1998 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 13-21, 1998

TONY NUNES CAPTURES FIRST STATE SINGLES TITLE
KEN DARROCH WINS 5^th HOA TITLE IN SIX YEARS

In a state shoot that saw attendance records shattered in all but three events from Tuesday through Sunday, many newcomers took the main events, led by first time winner Tony Nunes of Sinking Springs, PA winning the Singles Championship event. Another newcomer, Krista Slagle ended Sonya Miller’s 5 year reign as women’s singles champion and Robert Sharbaugh of Leechburg was the surprise winner of the Handicap title with a 98 from 20.5 yards. Another surprise winner was James McMillen of Houston, PA winning the Doubles title with a 99 and a shootoff victory over HAA winner Bill Kunsman. He broke a 392x400 to win the coveted HAA title. Kunsman also tied for the singles title.

The Hall of Fame inducted Sheldon Hostetter of Lebanon and the late PSSA Treasurer, Bill Shutt. Hostetter won the Keystone Handicap the day before his induction with a 99 from the 27 yard line. In PSSA business, Bruce Murphy of Monroeville was elected the 26^th president of the PSSA, Tom Burkey remained Vice-President and George Curran secretary. (Curran passed away a few weeks later and was replaced by Sheldon Hostetter). Mike Schuler was elected Treasurer, replacing the late Bill Shutt.

Nine Keystone gunners broke 200 in the Singles Championship with Nunes winning and Edmund Kline finishing second. In the Class Championship, George Cheponis and Dan DeDionisio broke 200’s in Class AA with Cheponis winning the shoot-off 25-24. Kenneth Darroch won his 4^th Attorney Generals Cup, breaking 291x300. He also won his 5^th HOA title with 1064x1100.

1997 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 7-15, 1997

NILES OEHRLI CAPTURES PENNSYLVANIA SINGLE TITLE
SONYA MILLER WINS HER 10TH PENNSYLVANIA WOMEN'S SINGLE TITLE

Shooters representing 24 states and Canadian provinces participated in the 106th Pennsylvania State Shoot. The PSSA threw 1,309,000 targets during the nine day run of the tournament. Robert Machamer, Pete Menghini and Charles Todd (1911-1979) were inducted into the Pennsylvania Trapshooting Hall of Fame, as well as the Ashland Gun Club. In a tragic twist of fate, Menghini was killed in an automobile accident several weeks after his induction. Louie Carter of Warren, PA was elected to his third term as President of the PSSA while George Curran was elected new PSSA Secretary. Former secretary Bill Shutt was elected PSSA Treasurer while former treasurer Charles Fritzges was appointed PSSA Manager, a new position.

Niles Oehrli of Cogan Station, PA won his first Pennsylvania Singles title with 200 straight, than out-lasted Wayne Remaly, Edmund Kline, Dan DeDionisio and Jay Zappocosta for the title. Remaly finished runner-up with 99x100 in the evening shoot-off. Three gunners broke 99's in the Doubles Championship with John Corey of McMurray, PA winning the title over Frank Rively and Chuck Fritzges. Joel Etchen won the AA award in the Doubles Class Championship two days earlier with a 99 and a 20 straight in a one round shoot-off over Robert Machamer, a 1997 Hall of Fame inductee. The AA title in the Singles Class Championship went to DeDionisio with a 199 and a shot-off over six others. Joe Liberatore of Canadensis, PA won the Handicap title with a 97 and a shoot-of over Charles Dross and Ramaly, who also tied for the Singles crown.

Glenn Lash won the Attorney Generals Cup on Wednesday with a 290x300 and a forfeit over Corey. Corey would also forfeit the HOA title to Ken Darroch. Tom Morse won the HAA title with 388 while Darroch took the HOA award with 1062x1100.

1996 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 8-16, 1996

BOB WHITEHEAD OUTSHOOT DAVID GEORGE FOR SINGLES CROWN
PHIL BOINSKI BREAKS 99 TO WIN DOUBLES TITLE OVER KEN DARROCH

Entries for the 105th Pennsylvania State Shoot were off by only 55 entries from the record setting levels of 1995. Record entries were set in the Doubles Class Championship and the State Doubles race. Robert Miller and Jean Hunsberger were inducted into the Pennsylvania Trapshooting Hall of Fame, as well as the Roxborough Gun Club of Philadelphia. Louie Carter of Warren, PA was elected to his second term as President of the PSSA. All other officers were re-elected.

In one of the great Pennsylvania State Singles shootoffs, Bob Whitehead of Hilltown outshot David George, Dan DeDionisio, Raymond Emerson and Ronald Baumbarger after they all turned in perfect 200's. After the first 25 shootoff targets, only Whitehead and George remained with 25's. Whitehead, a veteran and George, a senior veteran. Youth was served when Whitehead broke a 24 to Dave George's 23. George opted for the senior vet title, as he wanted to shoot in the champion/champions at the Grand American. Two months later he would win that title with 100 straight. Whitehead broke a 200 in the 1994 state championship, finishing with his first of two straight vet titles. Phil Boinski and Ken Darroch each broke 99x100 in the Doubles Championship with Phil winning a two round shootoff over the defending state champion. Darroch won the AA award in the Doubles Class Championship two days earlier. Fifty nine year old Vic Ameye of Washington Crossing, PA won the Handicap Championship with the only 99 out of 1,166 entries.

Stanley Borascius broke three 98's to win the Attorney Generals Cup on Wednesday while Glenn Lash broke 200 to win Class AA and James Moore also broke 200 to win Class A in the Singles Class Championship. David Bish broke 390x400 to claim his first HAA and Stephen Ollock took the HOA with 1067x1100.

1995 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 10-18, 1995

SHAWN KIRSCH WINS FIRST PENNSYLVANIA SINGLES TITLE
DARROCH WINS THIRD STRAIGHT HAA AND HOA TITLES

The 104th Pennsylvania State Shoot resulted in the largest nine-day shoot in history. Targets thrown totaled 1,333,600, over 28,000 more than in 1993. Participation in the three championship events increased over last year by 5%. A total of 2,067 different shooters participated in the nine-day event. Louis Carter of Warren, PA was elected PSSA President. He replaced Ray McKissick, who retired. Jim Stine, Catherine Moyer and Allen Heil were inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Shawn Kirsch of Warren, PA won the State Singles Championship with 200 straight and a 50 target shoot-off over Wellington Patterson. Five gunners broke the 200 compared to 22 last year. For the first time in years, the Western traps were set in the No. 3 hole, which was a major factor in the lower count this year. Ken Darroch picked up the AA award with his 199 while Sonya Miller won yet another women's title, her 8th title, which places her one behind Irene Hess and one ahead of Mary Christopher. The Western Zone won the Zone Team race, led by Bruce Malone's 199. Richard Kaysa, last years Handicap Champion, won the Doubles Championship with a 99, one target ahead of John Manetta, Emerson Bornman, Allen Roberts, Mike Hoover, Charles Loomis and Melvin Krepps. Manetta finished runner-up and Bornman won the AA title. Krepps chose the Vet title and did not shoot-off for the runner-up trophy.

Carl Leininger Jr. won the Handicap title with a 97, including a one round shoot-off over Mike Balichik, Loomis and C. W. Scheib. Ken Darroch won his third straight HAA and HOA titles, becoming only the second Keystone gunner to win the two titles during the same year for three consecutive years. Steve Crothers turned the trick twice. Tom Stempka won the Class AA title in the Singles Class Championships with 200 straight. Darroch won his third straight Attorney General's Cup with a 290. Bernard Kazmeroski won the Budweiser Handicap.

