Students take aim at titles

PALMER — The Pioneer Shooting Association, in conjunction with the Matanuska Valley Sportsmen Range, recently hosted the first Junior Olympics Alaska State Championship sport pistol competition.

Shooters ranging in age from 12 to 17 from Colony High School and Twindly Bridge Charter School participated in the event.

Shawn Kelly of Twindly Bridge won the boys’ gold medal, posting a score of 455 out of 600. Kelly fired an excellent 250 points in the rapid fire to overcome a 22-point deficit in the slow fire.

Twindly’s Logan Spencer fired a personal best in the slow fire and finished strong in the rapid fire to take the boys’ silver medal, with a score of 449 of 600. Tyler Kelly of Twindly Bridge won the boys’ bronze medal with a score of 384.

Twindly Bridge’s Jordyn Spencer won the girls’ gold medal, finishing with 440 of a possible 600 points. Jordan has only been shooting sport pistol since September and has come a long way and hopes to qualify for the National Junior Olympics in Colorado Springs, Colo., next year, event organizer Mike Kelly said.

Kendra Byrwa of Colony High School won the girls’ silver with a score of 354.

Sport pistol is an Olympic event that consists of 30 shots fired in slow fire (one minute per shot) and 20 shots in rapid fire (three seconds per shot), with a .22-caliber pistol or revolver, for a total of 60 shots or 600 points.

Organizer and coach Mike Kelly has been teaching air pistol shooting, an Olympic event, at Twindly Bridge for four years and added sport pistol to the list during the fall at Mat Valley Sportsmen.

His classes are open to all Valley students on a space available basis, after Twindly students have signed up.

Those interested in learning more about the sport are asked to contact Kelly at 232-7737, Monday through Friday. Organizers expressed thanks to MVS for the use of its indoor shooting facility.