Butler captures WPIAL rifle championship

By: Tribune-Review
Tuesday, February 11, 2020 | 7:48 PM

For the first time since 1993, the Butler rifle team can celebrate a WPIAL championship.

A wild-card entry into the WPIAL event, Butler (5-4) shot 800-67x to capture the district title Tuesday at Dormont-Mt. Lebanon Sportsmen’s Club.

It was the third WPIAL title for the Golden Tornado, who also won in 1988.

Butler edged runner-up Trinity (799-59x). Section 3 champion Penn-Trafford (799-52x) and Section 1 champ Waynesburg Central (798-55x) also qualified for the state championships, set for Feb. 18 at Frazier-Simplex Rifle Club.

Butler was led by a perfect score from Hannah Beacom (100-10x), as well as Andrew Arbanas, Aidan Ketterer and Cody Stroup, who all shot 100-9x.

Hempfield, West Greene and Section 2 champion Bethel Park rounded out the WPIAL field.

Other perfect scores were turned in by Waynesburg’s Colby Simkovic, Trinity’s Justin Walther and Hempfield’s Seth Maloney.

The WPIAL individual rifle championships will be held Thursday at Dormont-Mt. Lebanon Sportsmen’s Club.