It’s clay target shooting and the popularity of the sport is growing by leaps and bounds, not only in the state but across the country.

Over the last decade the sport has grown from a handful of schools in Minnesota to more than 1,000 across the country, including 39 schools in Pennsylvania, including Central Mountain.

In February of this year, Keystone Central School District’s Board of Education approved the formation of a new student sports activity club at Central Mountain High School to participate in the Pennsylvania State High School Clay Target League. The club is governed by the USA High School Clay Target League.

Fourteen CMHS students registered to participate in the 2021 spring season.

PHOTO PROVIDED Members of the Central Mountain Clay Target Shooting team are, from left, back row, Hayden Walker, Peyton Newlan, Emery Gunsallus, Kara Stover, Hanna Tourney, Hunter Jeirles, Wyatt Ripka, Chase White; front row, Denny Dolan, Tyler Weaver, Hunner Lindsey, Chris Engle, Gavin Kerstetter, Dylan Baker.

Students could register to shoot in one, two, or all three disciplines which include Skeet, Five-Stand, and Trap.

Another student also joined the club to volunteer as an assistant, helping to set up, pull targets, and score.

The roster this year was open to any male or female student in grades 9-12 in CMHS. Central Mountain had one girl (Kara Stover) shooting on the team. Around 18 percent of participants in the U.S. high school league are female, up from four percent five years ago.

Officers for the club include: president Hunner Lindsey; vice president Emery Gunsallus; treasurer Hanna Tourney; secretary Tyler Weaver. Members of the team must meet at least eight times throughout the school year to fulfill activity club requirements. The club’s school advisor is Keith Killinger.

Here’s how it works. The kids shoot two registered rounds of 25 shots each week during the five-week competition season. Scores are placed into a computer database which in a typical season updates every Sunday. Teams and individuals can see where they are ranked.

Central Mountain’s Clay Target Teams had a successful first season with their Five-Stand team and Skeet team finishing in first place for their conference.

Individual achievements were as follows:

— Denny Dolan: first place in Skeet and second place in Five-Stand

— Emery Gunsallus: first place in Five-Stand

— Peyton Newlan: third place in Skeet

— Kara Stover: first place female in Five-Stand

Other recognition for the season was given to Wyatt Ripka for earning a 25 straight in Trap, and Emery Gunsallus for earning a 25 straight in Skeet.

The club is also set up so that participants can letter in the program. In fact, CM has four athletes lettering in Skeet — Denny Dolan, Emery Gunsallus, Peyton Newlan, and Tyler Weaver. There are three athletes lettering in Five-Stand – Denny Dolan, Emery Gunsallus, and Tyler Weaver, and four athletes lettering in Trap – Emery Gunsallus, Peyton Newlan, Joe Proctor and Wyatt Ripka.

Central Mountain Clay Target League credits the Liberty Township Sportsmen’s Association for serving as the team’s home field. The Liberty Sportsmen have shown an incredible amount of support. Not only is the group able to use the facility, but the the sportsmen have also provided a large group of volunteers. Each discipline has two or more coaches who specialize in a particular discipline. Their wealth of knowledge has really helped the kids to improve their skills.

Coaches for the Skeet team are Tom Hillard, Lenny Young, Steve Phoenix, and Renee Hillard. Coaches for the Trap team are John Lavrich, Lester Ott, and Gary Proctor. Coaches for the Five-Stand team are Rob Tourney, Steve Heverly, Ruth Gundlach, and Gib Moyer. Lenny Unger and Mike Koons are Range Safety Officers.

Central Mountain’s Clay Target team operates without any school district funding. Registered students are required to pay their own registration fees. They must also cover the expense of the clay birds and ammunition.

The team would like to thank the following businesses who have helped to offset these costs by making generous donations–Lock Haven 40 & 8 Club, Robert Novosel, Carson V Brown II DD, SSeyler Enterprises Inc., Bressler Drilling Inc., Wampum Hardware Co. and B & E Powder Solutions. The Youth Shooting Sports Alliance also supplied the team with ear and eye protection, range bags, and shell patches through a grant offered to youth shooting clubs. Cintas First Aid and Safety provided the clay target league with a first aid kit.

Anyone interested in learning more about the CMHS Clay Target League, please contact Lori Gunsallus at 570-932-0877 or email cmclaytargetleague@gmail.com.