by Martin Prince
The David Thompson Shoreline Classic Junior Rifle Match, hosted by The Niantic Sportsmen’s Club of East Lyme, Connecticut, was contested on December 4-6, 2009.
The Classic used the USA/NRA 50 target, which has replaced the A-36 target in NRA competition, and Lewis system awards schedule.
The three-position match was won by Libby Tallberg of the Bridgeport Rifle Club who bested 84 competitors with a score of 286X300. Xavier High School rifleman Lenny Smittner finished with a 281 to take first place honors in Class A, followed by teammate Alex Frederick at 278, and Remington Lyman of Suffield Academy who posted a 276. Blue Trail range’s Tom Stanley, Amy McDonnell of the Stratford Police Athletic League, and Jim Stanley of Xavier wrapped up Class B honors when all three carded 257s. Jay Montesano, representing Bridgeport, was the high shooter in Class C with a 243. As in Class B the second a third place finishers Nick Staurvasky and Paige Aurella, both of Stratford, also fired the same score. Niantic’s Jacob Lathrop lead Class D with a score of 203 while a 196 earned Blue Trail’s P. Fiasconaro second followed by Avon’s Nick Servidio’s 194. John-Paul Morello, Xavier, lead Class E with 160 ahead of Cory Britt from Quaker Hill’s 156, and SPAL’s Dan Cavoto’s 151 was third. Cory Cristants from BTR had a 103 for First in Class F with Dan Mercurio from Blue Trail, with a nice round 100, after his name in second. Ken Price from Avon, who shot a 92, was third.
Just as the two classes in the individual match ended with identical scores the three-position Junior team match ended going to a tiebreaker when Bridgeport Rifle Club Gold and the Xavier High School Gold teams both scored a 1062-19x. Xavier, Smittner, Alex Frederich, Jim Stanley, and Ryan Overturf won on the strength of their kneeling which pushed Bridgeport, Tallberg, Michael Burzynski, Ryan Smith, and Jay Montesano into the first place team spot. Suffield Academy, Lyman, Conrad Misch , Brendon O’Connor , and Penn Fisher won first-place scholastic.
The diminutive Tallberg stood tall in the sub junior match firing a 293X300 prone for her second over all victory of the day. Repeating his finish in 3P Smittner was first in Class A with a 292. Quaker Hill Rod and Gun Club’s Eric Sloan was right behind with a 291 while Kimberlee Grohocki, of the host club, carded a 288 for third.
The Class B subbies were Kate Brown of Middletown had a 264, Quaker Hill’s Cory Brit with 258, and Harrison Roberts, of Midtown, at 254. Class C award winners were Ben Stec, of Bell City, who shot a 232, just a head of the 230 scored by Austin Veillette of Bridgeport, and Megan Wilcoxson, of SPAL, who recorded at 225. In Class D Quaker Hill’s Ryan Williams’ 186 lead with two Blue Trail shooters, Nicholas O’Connell, 174, and Jason Miller,174 right behind.
The Blue Trail Range Gold team, Smittner, Tom Landro, Chad Dieffenbach, and Rider Doolittle won the sub-junior team match with an 1136-18x followed by Bridgeport Gold, Tallberg, Kyle Frawley, Patrick Warren and Austin Veillette, at 1049-18x.
A reentry air rifle match was open to anyone who walked through the door. With 258 entries the match was won by a sub-junior Megan Wilcoxson of SPAL, In second place was Gary Baier, Assistant Junior coach of Niantic.
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