2018 Illinois Service Rifle Championship

Click on the thumbnail for a larger image

2018 Sherwood Coul Trophy Konrad Powers

2018 Bliss Trophy Konrad's Koachables Ben Pickel, Tom Power, Jim Appleby, Konrad Powers

Every highpower tournament can't have blue skies and pleasant tempertures. The weather forecast predicted rain for our entire weekend and that rain was certainly there as shooters gathered to register for the individual championship on Saturday morning. The turnout was a bit low as the forecast scared away some people. Firing had to be delayed until about 1:00 to let the weather pass but we soldiered on.

Jumping out to an early lead was 3-time Service Rifle Champion Tim Klauer and his 197 standing. Close behind were Konrad Powers with a 196 and Jim Hutchinson's 195.

Surprisingly enough, not a single person was able to clean the sitting stage. Overall winner there was Tom Power with a 199. Also dropping a single point were Hutchinson, last year's champion Liam McKenna, and David Schrank.

Hutchinson now had the lead, but only by two X's, over Klauer. Powers was one point off the lead, McKenna two, and Power was three back.

While no one could clean the sitting, a quarter of the entire field cleaned their 300 rapid fire. Leading the way was McKenna with 14 X's. Schrank had 11, Ben Pickel and Jeff Marienthal each had 8 and Hutchinson and Power each had 7.

Because of the delayed start, it was getting late and the decision was made to finish the final stage of the individual (600 yards) tomorrow morning. At this point Hutchinson still had the lead but McKenna was now following by two points. Only three points off the pace were Powers and Power (don't get them confused). Hutchinson was looking forward to becoming the fourth shooter in a row to put his name on the Coul trophy for the first time.

Sunday morning dawned with rare blue skies and everyone ready to shoot the last stage from the 600 yard line. There, seven-time Service Rifle Champion John Holliger showed how well he can shoot slow prone by being the only clean with his 8X. Dropping one point were Pickel and Jim Appleby.

Remaining steady throughout the tournament was Konrad Powers who won his fifth Sherwood Coul trophy. But this was no blowout as Holliger, Klauer, and McKenna were all only a single point behind.

ISRA Highpower appreciates all the competitors who persevered through the rain and the delays. You are the ones that make these matches successful by your support and participation.