The Upper Iowa shotgun sports team traveled to Jefferson City, Missouri this past Saturday to compete in the William Woods Invite for the first time ever. The event was hosted by William Woods University at United Sportsman Club. Teams from nine different schools competed in the event.  

Each competitor shot 100 targets in three different disciplines with the top five scores counting towards the team's score in each discipline. The five athletes with the best combined scores across the three disciplines contributed to the team's high overall average.
 
UIU finished in fourth place with a team HOA of 1,281 out of 1,500 targets. Iowa Central Community College placed first with a score of 1,359. They were followed by State Fair Community College and Missouri Valley College, who each recorded a total of 1,319, and Northwest Kansas Technical College with a score of 1,286.
 
Individually, Colton Heintz-Kuderer earned High Male Overall with an HOA of 279/300, which included recording the top score in two of the three disciplines. Connor Gittings, Jayden Shaw, Lucas Riberich, and Luke Recker also contributed to the team's overall score.
 
As a team, the Peacocks placed first in skeet with a score of 477/500. Heintz-Kuderer recorded the best individual male score at 98/100 while Angelina Monfrey's 93/100 was second best among female competitors. Gittings (96/100), Riberich (96/100), and Recker (94/100) also contributed to the team score.
 
In trap, UIU finished with a score of 443/500. Heintz-Kuderer paced the team with a total of 93/100, while Gittings and Shaw each recorded a score of 90/100. Monfrey and Brady Carrigan rounded out the contributing shooters.
 
In sporting clays, the Peacocks recorded a total score of 380/500. Heintz-Kuderer once again recorded the top individual male score at 88/100. Gittings (74/100), Shaw (74/100), Riberich (72/100), and Carrigan (72/100) also factored into the team's score.
 
"This weekend's competition was an opportunity to travel to compete at a new place and against teams we haven't seen before" said Head Coach Reba Kingsley.  "I'm especially proud of the team's performance in skeet as we had many student-athletes with one or two perfect rounds. Boe Caplan is someone who came into the year having never shot skeet and ended up recording a perfect 25/25 round. We have one last week of practice to work on areas to improve on before attending the state championship."
 
Up next, the UIU shotgun sports team will be in action for the final time this calendar year at the Iowa Shotgun Sports State Championship. The competition will take place in Waukee, Iowa beginning on November 5.