1994 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 10-19, 1994

KEN DARROCH WINS SINGLES, DOUBLES, HAA AND HOA TITLES
RICHARD KAYSA WINS HANDICAP TITLE WITH 99 FROM 27 YARDS

The longest Pennsylvania State Shoot in history, 10 days, saw 2,037 shooters participate in the shoot, including shooters from all five ATA zones. A record 1,363,500 targets were thrown, 58,600 more than last year. The shoot included the Remington Challenge Cup held on the first weekend. The Hall of Fame inducted Gene Anastasio, E. A. "Bud" Ross and Sonya Miller during ceremonies on June 17th.

The 103rd shoot was the Ken Darroch show, bringing back memories of the dominance of Steve Crothers and Walter Beaver decades earlier. Darroch, from Aliquippa, PA won 9 events during the ten-day run of the tournament. Darroch smashed all 600 championship singles targets. John Muir, in 1987, was the only other gunner to break 600x600. He broke the state HAA record of 394. Shared by Beaver and Frank Little, when he broke 200 to win the State Singles title, 100 to win the State Doubles title and 97 to finish 6th in the State Handicap Championship for a 397x400 HAA. Dan DeDionisio of Erie also broke the old record with a 396x400. An ATA record 22 shooters broke 200 straight in the Singles Championship.

Richard Kaysa won the State Handicap title with a 99 from the 27-yard line. It was the highest score from maximum yardage since John Rigg broke 100 straight from the 25-yard line in 1939. Sonya Miller won her 7th ladies' Single Championship with a 200 straight, the first perfect score by women in State Shoot History. The first squad to break 500x500 occurred during the Singles Championship on June 18th when Mike Hoover, DeDionisio, Bish, John DiFabio and John Worner. They also matched the ATA squad record with 998x1000. Hoover won his second Class AA title in the Singles Class Championships with 200 straight 150 straight in a shoot-off over Steve Huber and Stephen Ollock. Darroch also won the Attorney General's Cup, his second straight, with a 297x300, a state record. Lucky Nightingale of Maryland won the Remington Challenge Cup with 192x200 on the third day of the tournament.

1993 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 12-20, 1993

BORNMAN WINS SECOND STRAIGHT DOUBLES TITLE WITH 100X100
DAVID BISH WINS SINGLES TITLE, DARROCH TAKES HAA AND HOA

High humidity and 90 degree plus temperatures plagued the entire 102nd Pennsylvania State Shoot. A record 2,119 shooters from 29 states and provinces competed during the annual nine-day run of the largest state shoot in the United States. The Hall of Fame inducted Charles Doll, Melvin Krepps and Ray McKissick during ceremonies on June 18th.

Emerson Bornman of Mechanicsburg, PA won his second straight Doubles Championship with 100 straight and a two round shoot-off over Ken Darroch, who also broke 100 straight. Darroch defeated Bornman in overtime for the HAA title after each tied at 392x400. Darroch also took the HOA title with 1,082x1,100. Steve Deal took the Handicap Championship with a 98 from the 24.5-yard line, defeating Gary Ebling and Joseph Haley Jr. in overtime. Ebling took the runner-up trophy. Patrice Ryan, winner of the 1992 Budweiser Championship in Vandalia, won the ladies' crown with a 95.

David Bish won his first Singles Championship with 200 straight and a one round shoot-off victory over Tyson Gerhart and Dave Gress. Back in 1982, Gerhart won the Pennsylvania Preliminary Handicap with 100 straight from 21 yards. Sonya Miller won her 6th ladies' title with 198. Vet and Senior Vet titles went to Leo Darroch and David George. Lester Gruber of Boyertown, PA won the Class AA award in the Class Singles Championships with 200 straight and a one round shoot-off victory over Joseph Crist. Darroch also won the Attorney General's Cup, missing only six targets of the combined singles, doubles and handicap on June 18th.

1992 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 13-21, 1992

STEVE HUBER DEFEATS FRANK LITTLE FOR STATE HANDICAP CROWN
BORNMAN WINS DOUBLES, LITTLE TAKES SINGLES, HAA AND HOA

Despite rain and cool wind, 2,047 shooters competed in the 101st renewal of the Pennsylvania State Shoot. The Doubles Championship attracted 602 entries, the Singles 1,452 and the Handicap 1,215. The Hall of Fame inducted Anna Mae Eberle, Richard Hamilton and John Rigg during ceremonies on June 19th. The shoot also saw John Hoffman win every sub-junior title offered in the 9-day shoot, including winning the Budweiser Handicap on June 18th.

Emerson Bornman became the first state shooter to break 100 straight in the Doubles Championship when he won the title over Charles Doll, who broke 99. It was the second time Doll finished second. He broke a 97 to finish behind Sheldon Hostetter in 1984. Doll won the title in 1989. Overcast skies again prevailed on Saturday when three residents smashed 200 straight in the Singles Championship. In a 7 round shoot-off, Frank Little captured his fourth and final Singles Championship, beating Ron Bernini, who finished second and David George. Little cashed in on the title when he won the Champion/Champions title at the 1992 Grand American Tournament. Linda Straub won the ladies' title with 196 and a one round shoot-off over Kelly Doll. George and Frank Pajak, a retired railroad engineer won the Senior Vet and Vet awards.

The Handicap Championship saw one of those classic state shoot-offs when Steve Huber of Bethel, PA beat Frank Little, Wendy Williams and Robert Grove. Both Huber and Little broke the first 25 targets. Each was shooting from the 27-yard line. Huber broke his second 25 to defeat the legendary Little who missed three in the second round. He became the first 27 yarder to win the big title. In the Singles Class Championships, Mike Hover broke a 199 and won a two round shoot-off over Hamilton. Joe Rolley of Pittsburgh won the Attorney General's Cup with a 288x300. Little won both the HAA and HOA titles. It was his 4th straight HAA title and 9th overall and his 5th HOA award.

1991 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
100th Annual Pennsylvania State Shoot
June 8-16, 1991

SINGLES, DOUBLES ENTRIES BREAK ALL TIME STATE RECORD
DARROCH WINS SINGLES, TED BAUSHER TAKES HANDICAP

The 100th annual Pennsylvania State Shoot saw entry records broken in the singles and doubles championships, with 1,476 entered in the Singles Championship and 610 entered in the Doubles Championship. A record 2,061 different shooters competed in the nine day June Classic. The Hall of Fame inducted David George, Bill Hunsberger, Howard Lewis and John W. Miller.

Ted Bausher, a 28-year shooting veteran, but a second year ATA member, captured the Handicap title with a 98 from the 22-yard line plus a shoot-off. He defeated Gary Meckes 23-21 in the one round extra-inning. The Doubles Championship was won by Joel Etchen, his first State Championship. Etchen broke 99 and 20 in a shoot-off victory over Michael Hoover and Charles Doll. Hoover picked up the second place award. Diane Arner won the ladies' title with a 90, three targets ahead of Anna Mae Eberle.

Ken Darroch of Aliquippa, PA won the record Setting State Singles Championship when he broke his first 200 straight. He outshot Frank Little 125-123 in a five round shoot-off for the title. Hoover broke 74; David Bish, Gene Casey and Clyde Taylor broke 48's and Bob Rahn broke a 24. Sonya Miller won the ladies' title with a 198 followed by Kelly Doll's 194. Charles Stahl and Robert Hash won the Vet and Senior Vet titles while Jeremy Castle and Shane Foley took the Junior and Sub-Junior awards.

Little also won the HAA and HOA titles and Emerson Bornman won the Attorney Generals Cup with 289x300. Robert Miller of Valley View, PA won the Class AA title in the Singles Class Championships with the only 200 straight.

