Hampton-Dumont-CAL Birdbusters have solid showing in first meet

ACKLEY — The Hampton-Dumont-CAL Birdbusters trapshooting team opened up their season with a solid showing on Saturday, taking home 14 total medals, including four team medals and ten individual medals. The birdbusters went up against South Hardin High School, Dike-New Hartford Community School District and the host of the meet, Ackley Geneva Wellsburg Steamboat Community School District (AGWSR). 

The cold and windy weather would be a big factor in this meet said head coach of the birdbusters, Bill Reichenbacher.

“With the colder temperatures such as today you can get cold and when you get cold everything doesn’t work the way it is supposed to work,” Reichenbacher said. “Your body can get stiffer and your timing will be off. Secondly, the wind can cause the targets to slow down or blow the target sideways.”

Birdbuster  Max Kofoot talked about how the weather made his first round extra challenging. 

“It’s not nearly as easy to shoot when it’s cold as it is right now,” Kofoot said. “With this wind blowing in from the northwest it’s blowing the targets all over the place. It’s really unpredictable.” 

Despite the weather the birdbusters had a very strong showing, taking home four third place medals, seven second place medals and three first place medals. The Birdbusters won one first place team medal in rookie shooters, which consisted of their top five scorers Collin Borcherding, Jaxson Sumens, Hendrix Symens, Maverick Moellers and Easton Martinez. Borcherding was the top scorer for the rookies, who had a score of 31/50, which got him an individual first place medal for highest overall rookie score.  Kallie Nielson won the first place medal for individual intermediate ladies, with a score of 36/50. 

Coach Reichenbacher was pleased with his team's performance, considering the challenging weather conditions. 

“For a cold and windy day we did very well,” he said. “We only got a couple of practices in before our first meet and with the way the conditions are and to have that many top three finishes I am very happy with that.”

The Birdbuster next meet will be held at the Cedar Rapids Gun Club on Saturday at 8 a.m.