By: Emilie Jenson 

Public Information Coordinator

The Iowa Central Sports Shooting team recently traveled to San Antonio to participate in the ACUI/SCTP Collegiate Clay Championships.

The Tritons finished as national runners up in Division 4 HOA with a score of 2745 points, just behind ICCAC Rival Iowa Western.

"Our student-athletes progressed very well this spring," said Head Sports Shooting Coach Jessica Gunderson. "We posted some of the best scores in the history of the program."

Sophomore Nathan Swanson was the Class B Doubles Skeet national champion, shooting a 94. 

Freshman Kaelan Smith shot off for first, second and third places, finishing as runner-up in Class C Super Sporting Clays, earning second team All-American honors.

"Kaelan had his best week of the season," said Gunderson. "He finished in the top 60 out of nearly 600 athletes."

The Doubles Trap team of Tanner Onken, Cody Dickerson, Tyler Resor, Josh Kenkel and Drew Crump finished as national runners up, shooting a combined score of 458. The American Trap team of Dickerson, Smith, Swanson, Jacob Geis and Chayden Wright also took silver with 487.

Taking bronze for the Tritons were the Super Sporting team of Tanner Onken, Tyler Resor, Kaelan Smith, Josh Kenkel and Chayden Wright with 453; Doubles Skeet team of Swanson, Smith, Crump, Geis and Wright with a combined score of 464 and the American Skeet team of Grant Clark, Resor, Smith, Geis and Wright with 478.

With a young, but accomplished team, Gunderson said she looks forward to seeing most of the team return in the fall.

"Our athletes put in a LOT of hard work this season," she said. "With a bulk of the team returning and some talented freshmen coming in the 2024-2025 year, I am excited to see what this team can accomplish."