OTTUMWA – Amidst a fervor reminiscent of college basketball’s frenetic March Madness, the Indian Hills Sports Shooting team has carved out its own exhilarating saga, dubbing it “Clay Target Craziness.” This newly minted event injected a palpable excitement into every head-to-head duel the Warriors engaged in, as teams within the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference vied for supremacy, jockeying for favorable positions that would grant them a coveted opportunity to compete on home turf.
In a fierce battle steeped in rivalry, the Warriors found themselves in a nail-biting contest against the Southeastern Blackhawks. With echoes from past clashes—be it on the basketball court or the softball diamond—the stakes were monumental. Indian Hills edged out the Blackhawks with a narrow score of 479-472 at the Tri-State Gun Club, clinching the No. 2 seed for the upcoming ICCAC postseason tournament, and ensuring they would not have to endure a grueling travel schedule.
“Winning that dual was crucial,” reflected Jake Stalzer, head coach of Indian Hills sports shooting. “Without that victory, our destination in the postseason would have been a gamble.” The prelude to the Southeastern meet had been a mounting pressure cooker, with Stalzer emphasizing the importance of focus and performance. “The potential of multiple trips in one week loomed like a dark cloud. We needed to excel, and the team rose to the occasion.”
Following this hard-fought triumph against Southeastern, the Warriors displayed remarkable prowess, decimating Iowa Lakes 469-424 in the first round of Clay Target Craziness. Aidan Eischen dazzled with his sharpshooting, hitting an impressive 95 out of 100 targets—marking the fourth occasion this season he has bested the 95 target threshold. His teammate, Zane Kirubakaran, from Ottumwa, augmented the team’s efforts with a commendable score of 94.
“Shooting is a passion I’ve nurtured since middle school,” Kirubakaran shared. “Despite the obscurity of our team back then—my mom practically had to advocate for us to be included in the yearbook—we’ve come a long way. There’s always room for improvement in our spirit, but it’s soaring.”
The Warriors soared even higher at the ICCAC and Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) state championship earlier this month. Emerging from the semifinal spotlight of Clay Target Craziness, they shattered school records with a collective score of 484, showcasing five individuals who each hit at least 95 targets—their finest trap shooting performance ever recorded at a state tournament.
“For trap shooting, the mental game is everything,” Kirubakaran stated sagely. “It’s akin to throwing a baseball; if your mind falters, so does your performance. Once you set your sights on the clay, success is but a mindset away.”
Also noteworthy was the Warriors’ third-place finish in sporting clays, marking a historic achievement for the team, as they hit 252 targets—24 more than the previous year’s total. “This season has been exceptional,” Stalzer noted with pride. “Our sophomore core understands the competitive landscape far better than last year’s largely inexperienced squad.”
In an echo of last year’s achievement, Indian Hills secured fourth place overall at state, amassing a total of 1,331—an 88-target improvement from the prior year, yet still trailing behind champions Iowa Western by a mere 41 targets. Notably, Emma Adams etched her name in history as the first female Warrior shooter to rank in the top five at the state tournament, scoring 293 and earning all-tournament honors. Meanwhile, Carson Abrams led the men’s team with an outstanding performance, scoring 314 and clinching the eighth spot overall.
“Iowa is pioneering in shotgun sports,” Stalzer affirmed. “We’ve got an abundance of talent right in our backyard, and our goal is to spread the word about our program and its offerings.” The journey is just beginning, and the thrill of competition beckons ever louder for the Warriors.
