Cass and Ramsey County teams took top honors in the recent 2019 4-H State Air Rifle Championship in Devils Lake.

The senior Cass County team of Rebecca Van Vleet, Mercedes Francis, Lillian Roth and Caden Francis took first place and qualified for the 2020 4-H National Shooting Sports Invitational in Grand Island, Neb.

Individual winners were:

• First - Hannah Vaagen, Ramsey County, with a score of 511
• Second - Van Vleet, with a score of 510
• Third - Mercedes Francis, with a score of 459

The junior division air rifle team champions were Cassandra Christensen, Casia Steinhaus, Izhavel Nelson and Nora DePlazes from Ramsey County. Second place went to Towner County with team members Heather Bertsch, Macey Keller and Cecilia Fruend.

Individual winners were:

• First - Christensen, with a score of 448
• Second - Steinhaus, with a score of 432
• Third - Bertsch, with a score 416

The top team from the beginner division was Ramsey County with members Lauren Stiven, Brenner Wayman, Brynar Exner and Rafael Figueroa. Members of the second place Cass County team were Milayna Ellenson, Hayden Boyer and Gabriel Francis. The third place Ramsey County team consisted of Rachel Vaagen, Ella Wessels, Brady Schuler and Gannon Eversik.

Individual winners were:

• First - Stiven, with a score of 570
• Second - Carter Teigen, Pierce County, with a score of 549
• Third - Ellenson, with a score of 544

Beginners are youth ages 8 to 10. Youth in the junior division are 11 to 13, and the senior division is for youth ages 14 to 18.

Beginners participated in a 40-shot bench rest competition. The junior and senior teams competed in a three-position (prone, kneeling and standing) event, performing 20 shots in each position for a potential score of 600.

The masters division is for youth who previously have qualified for the 4-H national championship event and no longer are eligible to compete in the state championship in the senior division.

This year’s masters division champion was Jacob Vaagen from Ramsey County with a score of 512.

NDSU Agriculture Communication - May 9, 2019