The North Carolina State Closed Skeet Championship was held September 13-15 at the Fort Bragg Clay Target Center with 87 shooters participating, including 17 youth. The youngest shooter, Josie Cloninger, is 12 years old – and won HOA C Class. Although rain was forecast for most of the weekend, we had very comfortable temperatures, and only one Friday squad got wet while shooting.
Friday started with 72 shooters entering the doubles event. Mason Watkins was Doubles Champion and Junior Champion with the lone 99. Three scores of 98 shot off, with Stuart Brown runner-up and Jay Bunting third. Class champions were Mike Faust AAA, Mark Smith AA, Victoria Stellato A, Matthew Eller B, Westley Kiter C, and Addison Wallace D. Addison Wallace won her shoot-off of 88s to win Sub-Junior Champion. Anna Wood shot off with Victoria Stellato to win Collegiate and Lady Champion.
Saturday evening continued with 12-gauge and 20-gauge shoot-offs. There were three perfect 100 scores in the 12-gauge event, which had 85 shooters. Steve Timmons won Champion, Jay Bunting runner-up, and Ben Brandon (with his first 100 straight) was third. Class Champions were Victoria Stellato AAA, Corrie Cloninger AA, Jeffrey DeSantis A, Mitch Simpson B, Ron Hostinsky C, Kurt Culbert D, and Doug Brown E. Youth champions were William Davis, Sub-Junior; Corrie Cloninger, Junior; and Ben Brandon, Collegiate. Victoria Stellato shot off with Corrie Cloninger to win Lady Champion. As Military Champion, Timothy Riordon, received the R. L. ”Jack” Parks belt buckle. A special 5-man handicap event was held based on the 12-gauge squads. Two squads had the same total score. Squad members Jay Bunting, Mark Smith, Chip Simmons, Victoria Stellato and Mike Pittard each won a belt buckle.
Donnie Parks won the 20-gauge shoot-off to win Champion, and Jay Bunting was runner-up. Tom Myaard won a six-person shoot-off to win third. Class champions were Stuart Brown AAA, Mark Smith AA, Chip Simmons A, Jeff McNany B, Aryssa Bowland C and Kurt Culbert D. Aryssa shot her first 75 straight, and her score of 98 was her personal best in 20 gauge. Addison Wallace won a shoot-off for Sub-Junior Champion, Corrie Cloninger was Junior Champion, and Victoria Stellato won her shoot-off to win Collegiate and Lady Champion.
The 28-Gauge Champion shoot-off had four perfect scores – Bruce Colclough won Gun Champion, Jeffrey DeSantis runner-up, and Victoria Stellato third. Class champions were Stuart Brown AAA, Blake Argo AA, Timothy Riordan A, James Delosh B, David Nelson C, and Westley Kiter D. William Davis won a shoot-off for Sub-Junior Champion, Corrie Cloninger shot off to win Junior Champion, and Victoria Stellato’s perfect 100 won her Collegiate and Lady Champion.
The shoot-off for .410 Champion was between two Junior shooters with scores of 99. Mason Watkins was Gun Champion and Junior Champion, and Corrie Cloninger was runner-up and Lady Champion. Jay Bunting was gun third with a 98. Class champions were Victoria Stellato AAA, Kevin Hostinsky AA, Jeffrey DeSantis A, Ron Hostinsky B, Josie Cloninger C, and Westley Kiter D. Josie Cloninger was Sub-Junior Champion, and Victoria Stellato was Collegiate Champion.
Jay Bunting posted a 397 to win the HOA title outright. Runner-up was Victoria Stellato (395), and Corrie Cloninger won a shoot-off for third (393). Other HOA winners were Kevin Hostinsky AAA, Mason Watkins AA, Jeffrey DeSantis A, James Delosh B, Josie Cloninger C, Westley Kiter D, Wendelle Gray E, William Davis – Sub-Junior, Corrie Cloninger – Junior, Victoria Stellato – Collegiate and Lady Champion.
High All Around Champion was Jay Bunting with a 495, and Champion of Champions was Corrie Cloninger.
We want to thank everyone who helped make the shoot a success — the referees who worked tirelessly all weekend, all the volunteers, and the staff of the Fort Bragg Clay Target Center.
– Contributed by Belinda Tiner
2020 North Carolina State Teams/Champions
| First Team | Second Team | ||
| Riley Dellinger | .9790 | Brandon Lawley | .9625 |
| Stuart Brown | .9789 | Mark Smith | .9614 |
| Kevin Hostinsky | .9757 | Chris Bates | .9612 |
| Jay Bunting | .9741 | Noah Dove | .9604 |
| Otto “Chip’ Simmons
Mason Watkins |
.9651
.9651 |
Tom Myaard | .9589 |
| Ladies Champion | Military Champion | ||
| Corrie Cloninger | .9587 | Shane Self | .9213 |
| Junior State Team | |
| Henry Hardin | .9840 |
| Trace Davis | .9770 |
| Grayson Williams | .9717 |
| Anna Wood | .9557 |
| Ben Brandon | .9538 |
