Jacksonville, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com – Six Craighead County student-athletes who carded perfect rounds in regional action are leading a local contingent into the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Youth Shooting Sports (YSS) State Championships this weekend.
The single-elimination tournament, held at the AGFC Shooting Sports Complex in Jacksonville, features the top 64 junior and 64 senior teams from across the state. Action kicks off today, May 29, for the Junior division, followed by the Senior tournament on Saturday, May 30.
Local programs are firmly positioned as major contenders for the state titles, with Jonesboro Trap Team Blue entering Friday’s junior bracket as a top overall seed after winning the East Regional tournament.
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Local “Champion of Champions” Qualifiers
A record-breaking regional season saw individual performances surge statewide. Out of 33 shooters across Arkansas who finished with perfect cards, six represent Craighead County programs. They will compete in the head-to-head “Champion of Champions” shoot-offs immediately following team tournament play.
The local perfect shooters include:
- Senior Division (Perfect 50-for-50):
- Braden Willis (Jonesboro Westside Red 3)
- Madox Cline (Jonesboro Westside Red 3)
- Corbit Hiser (Westside Red 4)
- Eli Norton (Jonesboro Blue)
- Junior Division (Perfect 25-for-25):
- Chandler Waldrup (Westside Red 4)
- Sebastian Sifuentes (Jonesboro Blue)
Senior individual competitors are shooting for a $2,500 college scholarship. Members of the top three senior teams will also earn substantial scholarship funding: $7,500 for the winning squad, $5,000 for the runner-up, and $2,500 for third place.
Regional Context & Field Outlook
AGFC officials noted that individual and team depth have reached historic highs this season. Regional scores spiked across the board, with East Region teams leading the way.
“Performance is up across the board,” said Jose Jimenez, chief of the AGFC’s Shooting and Recreational Access Division. “Scores for the top teams increased at every regional tournament this year, with the highest team score reaching a phenomenal 244 out of 250 in the East Region.”
YSS Coordinator Steve Johnson expects an incredibly tight finish in both brackets.
“This weekend looks to be very competitive,” Johnson said. “I believe it could be so close that I would not even venture a guess on the possibilities for the outcome… I think we are close to seeing perfect team scores being posted for the rounds in bracket play.”
Among the senior division favorites are regional rival Corning, which posted a blistering 244 total during regional qualifiers, and defending senior state champion Bald Knob Camo. However, state officials explicitly highlighted Jonesboro Westside’s deep roster as a major threat in the championship chase.
Tournament Logistics
- Schedule: Bracket play begins daily at 9 a.m. on May 30. Finals and individual shoot-offs are expected to conclude by mid-afternoon.
- Format: Single-elimination bracket. Teams square off head-to-head, with each five-person squad shooting at 125 total clay targets per round.
- Admission & Amenities: Admission is free to the public. On-site amenities include food, beverage, and merchandise vendors.
- Weather Policy: The tournament will proceed as scheduled in rainy conditions. Inclement weather or lightning will trigger standard safety delays until the area is clear.
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