By Kathy Konek
On January 20, the Kootenai Valley Rifle Club hosted the Idaho State Junior Olympic Rifle Championship at the Bonners Ferry Range, with shooters from the Bonners Ferry (KV), Sandpoint, and Coeur d’Alene (CdA) clubs, along with the Little Explorers 4-H Club from Boise represented.
The shooters competed with single shot .22 caliber rifles, using iron sights, at a distance of 50 feet indoors. They complete 20 shots in each of the kneeling, prone and standing positions. To score a ten, a shooter must take out a dot not much bigger than the period at the end of this sentence.
Daphne Garberoglio of the CdA team, shooting in the 15-17 year-old category, was the Idaho State Champion, averaging a score of 8.6 per shot and a total score of 516 of the 600 points possible.
Close behind in the same age category, taking second overall, was Gabriel Lester, of the Sandpoint Jr Rifle Club, with a score of 515.
Kyalynn Comer, of the KV team, was top in the under 15 year-old category and third overall with a score of 502. Improving her score by 50 points over last year’s match.
Brianna Poirier, also in the under 15 year-old category, traveling from Boise to represent the Little Explorers 4H Club, took second place for this group with a score of 464.
Four of the eight shooters then continued competition grade air rifles. Again, using iron sights, but at a distance of 33 feet, they fired 60 shots in the standing position.
Comer came out on top, averaging 8.85 per shot with a score of 531 of the 600 possible. Garberoglio took second with a 523.
Both Garberoglio and Comer, for winning their perspective disciplines, will receive an invitation to compete at the Junior Olympics in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center in April. To go, they’ll need and appreciate the community’s support. Please contact the club for more information.
The teams will finish up their season with matches at the rifle ranges in Bonners Ferry, Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and Sandpoint.
If you are interested in learning more about, or returning to, the sport of competitive shooting. Please stop by the range at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday or Thursday, or call Don Jordan at (208) 610-0226.