1990 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 9-17, 1990

WILBUR RUHL WINS SINGLES, BILL KUNSMAN TAKES DOUBLES
SONYA MILLER WINS WOMEN'S SINGLES TITLE WITH 199

The 99th annual Pennsylvania State Shoot, the largest state shoot, keeps getting larger. Previous entry records in the three main events were shattered as 1,445 participated in the singles, 1,277 in the handicap and 595 in the doubles. Heat and high humidity prevailed during the tournament as 1,246,600 targets were thrown to 1,986 shooters. Elmer Shaner, Bob Diefenderfer, Herb Jones and Charles Newcomb were inducted into the Pennsylvania Trapshooting Hall of Fame on June 15th.

Wilbur Ruhl of Elizabethtown, PA took the Singles Championship with 200 straight and 75 straight in a three round shoot-off. Steve Huber finished second with 200 and 74 in the shootoff. Other 200's in the event include Stephen Ollock, Ron McMahan, Wayne Remaly and Fred Moyer III. Sonya Miller broke a 199, a state women's record, to win the women's title, 5 targets ahead of Ruth Millard. The Handicap title was won by John Brown of Chalfont, PA. He defeated Glenn Kelly of Blandon, PA after each broke a 98. The Doubles Champion-ship was won by Bill Kunsman of Bethlehem, PA with a 98x100. He is a former State Handicap Champion (1976). Kunsman won a two round shoot-off over Dennis Spancake, Sheldon Hostetter and Huber.

Huber took the HOA title with 1075x1100 and Frank Little won the HAA award with 392x400. The Class AA title in the Singles Class Championship was won by Ollock with 200 straight and a carry over win over Nino Campagna, Richard Hamilton and William Stemmier. Huber also won the Attorney Generals Cup with 295x300. Scott Berkhous became the 13th sub-junior in the ATA to break 100 straight in handicap when he won the Budweiser Handicap from the 26-yard line.

1989 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 10-18, 1989

FRANK LITTLE WINS SINGLES, TOM GALLIGHER TAKES DOUBLES
TODD KLIKUS WINS HANDICAP TITLE WITH 98

The weather was a major factor during the 98th Pennsylvania State Shoot, with 50-MPH winds dominating the first weekend and rain during the next four days. Rain again fell during the shoot-off on Friday and also on Saturday morning. New entry records for the main singles and doubles were set as 1,397 shot the singles and 539 entered the twins, with 1,876 entered during the 9 day run of the Tournament. The Hall of Fame inducted Elwood "Woody" Brown, George Newmaster, Rhoda Wolf, Lewis Wolf and Mahlon Schwar during ceremonies on June 16th.

Former Handicap Champion John Yarsevich and two time doubles champion Tom Galligher matched 99's for the Doubles Championship. Galligher prevailed for his third title in the one round shoot-off 18-17. He won titles in 1985 and 1982. Frank Little and Galligher matched 200's for the Singles Championship with Little winning the one round extra-inning 25-24. It was his second state title, last winning in 1986. Diane Arner captured her third straight women's title. Pete Krigolo and David George won the Vet and Senior Vet titles while Mark Adams and Joseph Anthony won the Junior and Sub Junior awards. Todd Klikus of Hawley, PA won the Handicap Championship with the only 98. Michael Hoffman of Boyertown, PA finished second with the only 97.

Little won both the HAA and HOA titles while Eugene Myers took the Class AA title in the Singles Class Championships with 200 straight. Melvin Krepps won the first Attorney Generals Cup with 287 in Class AA while Emerson Bornman matched that score in Class A. William Quinter won the 500 target Singles Marathon when he broke a 499x500. Carl Borntraeger won the Budweiser Handicap and Little won the Hall of Fame Singles with 100 straight and 225 shoot-off targets over Galligher.

1988 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 11-19, 1988

PSSA OPENS NEW FACILITY WITH 52 TRAP FIELDS AND HALL OF FAME
MAYERS WINS SINGLES, BELLOTTI WINS HANDICAP

This year marked a major undertaking by the PSSA, including the removal of seven-trap field on the corner of the old line and replacing them with 15 new ones. A resulting 104,000 cubic yards of dirt was removed and used to level and extend the line. It is now the second largest trapshooting facility in the world, second only to the ATA grounds in Vandalia, Ohio. The Hall of Fame held their initial induction's on June 17th, inducting Andy Long, Walter Beaver, Steve Crothers, Orville Eberly, Frank Little and Mary Christopher.

Eugene Mayers of Coply, PA beat 5 others in a shoot-off for the Pennsylvania Singles Championship after each broke 200 straight. Melvin Krepps finished second and Tom Galligher third. Charles Collins, Stephen Ollock and David Cleaver also had 200. Diane Arner won her second straight women's title while David George and Fred Messner to the Vet and Senior Vet titles. Frank Little, John Manetta and Bob Machamer matched 98's in the Doubles Championship with Little gaining the title over Manetta 40-38 in the shoot-off. Cassie Sharrer broke a 94 for the women's title. Sharrer also took the women's HAA with 380x400. George Bellotti broke the only 99 to win the Handicap title, finishing one target ahead of Fred Moyer. A field of 1,335 took part in the final event of the 2,900 target program. Arner also won the women's Handicap Championship with 95 from 24 yards.

The HAA and HOA titles went to Galligher. He broke 390x400 for the All Around and 1,075x1100 for the Overall. David Bish took the AA title the Class Championships with 200 straight and a shoot-off over Manetta and Steve Huber. John Yarsevich broke a 200 in Class A to win that award. The Hall of Fame Singles was won by Melvin Krepps with 100 straight and 300 overtime targets to beat Galligher who broke 299. Thirty-one shooters broke the initial 100 targets in the event. Ron Bernini won the Preliminary Handicap with a 97 from the 22-yard line.

1987 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 17-21, 1987

ROBERT MILLER SINGLES CHAMPION, DOLL WINS DOUBLES TITLE
RICHARD HAMILTON PLACED IN CHARGE OF NEW HALL OF FAME

At the annual meeting of the PSSA, a Pennsylvania Trapshooting Hall of Fame was established and inductions will begin in 1988. Richard Hamilton of Fleetwood, PA was placed in charge of the operation with Charles Doll, Pete Menghini, Dale Raudenbush and George Laird as committee members. Woody Brown was again elected President of the PSSA. John Muir of Kutztown, PA broke every singles target in the program, 600 straight. His squad mate, Frank Little broke 599x600.

Frank Little fired at his 100,000th singles targets during the shoot and entered the history books with a record-setting average of .98875 on 100,000 targets. Robert Miller of Valley View, PA won his second Singles Championship with 200 straight and a shoot-off victory over 11 others that broke 200. John Manetta finished second and Dick Shuman won the AA title. Diane Arner won her first women's title with a 198. David George and Fred Messner took the Vet and Senior Vet titles. Doll won the Doubles Championship with a 98, one target ahead of Joel Etchen. John Yarsevich of Northampton, PA won the Handicap Championship with a 99x100 from 26.5 yards. He finished one target ahead of John "Skip" Kline of Reading who broke a 98x100. Yarsevich won the title at the longest yardage in state history (since broken). Susan Moyer won the women's title with a 96 from 20 yards.

Little claimed the HAA award with a 392x400 and Tom Galligher of Philadelphia, PA took the HOA title with 1078x1100. The Class AA title in the Singles Class Championships went to Muir with 200 and another 300 carry over targets. Gary Foster, breaking a 99 from 20 yards, won the Preliminary Handicap.

1986 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 18-22, 1986

LITTLE RETURNS TO PENNSYLVANIA, WINS SINGLES, HAA, HOA
ALLAN ROBERTS DOUBLES CHAMPION, KAYNA WINS HANDICAP

After spending 9 years in Indiana, Frank Little returned to Pennsylvania and picked up where he left off. His last year in Pennsylvania, 1976, he secured the HAA title. He repeated this year, as well as winning the HOA and Singles Championship. Art Lewis, age 99, shot the 200 target State Singles Championship on Saturday, after staying up all night afraid he would miss his ride to Elysburg. Lewis would turn 100 on October 8th. He started shooting trap in 1928. He once beat the great Mark Arie in a live bird shoot-off at Reading, PA. He even shot a deer this year at age 99.

