George Melcher Trophy
By Martin Lord
The George S. Melcher Trophy, emblematic of the Rhode Island Revolver and Rifle Association’s Indoor Three Position Individual State Championship, was contested on March 22, 2015.
The match is shot in honor of George S. Melcher, founder of the Rhode Island Marksman Association of Tiverton, who also served as a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor and rifle coach at Newport’s Rogers High School from 1952 to 1961. Melcher was the RIRRA’s Smallbore Director and, as such, was a competitor and coach at the National Rifle Association Championships.
The Smithfield Sportsman’s Club hosted the NRA sanctioned registered tournament which was a tri-state affair with shooters from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island competing.
Shooting on the demanding USA/NRA 50 target Hap Rocketto opened with a prone score of 195 just ahead of Jeff Doerschler, of Digby Hand and Taunton Marksmanship Unit’s (TMU) Ruby Gomes who were knotted at 193. TMU’s Brendan Whitaker was top master posting a 191, the same score as Sharpshooter Alex Muzzioli. Cumberland Beagle’s Bob Biziak and TMU’s Tyler Lefebvre tied at 183 for Marksman honors.
Most position matches are decided standing and this match was no exception. Doerschler made his move with a 181, wiping out his deficit and putting him four points up on Rocketto. TMU’s Sharpshooter Maggie Flanders was right on Doerschler’s heels with a 180. Whitaker and Rocketto were in third tied at 175. Gomes was top Expert with a 178 while Tyler Lefebvre was top Marksman shooting a 192.
Going into the final 20 shots kneeling Doerschler held the lead with Rocketto and Whitaker within striking distance. Doerschler hammered in the final nail on his competition’s coffin with a first string kneeling of 94, mathematically eliminating Rocketto and Whitaker and winning the kneeling match. Not even the most talented shooter could shoot a score in excess of 100 with ten shots. Whitaker was first Master kneeling, Gomes the best Expert, Flanders sharpshooter, and Lefebvre was the best kneeling Marksman.
Doerschler won with a 561, Rocketto took home the Melcher Trophy with a “triple nickel”, a 555, as high Rhode Island resident, and Whitaker was third with a 552.
Gomes’ 551 made her high Expert, Flanders earned Sharpshooter honors while Lefebvre was top Marksman.
Quaker Hill Rod and Gun Club’s Nash Neubauer, who placed in the top 20 in the 2014 President’s Match during the National Matches, found himself sitting on a couple of possible National Collegiate Records which will await confirmation from NRA Competitions.
2015-ri-melcher (PDF, 50KB)
