It’s Hoop Shoot Season in Maine’s Districts

BANGOR, Maine — A Caribou boy snagged an Elks Hoop Shoot district free throw title in dramatic fashion and six shooters representing Presque Isle Elks Lodge 1954 also brought home hardware following the Jan. 15 competition held at the James Doughty School.

Jackson Holdsworth, who won the Houlton lodge competition last month to qualify, defeated Brody Woodworth of Mars Hill, representing the PI lodge, in an intense four-round shootout consisting of five shots each to capture the 8-9 boys’ division. Holdsworth and Woodworth were tied after regulation after each connected on 22 of 25 shots. Holdsworth then totalled 18 of 20 in the tie-breaker, while Woodworth was one shot back at 17 for 20.

With the victory, Holdsworth advanced to the state competition to be held Jan. 29 in Bath.

Five other shooters from the PI lodge earned trophies. Alivia Deprey of Woodland placed second in the girls’ 8-9 division, while Sophie Blackstone of Presque Isle was the runner-up in the 10-11 girls’ age group. Placing third in their respective divisions were Mason Giles of Caribou for 10-11 boys, Lucy Cheney of Castle Hill for 12-13 girls and Cruze Casavant of Presque Isle for 12-13 boys.

Cheney and Casavant had previously claimed William “Bill” Sewall Outstanding Shooter Awards during the lodge competition held at Presque Isle Middle School Dec. 31.

Northern District Results are:

8/9 Girls: 1st Charlotte Kenny- Bangor #244, 2nd Alivia Deprey- Presque Isle #1954, 3rd Rachel Page- Millinocket #1521

In the Coastal District:

On January 15^th the Coastal District Hoop-Shoot was held at the city Rec Department quartered on the former Naval Air Station in Brunswick.  The event was conducted as a joint effort between the Brunswick and Bath lodges.  Lodge chairmen Kevin Leeman (Brunswick) and Ron Nygaard (Bath) have long been Hoop Shoot collaborators.

The Maine Elks Association it’s Coastal District Hoop Shoot assistant when Kevin passed away this past year, but he and Bath’s Nygaard finalized their arrangements for the district event before Kevin became unable to participate.

It was a fine clear day for the event, and the competition was quite exciting with shoot-offs called for to decide final results in several of the sub-groups.

Awards were presented in the field house once the scores were finalized and totaled up.  Members Craig Johnson, Scott & Kristee Bubar put together bag lunches the competitors and their families could take with them for the trip home.

The Coastal District Results are:

8-9 girls: 1st Sandra O’Hara- Biddeford-Saco #1597, 2nd Tessa Waddel- York #2788, 3rd Sadie Anderson- Rockland #1008.

8-9 Boys: 1st Orris Blake- Portland #188 , 2nd Robert Masi- York #2788, 3rd Blake Paige- Rockland #1008.

10-11 Girls: 1st Audrey Gould- Bath #934 , 2nd Saylor Maloney- Rockland #1008.

10-11 Boys: 1st Greyson Banville- Biddeford-Saco #1597, 2nd Emmett Myer- Brunswick #2043, 3rd Julian Elkevizth- York #2788.

12-13 Girls: 1st Jaeiyn Lyduck- Biddeford-Saco #1597, 2nd Olivia Breen- Rockland #1008, 3rd Grace Roak- Brunswick #2043.