2025 USAHSCTL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS CROWNED!
Mason, MI – Nicholas Coppage of Queen Annes County High School (MD) won the crown in the final round of the USA High School Clay Target League National Championship on Sunday, July 13th. the athlete edged out a field of over 1,800 registered high school students competing for the title of National Champion.
Nicholas shot a 96 in the qualifying round on Saturday, squeaking in at 395th place among the 400 that moved on to Sunday’s final round. But through perseverance and determination the young man shot a perfect 100-straight, and then survived a shoot-off with 20 other athletes that also shot perfect scores in the Sunday’s competition. In the end, after 45 more targets without a miss in a shoot-off, Nicholas came out on top to claim his spot at the peak of the podium.
Brianna Helsene of South Prairie High School (ND) claimed the title of the top female clay target shooter in the nation, after shooting a perfect score and winning a shoot-off against Aubree Antrim of Stewardson-Strasburg High School, (IL).
Overcoming the stiffest competition in National Team Championship history, New York’s Beaver River Central High School won the team title in the event, coming out ahead of 260+ other high school clay target teams with a score of 494 out of 500. Just two targets separated the National Champions from 5th place Goodland Junior/Senior High School (KS)
Athletes & teams representing 460 high schools from across the nation participated at the 2025 USA High School Clay Target League National Championship last weekend. The event held at the Michigan Trapshooting Association in Mason, MI and featured 3,000 athletes participating in team and individual qualifying events, culminating in a final Championship Round that awarded the top ten male and female athletes and top five teams in the country.
The Digital Program for the event is available at https://read.uberflip.com/i/1536470-2025-national-championship-program/0?
The National Championship is proudly sponsored by: the U.S. Army, the Lansing Sports Commission, Ducks Unlimited, the Bass Pro/Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, SCHEELS, Walker’s, Do-All Outdoors, Mark Zauhar, Friends of NRA, Sportsman’s Guide, GUNS.COM, Strike Visuals, and Winchester.
Make sure to visit the USAHSCTL National Championship Facebook page for photos and videos of the event! https://www.facebook.com/USAHSCTLNationalChampionship/
38,090 student athletes representing 1,868 high school teams across the country participated in USA High School Clay Target League programs this spring. Only the top athletes and teams qualified to register for the National Championship, based on season averages at the completion of the spring season.
About the USA Clay Target League
With over 53,000 participating athletes in the 2024-25 school year, the non-profit USA Clay Target League is America’s largest clay target shooting organization. The League offers trap, skeet, sporting clays, and 5-stand leagues to secondary and postsecondary schools across the country.
The League is the only 100% school-approved clay target shooting sport program in America. Every team must have school approval to participate. Most participating schools have lettering programs as well as yearbook inclusion for the teams. In addition, tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships are provided to qualifying seniors by the League and post-secondary institutions each year.
The League’s co-ed and adaptive nature are key attractions to schools nationwide: it’s fully Title IX compliant with both male and female athletes competing on the same team, and it’s an ‘adaptive’ sport, which allows students with physical disabilities to take part.
The League’s priorities are safety, fun, and marksmanship – in that order.
The League is the safest sport in school, with not one reported injury since the inception of the League in 2001. Each athlete must complete firearm safety certification before participation.
Visit https://highschool.usaclaytarget.com/usahsctl-national-championship/ for more information.
