History - HHS Trap Team - Clay Crushers

It has been well documented that Hopkins High School was the first high school in the state of Minnesota to officially offer Trap Shooting as a club sport to its students. Over the long history of youth Trap Shooting in Minnesota many individuals attempted to get official programs started in schools. Only when Hopkins took the lead and provided this unique opportunity to its students did the movement across the state of Minnesota become successful.

Founder of the program Mark Czech presented the idea to Hopkins Administration in the Spring (April) of 2005 just two weeks after the Red Lake shooting in which nine people lost their lives. Hopkins schools recognized that despite this horrific incident, students of Hopkins deserved the opportunity to show that Trap shooting as a club sport could be safe and successful. Many students all across the state enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities. Trap Shooting is know to build self confidence and raise self-esteem in athletes. In addition, it is a known fact that students who feel a connection to school related clubs and activities  not only perform better academically but also feel more comfortable with the school community. The Hopkins High School Trap club provides an opportunity to those who share a love of the outdoors to come together as a club and build on those important connections.

"Hopkins High School has opened the door for all other schools in the state - with out them we would not have competitive Trap Shooting clubs in our schools."                                                                                                                                                                        David Vice - Park Sportsman's Club

"Our daughter never connected in school / community sports like she has with the Hopkins Trap Shooting Program"                                                                                                                                              

     Margaret Anderson - Hopkins Parent

"We have first hand seen our sons grades improve along with his Trap scores - we believe strongly that this is due  in part to the lessons taught as being as a part of this trap shooting club. We could not be more thrilled with the life lessons being taught"                                                                                                        

      John Merkel - Hopkins Parent

"We are into education and we are into educating the entire student population and the community. We have had this discussion in our school community about giving our students the opportunity to be a part of something"                                                                                                                                

   Willie Jett, Principal Hopkins High School

Since its inception the club has grown each year. 

Since 2007 there has been an athlete waiting list to join.  

Here are a few of the significant dates along the path of this historic event.

2005 - Hopkins High School gains approval for a Trap Shooting Club - first official (school district sanctioned) club of its kind in the state of Minnesota.

2006 - Hopkins is joined by Minnetonka and Armstrong with official school sanctioned clubs. Wayzata also joins but does not yet have an officially school sanctioned team.

2007 - Hopkins approves "Lettering" for the Hopkins High School Trap Club - again they are the first in the state to do so. 

2008 - First "Classic Lake Conference Shoot" with Hopkins, Minnetonka, Armstrong, Wayzata.

2009 - First State Shoot sponsored by Minneapolis Gun Club and Minnesota Trap Shooters Association

          The event features "official" high school sanctioned Trap teams from, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Armstrong, Wayzata, St. Francis, White Bear Lake, Worthington, and newly 

          approved Prior Lake. This is the first High School Trap Shooting State contest in Minnesota History.

2010 - Minnesota State High School Clay Target League is formed. One week prior to Minneapolis Gun Club and the MN TSA sponsoring their second state high school event.

2011 - Hopkins Claims first place in their MSHSCTL Conference

2012 - Hopkins places Second in the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League Conference 8A

2013 - Hopkins High School Trap Team claims Second Place in the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League Conference Class 13A.

The Varsity Team goes on to place Third in the Varsity Division out of 88 schools at the State Shoot. Team Members Jake Myers and Quinn Rohweder shoot scores of 98/100 that places them in a five person shoot-off to determine high male gun. Quinn ends up placing second, and Jake ends up placing sixth out of 2100 athletes. Top Five Team scores earning Hopkins the Third place Team finish were. Quinn Rohweder /98, Jake Myers /98, Eric Maag /93, Jacob Johnson /93, Tony Bredemus / 93 for a high score of 475. Perfect scores 25s were posted by - Quinn Rohweder, Jake Myers, John Zierden, Austin Bizal, Tony Bredemus, Jacob Johnson. 

The State Team was coached by Mark Czech & Dave Vice.

2014 - Hopkins takes third place in conference 13A - and narrowly misses qualifying it's team for the MSHSL State Shoot - Individually Tom Koppe qualifies for the state event.

2015 - Hopkins is the only school to have an athlete shoot a prefect score of 100 straight targets at the MSHSCTL Championship in Alexandria. Senior Tom Koppe did not miss a single target that day. In addition, David Beck (10) was declared High Gun Junior Varsity Male with a high score of 98. David ran his last 50 targets. Meghan Dolan (12) placed 7th overall High Gun Varsity Female. Zach Wood (8) tied for 5th place overall Novice, While Johnathan Miranda tied for 7th. Katie Longar (10) tied for 7th overal Female Novice.

