WALNUT SHADE – Talk about being on target.
Gary Graves staked claim to the championship of the fourth annual Sporting Clays Classic sponsored by Killian Construction and presented by Bass Pro Shops, connecting on 99 of 100 clays.
Graves, playing on the winning Fast and Friendly afternoon team, was close to perfection until the last round.
The event, part of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and held at the Ozarks Shooters Complex halfway between Springfield and Branson off U.S. 65, drew 24 morning teams and 20 afternoon teams on a picture-perfect fall day in the Ozarks.
In the afternoon flights, Fast & Friendly won A Flight, a Lance Haight-sponsored team won B Flight and a Price Cutter-sponsored team won C Flight.
Graves led Fast & Friendly to a 376 score, as each shooter fired at 100 clays. Their scored were combined for the team score.
Fast & Friendly also consisted of Joe Naegler (92), Adam Naegler (91) and Troy Major (94). No other shooters, morning or afternoon, finished in the 90s.
The Haight team, which fired a 277, consisted of Lance Haight, Shane Orf, Lee McLain and Dan Waisner.
Price Cutter finished with a 234 and featured James Watson, Greg Marlatt, Randy Lawrence and Wade Lauderdale.
A Bass Pro Shops-sponsored team placed first in the A Flight morning round.
Bass Pro Shops’ top team fired a combined 330 and consisted of former Professional Bull Riders star and Missouri Sports Hall of Fame member Luke Snyder, Allen Treadwell Jerry Martin and John Paul Morris.
Winning the morning B Flight was a Killian Construction-sponsored group, which fired a 256. It consisted of Chad Clay, Jim Smith, Richard Lederer and Paul Lais.
The morning C Flight winning team, sponsored by Hall of Fame President and Executive Director Jerald Andrews, won the C Flight with a 236. The team consisted of Byron Shive, Brian Underhill, Ken Teague and Coleman Swierc.