What you need to know:
- Young shooters from across Alaska competed in the YESS state championship, testing their skills in trap, skeet and sporting clays events, with the final competition held in Big Lake.
- Participation was down to 45 shooters this year because several Southeast teams could not attend because of travel costs. The championship highlighted both competition and camaraderie, with athletes from around the state supporting one another on the course.
- Palmer Moose YESS captured the grand champion team title with 1,810 points, while Logan Williamson of Palmer Moose was named Highest All-Around Shooter with 424 points.
- Short on time but need the local news scoop? Get free weekly news in your inbox for Mat-Su, from Mat-Su.
BIG LAKE — Dozens of young shooters from across Alaska gathered last week for an annual shooting sports state championship to test their skills in various shotgun disciplines.
The sun shone in competitors’ eyes as they navigated the winding birch forest sporting clays course at 7th Summit Shooting Park in Big Lake on Friday during the final day of the Youth Education in Shooting Sports, or YESS, competition. Stations were designed to simulate real-life hunting scenarios, with clay pigeon target throwers set to mimic various flight patterns.
The field was considerably smaller this year, with 45 shooters compared with 70 in 2025. Southeast teams were unable to attend because of travel costs previously offset by a National Rifle Association grant that they did not receive this year, said Lindy Moss, who administers the Alaska YESS program…