Little, winning his second Pennsylvania Singles Championship, broke 200 straight and won a one round shoot-off over Robert Miller, Larry Trimmer and Charles Sheets. Miller took the runner-up title. Sonya Miller of Alburtis, PA won her third women's title and second in a row. Herb Jones and J.C. Moul won the Vet and Senior Vet titles. Donald and Daniel Schaffer won the Junior and Sub Junior titles. Allan Roberts of Dallas, PA won the Doubles Championship when he broke the only resident 96. Robert Machamer, the Hegins PA school teacher, was second with 95. Machamer won the State Singles titles two years ago. Shooting in his first State Shoot, Joseph Kanya won the Handicap Championship with the only 99 turned in during the race.

Little broke a 389 to secure the HAA and 1067x1100 to win the HOA. In the Singles Class Champion-ships, Little broke a 199 to beat Tom Galligher and Freeman Kline for the Class AA titles. John Brown of Chalfont broke a 199 to win Class A. Tom Motzkus won the Kessler Memorial Handicap with a 97 and Little secured the preliminary doubles with 97. Richard Gilbert, shooting from 24 yards, broke a 98 to win the Preliminary Handicap.  

1985 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 12-16, 1985

GERALD SILVIS POSTS FIRST 200 FOR SINGLES STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
GARY FOSTER SHATTERS 99 TO WIN HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP

Second year gunner Gerald Silvis, shooting in Class A, smashed all 200 clay targets in the State Singles Championship in the largest field ever to compete in the event at the 94th Pennsylvania State Shoot. A resident in the field of 1,275 did not tie him. Indiana resident Frank Little broke a 200 for the open title. Finishing second was Tom Lonczynski with a 199 plus a one round shoot-off over Clyde Taylor. Sonya Miller won the women's title with a 198, her second. Herb Jones and Wallace Turner won the Vet and Senior Vet titles. This was Jones' fourth State Vet title.

In the State Doubles Championship on June 14th, Tom Galligher of Philadelphia, PA won his second Doubles Championship when he broke the only 97. Leonard Heino finished second with 96. Little led the field for the open title, also with a 97. In Sunday's Handicap Championship, Gary Foster, shooting from the 18.5-yard line, smashed a field high 99 to win the State Handicap title. Willard Feinour, breaking 98 from 19 yards, took the second place trophy.

Sheldon Hostetter won the HAA title with 388x400. Little won the open title with the same score. Galligher, breaking 1041x1100 won the HOA award. Charles Doll finished 6 targets behind Galligher. Robert Getz won the Preliminary Handicap on Friday with a 97 and Clyde Taylor won the Class AA award in the Singles Class Championships with a 198. Joe Fitch won the Class A award with the same score.

1984 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 13-17, 1984

HEGINS SCHOOL TEACHER BOB MACHAMER WINS SINGLES TITLE
EMILIE PETERS WINS STATE HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP

At the annual meeting of the PSSA, three officers stepped down from their posts, including President Lewis Wolf, Secretary Andy Long and Treasurer Anna Mae Eberle. Elected to take their place were Elwood Brown, Bill Shutt and Charles Fritzges. Ray McKissick was re-elected Vice-President. Wolf had served as President for 10 years, Long as Secretary for 31 years, plus 4 years as President and Eberly as Treasurer for 4 years. (These same four people would serve the PSSA for the next 10 years, until Brown's death in 1994.)

Emilie Peters became the first women in Pennsylvania State Shoot history to win a major state title when she broke a 97x100 from 21.5 yards, then won a tie-breaker over L. M.. Hamilton and Cathie Smith, to win the 1984 Pennsylvania Handicap Championship. Smith took the women's title while Hamilton was runner-up. After failing on two previous occasions to win the State Singles Championship after he tied for the title, Bob Machamer won on his third try. In a field of 1,183 entries, Machamer broke 200 straight and won a one round shoot-off over Gerald Oleski for the title. Eberle won her second straight ladies title with a record setting 198. Herb Jones and William Krauss won the Vet and Senior Vet titles. Sheldon Hostetter broke a 97 to win the Doubles Championship. Charles Doll of Hanover, PA and Dennis Keeling also broke 97's with Doll taking the runner-up award after loosing the one round shoot-off to Hostetter 19-18. Cathie Smith won the women's title with 85.

Machamer won the HAA award with 389 while Tom Galligher took the HOA title with 1046x1100. David George trailed Galligher by 11 targets for the open title. Mike Richmond won the Preliminary Handicap with a 97 from 18 yards while Frank Ptak won the Kessler Memorial Handicap with a 97 from 27 yards. In the Singles Class Championships, Clyde Taylor won the AA title with a 198. However, Class A gunner Stephen Ollock smoked a 199 to win that award and the high score on the day.

1983 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 15-19, 1983

GALLIGHER WINS STATE SINGLES TITLE, LUCHETTI TAKE TWINS
EINAR ERICKSON WINS HANDICAP CROWN WITH 99

At the annual PSSA meeting, Lewis Wolf was elected President for a 10th term. He paid tribute to 3 shooters who passed away since the last state shoot, including George Newmaster, Orville Eberly and Ross Kelly. Attendance was up 6% over 1982 as 778,400 program targets and 39,425 practice targets were thrown.

Einar Erickson, Boston, PA, a fourth year shooter attending his first Pennsylvania State Shoot, captured the Handicap Championship with a 99 from the 20-yard line. The event was the largest handicap event held anywhere except on the ATA grounds at Vandalia with 1,220 shooters taking aim at the big title. Breaking 98 to finish second was Jack Severin of Wilmore, PA. The Singles Championship attracted 1,215 entries and produced 4 200 straights, including two from Pennsylvania. Tom Galligher took the title with a 3 round shoot-off victory over Quinn "Butch" Testone, 74-73. He became the second state gunner to win the title three times with 200 straight, matching the record of Bob Diefenderfer. The non-resident 200's included one by former resident Frank Little, now living in Indiana. Anna Mae Eberle won the women's title in the Singles and Doubles Championships.

Carl Luchetti of West Wyoming, PA won the Doubles Championship, shot on Friday. Carl broke the only resident 96 for the title. Galligher finished second with a 95 after beating John Muir 18-17 in overtime. Galligher also won the HAA with 390 and the HOA with 1066x1100. Luchetti finished second in the HOA with one less target than Galligher. William Funk won the Ross Memorial Doubles with 98 while Harry Petersavage won the Class AA award in the Class Championships with 200 straight. Sheldon Fleck won the Kessler Memorial Handicap with a 98x100 and Joe Lohr broke a 99x100 to win the Preliminary Handicap.

1982 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 16-20, 1982

TYSON GERHART WINS PRELIMINARY HANDICAP WITH 100 STRAIGHT
ROBERT MILLER BREAKS THE ONLY 200 FOR SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP

All-time attendance records were set in four races during the 91st Pennsylvania State Shoot at Elysburg, and last year's attendance was surpassed in all four two of the nine events in the program. Only the 1977 field surpassed the 1,193 who competed in the Singles Championship. ATA President Woody Brown entered his 100,000th targets during the tournament, and Illinois shooter David Stine hauled in every sub-junior trophy he was eligible, nine in all.

Bob Miller, the Valley View mortician, won his first of two Pennsylvania State Singles titles when he broke the only 200 straight in the program. Bob Machamer, breaking a 199 finished second after ousting Richard Shuman, Ron DeFulvio, John Muir and Tyson Gerhart in a three round shoot-off. Shuman took the AA title. Catherine Moyer won the ladies award with 194 Tom Galligher Jr. of Philadelphia broke the only 99 in the field of 421 to win his first Pennsylvania Doubles Championship. He would win again in 1985 and 1989. Breaking 97's to tie for runner-up were Machamer and Muir, Richard Golden and Charles Doll. Golden broke 39 in the two round shoot-off to win the second prize while Doll took Class AA. Genevieve Davis won the women's title with 86 while Herb Jones and Willard Beers took the Vet and Senior Vet titles.

