E-M-F Trap 2016 - Front row from the left: Ben Bartu,
Noah Lambercht, Kaden Bristol, Broc Steuben, Wyatt Motis, Isaac Melton.Second
row from the left: Evan True, Kriby Soukup, Brayden Olsen, Blake Steuben,
Kate Jansky, Joey Bartu, Clint Oldehoeft, Zane Mc Coy, Tommy McCoy. Third row
(on the railing) from the left: Max Zeleny, Peyton Pribyl, Trever
Zelenka, Blaze Miller, Sidney Steyer, Bailey Steuben, Jaiden Papik, Shayla
Miller, Cori Combs, Trenton Naber, Mel Anne McCoy, Chelsea Hornbacher, Coach
Justin Harre. Fourth row from the left: Derek Axline, Hunter Worrell, Spencer
Papik, Peytan Brandt, Spencer Pribyl, Trevor Naber, Ryan Sharp, Zac Hornbacher,
Tara Mueller, Coach John Steyer. Not pictured: Cammie Harrison,Trystan
Brandt, Coach Lisa Soukup
Conference team placing was recognized at the final
conference shoot for the Exeter-Milligan Friend Trap Team. Front row from
the left Tara Mueller, Sidney Steyer and Kate Jansky all placed on the First
team for the women’s senior division. Back row from the left Max Zeleny
was a member of the second team for junior boys and Blake Stueben made the
Senior boy’s third team, Kirby Soukup received a scholarship.
The Exeter/Milligan/Friend Trap team had another successful
season.
The team continued to grow this year welcoming students from
McCool Junction again this year along with students from Fairmont and Geneva.
The team which is divided into Juniors (age 12 through 8th
grade) and Seniors (9 – 12th grade). They competed with around
250 other shooters every Saturday morning at Crooked Creek club near Aurora.
The E/M/F team had 15 Juniors and 23 Seniors this
year. Each Saturday the Seniors would shoot 50 clays to start the day at
the 16 yard line followed by the juniors who shot 50. In the afternoon,
each Senior would shoot handicaps, shooting at the line which was half the
distance of their score in the first round (i.e. if they shot a 46 in the first
round they would be at the 23 yard line for handicap).
Each year the team holds a soup and sandwich lunch in Exeter
along with a labor auction. Coach Justin Harre was very thankful for the
backing the team receives, “Once again we had tremendous support from the
community at the fundraiser soup luncheon and auction. This pays for all
of their entry fees at conference and at the state shoot along with all of
their practice clays. The majority of the cost of their team coats is
paid for also.”
Harre, along with Lisa Soukup and John Steyer, keep busy
coaching during practices and at the meets. They spend the entire day
outside no matter what the weather and with the season starting in mid-March
there always seems to be snow and rain for those Saturday mornings.
The team also participates in a gun raffle statewide.
Since the gun raffle has gone so well they were able to lower the entry fees
for the conference. Most of the raffle proceeds go toward scholarships
for the club members.
The season went well according to Harre, “Our girls were
pretty dominant. Our boys had some good weeks with a lot of personal
bests.”
The girls on the team continued their dominance at the end
of the season in the overall conference with Sydney Steyer bringing home the
top female/team captain of the first team with Kate Jansky right behind her in
the second spot on the first team. Tara Mueller also earned a spot on the
first team.
On the boys side of the bracket Blake Steuben was a member
of the third team of senior boys while Max Zeleny made the second team for
junior boys. Throughout the season three members of the boys team shot 25
straight including Noah Lambrecht, Max Zeleny and Brayden Olsen. Kirby
Soukup received a $500 scholarship from the Central Nebraska Trapshooting
Conference.
Coach Soukup noted, “We had a lot of 24’s during our
conference shoots. I definitely saw a lot of improvement from our senior
team. Every week we were just under placing at conference.”
The season culminated with the team participating in the 47th
Annual Cornhusker National Jr/Sr High School Shoot sponsored by the Nebraska
Game and Parks and held in Doniphan each year. Over 2500 students
participated this year.
While the E/M/F team didn’t bring home any hardware at the
state meet this year Harre was pleased with their performance, “We had some
good scores but the weather was unfavorable with lots of rain and cool
temperatures. I thought the kids shot really well for the conditions that
they were shooting in.”
Brock Steuben shot a 93 out of 100 in the Junior boys
division at State. While his brother, Blake, had a 73 out of a 75 on the first
day of the senior shoot at the 16 yard line. His teammate Blaze Miller
shot a 136 out of 150 placing him in the top 40 overall out of 1600 seniors.
It’s not just about being a good shot according to Harre, “I
think it is being mentally prepared to focus on each rock despite the weather.”
Harre couldn’t leave the conversation without commenting on
the assistance from the parents, “We had a lot of help from the parents this
year and I want to thank them for supporting the team again this year.”
