L-R MSG James Stone, Mya Burriss, Courtney Carpenter, Eden Skidmore, and LCHS Athletic Director Josh Hughes.
The two time Kentucky State Champion Air Rifle Team from Lewis County High School’s JROTC Precision Air Rifle Team has been assigned a merit based 4 yr. scholarship from Schreiner University and will shoot for the University’s Rifle Team.
Lewis County seniors Mya Burriss, Courtney Carpenter and Eden Skidmore each accepted the scholarship to SU, and are eager to continue their athletic and academic careers with the Mountaineers.
“Great kids, hard workers. They put in the effort. They’re the kids that, they’d give up a prom or a homecoming to make sure they’re at a match.” said Lewis County JROTC shooting coach, MSG James Stone, “I’ve got kids that scrape together their nickles and dimes and quarters so they can put two or three gallons of gas in their cars so they can make it to practice. These kids work hard. Absolutely the hardest working kids I’ve ever seen, and that’s coming from an army guy.”
Burriss, Carpenter and Skidmore have each been a huge part of the Lewis County precision rifle team throughout their high school careers, helping lead their team to two Kentucky state championships, an Ohio state championship, a seventh brigade JROTC championship, and several other accomplishments throughout their time with the team.
“We’ve placed fifth in our region, which covers about 27 states, and top ten in nationals.” said MSG Stone.
Precision air rifle competitions are scored out of a possible 600 points, with shooters taking twenty shots toward the target from three different positions, prone, standing and kneeling. Lewis County has consistently scored in the high 580s, with Burriss, Carpenter and Skidmore helping lead the pack for their team.
The trio is now preparing for their first competition of their senior year, as they head north to Camp Perry in Port Clinton Ohio this morning.
“We have to be up at 2:30, we leave Lewis County at four in the morning, we drive to Camp Perry and get there at about ten. We’ll shoot until about two or three, we’ll get out and get something to eat and we’ll get here usually about 8 p.m. It’s a long day, and they’d do it six days a week if they had to.” said MSG Stone.
As the team competes through the near year-round competition, the trio will continue to work hard to improve their skills on the range, hoping to bring even more championships home to Vanceburg. Looking forward to collegiate careers, Burris, Carpenter and Skidmore are excited for what lies ahead, and are eager to continue competing alongside one another.
“They’re looking forward to it, right now they’re pretty excited. I’m sure when time gets closer they’re gonna be scared but all three of them are going together. They’ve already been told they’ll be in the same dorm, so they’re all three gonna be together. They’ve been together for the last four years, they’re gonna continue to be together.” said MSG Stone.
The trio will begin their collegiate athletic careers in August, and will each be majoring in Nursing as they continue their education.
Schreiner University is a private university in Kerrville, Texas and was founded in 1923. Schreiner University sports teams participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)’s Division III. The Mountaineers are a member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC).
