Clay Target Nation

The official magazine of the National Skeet Shooting Association and the National Sporting Clays Association

6th Gil Rodler Memorial

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Tarentum District Sportsmen’s Club (TDSC) held its sixth Gil Rodler Memorial four-gun shoot on Labor Day, September 7. Gil Rodler Sr. passed in 2014 at the age of 88. Gil was one of PAs best skeet shooters ever and many still remember him. Gil Rodler, Jr. and his sister Stacey Sabo attended the shoot, with Gil shooting and Stacey observing.

The weather was not bad, overcast and relatively cool most of the day, but with some rain during the mid-afternoon and then again at shoot-off time. A total of 21 different shooters participated in this 4X50 affair. HOA winners were Bryson Fox, champion (195) and Mike Wollard, runner-up (194).

Twenty-one shooters took part in the 20-gauge event that kicked off the day. Brian Fox shot a 49 and was champion, while his son Bryson took runner-up with a 48. Class first-places were Wollard (AA), Ernie Anderson (A), Paul Augustin (B), Bob Waite (C, after winning a shoot-off of 47s with Murry Gerber) and Brad King (D).

Twenty-one shooters also shot the 12-gauge. No one was perfect, but there were four 49s. Bryson Fox prevailed in the shoot-off and was champion. The other three 49s ended up as Wollard (runner-up), Tom Shields (B1) and Gary Trilli (C1). Rounding out the 12-gauge winners were Ernie Avolio (AA1), Augustin (B1), Paul Hunt (D1) and Paul McConville (E1, after he won a shoot-off of 37s with Dave Ostrosky).

McConville, a Senior Veteran who shot his first registered targets at Tarentum in 1963, remarked afterwards that it had been a while since he won a shoot-off. Paul and Gil Rodler Sr. are both in the PSSA Hall of Fame.

The 28-gauge was next up with 19 shooters, and there were two 50s. After the shoot-off, Augustin was champion and Shields runner-up. Wollard, Bryson Fox – after winning a shoot-off of 49s with Ernie Avolio – Brian Fox, Waite, and Hunt, respectively, were AA1, A1, B1, C1 and D1.

The .410 was last on the agenda, and 20 competitors shot the little gun. Wollard took the championship outright with the only 50 straight. Bryson Fox was runner-up with a 49. Class firsts went to Augustin (AA), Ernie Avolio (A), Brian Fox (B, after winning a shoot-off with Waite), John Avolio (C) and King (D).

Kudos to Jerry McCullough and Mike Rykaczewski Sr. for shoot management. Many thanks also to Josh Crofutt, Fran Kosmacki, and Mike Rykaczewski Jr. for pulling and scoring.

– Contributed by George Gleich

Patriot 200 at Tarentum Club

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Justin Avolio- Patriot

Tarentum District Sportsmen’s Club (TDSC) near Sarver, Pennsylvania (about 20 miles north of Pittsburgh) held its Patriot 200 on July 4, 2018. The weather was hot and humid. Thirty-three shooters participated in the 12-gauge event in the morning, and despite the heat, 28 hung in for Doubles in the afternoon. Chris Kline’s 197 was the high two-gun total for the day, with Ernie Avolio’s 189 coming in second.

Kline and Avolio both posted 99s in the 12-gauge; Kline won the shoot-off and was 12-gauge champion. Class firsts went to Avolio (A), Debra Meade (B), Morgan Evans (C) and Mike Rykaczewski (E). Meade was Lady champion, and Paul Augustin won a shoot-off of 96s with Sam Marks to take Senior champ honors.

A tasty and abundant lunch was provided and devoured. Regina Nemurgut, Nick Sisley and Deb Meade shared food preparation duties. Several yummy desserts were also included, and a cold keg of draft 1919 root beer was very popular, especially over vanilla ice cream in a glass (can you say brown cow?).

Doubles were shot in the afternoon. Kline smacked 98 of them and was champion. Richard “Frenchy” Larosa (after winning a shoot-off of 94s with John C. Avolio), George Kirik, Bob Desort and Justin Avolio took firsts in A, B, C and D classes, respectively.

Bob Waite of Butler, PA shot his first 25 straight in the 12-gauge event, and his hat was properly perforated. Special kudos go to John Smith, Chris Smith and Rich Larosa for pulling and scoring – it was tough out there! Bill Straub and Deb Meade handled overall shoot management.

A lovely cake, commemorating Bill Straub’s 75th birthday, was enjoyed by the shooters. Happy Birthday, Bill!

– Contributed by George Gleich

 

Kline Dominates Patriot 200 at Tarentum

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Tarentum District Sportsmen’s Club near Sarver, Pennsylvania, held its Patriot 200 on July 4, 2017. Twenty-two shooters participated in the 12-gauge event in the morning and sixteen in Doubles in the afternoon.

The weather was nice, mostly sunny and in the upper 70s. This was the first Fourth of July shoot from the brand-new, beautiful clubhouse. 

Chris Kline ran them in the 12-gauge in the morning and won the big-gun championship outright. Class firsts in the 12 went to Bob Rairigh (AA), Paul Augustin (A), Dan Rogowski (B), Don Watt (C), Jared Voris (D), and Nick Sisley (E).

Lunch was excellent and included burgers and chicken on the grill, cowboy beans, and several summery sides. Several desserts were also provided, and the cold keg of 1919 root beer was very popular, especially over vanilla ice cream in a glass – “brown cows” to the older contingent!

Kline was also doubles gun champ with his 98 in the afternoon. Augustin, Vollmer, Richard (“Frenchy”) LaRosa, Tom Sutherland, and Greg Grove took firsts in AA, A, B, C and D classes, respectively.

Don Watt shot his first registered doubles ever and hit 85 of them. Carl Borntrager, who hadn’t shot registered targets for many years, also participated. Bob Cassidy started a little slowly in the 12 gauge but hit his stride in the last two boxes.

Kudos to Bill Straub and Deb Meade for shoot management, to Dan Sanko for work on the fields and to Rich LaRosa, who was a non-shooting volunteer referee. Chris Kline, who has made winning this shoot a habit, gets kudos for the high total of the day, 198. Chris was also 12 gauge and Doubles champ in 2014 and 2015, although he did stub his toe a bit in 2016, only managing AA1 in each event.

– Contributed by George Gleich

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