In the Handicap Championship, Tim Donovan of Erie, PA, shooting from the 18-yard line, won a one round shoot-off over Robert Powell of Hunlock Creek, PA to win the title after each broke a 98. Moyer also captured the women's title. Doll won the Class AA title in the Singles Class Championship with a 199 over 6 others. Ray McKissick took the HAA title with 386 and David George won the HOA title with 1062x1100. Chuck Doll won the Kessler Memorial Handicap and Gerhart won the Preliminary Handicap with 100 straight. The Jim & Bud Ross Memorial Doubles title went to John Manetta.

1981 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 17-21, 1981

JACK CLARK OF LATROBE WINS STATE SINGLES TITLE WITH 200
JOHN PRITKO TAKES HANDICAP TITLE, DAVID GEORGE THE HAA

When shooters arrived for the 90th renewal of the State Shoot, they found that the PSSA had finished a $43,000 paving project, blacktopping the entire parking area behind the new clubhouse and the road from the lower trapfields to the top trapfields. Gene Anastasio was elected ATA delegate, replacing Woody Brown, who will become ATA President in 1982. Lewis Wolf was re-elected President of the PSSA.

Jack Clark, a former state runner-up, defeated Joe Donovan, Carl Holzman, Clyde Taylor and Tom Galligher for the Pennsylvania Singles Championship. Clark broke 200 in the program and another 100 in four extra-innings to gain the title. Donovan, a former state champion, was second with 99 shoot-off targets and Taylor took the Class AA award. Colleen Beisswanger won the women's title while Ernie Dunkle and Harry Roach-man won the Vet and Senior Vet titles. The event drew 1,181 entries. The event had to be finished on Sunday morning, as some squads were still shooting at 9:30 PM under the lights at the old clubhouse. Donald Trimble became the first junior to win the Doubles Championship, breaking 98 while John Ebersole broke 97 and a three round shoot-off victory over Sheldon Hostetter. Charles Miller, former world champion pigeon shooter, Francis McCullough and Carl Luchetti also broke 97's.

John Pritko, the wildlife artist and schoolteacher from Coplay, PA won the Handicap Championship on Sunday with the only 99 in the field of 1,176 gunners. David George secured the HAA title without winning a major event. He did win the Ross Memorial Doubles on the first day of the tournament. Carl Luchetti took the HOA title with 1054x1100. Charles Doll took his first of two straight Class AA titles in the Singles Class Championships with his first 200 straight on the PSSA grounds. He also won the AA award in the same event back in 1979. Eric Best won the Preliminary Handicap and Vic Ameye won the Kessler Memorial Handicap.

1980 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 18-22, 1980

WINTER COMES TO ELYSBURG AS WIND CHILL DROPS INTO 30'S
MCKISSICK WINS ICE COLD DOUBLES TITLE WITH 92

On one of the coldest days in modern State Shoot history, Ray McKissick won the Doubles Championship with a 92 and a two round shoot-off over Bob Diefenderfer. It was the lowest winning score in 26 years. A cold, blustery 45-MPH wind played havoc with the twin birds. For McKissick, it was his second Doubles Championship. Diefenderfer is a two-time winner. Bob Machamer summed up just how bad the conditions were on that miserable Friday. "If you'd been there, you'd know what hell is like, 'cause it was sheer hell trying to shoot in it".

On a much better day, Allan Roberts of Dallas, PA won the State Singles title with a 199. Tom Galligher took the second prize with a 198. Anna Mae Eberle took the women's prize while Bud Garman and Andy Long won the Vet and Senior Vet titles. Warren Walsh, shooting from the 23-yard line, outshot the field of 1,060 with a 98. Machamer won the HAA with 382 as well as the HOA with 1054x1100. Jesse Sheets won the Class AA trophy with a 199 and a two round shoot-off against Tom Galligher in the Singles Class Championships. Dan Zenzel, shooting in Class C, broke 200. Al Bailey won the top male trophy in the Preliminary Handicap with a 98 while Sonya Miller won the feminine award with the same score. 

1979 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 13-17, 1979

JOHN GOIDA WINS HANDICAP SHOOTOFF AFTER 8 TIE FOR TITLE
NEW WOMEN'S LOUNGE OPENS ON PSSA GROUNDS

The PSSA continues to expand as the association open a beautiful, new-carpeted women's lounge. The lounge is half the size of the clubhouse and will house women's activities. The room was also intended to house a hall of fame sometime in the future. The largest state facility in the ATA drew 1,504 shooters for the 5-day run of the tournament. Up for grabs were 164 trophies, with 108 of them open to all shooters.

John Goida, shooting in his third State Shoot, broke the last 70 in a row to post a 98 and a tie with 7 other residents. It didn't take him long to claim the title, as he was the only one to run 25 straight in the shoot-off. Joe Carbaugh became state runner-up with shoot-off scores of 24-23-25. Catherine Moyer won the ladies' award after her 98 placed her in the main shoot-off. Tom Galligher of Philadelphia won the State Singles Championship for the second time in the last three years. Robin Werst, breaking his first 200 and Max Morbeto tied Galligher for the title. Werst took the second place trophy after a two round shoot with Galligher. Kenneth Anderson of Tidioute, PA broke a 97 to gain the Doubles Championship. Anderson won the handicap title back in 1973. David George, breaking a 95, won an 8-man shoot-off for the runner-up title.

Richard Gulden of Tyrone, PA broke a 390x400 to win the HAA and Doll broke 1059x1100 to break his first and only HOA title. In the Singles Class Championship, Charles Doll of Hanover, PA won the Class AA title with 199, beating out Lester Gruber in 2 extra-innings. Robert Miller beat out Anderson and Richard Hamilton for the Sportsmen's Introductory Singles after each posted 100's. Emerson Bornman won the Ross Memorial Doubles with a 97.

1978 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 14-18, 1978

JOSEPH DONOVAN BREAKS ONLY 200 FOR STATE SINGLES TITLE
PETE GEORGE TAKES DOUBLES TITLE WITH LONE 98

George Cottrell, who for many years did the State Shoot reporting for the various news media and Trap and Field passed away in February. Dale Raudenbush, a former State Singles Champion, was assigned the large task of filling Cottrell's shoes. One of Dale's first articles was a story he filed with the Harrisburg Patriot News about Andy Long.

Joe Donovan of Barto, Pa broke the only 200 straight in the Singles Championship to win the big title outright. Eugene Leoni finished second with a 199 and a shoot-off victory over Robin Werst and Grover Scott. Another junior, Terry Cover also broke a 199 and took the Junior Championship after winning the runner-up shoot-off. Kathleen Sedlecky took the ladies' title with a 194. She won the same title in 1974. Long captured his first ATA State Vet title. Pete George of Erie won the State Doubles Championship with 98x100. He was also the State Handicap Champion back in 1963. Allan Roberts became the runner-up with a 97 and a 19-18 win over Bruce Malone in one extra-inning.

Dennis Jerome of Correy won the State Handicap Championship with his 96x100. Several weeks earlier he broke 100 straight handicap targets in Hamilton, Ontario. The runner-up title went to Roberts. He broke a 23 in the extra-inning with Jerome, who broke 24. Roberts won the HOA with 1026x1100 and the HAA with 388. Doug Heffner of Lancaster County broke a 198 to win the Class AA title in the Class Championships. Lee Kemp also broke a 198 for Class A honors. Ralph Mullin had the only 100 straight in the Sportsmen's Introductory Singles to win the title outright. William Jones won the Kessler Memorial Handicap with a 92 while Cal Mele broke a 93 to secure the Ross Memorial Doubles.

