PIERRE, S.D. – Six local kids were winners in the Elks Lodge #1953 Hoop Shoot at the Georgia Morse Middle School gym on Sunday evening. Tripp Lindekugel, Cameron Bernhard, Grayson Seiner, Tenley Lindekugel, and Izabelle Clark, each won their age group and will advance to the Elks State Hoop Shoot on February 8, 2024, at Georgia Morse Middle School in Pierre, S.D.
Tenley Lindekugel hit 12 free throws to win her division. Kenzie Clark and Collyns Keeton finished second and third respectively. Izabelle Clark won her division outright as the only competitor in the 8-9-year old girls’ category. On the boy’s side, Tripp Lindekugel hit 22-of-25 shots in the 12-13 boys’ competition. Weston Terwilliger hit 19 of his attempts to take second place, while Callum Brunner took with 17 hits. Cameron Bernhard will advance to the state competition with 17 made, outlasting his competition Hudson Hackett and Adler Bastian with 13 free throws. Hackett won a shoot-off to take second place. Grayson Seiner was the only competitor in the 8-9-year old boys’ division and hit 11 shots.
Photos provided by Heather Perry
In total, 13 local kids participated in the free, annual free-throw contest. The lodge contest is the first step in advancing to the April national championships in Chicago. The winners of the South Dakota state contest on February 8 will compete at the regionals in Rapid City in March against the Montana and North Dakota state winners. The Hoop Shoot is a signature kids program sponsored by the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, which is a 142-year old, national fraternal organization.
For more information about the Hoop Shoot or Elks Lodge #1953, please visit elks.org.
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