WaHi Rifle Teams Shine at Western Regional Championships
Over 190 junior marksmen from top high school rifle teams across the western United States gathered in Sandy, Utah, for the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) Western Regional Air Rifle Championships. Representing 15 western states, teams competed for top honors and a coveted invitation to the CMP National Championships this summer.
Both the sporter and precision rifle teams from WaHi earned their place at the regional event through strong performances in local and state competitions. The meet kicked off on a Thursday at the Mountain America Exposition Center, where athletes completed registration, underwent equipment inspections, and took part in a practice session using CMP’s advanced mobile range, which features 85 electronically scored target systems.
“We’ve been placing extra emphasis on the standing position these past few weeks,” said team captain Cadet Major Evan Graham. “After competing here in February at the Army National Match, we knew we had room to improve in that area.”
Competition began Friday morning, with each competitor firing 20 shots from the kneeling, prone, and standing positions—each shot worth up to ten points, for a maximum possible individual score of 600.
WaHi fielded two precision teams and one sporter class team for the event:
Precision Team One:
• Cadet Major Evan Graham
• Cadet Colonel Hannah Goin
• Cadet Lieutenant Claire Calvert
• Cadet Major Sarah Nelson
Precision Team Two:
• Cadet Lieutenant Noah Kaheaku
• Cadet Lieutenant Sofie Edwards
• Cadet Lieutenant Evelyn Wolf
• Cadet Corporal Kahlynn Hutson
Sporter Team:
• Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Claire Wooster
• Cadet Major Saphira Rynaski
• Cadet First Sergeant Melissa Villegas
• Cadet Sergeant Jaycee Cox
• Cadet Corporal Jesse Vawter
On Day One, Precision Team One posted a strong team total of 2284 out of 2400, securing second place behind the Borealis Bullseyes, a competitive club team from Alaska. Team Two scored 2237 points, placing them seventh. Calvert led all WaHi scorers with a 576, followed closely by Goin and Graham, who each posted 573.
In the sporter division, Cox delivered WaHi’s top score with a 533, followed by Rynaski at 529 and Wooster at 523, giving the team a total of 2074 and a 10th place standing at the end of the day.
On Day Two, WaHi’s shooters continued to improve. Precision Team One delivered their second-highest team score of the season with a 2300, holding onto second place. Nelson led the way with a 578, followed by Graham (575), Calvert (574), and Goin (573). Team Two also climbed in the rankings, improving to sixth place with a team total of 2255, led by Kaheaku (566), Edwards (565), Hutson (563), and Wolf (561).
The sporter team added six points to their previous total, finishing with a score of 2080 and maintaining their 10th place position. Cox again led the team, posting a career-best 538. Wooster followed with a 519, Villegas added a 514, and Rynaski rounded out the scoring with a 509. Freshman Jesse Vawter, competing as an alternate, contributed a solid 508.
The team was also awarded a check for $1,000.00 for the program.
With their strong performance, Precision Team One has officially earned a spot at the CMP National Championships, to be held at Camp Perry, Ohio in mid-July.