As a result of this event Hopkins qualified 7 individuals for competition at the MSHSL State Shoot. The Hopkins squad had a exceptional performance at this event placing 3rd out of 31 teams. The Hopkins squad missed out on a first place finish by only 5 targets. The team was represented by: Tom Koppe, Austin Knapp, Peter Bakert, Jared Witt and Nolan Urahn. The team was coached by Mark Czech & Perry White

2016 - Scholastic Clay Target Program State Shoot - May 7th at MPLS Gun Club - 5th place team overall - Participants - Zach Wood - Jared Witt - Charlie Abel - Jonathan Miranda - David Lorentz - Tyler Seltzer - Nolan Urhan - David Beck - Austin Knapp - Dash Thomas

*Hopkins Invitational - Saturday - May 21st - School attending - Hopkins, Minnetonka, Providence Academy, Orono - Austin Knapp (12) Nolan Urahn (12) Score 92 - 1st Place High Gun Male (tie) - Hopkins High School - High Squad Overall - Austin Knapp (92) - Nolan Urahn (92) - Tyler Seltzer (91) -Dash Thomas (90) Carter Martodam (84)

Pre State Shoot Minneapolis Gun Club - June 4th - Dash Thomas 96 second place senior overall - Austin Knapp 93 - Nolan Urahn 90

Minnesota State High School Clay Target League Championship - June 16th - Hopkins Team Qualify for the MSHSL State Tourney with a score of 461/500

David Lorentz (10) - score 94 - David’s score was the deciding factor in a three way tie to qualify for state - 38 Teams total from around the state qualified for MSHSL Tourney

3 Teams tied with scores of 461 - to determine the tie breaker - the high gun score from each team was used - the results were - Edina (95) Hopkins (94) Becker (93)

Edina Qualified 4th - Hopkins Qualified 5th and Becker did not qualify. In addition - Nick Gardner (10) - Hi Gun Novice Male placed 9/147 and scored (58/75)

Josh Burgoyne (11) - Hi Gun Novice Male placed 19/147 and scored  (56/75) - Tyler Fromm  - Hi Gun Junior Varsity Male placed 32/264 and scored   (84/100)

Sam Barczak - Hi Gun Junior Varsity Male placed 32/264 and scored  (84/100) - Olivia Lorentz - Hi Gun Junior Varsity Female placed 13/59 and scored    (81/100)

Katie Longar - Hi Gun Junior Varsity Female placed 25/59 and scored  (73/100) - David Lorentz (10) - Hi Gun Varsity Male placed 11/282 and scored (94/100) - Carter Martodam (8) - Hi Gun Varsity Male placed 16/282 and scored (93/100) - Dash Thomas (12) - Hi Gun Varsity Male placed 27/282 and scored (92/100) - Austin Knapp - hi Gun Varsity Male placed 27/282 and scored (92/100) - Nolan Urhan - Hi Gun Varsity Male placed 59/282 and scored (90/100)

Minnesota State High School League State Tournament - June 25th - Hopkins squad placed 20th out of 45 teams, with a score of 444 - Squad Members - Austin Knapp (12) - Dash Thomas(12) - Carter Martodam (9) - David Lorentz (10) - Nolan Urhan (12)

2017 -

2018 -

2019 - Season Cancelled due to Covid 19

2020 - No State Tourney

2021 -

2022 - MSHSCTL State Championship.

Ashley Sarvie - Takes home a first place Female Novice Class medal - for her 86 - MSHSCTL State Championship.

Varsity Athlete Colton Behn earns his second 50 straight patch with a two round run of 67 - MSHSCTL State Championship.

         A.J. Fristad posts his second perfect 25 of the season - MSHSCTL State Championship.

         Hudson Jewison posts his first  ever perfect 25 in competition - MSHSCTL State Championship.

          Varsity team places 11th out of 45 teams - MSHSCTL State Championship.

          JV takes 9th out of 28 teams - MSHSCTL State Championship.

          Novice secures 10th place out of 24 teams - MSHSCTL State Championship.

2023 - 

2024 - Ashley Sarvie, 3rd place High Gun Female MSHSL State Trap Shooting Tournament.

Hopkins Trap Team - In the News!