USA SHOOTING RANGE, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – Noel Maxwell, a thirteen year-old shooter from Bowling Green, Kentucky performed under intense pressure in the final to capture the sporter crown at the 17th annual American Legion Junior Air Rifle National Championship, August 9-11. One record was broken as thirty junior air rifle competitors met at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Maxwell, the youngest National Champion in the seventeen year history of the program, claimed the sporter championship by firing a 2309.7/2509. She shoots for the Corvette City Shooting Team, which is sponsored by Post 23.

Seventeen year-old Dempster Christenson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota won the overall Precision championship with a score of 2462.2/2509. Christenson is a member of the Humboldt Sharpshooters, sponsored by the William H. Crippen Post 62.

Observing the competition was 1992 rifle Olympic Gold Medalist Launi Meili. Meili, got her start as a youth through a shooting program sponsored by the Cheney, Washington American Legion Post. She recently assumed her duties as the rifle coach for the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Kurt Hakola set the new sporter final record of 96.4 out of possible 109, eclipsing the old record of 93.7 set in 2004. Hakola also finished fifth overall in the sporter category with a score of 2263.4. The Port Crane, New York native shoots for the Binghamton Rifle Club, sponsored by Post 1845.

Rounding out the top five in the two categories were:

Precision competition - Kyle Smith shot a 2459.9 to take second place honors. Smith is from DuBois, Pennsylvania and shoots for the, DuBois Rifle and Pistol Club, sponsored by DuBois Post 17.

Abigail Stanic of Wadsworth, Ohio fired a 2456.0 to capture third place. She is a member of the Ashland Eagles, sponsored by Fairview Park Post 738.

Joseph Walkowicz finished in fourth place with a 2453.8. He is from Nashville, Tennessee and shoots for Montgomery Bell Academy, sponsored by Brentwood Post 156.

Matthew Pueppke of Amenia, North Dakota who shot a 2448.0. Pueppke, a 2005 national championship finalist shoots for the Buffalo Sharpshooters, sponsored by Dokken & Schroeder Post 223.

Sporter competition - Second place went to Marco Aguayo of McAllen, Texas with a score of 2308.3. He is a member of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo H.S. JROTC marksmanship team, sponsored by Vermund G. Hanson Post 101.

Kaitlyn Martin of Peralta, New Mexico fired a 2288.5 for third place. She shoots for the Valencia County 4-H Shooting Sports team sponsored by Post 85.

Taking fourth was Joe Montanez shooting a 2272.7. Montanez is also a member of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo H.S. JROTC marksmanship team

The tournament staff selected Kaitlyn Martin as the recipient of the annual Francis M. Redington Sportsmanship award. The Francis M. Redington Sportsmanship award was established in May 2005 in the memory of Redington, a long time tournament staff member, who passed away in 2003. Martin was selected as the athlete competing in the national championship who best exemplified good sportsmanship and fair play.

The American Legion’s Junior Shooting Sports program offers junior shooters the opportunity to participate in Olympic-style competition while also providing instruction on the safe handling of firearms. To view full tournament results or for more information, visit the American Legion's Junior Shooting Sports web site at http://www.legion.org/?section=prog_evt&subsection=evt_shooting&content=evt_shooting.

 

Click here to view a list of the 2007 American Legion National Championship participants.