Ninth-grader Gavin Carrizales of Scottsbluff hit 35 of 40 targets to win the Nebraska Youth Smallbore Silhouette Invitational on Sept. 30 at Pressey Wildlife Management Area south of Broken Bow.

The championship is Carrizales’ second. In 2020, in only his second year of eligibility, the then-12-year-old shot the first perfect score in the event’s history.

High Girl Danika Bohl of Mitchell hit 34 targets.

Carrizales; Bohl, the 2021 state champion; younger sister Laney Bohl, the 2022 state champion (29); and Lilian DeWitt of Minatare (24), shot a combined 122 of 160 for Western Nebraska Shooting Sports to win the overall high team score. Western Nebraska Shooting Sports has won five straight overall team titles.

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.

“As organizers, we appreciate the participants attending to detail and safe firearm handling,” Match Director Matthew Haumont said. “This is a testament to the education and skills learned through Nebraska Hunter Education courses taught by volunteer instructors throughout our state.”

Despite it being a hot, windy day, the event was well-attended, with shooters from all parts of the state.

The 70 competitors 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 48^th annual Smallbore Invitational is scheduled for Sept. 28, 2024.

The results are:

Individual Awards

State Champion – Gavin Carrizales, Scottsbluff, 35 of 40

High Girl – 1. Danika Bohl, Mitchell, 34 of 40; 2. Makenna Quick, Alliance, 32; 3. Laney Bohl, Mitchell, 29

High Boy – 1. Bereket Glendy, Broken Bow, 28; 2. Evan Kinnison, Kearney, 28; 3. Seth Jacobs, Gering, 27

Unclassified – 1. Ashlyn Wardyn, Broken Bow, 28; 2. Ian Schiller, Scribner, 25; 3. Lynn Miner, Emmet, 23

Class B – 1. Andrew Enns, Holmesville, 27; 2. Tristan Connell, Waterbury, 27; 3. Jon Lindell, Beatrice, 26

Senior Division – 1. Laura Borgelt, Wisner, 25; 2. Hunter Sweley, Litchfield, 25; 3. Tripp Meier, West Point, 24

Heavy Scope – 1. Kyle Rote, Lisco, 24; 2. Lilian DeWitt, Minatare, 24: 3. Isaac Enns, Holmesville, 24

Light Scope – 1. Seth Oltmans, Beatrice, 24; 2. Ethan Engelmeyer, West Point, 19; 3. Ethan Papiernik, Ord, 18

Junior Division – 1. Konnar Jones, Pierce, 23; 2. Mackenzey Connell, Waterbury, 18; 3. Ryder Asher, Atkinson, 17

Light Iron – 1. Grayhm Beck, Fairfield, 14; 2. Taylor Kinnison, Kearney, 13; 3. Khalon Newston, North Platte, 12

Best First-Time Shooter – Hayden Zogg, North Platte, 11

Novice Heavy Scope – 1. Colton Maxson, Riverdale, 10

Novice Light Scope – 1. Owen Schroeder, Miller, 8

Novice Light Iron – 1. Daniel Seiler-White, Omaha, 3

Team Awards

High Overall – Western Nebraska Shooting Sports (Gavin Carrizales, Danika Bohl, Laney Bohl, Lilian DeWitt), 122 of 160

4-H Teams – 1. Homestead 4-H No. 1 (Andrew Enns, Ryan Rempel, Ty Dittbrenner, Seth Oltmans), 94; 2. Cuming County Sharpshooters (Isaac Wooldrik, Laura Borgelt, Ethan Engelmeyer, Ian Schiller), 88; 3. Four Valleys 4-H Club (Ashlyn Wardyn, Bereket Glendy, Caleb Wiiest, Zach Longfellow), 77

Open Teams – 1. The Birds (Brandon Thomsen, Konnar Jones, Matthew Koehlmoos, Sara Thomsen), 82; 2. Western Nebraska Purple (Jeremy Missel, Justin Missel, Makenna Quick, Seth Jacobs), 80: 3. Open Team No. 5 (Lynn Miner, Makenzie Margritz, Tripp Meier, Zane Meyer), 66

School Teams – 1. Litchfield (Hunter Sweley, Jacob Heapy, Kinzlie McAuliff, Lyndsie McAuliff), 54; 2. Lawrence-Nelson (Kaden Grams, Nathan Stokes, Owen Smiley, Grayhm Beck), 43