Scholastic Action Shooting Program Virginia State Championship

The Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) recently held its state championship at the Winchester Izaak Walton League (WIWL) in Winchester, VA. The match had a total of 58 entries across five different shooting disciplines. SASP is a team sport where athletes compete in squads of four. Athletes shoot for time at five steel targets that are arrayed in four different stages.

Athletes from as far as Ohio participated in the Virginia SASP State Championship.

SASP began in earnest in Virginia in 2015 when Team LoCo Motion was established in Purcellville. In 2016, the Winchester Izaak Walton League established the WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets. This year, Liberty University established a collegiate team which took 2nd Place in the SASP Collegiate Nationals in the Spring. A number of new SASP teams are being established in the Commonwealth, with participation in the state championship expected to double next year.

Squad results were:
Rimfire Pistol
Varsity (High School) and Intermediate (Middle School) Divisions
State Champion – WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Team LoCo Motion

Rimfire Rifle – Iron Sights
Open Division (High School and Middle School mixed)
State Champion – WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Ross County Steel Ringers
3rd Place – Team LoCo Motion

Rimfire Rifle – Optic
Open Division
State Champion – WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Ross County Steel Ringers
3rd Place – Team LoCo Motion

Pistol Caliber Carbine
Open Division
State Champion – Team LoCo Motion
2nd Place – WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets

SASP athletes are also recognized at the individual level with high overall awards. Team LoCo Motion Captain Adam Jardines who was the rimfire pistol state champion, became the Commonwealth’s first athlete to compete in the centerfire pistol division.

Individual results were:
Rimfire Pistol
Varsity Division (High School)
State Champion – Ethan Jardines, Team LoCo Motion
2nd Place – Maccoy Gilkison, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
3rd Place – Andrew Sullivan, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets

Ethan Jardines of Team LoCo Motion receiving the rimfire pistol championship cup from Liberty University Head Coach Dave Hartman.

Intermediate Division (Middle School)
State Champion – Alexander Baird, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Lauren Creese, Team LoCo Motion
3rd Place – Scarlett Leatch, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets

Rimfire Rifle – Iron Sights
Varsity Division
State Champion – Ethan Jardines, Team LoCo Motion
2nd Place – Maccoy Gilkison, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
3rd Place – Talon Morris, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
Intermediate Division
State Champion – Alexander Baird, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Ayden Wilson, Ross County Steel Ringers
3rd Place – Hayden Thomas, Ross County Steel Ringers

Rimfire Rifle – Optics
Varsity Division
State Champion – Maccoy Gilkison, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Andrew Sullivan, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
3rd Place – Adam Jardines, Team LoCo Motion

Intermediate Division
State Champion – Alexander Baird, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Ayden Wilson, Ross County Steel Ringers
3rd Place – Hayden Thomas, Ross County Steel Ringers

Alexander Baird of the Blue Ridge Bullets with Match Director Mark Prater and WIWL Representative Stan Kugler.

Pistol Caliber Carbine
Varsity Division
State Champion – Maccoy Gilkison, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Andrew Sullivan, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
3rd Place – Jack Bright, Team LoCo Motion

Intermediate Division
State Champion – Alexander Baird, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Lauren Creese, Team LoCo Motion
3rd Place – Walter Davis, Jr., WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets

SASP State Advisor Dr. Eliot Jardines stated, “Our state championship went exceedingly well and it is clear our athletes have come a long way this season. I look forward to a strong performance at SASP Nationals in mid-July. We owe a big debt of gratitude to the Winchester Izaak Walton League for hosting the championship. We certainly could not have asked for better hosts, or more dedicated volunteers. We were honored to have Dave Hartman, the Head Coach of the Liberty University SASP team present awards at the noon ceremony, and representing WIWL for the afternoon awards ceremony was Mr. Stan Kugler.”

Alexander Baird, Maccoy Gilkison, Talon Morris and Andrew Sullivan of the Blue Ridge Bullets receiving their squad awards from Stan Kugler.

As the teams gear up for the new shooting season staring in September, SASP is keenly interested in expanding the program throughout Virginia. Interested parties are encouraged to contact the VA State Advisor at admin@locomotionfoundation.org to learn more about establishing a team, available funding and scholarship opportunities.