The Newton County 4-H Shooting Sports team gathered to celebrate a year of remarkable achievements at their annual awards banquet on Thursday, August 22, at the Coastal Plains Experiment Station. The event featured Newton County Sheriff Joedy Pennington as the keynote speaker.
National Championships
The Newton County 4-H team had a strong showing at the National Championships, with several members earning top honors. Reese Eldridge excelled in the .22 Pistol category, finishing 6th in the nation, while Elizabeth Dees secured 16th place among 62 competitors. The .22 Pistol team as a whole achieved an impressive 4th place finish nationally.
The Mississippi Shotgun team, which included Daniel Bryant from Newton County, finished 6th overall in the nation. Bryant placed 44th out of 129 competitors, showcasing his skill in a highly competitive field.
In the .22 Small Bore Rifle category, the Mississippi team ended 7th nationally and captured a 4th place finish in the CMP round of competition. Nicholas Coker represented Newton County by finishing 36th out of 79 participants.
State Championships
At the State Championships, Newton County athletes continued to excel. Reese Eldridge took 1st place in the Air Pistol event, earning a spot at the 2025 Nationals, while Elizabeth Dees finished 3rd in the same event, also qualifying for the 2025 Nationals.
In Archery, Cooper Gipson placed 13th out of 73 entries, an impressive debut considering his lack of prior experience in field or FITA trials. Wesley Cooley finished 21st, and Lyndon Cooley placed 28th out of 144 entries, demonstrating consistent performance in a challenging field.
District-Level Achievements
At the district level, the Newton County team showcased their depth of talent with 25 participants competing in 29 events. Key highlights include:
Elizabeth Dees: 1st in Air Pistol, 2nd in .22 Pistol
Cullen Gipson: 1st in Air Rifle Trainer
Anslie Gipson: 1st in Air Rifle Sporter
Gavin Russell: 15th in Air Rifle Sporter, 15th in Air Rifle Scoped
Cooper Gipson: 1st in Archery, 4th in Shotgun
Reese Eldridge: 2nd in Air Pistol
Walker Odom: 2nd in Archery, 8th in Shotgun
Wesley Cooley: 3rd in Shotgun
Lyndon Cooley: 3rd in Shotgun
Fisher Edwards: 4th in .22 Rifle
Grayson Lewis: 4th in .22 Rifle
John Nugent: 4th in Shotgun
Noah Ward: 4th in Archery
Nathan Vetter: 5th in Shotgun
Taylor Spangler: 6th in Archery
Kyler Dean: 8th in Shotgun
Anna Kate Westbrook: 9th in .22 Rifle
Landyn Pierce: 9th in .22 Rifle
Trace Booker: 11th in .22 Rifle
Huck Newman: 12th in Shotgun
Dathan Smith: 14th in Shotgun
Gabriel Spangler: 17th in .22 Rifle
Julian Haro: 24th in .22 Rifle, 25th in Shotgun
Ander Humphreys: 27th in Shotgun
Among the many honorees, Walker Odom was recognized for his perfect round in Archery, scoring a flawless 15.
The banquet celebrated not only the competitive success of the team but also the values of teamwork, dedication, and sportsmanship.
As the Newton County 4-H Shooting Sports team looks ahead to the 2025 season, they are poised to build on their strong foundation of talent and commitment, with many athletes already preparing for future competitions and milestones.
