Stoner takes first in trap championships

Nathan Stoner, the grandson of John and Linda Stoner of Du Quoin, took first place earlier this month in the 200 Targets Single Trap event at the 2017 Scholastic Clay Target National Championships in Marengo, Ohio.

Stoner, who resides in Webster Groves, Mo., placed first out of 703 competitors in the competition, which was held July 12. Stoner, 16, tied for first place with one other athlete, Gunner Hall of Circleville, Ohio. The two were the only competitors to hit all 200 targets.

Stoner is the son of the John G. and Nancy Stoner of Webster Groves, Mo.

The championship event brought together competitive shooters ages 8 to 23 from 32 states to compete for national titles in the shotgun disciplines of American trap, handicap trap, bunker trap, trap doubles, skeet, skeet doubles and sporting clays. Pistol and rifle competitors competed for steel shooting titles in rimfire pistol, centerfire pistol, iron sight rifle and optics rifle divisions.

An estimated 1,043,100 competitive rounds were fired by 2,687 shooting sports competitors during the eight-day event.