1977 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 15-19, 1977

ORVILLE EBERLY DONATES $10,000 TO ATA H/F TO HONOR ANDY LONG
THOMAS GALLIGHER WINS SINGLES, COLOSIMO HANDICAP CHAMP

All time entry records were set at the 1977 State Shoot with records set in the Singles and Handicap Championships and the entry mark for all state title races the largest ever off the ATA grounds. The Pennsylvania State Shoot has become the premiere state shoot in the United States. The tournament attracted 1,261 competitors in the Singles Championship and 1,215 in the Handicap Championship, both state records. A total of 745,300 pro-gram targets and 49,150 practice targets were thrown in the 44-trap layout.

Three broke 200 as Tom Galligher won the State Singles Championship with his first perfect 200. He defeated Lester Gruber, who finished second and Tom Timmins. Sonya Miller of Alburtis, PA broke a 197 to win her first women's title. Warren Walsh took the Vet Title and Sinary Dinges won the Senior Vet Champion-ship. Harry Nicholson of Apollo, PA broke 97 for the twin bird title after defeating Bill Funk 20-18 in the state shoot-off. Nicholson broke 200 straight in the 1974 Clay Target Championship at Vandalia and won the Class A award. Emily Wyne captured the state women's title with a 89, two targets ahead of Anna Mae Eberly. Ralph Colosimo of Boyers, PA, won the Handicap Championship when he broke 99 from 22.5 yards. He missed his last target on the third field. Robert Kerns was second with 97 from 23 yards.

Russ Krauss broke 387 for the HAA award while Tom Timmins broke 1,060 for the HOA title, three targets ahead of Bob Owens. Wayne Elicker won the Kessler Handicap with 99 and Eugene Leoni took the Ross Doubles with a 99. Dave Novak claimed the Class AA title in the Class Championships with 200 straight and 99 more in a shoot-off victory over Timmins.

1976 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 16-20, 1976

RAY MCKISSICK WINS STATE SINGLES, DOUBLES, HOA TITLES
BILL KUNSMAN INKS 99 TO WIN STATE HANDICAP TITLE

A new restaurant with a 45 foot-serving bar plus tables and chairs for 100 people were added to the new clubhouse for the shoot. One of the most popular places on the grounds was the Lehigh Valley hospitality tent of the Lehigh Valley League. Two shooters broke 100 straight in handicap during the 5-day life of the tournament.

Ray McKissick of Elderton, PA won the State Singles title for the first time, breaking 199. He won a three round shoot-off over Ron Schmuck, who took the runner-up honors. Also breaking 199's were Francis Kikel, Mark Whitaker, Tony Gallis, Frank Mikulski and Clarence Cessna. McKissick smashed 75 straight in the over-time session. Twinkle Pringle posted the best score in her four-year career as her 194 won the feminine award. Nancy Remmey was second with 193. McKissick also won the Doubles Championship the day before when he broke 97 and won a two round shoot-off over Sam Austin, Frank Little and Roger Hamilton. Austin won the runner-up award 49-48 over Little.

Twenty seven year old Bill Kunsman of Bethlehem broke 99x100 to capture the Handicap Championship following a shoot-off victory over Ed Shireman and Ron Pyzola. Fred Branscome of Maryland broke 100 straight from 23 yards. Dolores Hamilton won the women's title with 97 and a shoot-off victory over Janet Wieand.

Little secured the HAA title with 391 and McKissick to the HOA award with 1056x1100. Mike Perugini won the Governor's Trophy, the combined scores on the championship singles and handicap targets, with 296x300. This was the fourth and final time the trophy would be contested. Bill Funk and David Novak broke 200 in the Singles Class Championship, with Funk winning the Class A state title and Novak the Class A open award. Schmuck took the AA award with 199. McKissick also won the Ross Memorial Doubles race with 99. Adolph Giarrocco won the Preliminary Handicap with 100 straight from 21 yards.

1975 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 11-15, 1975

NEW CLUBHOUSE OPENS, DEDICATED TO ORVILLE EBERLY
FRANK LITTLE CAPTURES SINGLES AND HAA TITLES

A large, modern clubhouse was dedicated to PSSA benefactor, Orville Eberly. Through the exceptional generosity of this man, the long time dream of a PSSA homegrounds became a reality. The new clubhouse was dedicated on Saturday morning. Eberly, also treasurer of the ATA, was instrumental in expanding the area of the club to 201 acres, in seeing 22 new traps had been added since 1972, as well as providing funds for the new PSSA clubhouse.

Nine resident gunners and three visitors tied for the State Singles Championship and open trophies after posting 199's. George Newmaster could not be talked into going to the shoot-off line. This great trapshooting legend opted for the vet trophy. Paul Huffman, Ron Schmuck, Richard Koglman and C.F. Bettine went out in the first round. The remaining four went another perfect round, than Charles Doll missed in the third round. In the fourth round, Robert Machamer and George Griggs failed to connect giving Frank Little the title. Dolores Hamilton won the women's title with 196. Robert Stombaugh took the Handicap Championship on Sunday when he smashed 99 from 20.5 yards.

Former pistol competitor Fred Thompson won the Doubles title with 97 while Little bested Roger Hamilton in a one round shoot-off for runner-up. Little won the HAA with 387 and the HOA title went to Ron Schmuck of Greencastle with 1044x1100. David Crozier won the Governors Trophy with 292x300, based on the combined State Singles and Handicap scores. Winning the Introductory Singles was Bob Diefenderfer with 100 straight and a one round shoot-off over Ernie Hartranft. Kenneth Anderson won the Kessler Handicap. Herb Jones was high resident in the Ross Doubles. He also took the AA title in the Class Championships, for the third time in four years, with 200 straight, the same score he shot while winning the event in 1972.

1974 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 12-16, 1974

PSSA OFFERS 100 AND 200 STRAIGHT PINS FOR THE FIRST TIME
SAM AUSTIN WINS FOUR WAY SHOOT-OFF FOR 16'S TITLE

For the first time in history, attendance in a state shoot 16-yard championship not held on the ATA grounds soared above the 1,2000 mark. There were 1,548 gunners who shot during the tournament. In the past 10 years, the number of women shooters in Pennsylvania has tripled, from 57 in 1964 to 170 this year.

Sam Austin of Edinboro, PA won the State Singles Championship. He tied three others with 196, which was shot under terrible conditions. An all day drizzle and high gusty winds drove the scores down, as only three 100's were posted in the first hundred. Three others tied Austin, including Carl Martell, Roger Hamilton and Robert Keys. Martell finished runner-up in the two round shoot-off. Doris Shyda won the ladies' award with Dolores Hamilton finishing second. This year was the last year the Doubles Championship was held on a Sunday morning of the final day. Frank Little won his first Pennsylvania Doubles Championship when he broke 97 and won a one round shoot-off over Charles Doll and Lee Wills. Little started shooting as a resident last year. Doll took the runner-up trophy.

The Handicap Championship went to third year shooter Ross Jarrett of Watsontown, PA with a 99 from 20.5 yards. Catherine Moyer won the women's title with 94. Little took the HAA with 383x400 and Tony Gallis won the HOA with 1051x1100. Richard Shuman of Blandon, PA won the Governors Trophy when he broke a 291x300 in the championship singles and handicap. Ron Schmuck broke 200 straight for the Class AA award in the Singles Class Championships. Winning the Class A award was Shuman, who also broke a 200, his first. Charles Fritzges won the Kessler Memorial Handicap with 97 from 22 yards. Quinn Testone won the Ross Memorial Handicap when he outshot Bill Roman in 2 extra rounds. Both had 93's. Gallis broke 100 straight and another 100 in overtime to win the Sportsmen's Introductory.

