Last season, the Kimball Cubs trap shooting team finished eleventh in the Minnesota Trap Shooting Championship in Alexandria. Thanks to this finish, the Cubs team was among the top 40 teams in the state to qualify for the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Clay Target State Tournament from the Minneapolis Gun Club in Prior Lake. There, the team capped its season with a twelfth-place finish.
“Last year went extremely well. I mean, we made it to the state, and hopefully they do it again this year,” Cubs trap team head coach Tony Verhey said. “We have some strong shooters from last year yet, and a couple new ones that are coming up.”
The Cubs team is aiming towards both continued success and improvement as it heads into the start of its spring season.
This season
The team opens the season this week with 43 student-athletes in grades seventh to twelfth. During the regular season, the team shoots at the Kimball Rod and Gun Club south of Kimball.
The team’s regular season includes two practice weeks, a reserve week, five competition weeks, and a fun week. The Cubs team then attends the Del-Tone 100, hosted by the Del-Tone Shooting Range in St. Cloud from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, June 7.
In terms of postseason, the Minnesota Trap Shooting Championship in Alexandria takes place June 9-17, the MSHSL Clay Target State Tournament Friday, June 20, and the USAHSCTL National Championship in Mason, Mich., July 9-13.
Seniors/leaders
After losing 13 seniors last season, the program features seven seniors on this season’s team, including Ronnie Arnold, Sawyer Denny, Wyatt Hayenga, Isaac Kilanowski, Jonathan Serbus, Tayler Verhey, and Tiffany Young.
Coach Verhey looks to several of these seniors to lead this year’s Cub team.
“My son, Tayler (Verhey), he’s been probably one of the top five (shooters on our team) since he started shooting, and he was top last year,” coach Verhey said. “Sawyer Denny, he’s another one. He’s another senior. He’s made it to state the last two years with us on the team. He’s a really strong shooter.”
Coach Verhey highlighted how his team has some younger shooters coming up too, including sophomore Gavin Messenbrink.
“We’ve been practicing a little bit already,” coach Verhey said. “and, just watching some of the kids, we’ll have some, few more strong shooters coming up that are a little younger yet.”
Season outlook
Beginning his second year as the team’s head coach, Verhey looks forward to seeing that growth in his athletes this spring season.
“I’m just looking forward to watching them improve, watching them excel at a sport, and it’s fun to see their scores from the beginning of the season to the end of the season,” Verhey said. “It’s just amazing … how some of them progress.”