubbard, Elm Creek, 31; 3. Jacob Prothman, Hoskins, 30

Heavy Scope – 1. Jenna Oman, Kearney, 30; 2. Emma Loxterkamp, Beatrice, 27; 3. Hunter Connell, Waterbury, 25

Light Scope – 1. Lynn Miner, Emmet, 26; 2. Colt Aycock, Aurora, 26; 3. Hayden Zogg, North Platte, 24

Light Iron Sight – 1. Keaton Sebade, Wayne, 22; 2. Anna Tate, Beatrice, 15; 3. Lysa Duryea, Lexington, 14

Heavy Iron Sight – 1. Taylor Kinnison, Kearney, 13

Novice Heavy Scope – 1. Jase Theis, Edgar, 11

Novice Light Scope – 1. Stone Lenz, Curtis, 11

Best First-Time Shooter – Camden Ogden, Meadow Grove

Team Awards

High Overall – Wayne County Sharp Shooters No. 1 (Colton Sebade, Mackenzey Connell, Macy Prothman, Tristan Connell), 140 of 160

4-H Teams – 1. Western Nebraska Shooting Sports (Emily Nelson, Jeremy Missel, Paisley Conner, Gavin Carrizales), 135; 2. 4-H No. 1 (Gretchen Miner Jase Sanders Lynn Miner Ryder Asher), 105; 3. Homestead 4-H Shooting Club (Ben Loxterkamp, Emma Loxterkamp, Evan Kaster, Jace Langley), 100

Open Teams –1.1. Laura and the Boys (Brandon Thomsen, Chisum Pelster, Laura Borgelt, Ruger Pelster), 133; 2. Open No. 1 (Amos Rayburn, Anna Tate, Axton Sugden, Kyle Langley), 87; 3. Open No. 3 (Hayden Zogg, Isaac Zogg, Jenna Oman, Layton Powley), 66

School Teams – 1. Broken Bow (Ashlyn Wardyn, Hank Taylor, Hoyt Rasmussen), 80