2024 Clay Target State Tournament: Championship Recap

Heavy clouds carrying a constant threat to release voluminous amounts of rain and other potentially severe weather enveloped participants and their support crews during the Minnesota State High School League’s Clay Target State Tournament on Friday, June 21, at the Minneapolis Gun Club in Prior Lake. With threatening weather in the forecast, constant pre-tournament chatter centered around if the event would have to utilize the Rain Date option for the first time since it began in 2012. 

While walkways were laden with puddles and grass was soggy and turning to mud, severe weather conditions didn’t mar the competition. There were certainly some episodes of momentary downpours, but the competitors were not hindered. 

“We don’t even notice the rain or other stuff,” Monticello’s Lance Klersy said. “Every day is a good day to shoot clay targets.”

Klersy, along with Alden-Conger’s Ross Huper shrugged off the threatening weather elements and recorded perfect scores during the individual tournament to share a state championship in the Open Division. They were the only competitors in the field of 91 shooters who recorded a score of 100. 

To record a perfect score is difficult enough in perfect conditions. To do so in challenging conditions drew praise. 

“It takes a lot of hard work and determination to get a perfect score,” said Klersy, who finished 13^th a year ago. “A lot goes into it, regardless of what is around you.”

Huper knew he was on a roll and that he put himself in championship contention. After he finished his individual round, he posed with his scorecard that reflected his perfect score. 

“Usually, I start off rough,” Huper said. “After I started off great, I knew it was going to end well.”

Fairmont’s Dane Breitbarth was third with a 99 and a reverse run of 89. Buffalo’s Andrew Schmidt was fourth with a 99 and a reverse run of 83. Rounding out the top five was Gabe Clark, who had a 99 with a reverse run of 58. 

Friday’s state tournament also marked the second year of the Girls Division. 

Spring Grove’s Taylor Reinhardt, fourth a year ago in the historic first year of the division, captured the championship with a score of 99. Foley’s Delayna Rife was runner-up with a 98 and a reverse run of 32. Cretin-Derham Hall’s Emilia Bray was third with a 98 and a reverse run of 23. Stillwater’s Melanie Johnson was fourth with a 98 and a reverse run of one. Rounding out the top five was Ashley Sarvie of Hopkins, who recorded a 97 with a reverse run of 26. 

A heavy downpour greeted participants and fans just moments before the award ceremony for the team competition. 

Prior Lake improved on two consecutive fourth-place finishes the past two seasons by climbing three rungs to a state championship. 

The Lakers recorded a team score of 480, four points better than Lakeville South and Stewartville, respectively. Lakeville South had a 476 with a reverse run of seven, while Stewartville placed third with the same team score, but a reverse run of 16. 

“We believed we had a championship-caliber team this season,” said Lakers coach Scott Conrad, who is in his 15^th year. "We have a team that was cohesive, practiced hard, had fun and always had a positive attitude. This is a great feeling. I’ll be smiling for a month.”

Scoring for the Lakers were Michael Bremer, Peyton Happe, Will Johnson, Jason Rusch and Greyson Thompson. 

There were 39 teams that competed in the team competition this season.