The Gridley Trap Shooting Team receives a check for $1,500 from the Gridley Moose Lodge. Photo by Mickey Mrakuzich

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – For the third year in a row, the Gridley Moose Lodge has made a sizeable donation to the Gridley Trap Shooting team (officially known as the Clay Target Team). Moose Lodge Past Presidents Larry Evans and Travis Stoppelmore, along with Troy Thompson, presented the award with a giant check for $1,500 at Gridley High School on May 2. 

“They helped with the Crab Feed (Feb. 22). They helped us set up, serve and clean up. We had a jar for donations that night and that’s what we gave to them,” said Evans.     

Coached by Gridley Unified School District Superintendent Justin Kern, the team consists of 44 members from both Gridley High School and Sycamore Middle School. About one-third of the team is female, said Kern.

Gridley Trap Shooting Team members practice and compete every week at Coon Creek in East Nicklaus. Courtesy photo

Other sponsors besides the Moose Lodge include the California Deer Association and the National Rifle Association. 

The team receives plenty of adult support from Keith Hamilton, Todd Quist, Andrew Becker and Drew Hall. 

Part of the California State High School Clay Target League, the team practices at Coon Creek in East Nicklaus. Each member of the team shoots two rounds of 25 shots each week. Kern then enters the top 16 scores virtually for weekly competitions with the rest of the league. Other communities in the league include Bakersfield, Bishop, Orland, Foothill, Turlock, Whittier and Yreka. Gridley placed first in the league last year, according to Kern. 

About one-third of the Gridley Trap Shooting Team members are girls, as shown here. Courtesy photo

The season runs from March until the end of the school year. 

On May 31, 21 students from Gridley will compete with 29 other teams in the state tournament at Kingsburg. Each competitor will shoot 100 rounds. Most of the Gridley contestants will be high school age but middle school students with weekly scores of 30 or better will participate as well, according to Kern.