Lincoln, Neb. – The 2006 Nebraska Muzzleloading Rifle High School Championship was held June 9-11 at the Pawnee Free Trappers range near McCook, where 18 young shooters from Nebraska and Kansas competed for awards.

There were separate matches for the youths shooting traditional muzzleloaders and those who shot modern muzzleloading rifles. Some participants competed in both categories. The senior group was made up of shooters 15-19 years, and the junior group was ages 11-14 years.

Each competitor fired 40 shots per match – five shots at paper targets placed at distances of 25, 50, 75 and 100 yards, in addition to one shot at each of five steel silhouette targets that resembled chickens placed at 25 yards, pigs at 50 yards, turkeys at 75 yards and rams at 100 yards.

In the traditional muzzleloading rifle category, shooters could shoot only a cloth patched lead round ball, and modern muzzleloading rifle shooters were required to use a modern type of projectile. Only open sights were allowed and loads were limited to 75 grains or less of loose black powder or its modern equivalent. The competitors shot offhand at 25 and 50 yards, although they were allowed to use cross sticks to support the rifle when they shot at 75 and 100 yards.

The award winners and their scores were:

Senior Traditional Rifle Award

1st place – Beau Burkhalter , Bird City, Kan., 214

2nd place -- Misty Dobrinski , Bridgeport, 145

3rd place – Erik Anderjaska, Hayes Center, 131

Senior Modern Rifle Award

1st place – Beau Burkhalter, Bird City, Kan., 269

2nd place -- Erik Anderjaska, Hayes Center, 266

3rd place- Gregory Schepler, Wilcox, 114

Junior Traditional Rifle Award

1st place – Cody Steinke, Palisade, 247

2nd place- Austin Sis, McCook, 166

3rd place- Ben Fox, Stratton, 158

Junior Modern Rifle Award

1st place – Ben Fox, Stratton, 285

2nd place -- Blaine Ritcher, Hayes Center, 242

3rd place -- Alex Yonkers, McCook, 232

Team awards and members of each team:

High Score Traditional Rifle (trophy and individual medals)

Hitchcock County School

Anthony Burns, Trenton; Devin Simon, Trenton; Evan Peterson, Stratton; Ben Fox, Stratton

High Score Modern Rifle (trophy and individual medals)

Hitchcock County School

Anthony Burns, Trenton; Devin Simon, Trenton; Evan Peterson, Stratton; Ben Fox, Stratton

4H Team Modern Rifle (trophy and individual medals)

Hitchcock County School

Austin Oberg, Culbertson; Hunter Johnson, Culbertson, Michael Erickson, Culbertson,

Keelan Wertz, Trenton

4H Team Traditional Rifle (individual medals)

Franklin Young Guns

Tony Smith, Franklin; Jamie Rapalo, Franklin; Gregory Schlepler, Wilcox

Open Team Traditional Rifle (individual medals)

Blaine Ritcher, Hayes Center; Erik Anderjaska, Hayes Center; Alex Yonkers, McCook; Austin

Sis, McCook

Open Team Modern Rifle (individual medals)

Austin Oberg, Culbertson; Michael Erickson, Culbertson; Anthony Burns, Trenton; Hunter Johnson, Culbertson