1973 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 13-17, 1973

GOV. MILTON J. SHAPP VISITS ELYSBURG, 18 NEW TRAP-FIELDS OPENED
HENDERSCHED WIN DOUBLES, HAA WHILE SHECKLER WINS SINGLES

Forty traps-fields greeted Pennsylvania shooters as the PSSA added 18 new fields. Thirty-six of the traps were program traps and the four traps at the front entrance of the grounds were used as practice traps. Pennsylvania Governor Milton Shapp paid a visit to the shoot on June 15th and was greatly impressed with the facilities and the number of contestants. He presented his trophy, the Governors Trophy, to the PSSA, which would be awarded at the shoot for the first time this year. Walt Sarver, breaking two 95's in handicap and a 197 in the Singles Championship, won the initial Governors Trophy. The program was increased to 1100 targets this year.

Charles Sheckler of Walnutport, PA won his only State Singles Championship with 200 straight. He was tied with Ernie Hartranft, Bill Hunsberger and Michael Siemons. In a classic shoot-off, under the old Valley Gun Club lights at 8:30 PM, Sheckler claimed his title with a 50-49 win over Hartranft. Hunsberger and Siemons missed in the first round. Shooting legends George Snellenberger and Kay Ohye also broke the 200. Dolores Hamilton won her first women's title with 197 while Catherine Moyer finished second. Big George Hendersched of Whitehaven, PA took the Doubles title with 95. Frank Little, shooting as a resident for the first time, could only break 90 of the windy twin birds. Kenneth Anderson, attending his second State Shoot, broke a 98 from 20 yards to win the Handicap Championship. Frank Randolph finished runner-up with the same score but breaking only 22 in the shoot-off to Anderson's 25.

Hendersched to the HAA with a 386 and Little won his first Pennsylvania title with 1057x1100 for the HOA. Mark Betzer won the Preliminary Handicap and Herb Jones won his second straight AA title in the Class Championships with a 199x200. He won last year with a 200 straight. Seven tied for the Sportsmen's Special on Friday, including Sheckler, Sam Austin, Richard Hamilton, Charles Doll, Herb Jones, Edgar Haldeman and Dave Palmiere. with 100 straight. Sheckler took the title with a carry-over 200 straight on Saturday.

1972 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 14-18, 1972

HURRICANE AGNES TOP STORY OF 81ST PENNSYLVANIA STATE SHOOT
CHARLES SHECKLER CAPTAIN OF FIRST PENNSYLVANIA STATE TRAPSHOOTING TEAM

Rain, rain, and more rain. Every day of the shoot. With the PSSA using 20 trapfields, the Doubles Championship and Handicap Championship on Sunday were shot in a driving rainstorm. The shoot management had to limit the handicap entries to 905, but just 861 chose to shoot in the cold, drenching rain. Thirty-six of the 861 failed to complete the event. There were 1,301 shooters who shot at 610,775 targets, including more than 40,000 practice targets. For the first time, a Pennsylvania All State Team was selected and Charles Sheckler was selected captain of the men's team while Dolores Hendersched led the ladies' team. Bob Gibson led the junior team. Orville Eberly was elected PSSA President and Woody Brown was elected ATA delegate, replacing Andy Long.

Joseph Moyer of Pittsburgh, PA took the Pennsylvania State Singles Championship. Only 90 of the 220 squads finished the event on Saturday. The rest had to finish in the rain on Sunday. The second hundred did not start until 4:30 PM. Moyer and Dave George, shooting for the first time as a Pennsylvania resident, broke 199's with Moyer winning the shoot-off 50-48. Thirteen year old Ken Darroch, shooting since he was 9, won the sub-junior title, breaking his first 100 straight and ending with a 193. Andy Long won the vet title and Kathy Sedlecky took the ladies' crown. In the Doubles Championship on Friday, Jack Stankan bested Sherwood Hoy for the title after each broke 96's. Donald Peed led all gunners with a 98.

In the cold, rain drenched Handicap Championship; Dennis Pritchard of Bangor, PA outshot Richard Shuman after each broke 97x100. In their 8:00 PM, rainy shoot-off, each broke their first 24. Pritchard broke a 25 in the next round for the big title. Melvin Krepps took the HAA with 383x400 and Sheckler won the HOA with 962x1000. Herb Jones won the Class AA title in the Class Championships with 200 straight. Sheckler was runner-up with 199.

1971 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 16-20, 1971

CHARLES DOLL CAPTURES STATE 16-YARD TITLE WITH 199
PSSA PURCHASES 44 ACRES ON THE HILL FOR EXPANSION

At 2:00 PM on Sunday afternoon, the PSSA signed legal documents and purchased 44 acres of ground south of the Valley Gun Club, on the hill, for future expansion. This year the 20 program traps could not handle the 877 gunners who shot in the singles title event on Saturday. The event had to be carried over until Sunday morning. A total of 1,159 competed in the five-day tournament.

Mary Christopher of Cornwell Heights, PA won her 7th and final State Women's Singles title when she broke 195. Dolores Hendersched trailed by two targets. Charles Doll and Peter George broke 199's and settled the title late Sunday afternoon when Doll broke 25 straight in a one round shoot-off. Clarence Ziegler took the vet award with 192. John DesRosiers won the junior title while Dale Boyd took the sub-junior award. All the shoot-offs for various category titles were held on the practice traps during Sunday's handicap. Current Grand American Doubles Champion Donald Peed of Maryland smashed a perfect 100 in the Doubles Championship to win the open award while Charles Sheckler won the resident title with a 95. Dolores Hendersched won the feminine doubles award.

Fifty Eight year old Walt Lempas of Reading broke a 98 from 19 yards to win the State Handicap Championship. It was near 8:00 PM on Sunday night that he learned that no one in the crowd of 857 shooters could tie him. It was his first award in 8 years of shooting. Bob Diefenderfer and Tony Gallis tied for the HAA with 380x400 and had to wait to the ATA Eastern Zone Shoot to settle the deadlock with Diefenderfer winning. Bill Hunsberger won the HOA with 951x1000. Shooting in his first year out of junior class, John Leyda Jr. beat Sheckler in a shoot-off for the Class AA award in the Class Championships. Both had broken 200's.

1970 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 11-14, 1970

FRANCIS KLINGER WIN SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP, HENDERSCHED'S WIN DOUBLES TITLES
CORNER OF TRAP 19 EXPLODES FROM LIGHTNING BOLT

It was a State Shoot that will forever be known by the lightning bolt that struck Trap 19 (20 traps were in use) during the Class Championships on June 12th. As the blinding electricity zigzagged across the fields, shooters virtually fled for their lives. It was an electrical nightmare that few had ever experienced. Catherine Moyer felt electricity running through her fingers and down her leg. Dolores Hamilton was hit in the ankle. The barrel of Jack Deisher's gun was hit and left him with a charred stock. Dozens saw the blue-white flash that crashed into Trap 19 with trap boy Charles Pensyl inside. He was unhurt. Many saw a blue flash run along the power lines at the club, and the metal control tower was hit which resulted in electrical outline of the entire building. A total of 474,400 targets were trapped during the four-day run of the tournament. Next year, the shoot will expand to 5 days.

Francis Klinger and Charles Sheckler tied for the State Singles title with 200x200. Klinger won the shoot-off 24-23 to win the title. It was his first perfect score. Eleanor Palmer, former Massachusetts women's champ, took the ladies' award with 196. Walter McVey won the vet crown with 195, Bob Gibson took the junior title with 196 and J.B. DesRosiers won the sub-junior award with 191. Sunday's Doubles Championship turned out to be a family affair when George Hendersched and his wife Dolores won the men's and women's titles. A record field of 378 took the line for the event.

