By Bob Copeland

Fred Rogers, host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, always opened his show saying “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood”. And so after watching the rainy weather prior to Saturday, it really was a beautiful day for members of the Beebe Blue Rock Blasters trap team both weather wise and team wise.

Forty-eight 5 person squads, both juniors and seniors, competed in the first of two AYSSP trap shoots held at Blue Rock Gun Club and hosted by the NLR Wildcat Trap Shooters. Two squads from Beebe competed in this shoot.

The junior squad comprised of Hope McAlee, Ben Hays, Kirklynd Miller, John Bell and Parker Payne shot the fifty rounds each under blue skies and a gentle breeze. Although their score did not place them high enough to win, the experience from being in a competitive environment enables them to gain valuable lessons that help them become better athletes both mentally and physically. These lessons will be carried forward and applied to future competitions. This is some of these athletes first year to shoot in competition.

For the senior squad comprised of Joe McAlee, Dalton House, Jacob Boyce, Philip Burrow and Garrett Woods it was a different out come. The weather was the same but when the squad was done shooting their fifty rounds each they were in the lead. Their score was a combined 217 and second place was a score of 211. Then the waiting game began to see if any of the remaining senior squads would top their score. After all the athletes had finished, Beebe’s seniors had taken the victory.

But the story doesn’t end there. Besides the senior’s winning the team first place trophy’s and medals, two members also took individual honors. Dalton House, with a score of 48 out of fifty, took first place in overall top individual scoring. Dalton also had a perfect round of twenty-five straight which allowed his team mates to shoot his hat. The shot hat will be worn with pride. Philip Burrow was tied with another athlete from Searcy for third place in overall top individual scoring posting a score of forty-six out of fifty. The two athletes’s had a shoot to determine the winner. It only took Philip two shots to put an end to the competition and take third place honors. Dalton and Philip received plaques to honor their achievements.

From the coaches, we just want to say to all of our athletes, well done. This is only the beginning of what will be a great year. Follow the Beebe Blue Rock Blasters on the Web and Face Book.