This summer has been one of state and national champions for Douglas and Coffee County.
The latest to enter the championship circle is Caden Carter, who is the 2023 Scholastic Clay Target Program’s (SCTP) Intermediate Advanced National Sporting Clay Champion (Middle School Grade Level). His score tied for first overall ages participating which ranges through college age. Additionally, Caden took home 4th in the nation for Skeet for his division. He and three others tied for 2nd place and placements were determined by who missed a shot the earliest out of 100 targets. Caden missed the earliest shot so he was awarded 4th.
Caden also competed in the SCTP Kids N Clays Charity 5 Stand Event and SCTP Kids N Clays Main Sporting Clay Event that was open to all shooters as well as adults. Caden won both of these charity events and brought home trophies for each event as well as the High Overall Trophy for the SCTP Kids N Clays Events. Leading up to the SCTP Nationals, Caden had won the 2023 SCTP Intermediate Advanced Georgia Sporting Clay Championship and the 2023 SCTP Southeastern USA Regional Intermediate Advanced Sporting Clay Championship.
Caden competes with the Southwind Blazers for the SCTP division and Caden, Alex Dunn (Ed/Becky Dunn of Douglas), and Jackson Ray (Curtis/Leanne Ray of Nashville) represented the team at the national championship this year, which was held at the Cardinal Center in Ohio. The team claimed 2nd place overall Sporting Clay Squad against teams from every state in the nation. Alex Dunn also brought home additional individual National Awards as well. Overall, there were more than 10,000 entries at this massive event. This team did a fantastic job of representing South Georgia.
Earlier this year, in the affiliation of National Sporting Clay Association (NSCA), Caden has earned the position of All-American Sub-Junior (under 17 years old) First Team for 2023 Perazzi 12 Gauge and NSCA 12 Gauge, 2023 Briley 20 Gauge and NSCA 20 Gauge, and the 2023 Kreighoff All American Sporting Clay and NSCA Sporting Clay teams. Only 10 kids across the national are selected across the nation for each division’s first team.
Additionally, Caden’s win at the NSCA’s Open Championship and NE regional placement has enabled him to be in the running to earn one of 3 placements on Team USA’s Sub-Junior Sporting Clay Team for 2024 that will represent the USA on the international level at the world sporting clay event. The team will be named at the conclusion of all regional USA events and the NSCA National Event.