BAKER TRAP SHOOTING: Cris Schuh, Conner Norton take prestige at Hermiston

Ian Crawford, Baker City Herald, Ore.
·3 min read

Apr. 19—Baker High School's trap shooting team had a fast start to its second season, as Cris Schuh won the high overall award and Conner Norton was the singles champion at the Hermiston Trap Invitational on Saturday, April 15.

"It's really exciting to see them perform this well this early," coach Zack Kimball said. "It's the middle of April and to be honest I'm very thrilled and happy to see them perform this well, even the newcomers are performing well."

Norton hit all 50 of his shots in the first round.

Schuh hit 49 of 50 in each round.

In the intermediate group, Baker's Joe Zikmund hit 44 of 50 and won in a shootoff, and Jackson Robertson won the novice category with 37 of 50.

Handicap champions were Schuh in the advanced division and Asher Blair (33 of 50) in the novice.

In all, 25 BHS team members competed.

"We had over 100 registered shooters (at Hermiston), adults and youth, a good shot for kids to get adjusted to that atmosphere, that's why we wanted to get kids in that competition mode, work on their mental capacity for the state shoot," Kimball said.

The Baker team left town at 5:30 a.m. and returned home about 12 hours later.

"The team did really well," Kimball said, "I was super impressed with how they showed up for the event and how they handled themselves and took everything in practice and used it."

He thanked the team's support staff, which includes assistant coach Wayne Paxton, range officer David Blair, staff members Cody Schuh and Bob Whitnah and team manager Xander Johnson, who handle all the peripherals of the sport.

"Without those guys involved in the program it's just not possible," Kimball said. "I thank those guys all the time for everything they do, and also the athletic department and the school district."

Kimball said his goal is to instill more than just proper shooting technique.

"We work on the trapshooting etiquette, putting trash away, picking up shells," he said. "The Baker trap team takes that above and beyond and I'm just overall extremely proud of the kids and the coaching staff."

Hermiston Trap Invitational

Baker results

Jose Armenta — 44/50; 39/50

Anthony Betts — 35/50

Asher Blair — 33/50; 33/50

Gavin Carpenter — 36/50

Alsitie Elizondo — 24/50

Jaxon Ford — 45/50: 40/50

Waylon Hansen — 33/50

Isaiah Hannah — 18/50

Jayden Hansen — 35/50; 28/50

Jack Heriza — 41/50

Dakota Hoadley — 31/50

Seth Holden — 44/50

Riley Hurliman — 44/50

Alex Jaca — 38/50

Xander Johnson — 41/50; 39/50

Connor Martin — 40/50

Ethan Morgan — 45/50; 41/50

Conner Norton — 50/50; 38/50

Jackson Robertson — 37/50

Cris Schuh — 49/50; 49/50

Keegan Slobig — 39/50

Ethan Whiting — 41/50

Alex Wise — 42/50

Joe Zikmund — 44/50

The BHS team, along with the Baker Trap Club, will be hosting a pair of fun shoots to raise money for travel expenses to the state tournament in June. The events, for youth and adults, will be April 30 and May 21, both at the Baker Trap Club, 42698 Imnaha Road, about a mile north of Baker City off Highway 30. Registration will start at 7:30 a.m. and shooting at 9 a.m. for both events.

More information is available by calling Kimball at 541-910-8446.