Warriors Claim Runner-Up at Conference Meet

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – The Midland University shotgun sports team finished as the runner-up at the 2025 Prairie Circuit Conference (PCC) Shoot over the weekend. The Warriors hit 2,378 of a possible 2,500 targets. Fort Hays State claimed the conference crown with 2,390 targets.

In the men's overall competition, Midland's Brayden Bliss finished as the meet runner-up, connecting on 467 of 500 targets. Jake Ruehl was fifth with 465, and Audric Sheidel placed seventh, also with 465. Hunter Martin was ninth with 463.

Three Warriors were named to the PCC Open Team: Bliss, Sheidel, and Ruehl. Two Warriors earned spots on the PCC Ladies Team: Kimber Beevers and Sarah Sjoberg. Sjoberg was the Ladies American Skeet runner-up with a score of 97 of 100. Garrett Jackson was named to the PCC Freshman Team.

Midland was the American Skeet Team Runner-Up, tallying 493 of 500 targets. The Warriors also finished as the conference runner-up in the Double Skeet team competition with 476 of 500 targets.

The Warriors earned a conference champion in Sporting Clays, as Tres Warner hit 93, plus 10 targets in the shoot-off, to claim the title. The Midland sporting clays team finished as runner-up with 448 of 500 targets.

Midland swept the top two spots in the Men's Trap competition. Bliss claimed the conference crown with a score of 99, plus 23 in the shoot-off. Drew Hoekstra was runner-up with 99, plus 22. Alex Klocek was the Ladies Trap runner-up with 97, plus 18. The Midland trap team won the conference title with 493 of 500 targets.

Bliss also claimed the Double Trap conference championship with 98 targets. The Warriors' double trap team finished as runner-up with 468 of 500 targets.

Midland head coach Jake McThenia praised his team's effort.

"We were down 20 targets after Friday's skeet events. Given how this team has shown resilience and determination, they climbed back but fell short in the end," McThenia said. "We have to work better on making every event count. The team kept it close in sporting clays, doubles trap, and by winning American trap. It was the skeet events where we let our guard down."

McThenia also highlighted individual achievements.

"On the plus side, we had several individual placings and eight all-conference honors," he said. "Brayden Bliss ended up runner-up HOA male, which was a good way to cap his final PCC shoot as a senior, along with making an all-conference team."

The Warriors will return to Grand Island next weekend to compete in the Bronco Invitational, set for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4-5.