Montana youth excel in 127 Sports Intensity's 8K Shooting Challenge

Press release

FAIRFIEL — The 8K Shooting Challenge, an initiative of 127 Sports Intensity in partnership with the Fairfield Basketball Club, concluded on August 23 after a demanding 114-day period that commenced May 1. This athletic event challenged 75 young basketball enthusiasts from various Montana communities to enhance their shooting skills during the offseason. The program concluded with notable improvements in participant abilities and fostered a strong sense of community and competitive spirit among young athletes.

They included three Harlem students. Fourth-grader Vada Stiles ranked 42nd with 2,125 sank out of 8,000 shots, sixth grader Zaya Stiles sand 2,020 tor and 46th and third grader Taio Stiles ranked 63rd with three sank. Second-grader Lodge McKenna also participated.

The challenge also attracted participants from Baker, Malta, Shelby, Choteau, Fairfield, Townsend, Belt, Power, Frenchtown and Superior, with 64 actively engaging in the event. The challenge involved two shooting routines that helped participants improve their accuracy and consistency. Young athletes from grades 1-3 were challenged to shoot 4,000 shots, grades 4-5 aimed for 6,000, and the most experienced group, grades 6-8, strove for 8,000 shots. Parents supported the event by tracking and confirming shot counts on a public online platform.

The event celebrated numerous achievements as well as upcoming awards:

Age Group Winners (Most Overall Shots):

• 1st-3rd Grade Girls: McKinley Clark from Frenchtown with 6,432 shots.

• 4th-5th Grade Girls: Brynly Conrow from Superior with 14,495 shots.

• 4th-5th Grade Boys: Camden Clark from Frenchtown with 15,861 shots.

• 6th-8th Grade Girls: Natalie Rasmussen from Fairfield with 11,039 and Zoey Fisher from Shelby with 10,545 shots.

• 6th-8th Grade Boys: Leyton Bakken from Greenfield with 94,772 shots and Jack Rasmussen from Fairfield with 85,792 shots.

In addition to these top performers, 24 participants completed the Shot Challenge. Notable among these achievers were Timber Pennaccio, Tristan Palmer, Brody Palmer, Jamison Brush, Cason Gardner, Finley DiFulgentis, Ethan Lucier, Liam Ask and Sam Tingley from Frenchtown; Jackson Newcomer from Belt; Anders Bakken from Townsend; Natalie Rasmussen, Conley Dahl, Colton Dahl, Kellen Kolste, Eastyn Tweet from Fairfield; Eli Cowgill, Cameron Keel, Maverick Klinker from Greenfield; Grady White and Bella White from Shelby. Congratulations to these young athletes for setting a goal and following through to achieve the goal.

Outstanding Achievement!

Overall, the challenge produced remarkable statistics, with 477,524 shots attempted (almost half of a million), taken over 114 days, engaging 64 active shooters and 26 completing the set goal. The challenge also awarded over $1,200 in prizes and awards, recognizing the hard work and dedication of the participants.

As the 8K Shooting Challenge concludes, 127 Sports Intensity and the Fairfield Basketball Club are already planning future events for the 2024-2025 school year, promising more opportunities for youth to participate, improve their skills, and enjoy the spirit of competition. Interested individuals are encouraged to reach out and join the upcoming challenges. Challenges are open to everyone. The next challenge will run from Oct. 1 to Nov. 31. The challenge focus will be announced by September 15th.

For more details, participation inquiries, or to view the full standings and player biographies, visit https://www.fairfieldbasketballclub.com/8kchallenge or contact Mike Schmidt at [email protected], phone: 406-590-2677.