Russell County 4-H Shooting Sports members delivered an impressive performance Saturday at the Kentucky 4-H State Shooting Sports Championship.
The competition was held September 12 at the Blue Grass Sportsmen’s League in Wilmore and brought together 1,035 young competitors from across Kentucky. Russell County was represented by 42 participants, who collected numerous individual and team awards in black powder, rifle, pistol and archery events.
Kegin Stephens and Wyatt Bunch led Russell County’s individual results with state championships. Stephens placed first in black powder flintlock in the 9-to-11 age group, while Bunch captured first place in black powder flintlock in the 12-to-14 division.
Other individual results included:
- Alice Dattilo — second place, black powder flintlock, ages 9–11
- Axale Mann — second place, individual Air Pistol 9-11 age group
- Vance Foley — second place, black powder flintlock, ages 12–14
- Dalton Foley — second place, black powder pistol, ages 12–14
- Case McGowan — third place, black powder flintlock, ages 9–11
- Luke Wilson — third place, black powder percussion sport, ages 9–11
- Alaina McDonald — third place, recurve bow, ages 12–14
- Alaina McDonald — third place, recurve target bow, ages 12–14
- Andrea Russell — third place, black powder pistol, ages 15–18
- Brayden Popplewell — third place, .22 sport rifle, ages 15–18
Russell County also recorded seven first-place team finishes.
Alice Dattilo, Case McGowan and Kegin Stephens won the black powder flintlock team competition in the 9-to-11 division.
Vance Foley, Will Hatter and Wyatt Bunch captured first place in black powder flintlock for ages 12–14.
Dalton Foley, Garrett Wilson and Vance Foley won the black powder pistol competition in the 12-to-14 division.
Abbie Wethington, Alaina McDonald, Cali Robertson and Titus Popplewell placed first in recurve target bow for ages 12–14.
Carter Brown, Dalton Foley, Madix Glover and Will Hatter won the .22 pistol competition in the 12-to-14 division.
Aiden McDonald, Alyssa Wethington, Daniel Hernandez and Sarah Grider earned first place in recurve bow for ages 15–18.
Aiden McDonald, Brayden Popplewell, Daniel Hernandez and Ryan Stanton captured first place in .22 pistol for ages 15–18.
Russell County teams also earned five runner-up finishes:
- Case McGowan, Evan Stephens, Kegin Stephens and Luke Wilson — second place, black powder sport rifle, ages 9–11
- Dalton Foley, Garrett Wilson, Jadan Durham and Will Hatter — second place, black powder sport rifle, ages 12–14
- Abbie Wethington, Alaina McDonald, Cali Robertson and Greyson Riddle — second place, recurve bow, ages 12–14
- Benton Kimbler, Chase Robertson, Garrett Wilson and Madix Glover — second place, .22 sport rifle, ages 12–14
- Benton Kimbler, Brayden Kimbler, Chase Robertson and Madix Glover — second place, .22 target rifle, ages 12–14
The results capped an outstanding day for Russell County’s young shooting sports competitors as they competed against more than a thousand participants from throughout the Commonwealth.
