Latrobe clay target team produces 2 state champions

By: Paul Schofield
Tuesday, June 21, 2022 | 6:27 PM

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Latrobe’s clay target club team has been in existence for three seasons and this year had two state champions.

Camden Flynn took home the novice division title at the USA Clay Target League state tournament, while Ty Connor, who also shoots for Kiski Area but competes for Latrobe in the Scholastic Clay Target Program, won the junior novice title in the SCTP state tournament.

Summer Pavlik placed second in the USA Clay Target girls division and Autumn Summer placed third. Summer placed third in the state in 2021.

“We’ve grown from 15 shooters to 37 shooters in three seasons, grades seven to 12,” Latrobe coach Merle Musick said. “If the interest keeps up, we’ll have 50 next year.

“It’s the fastest-growing sport in the country according to the USA Clay Target website. It’s also considered the safest.”

There are two seasons for the team — fall and spring. The spring is when shooters can compete for state titles.

Competing for Latrobe in the USA Clay Target state tournament were Nick Pershing, Katie Levesque, Autumn Pavlik, Summer Pavlik, Joseph Musick, Adam Marinchak, Jaden Saxton, Camden Flynn, Parker Queer, Aaron Amoroso, Logan Galando, Ethan Wills and Marco Scarton.

Each shooter completed in four rounds of 25 shots at the state tournament.

Galando and Summer Pavlik each shot a 94, Autumn Pavlik a 93, Musick a 92 and Amoroso an 88.

Latrobe finished ninth out of 29 teams.

Ethan Wills and Autumn Pavlik each received patches for a perfect score of 25. It was Wills’ first 25.

Musick’s son, Joseph, also competed in the sporting clay state tournament.

“Next year we’ll be competing in trap, skeet and sporting clay events” Merle Musick said. “The attraction of the sport is, it is something else a kid can do. I fact, anyone can do it. It’s fun and we don’t turn down anyone.”

Connor, Evan Ridenour, Ryan Ridenour, Joe Musick and Adam Marinchak will compete as a team at the SCTP national championship July 5-16 at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Columbus.

Flynn and the Pavliks will compete in the USA Clay Target League national championship in Mason, Mich., July 6-10.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Kiski Area, Latrobe