FORT WORTH -- The No. 5 Alaska Nanooks rifle team fell just short of capturing a three-peat at the Patriot Rifle Championships, as they concluded this weekend's stay at Texas Christian University with 4,687 after posting a 2,363 in the air gun on Sunday.
The Nooks entered the final day of the PRC Championships down by two points to No. 3, and host school, TCU, and despite a strong performance in the air gun, it was not enough to overcome the Horn Frogs, as they out lasted Alaska by just one point on Sunday to post a weekend score 4,690 to win their first-ever PRC Championship title by three points.
No. 7 Ohio State placed third with a 4,681, while No. 6 Air Force finished fourth at 4,672. No. 13 Nevada placed fifth (4,636), while UTEP rounded out the team scoring with a 4,594
Alaska continued their recent string of strong performances in the air gun on Sunday, as they posted a 2,363 for the second-straight meet to place second in the event. Sophomore Luke Johnson turned in one of his best performances with the Nooks, as paced the team with a second place finish in the relays by scoring a 594. Redshirt sophomore Sagen Maddalena placed sixth in the air gun, snapping her streak of five-straight meets with an individual title in the event, as she scored a 592.
Johnson and Maddalena each earned a spot in the air gun finals for Alaska. Johnson ended his day by winning the silver medal, as he scored a 204.4 in the final round. Maddalena also collected a top-five finish in the air gun finals after shooting 140.7.
Redshirt junior Soren Butler placed third in the Nooks scoring rotation, as he scored a 589. Senior's Tim Sherry and Jaimie Barnes rounded out the scoring for Alaska, as they both finished their day with a 588 in the air gun.
Maddalena captured second place honors in the overall scoring at the PRC Championships by finishing her weekend with a 1,175. Sherry placed fifth overall with a 1,171 and Butler earned ninth with a 1,169. Freshman JT Schnering, who was not in the Nanooks scoring five today, placed 10th overall with a 1,169. He shot a 591 in today's air gun relays.
Ironically enough, the scores posted at this weekend's PRC Championship were identical with the scores that the Nooks posted against Nevada in a win on Thursday at the TCU range.
The Alaska Nanooks rifle team will be back in action in two weeks, as they host No. 13 Nevada and UTEP for the final regular season meet of the year on Feb. 18. Start time from the E.F. Horton Range is set for 9 a.m. AKT.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks rifle team, follow @NanooksRifle on Twitter or like Alaska Nanooks Rifle on Facebook.