Roger Hamilton broke 99, two targets above the field, the win his first major Pennsylvania title. Several hours later he also won the HAA award with 385. Charles Doll of Hanover, PA won the HOA with 864x900. He beat Tony Gallis by two targets. Bill Hunsberger won the Class AA title in the Class Championships with 199. William Hardisky broke the same score to win the Class A award. Doll won the Class B title with a 199 also.

1969 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA

June 12-15, 1969

DIEFENDERFER BEATS SHECKLER IN DRIVING RAIN FOR DOUBLES CROWN
DALE RAUDENBUSH WINS PENNSYLVANIA 16 YARD CROWN WITH 200

All the PSSA officers were re-elected for another term. Orville Eberly will continue to serve, as President with Dr. Lewis Wolf as Vice-President, Charles Ramsden is the treasurer and Andy Long remains state Secretary and ATA delegate. A total of 390,800 targets were thrown during the four-day tournament plus another 19,625 practice targets. The state used 20 program traps plus two practice traps. Four new traps were constructed this year.

Dale Raudenbush of Williamstown, PA took the Singles Championship with 200 straight in the program and another 50 straight in a shoot-off over three others with 200 straight. . Finishing runner-up was Ernie Hartranft while Bill Hunsberger, trying for his second singles title, finished with Class AA. Bill Piel also broke 200. Mary Christopher won the women's title with 197. She would also take the women's Doubles title the following day. The Doubles Championship was shot in a rainstorm during Sunday morning's event. Frank Little of New York broke the only 100 straight while Bob Diefenderfer and Charles Sheckler broke 98. Diefenderfer won the resident title in a driving rainstorm by defeating Sheckler 19-18 for the title.

Robert Benkowski of Baden, PA broke a 98 from 21 yards to win the State Handicap Championship without a shoot-off. Ken Sutton placed second with a 97 plus a shoot-off victory over three others. Tony Gallis won the HAA title with 388x400 and George Hendersched won the HOA award with 872x900. Al Godshall with 294x300 won the Frank Dissinger Trophy, awarded on the championship singles and handicap clays. The Class AA award in the Singles Class Championships Charles Sheckler, who won the Preliminary Singles the day before with 100 straight and another 100 in a shoot-off victory over six others, including George Snellenberger, who finished with 99 in the shoot-off. Frank Smith won Thursday's handicap title and Little won the opening day doubles.

1968 at Pennsylvania Homegrounds, Elysburg, PA
June 13-16, 1968

PSSA CONDUCTS FIRST STATE SHOOT ON ITS PERMANENT HOME GROUNDS
BOB DIEFENDERFER WINS THIRD STRAIGHT SINGLES TITLE

The 77th annual Pennsylvania State Shoot was shot under terrible weather conditions. After nearly 30 straight days of rain on the East Coast with high temperatures, the first day of the tournament opened with 50-degree temperatures. During Saturday's singles, the heavens opened up with a deluge of rain. More of the same on Sunday. The PSSA has entered into a long-term agreement to use the Valley Gun and Country Club as their homegrounds. They added six new traps for this shoot, bringing the total to 18. Four more would be added for 1969. They used 16 program traps and two practice traps.

Bob Diefenderfer of Reading posted 5th his and last State Singles title when he broke 199x200. It was his third title in a row. His squad now won the last six singles titles. The race had to be carried over until Sunday because of the rain and large entry. He was tied with Tom Hefele and Francis McCullough. Hefele, breaking his first 200, took the runner-up trophy when the shoot-off was finally held at 10:30 AM on Sunday on the practice trap. Mary Christopher won the women's title and Clarence Ziegler won the vet title. Jeff Cross won the junior award and John Morelli took the sub-junior title. John Young beat John W. Miller in a one round shoot-off for the Doubles Championship after they each broke 96. Mary Christopher won the women's award.

A state record 602 gunners took the line in a rainstorm for the Handicap Championship on Sunday. Dean Metzger of Windfield, PA won the title with a 98 from 21 yards. Charles Doll finished second with his 97 and a perfect shoot-off round over 5 others. Francis Klinger won the HAA title with 383 and Jim Stine won the HOA title with 865x900. The Singles Class Championship Class AA title went to John Benninger with 100 straight and 50 in a carry-over the following day. Ray Dreibelbis won the Class A title with 100 and Carl Luchetti won Class B with 100 and 25 carry-over.

1967 at South End Gun Club, Reading, PA
June 15-18, 1967

BOB DIEFENDERFER WINS SECOND STRAIGHT SINGLES TITLE
BILL HUNSBERGER CLAIMS HAA AND HOA TITLES, MARTELL WINS HANDICAP

After 76 Pennsylvania State Shoots spread across the state, the PSSA will move to their new home-grounds next June. They will install 6 new trapfields to the 12 fields that already exist at the Valley Gun & Country Club in Elysburg. Over the past 76 years, state shoots were held at 33 different gun clubs, including 13 held in Reading, 9 in Elysburg, 6 in Bradford and 5 in Uniontown. Shoots were also held in such places as Williamsport, Harrisburg, Altoona, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Oil City, Erie, York, Lebanon, DuBois, Sunbury, Milton, Ashland, Butler, Allentown, Ruffsdale, Murrysville, Chambersburg, Lansdale, Greensburg, and Gettysburg.

Robert Diefenderfer won his second straight and fourth overall, State Singles Championship. He became only the fifth gunner in ATA history to win three State Championships with 200 straight. The others were Herschel Cheek and George Snellenberger of Indiana and Don Mackerman of Iowa and Joe Hiestand of Ohio. Diefenderfer had to beat Gino Silvestri in a one round shoot-off for the big title. Mary Christopher hit 196 for the women's title. Carl Martell won the Handicap Championship on the last day of the tournament in a rain-storm. He broke 97 to tie Art Catino, whom he than beat 24-23 in one extra round.

Donald Sablinsky was tops in a field of 205 doubles shooters and he captured the Doubles Championship with a 97, one target better than Herb Jones of Fawn Grove, PA. Howard Lewis won the Class AA title in the Singles Class Championship on Friday with 100 straight. Harold Sheriff won the Class A title with 100 and Pete Krigolo won Class B with the same score. There were 357 entries in the event. Bill Hunsberger won the HAA and HOA titles, winning the HAA with 385 and the HOA with 673x700.

1966 at West Penn Gun Club, Murrysville, PA
75th Annual Pennsylvania State Shoot
June 16-19, 1966

BOB DIEFENDERFER WINS THIRD PENNSYLVANIA SINGLES TITLE
MEL KREPPS WINS HAA TITLE WITH 390X400 AND HOA WITH 624X650

With rain falling on the first day of the tournament on Thursday, June 16th, the 75th annual Pennsylvania State Trapshoot got under way. Sam Ambler won the Preliminary Singles with 100 straight while Howard Lewis was runner-up with the same score. In the 50 target Preliminary Handicap, Don Redlich posted a 50 straight from 24.5 yards to win the title while Emily Landini broke 48 to win the Preliminary Doubles over 93 other twin bird gunners. Dale Raudenbush was runner-up with 47.

In the Singles Class Championship on Friday, the 100 targets were also the first hundred of the Singles Championship. Ambler, Bob Diefenderfer, Ken Helper, Mel Krepps, James Messner, C. K. Miller and Carl Oxford all broke the hundred targets on Friday. Diefenderfer won the Class AA title in the carry-over on Saturday while Messner won the Class A award and Helper won the Class B title. Diefenderfer's 100 straight on Saturday gave him a 200 straight and his third State Singles title. Jack Clark, the 1981 Singles Champion, finished runner-up with a 199.

Phil Wynn of New Eagle, PA won the State Doubles Championship with 99x100. He was the 1962 state singles runner-up in his first year of trapshooting. Herb Jones took the Class A award with 97, beating Messner and Rudy Etchen. Krepps won the HAA with 390 and the HOA with 625x650.