Youth Shooting Team Brings Home Impressive Performance

The CST Strikers—Clay and Steel Target Strikers—are the combined youth shooting team of Chelsea High School and Grass Lake High School. The team celebrated the completion of its first official year as a high school program in July 2025. As a high school club sport, athletes have the opportunity to earn a varsity letter when they meet both team and school requirements.

The CST Strikers compete in both Pistol & Rifle and shotgun disciplines. They participate in SCTP, the Scholastic Clay Target Program, which includes Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays for the Shotgun Team. The youth shooting program recently completed its fourth competitive season this past July at the National Championship in Marengo, Ohio at the Cardinal Center.

The CST Strikers practice nearly year-round, taking a short break after Nationals from July until September. During the colder month, from November through spring, they train indoors until they return outdoors in March.

Although the CST Strikers did not place as a team at Nationals in 2025, several athletes earned notable individual placements.

• Aria Maitland placed 3rd in Rimfire Optic Rifle as a female rookie.
• Madeline Hedding placed 3rd in PCC (pistol caliber carbine 9mm) as a female senior junior varsity.

The team also recorded several additional strong performances at Nationals:

• The rookie squad placed 4th in PCC.
• Nolan Stevens placed 10th in Rimfire Pistol as a male intermediate entry.
• Madeline Hedding placed 10th in Rimfire Pistol and 10th in Rimfire Iron Rifle, both in the female senior junior varsity division.
• Wyatt Morrissey placed 9th in PCC as a male rookie.
• Aria Maitland placed 5th in PCC as a female rookie.
• Luke Nightingale achieved his first 25 straight in trap.

Many athletes also achieved personal records throughout the season.

Those interested in learning more about the team can contact the team by email at [email protected].