This past Saturday was the annual local Jefferson Elks Lodge #2306 Hoop Shoot Contest.

There were 26 8-13 year old boys and girls that competed at the Greene County Middle School gym. Jefferson Elks Exalted Ruler Bill Berger says participants compete to see who can make the most free throws out of 25 attempts and the winners move onto the district contest. 

The winners from Saturday’s contest included Samantha Pedersen for the 8-9-year-old girls and Keegan Minnihan for the 8-9-year-old boys, for the 10-11-year-old girls the winner was Maddie Mobley and for the boys it was Jaxon VanCannon. The winner for the 12-13-year-old girls was Emmalin Wright and for the boys, the winner was Kading Winters. 

Berger talks about his favorite part of the Hoop Shoot Contest.

“It’s fun to see them because it’s a little bit of competition. It relies on just them and it is a lot of fun to see them take it very, very seriously. I think in the long run because they do something like this, it’s a taste of reality later to concentrate on what you’re doing and how you do it.”  

Berger adds they will host the district contest on January 14th, where eight other lodges, where the winners will advance onto the state contest in Grinnell. Below are the names of the first and second place finishers from Saturday’s local contest. 

8-9 yr old girls: 1st place-Samantha Pedersen (GC); 2nd place-Kenna Minnihan (PC)

8-9 yr old boys: 1st place-Keegan Minnihan (PC); 2nd place-Luke Larson (GC)

10-11 girls: 1st place-Maddie Mobley (PC); 2nd place-Delaney Pedersen (GC)

10-11 boys: 1st place-Jaxon VanCannon (PC); 2nd place-Gabe Gerzma (GC)

12-13 girls: 1st place-Emmalin Wright (GC); 2nd place-Edynn Smith (PC)

12-13 boys: 1st place-Kading Winters (GC); 2nd place-Shane Kiley (PC)