Trap Club members headed to state championships

On Saturday, June 16, 41 members of the Concordia Panther Trap Club will travel to the Kansas Trapshooters Association range in Sedgwick to compete in the state championship. In 2018, the first year of its existence, the Panther Trap Club sent 25 members to state.
"The practice and experience is really starting to pay off," said head coach Todd Robinson. "Us coaches are learning too. The kids are just getting better; their skill level is getting better all across the board."
Among the standout shooters going to the state championship this year are Braden Wachsnicht, who finished the regular season 39th overall in the state out of all 1,731 participants, and was named to the All-State team. Wachsnicht shot 25 out of 25 clay targets three times. He shot 49 out of 50 targets in a week four match, and then followed that up the next week by shooting 50 out of 50 targets.
"Braden really turned it on the last few weeks," said Robinson. "It all came together for him at just the right time."
Hunter Chaput also shot 25 straight at the Tuttle Creek Shooting Park Youth Championship in Manhattan, and finished in 22nd place in the conference.
On the girls side, McKenzie Widen finished the regular season in 14th place in the state out of all female trap shooters, and 5th place in her conference. At one meet this year, Widen shot 25 out of 25 clay targets in a row, and 49 out of 50. Riley McMillan also shot 25 straight clay targets at a meet. Along with her sister Macy, the McMillan sisters ended the regular season tied for 21st place out of all the female trap shooters in the state, and 8th place in their conference.
"Watching these kids improve, and learn so much about safe firearms handling in the process, is really great," Robinson said.