The third annual Boy Scouts of America Sporting Clays Classic was held this past weekend at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in Glen Jean. The shooting-competition consisted of 14 teams from around the state, as well as 10 individual competitors. Three separate four-person teams from Greenbrier County competed, with two of the teams winning second place and third place respectively.
The third-place team, consisting of Ella and Lily Goodwin, Catron Wykle and Makayla Scott, are the top four-female shooters in the West Virginia 4-H program according to area 4-H leader Mike Adkins. And as 4-H Leader Mike Adkins put it: “those girls are bad!”
“Those girls are bad,” an excited Adkins said.
In fact, the shooting prowess of Makayla Scott has earned her a full-scholarship to Montreat College in North Carolina. Adkins referred to Makayla as a ‘phenom.’
While the boys team, consisting of Tyler Deskins, A.J. Chernauskas, Anthony Wiley and Evan Carter, didn’t manage the same level of success achieved by their female counterparts, they are all very talented shooters in their own right, Adkins said.
Tyler Deskins has already been a competitor in the nationals in Nebraska, and both A.J. Chernauskas and Anthony Wiley were scheduled to compete at this year’s competition prior to it’s cancellation due to COVID-19 restrictions, Adkins stated.
“At just 14, young Carter has many years of successful competitions ahead of him,” Adkins said.
The third team of adult participants: Blaine Phillips, Steve Rollyson, Mike Adkins and Steve Whited, claimed second-place.
Adkins was quick to note that this was an “off-day.” The team has been competing together now for five years. And while last weekend’s competition was not a 4-H event, Adkins and his teammates have won three 4-H state shotgun championships in the past five years, and been runners-up twice.
As they have been for the past several years, all three teams were sponsored by Richard Grist. According to Adkins, covering the $500 per-team registration fee is something he does because “he’s just a great guy,” Adkins said.
“Richard is the type of individual who wants to see the young people in Greenbrier County excel. He’s always been a big supporter of the Greenbrier County 4-H program and the Boy Scouts of America. He’s a fantastic person,” Adkins said.
Because of the pandemic, the Greenbrier County 4-H program has postponed all activities and functions until restrictions are lifted. The hope is that by April 2021, Adkins’ club will be able to resume their activities, and recruit four to five interested kids who are age 12 and older.
Photo:
Front row, left to right:
Ella Goodwin, Catron Wykle, Lily Goodwin and Makayla Scott
Middle row, left to right:
Tyler Deskins, A.J. Chernauskas, Anthony Wiley and Evan Carter
Back row, left to right:
Blaine Phillips, Steve Rollyson, Mike Adkins and Steve Whited
