Six student athletes from the Valor Sandpoint Shotgun Team traveled to Kuna, Idaho on June 13 to compete in the Idaho Trap Shooting State Tournament, returning home with multiple placements and one national qualification from a field of more than 100 competitors representing over a dozen high school programs across the state.
Individual Results
Tanner Thompson was among Valor’s top performers on the day. Competing in the Novice division, Thompson finished second in 5-stand with a score of 57 and fourth in JV Trap with an 89. He also achieved 25 consecutive straight shots during the event, earning a commemorative patch for the accomplishment.
Ryder Raposa, competing at the Varsity level, posted a 63 in 5-stand and an 84 in Trap. His performance was strong enough to earn a qualification berth for the USA High School Clay Target League National Championship, which will be held in Mason, Michigan.
In the Novice Trap division, Liam West scored 66 to claim sixth place, while both Grahm Thompson and Evie Peterson finished eighth — Thompson with a score of 58 and Peterson with a 45. West also scored 32 in 5-stand, and Thompson put up an 18. JV competitor Eli Harris rounded out the team’s Trap scores with a 76.
What Comes Next
Raposa’s national qualification marks a significant milestone for the Valor Sandpoint program, which fielded only six athletes at the state level. His trip to Mason, Michigan for the USA High School Clay Target League National Championship will give the North Idaho school representation on one of competitive shooting’s largest prep stages.
The tournament results reflect growing participation in scholastic shooting sports across Idaho, a discipline that draws broad community support in rural and sportsmen-heavy regions like Bonner County. For young competitors like those on the Valor squad, state-level clay target events serve as both an athletic proving ground and an introduction to the firearm safety and discipline that underpin the sport.
Sandpoint-area sports fans following the team’s progress can stay current with local competitive news at Bonner County News.