Elks Hoop Shoot sends three from Clay County to the state competition

From left, 8-9 year olds (from left to right): Debra Nettles (Brazil Elks Lodge Hoop Shoot Director), Amber Moreland, Brayden Goff, John Robinson (Brazil Elks Lodge Trustee Chairman), and Brandon McKinney (West Central District Elks President).

Three Clay County youths have made it through local and district competition and are on their way to the Elks State Hoop Shoot Competition on Feb. 25 at New Castle High School in New Castle.

From left, Debra Nettles, Shaylee Evans, Caden Schrader, John Robinson (Brazil Elks Lodge Trustee Chairman), and Brandon McKinney (West Central District Elks President).

The Elks district competition was Jan. 15 at Noblesville High School in Noblesville. The participants competed against shooters from each of the 10 lodges in the West Central District.

From left, Debra Nettles, Sydney Maurer, Reilly Myers, John Robinson (Brazil Elks Lodge Trustee Chairman), and Brandon McKinney (West Central District Elks President).

The Brazil Elks Lodge competitors took three first-place wins, two second places and one third place. Reilly Myers won first place in the boys 12-to-13 age group with 24 of 25 free throws made. Sydney Maurer was first in the girls 12-and-13 age group, and Brayden Goff was first in the boys 8-and-9 age group.

Shaylee Evans and Amber Moreland both took second place in their respective age categories, and Caden Schrader won third in his age group. The three winners will compete against participants from each of the Indiana Elks Association districts.

The Brazil Elks Lodge hosted its local Hoop Shoot competition on Dec. 10 at East Side Elementary School. Participants, ranging in age from 8 to 13, qualified to compete through preliminary free throw shoots at each of the Clay Community Schools.

The Elks Hoop shoot is divided into three age group categories: 8-9-year-old, 10-11-year-old, and 12-13-year-old. One boy and one girl from each age group then advances on from the Brazil Elks Lodge local competition to the West Central District Elks district competition by making the most free throws out of 25 attempts. The winners of the Brazil Elks Lodge local competition this year were Brayden Goff, Staunton Elementary; Amber Moreland, Forest Park Elementary; Caden Schrader, Jackson Township; Shaylee Evans, Clay City; Reilly Myers, Clay City; and Sydney Maurer, North Clay Middle School.

State hoop shoot winners in each age category will advance to the Regional competition in Angola, Indiana in March, and then on to the National Hoop Shoot Finals in Chicago in April.