Feb. 17, 2008
By Bob Eley
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Published Sunday, February 17, 2008
The Alaska Nanooks hit their mark in the NCAA Qualifying match Saturday at El Paso, Texas.
Led by freshman standout Cody Rutter of Palmyra, Pa., the Nanooks easily cruised to victory over the University of Texas-El Paso, 4,669-4,593.
Rutter posted the top scores for both the smallbore and air rifle teams during Saturday's competition, which was moved from Fairbanks to Texas when the Nanooks couldn't find an opponent to come to Fairbanks for the event.
A little trip to El Paso didn't hurt the Nanooks at all as they won the smallbore event 2,298-2,272 and the air rifle competition 2,371-2,321.
Rutter posted scores of 579 out of a possible 600 in the smallbore event and 596 out of 600 in the air rifle event.
"That kid is on a mission," Nanooks coach Dan Jordan said. "I brought him in figuring it would take a year for him to develop, and he's exceeded all expectations."
Rutter didn't even make the Nanooks travel team for the first road trip in November, but he joined Jordan and several teammates for a camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs during the Christmas break and then caught fire on Alaska's January road trip.
"I think that when he didn't go on that first road trip, it kind of lit a fire under him and made him realize how stiff the competition is on this team," Jordan said. "He worked hard and ever since we came back from the break, he's been doing better and better in each match."
Rounding out the Nanooks air rifle squad were junior Patrik Sartz of Sweden with a 595, junior Christofer Olofsson of Sweden with a 591 and freshman Taylor Beard of Parker, Colo., with a 589.
"Our air gun score was phenomenal," Jordan said. "It was probably the highest score anyone has shot this year."
Following Rutter in the smallbore event were Sartz with a 578, Olofsson with a 573 and Billy Galligan of Eagle River with a 568.
"Team-wise, I thought we shot pretty well today," Jordan said. "The only thing that was a little disappointing is that our shooters who were competing as individuals didn't shoot better."
While the Nanooks posted the top NCAA qualifying score in the country, Jordan said he didn't expect any of his individual shooters to qualify for the national championships.
"I thought we had the potential to get maybe three more in there," he said. "It would have been nice to get them some NCAA experience."
The Nanooks will be seeking their third straight NCAA title and 10th overall title at this year's NCAA championships.
In addition to serving as the qualifying event for the NCAA Rifle Championships March 14-15 at Army in West Point, N.Y., the match also counted as the NRA Collegiate Sectional.
Jordan said the Nanooks won the overall title and the air gun crown, while Army captured the smallbore event.
Jordan also said that Rutter would be the winner of the air gun competition and Sartz would be second.
