The Ellsworth Claybreakers took to Mason, Mich., to compete in the USA High School Clay Target League National Championship July 11-13, finishing 190th of 250 teams in a competition against the best the nation has to offer.

Individuals Carter Moldenhauer and Jens Christensen also each qualified for the individual finals, leading the charge for a great Ellsworth team.

During the team competition, Ellsworth faced some adversity early, having their round postponed midway through for 30 minutes due to lightning.

“They took it in stride,” Coach Mike Moldenhauer said. “These five kids have shot together for practice for quite a while now, and they went right back up there like it was the first time again.”

Despite the added challenge, the Claybreakers posted a 444 of 500 with scores of 95 (Moldenhauer), 91 (Christensen), 91 (Jayvid Meier), 87 (Morgan Halverson) and 80 (Cooper Moldenhauer). The scores were not enough to advance to the finals as a team, but they improved during the individual qualifying round.

Individually Carter Moldenhauer and Christensen tied with scores of 97/100 to reach the finals by making the top 400 of 1,800 shooters at the event. Meier scored a 94 and Halverson scored a 92 to both earn strong placements, but it put them a few shots out of reach of the final round. In the finals, Moldenhauer scored a 98 to place 60th out of the nearly 2,000 shooters.

“He’s worked very hard. He shoots with me two, three days a week,” Coach Moldenhauer said. “He’s really come together. He’s really learned what it’s taken.”

Carter Moldenhauer will enter high school during the coming school year, but has already made Nationals three times. He and his brother Cooper are the sons of coach Lucas Moldenhauer and the grandson of coach Mike Moldenhauer. Mike said he is extremely proud of his family to be well represented on the national stage, and it brings a tear to his eye.

Christensen also did well in the finals, shooting 96 to place 199th.

“Jens is a great kid. He puts a lot of time and effort into it,” Mike Moldenhauer said. “I can’t express enough how solid it was.”

Mike Moldenhauer said it takes a full focus on one shot at a time to be successful, and that is Jens’ biggest strength.

“The camaraderie between the five of them, it was great,” Mike Moldenhauer said. “It’s like they’ve shot together as that five forever.”

The Claybreakers have always represented well at the State and National events, and this year was no different.

“It’s unbelievable, the event and how far it covers in the United States,” Mike Moldenhauer said. “The banner plus the tent, you’ve got Ellsworth plastered… It means something to wear the shirt like we do. It’s a pride deal.”

Mike Moldenhauer thanked the whole team for working hard and being great people, the Rod and Gun Club and team sponsors, parents and the coaching staff (Denton Achenbach, Lee Wright, Jesse Thurmes, Chris Kilness, Kehan O’Neil, Lucas Moldenhauer and himself).

“[Achenbach] deserves a lot of credit,” Moldenhauer said. “It just isn’t a short time in the trap season he puts into it, it’s a whole year deal.”