Guns popped, shooters shot and coaches watched as their athletes competed in the week-long SCTP National Championship Tournament for shooting sports in Marengo, Ohio.

Coach Maranda Clark and four members of the Lewis County Trap Team, Daniel Burcham, Chase Carroll, Zoie Clark and Emery Norris, were one of the few representing Tennessee in the national competition.

Several different shooting events took place from Thursday, July 9, to Saturday, July 18, such as Doubles Trap, Bunker Trap, Handicap Trap, Sporting Clays, American Skeet and International Skeet, all leading up to the two-day event of Singles Trap on Friday and Saturday.

"We feel excited for them. They have put in a lot of hours and ammo to get to the point where they feel they are ready to compete at the national level," said Coach Maranda Clark.

The week was hot and sunny with the sound of guns popping all around and trap houses as far as the eye could see.

Vendors and shops set up their stands and stores, and sold every gun and its accessories imaginable, while team members and coaches camped on nearby campgrounds awaiting their turn to shoot.

The Lewis County athletes got their chance to shoot American Skeet, a category not available to them during their regular practices. Each shooter shot 100 rounds on Saturday, July 11, and 100 on Sunday, July 12. Burcham shot 153/200, Clark shot 166/200 and Norris shot 120/200.

On the following Monday and Tuesday, Burcham tried his luck at Handicap Trap, an event in which the shooter must back up several more yards than he/she is used to and take aim at the clay targets being thrown at a high rate of speed. Burcham managed to shoot 145/200 during his first time ever shooting clays at such a distance.

Then the trio tried their hand at Sporting Clays and Doubles Trap on Wednesday and Thursday. Sporting Clays is an extremely difficult type shooting, where clays are thrown from any angle or distance to mimic bird hunting. Clark shot 139/200, Burcham shot 124/200 and Norris shot 89/200, all impressive scores for first-time shooters.

Doubles Trap is just that, two machines throwing two clays for two shooters to take their aim. Norris and Clark shot together, Norris with 135/200 and Clark with 161/200. Burcham shot with an athlete on Etowah Valley Mambas Team from Georgia. Burcham shot 158/200.

Katelin Carroll

Sharp shooters (left to right) Daniel Burcham, Zoie Clark, Emery Norris and Chase Carroll pose beside the SCTP Tennessee flag with Caoch Maranda Clark (far left).

The fog began to clear early Friday morning just in time for Burcham, Carroll, Clark and Norris to walk out onto the field to shoot in the event they had all been preparing for; Singles Trap. Norris shot 166/200, Carroll shot 170/200, Clark shot 171/200, and Burcham shot 184/200.

However, due to schedule changes and COVID-19, not everyone got to make the 7-hour road trip up to Ohio. Mom, Delana Bean, shared on Facebook that her two kids, Clay and Mahaley Bean, shot virtually and sent in their scores along with teammates Ryan Tanner and Mason Owen.

No matter where or when the athletes on the Lewis County Trap Team had to shoot, one thing is for certain; their coaches and family are proud.