By Reagan Hoverman

The Prescott High School trap shooting team posted its best cumulative score in program history en route to an 18th place finish out of 85 total teams at the 2022 State Trap Shooting Meet in Nekoosa on Friday, June 24.

While head coach Chris Patraw went into the 2022 campaign eyeing a top-ten finish at the state meet, he was more than happy to see his team produce their best shooting score in Prescott history. The Cardinals’ cumulati ve record-breaking score of 469 finished only a few shots out of cracking the top ten.

In total, approximately a dozen Prescott varsity shooters competed in the state meet with only the five best scores counting for the Cardinals’ official total. That includes Wyatt Kranig’s 96, Philip Seifert’s 95, Liz Rohl’s 94, Hunter Lubich’s 93, and Gavin Carey rounded out the varsity scoring with a 91.

“We shot our best score ever, I know we all wanted to be in the top-ten, but we were only six birds away from it, we were close,” Patraw said of his team. “I was happy with how we did. The team shot to their potential when it mattered the most at the state meet. What I expect is what we did.” Throughout the season senior shooter Philip Seifert led the charge for the Prescott roster. He shot right around his average at the state meet. The surprise performance was the aforementioned Kranig, who shot better than his average and claimed Prescott’s top gun slot at state. Of the approximately 40 Prescott shooters at stat (12 on varsity) more than half shot above their average.

Part of Prescott’s standout score included senior Liz Rohl’s 94, again making her one of the top shooters on the team and one of the Cardinals’ most consistent performers. The aforementioned Seifert, also a senior, was the best shooter on the team this season and earned Top Gun honors for the Middle Border Conference.

Seifert’s recognition at MBC Top Gun made him a two-time recipient. He earned the same distinction for his outstanding shooting in his 2021 junior season. Patraw spoke about Rohl and Seifert and what they’ve brought to the team.

“Liz (Rohl) has been consistent for all the years I’ve had her,” Patraw said. “(Philip Seifert) had a great year and he was Top Gun last year too. He averaged higher this year than he did last year, which is outstanding. Top Gun in the conference, shot his average at state, he’s right where he should be and he did an excellent job.” Since there are no division distinctions in high school trap shooting, every school in the state competes against each other. In traditional sports such as basketball or football, Prescott wouldn’t have to compete against La Crosse Central, Eau Claire Memorial, etc. In trap shooting, that’s not the case.

In past years, Prescott’s 469 total team score would have almost certainly made the Cardinals a top-ten program in the state. In the last two years, they’ve finished just outside the top ten because of outstanding scores near the top of the leaderboard.

“There are a ton of teams that shot right where we shot but there were a few that shot just crazy good scores,” Patraw said. “The winning score was 490 out of 500. That’s only ten misses out of five kids and that’s a 98 average. It’s the same big school that won it last year.” According to Patraw, the last two years have been outliers with such high winning scores. In previous state meets, a score in the mid 480s would typically secure a state title. Now that the 2022 season has officially ended, Patraw has been able to reflect on the special group of student-athletes he had this year.

Trap shooting is also different from other sports because Patraw serves as the coach for all teams, not just the high school varsity. He also coaches the JV and middle school teams, meaning he has coached the kids for six or seven years in some instances.

“When you have the kids for that many years you build a special bond with them and enjoy coaching them,” Patraw said. “It’s a great bunch of kids for listening, shooting, having fun, wanting to be good – I couldn’t have asked for a better bunch of kids.” The senior group of kids that Patraw loses to graduating includes Prescott’s two best shooters and the two team captains, Maya Pechacek and Henry Gray. The class of 2022 comprises a lot of Prescott’s varsity roster and will be difficult to replace.

“We’re losing our two captains and a lot of good, experienced shooters,” Patraw said. “They’re past the nerves of shooting because they’ve shot so much.” While it will be difficult to replace that talent, Patraw stated that trap shooting has an advantage because nothing changes from the middle school and JV levels once the shooters get to varsity. They have already been competing in the same format as the varsity shooters, which will make the transition easier.

“The turnover won’t be as big as it would be in other sports,” Patraw said. “Because middle schoolers are shooting the same course that the varsity shoots. We’ve got a good group of kids coming up to varsity next year.” Patraw stated that he has young talent climbing the ranks and that those individuals have demonstrated solid leadership qualities too. He spoke about how the varsity will look next year, with departing seniors and rising young talent.

“I’ve got some good leaders coming up to varsity, it’s a good group coming up,” Patraw said. “I think varsity is going to be strong again next year.”

The Prescott High School trap shooting team seniors and head coach Chris Patraw stand together after competing in the 2022 State Trap Shooting Meet on Friday, June 24. Pictured (from left) is Maya Pechacek, Liz Rohl, Mason Lewis, coach Chris Patraw, Henry Gray, Philip Seifert, Gavin Carey, and Eric Korfhage. Photo courtesy of Prescott Trap Shooting

Three of Prescott’s four Top Guns at various levels gather together to celebrate their outstanding seasons. (From left): Carter Hood, intermediate entry-level; John Rohl, intermediate advanced; Philip Seifert, varsity. Not pictured, Beau Risdon, JV. Photo courtesy of Prescott Trap Shooting

Prescott senior Philip Seifert holds his 2022 Middle Border Conference Top Gun award, his second consecutive such honor.

Photo courtesy of Prescott Trap Shooting