Alaska shooters best The Citadel

Post date: Jan 21, 2014 3:44:48 PM

By Tim O’Donnell TODONNELL@NEWSMINER.COM

FAIRBANKS — Ryan Anderson and Tim Sherry seem to be having their own personal competition this season. In the Alaska Nanooks nine matches, only once have their scores been 10 points or more apart and only three times has one bested the other in both air rifle and smallbore.

“Those two are really trying to prime themselves (for the national championships),” head coach Dan Jordan said. “I think they both want to win an individual championship. It’s really good having each other to battle against each day.”

The two led the No. 2 Nanooks past The Citadel on Monday at the E.F. Horton Rifle Range. The Nanooks, who are unbeaten this season, scored 4,693 as a team while the Bulldogs’ mixed team shot 4,451 and women’s team shot 4,211.

Sherry led all shooters in smallbore with a 589, four points ahead of Anderson. Anderson was second overall in air rifle with 591, two points behind Mike Liuzza who led all shooters with 593.

Anderson was perfect in air rifle for the first 29 shots.

Sherry shot 589 as the Nanooks shot 2,355 in air rifle.

Mats Eriksson added a 582 in air rifle.

The Nanooks shot 2,338 in smallbore, just shy of the season high they set Saturday against No. 9 Ohio State. The Bulldogs mixed and women’s team shot 2,251 and 2,174 respectively.

The Nanooks shot 2,345 in smallbore Saturday.

“We just came back from Christmas break and for about two weeks after the break it was pretty much all centered on smallbore because of the World Cup qualifier,” Jordan said of his team’s strong smallbore performance against the Bulldogs and Buckeyes.

Lorelies Stanfield shot 583 in smallbore, followed Liuzza with a 581.

“One of the real good surprises this year is Lorelie Stanfield. She has really come on strong,” Jordan said.

Stanfield tied with Anderson for the team-high in smallbore against the Buckeyes with a 588.

“It’s a world class score,” Jordan said of Stanfield’s score on Saturday.

The Bulldogs mixed team was led by Richard Hunton, who shot a team-best 554 in smallbore and tied for the team-best in air rifle with a 567. Robby Jackson also shot a 567 in air rifle.

The women’s team was led by Teffi Haliscak, who shot team-bests 559 in air rifle and 528 in smallbore.

Even with the win, Jordan feels things are going to get better as they get ready for the Patriot Rifle Conference and National championships.

“We’ve been on an upward trend throughout the season,” Jordan said.

The Nanooks travel to No. 3 West Virginia on Feb. 6 before going to Columbus, Ohio, for the Patriot Rifle Conference Championships on Feb. 8-9.

Alaska shooter Ryan Anderson's target monitor shows his shots during the air rifle relay against The Citadel on Monday, Jan. 20, 2014, at the Patty Center.