Sapulpa’s longstanding Elk’s Hoop Shoot tradition continued on Saturday at the old gym in the Sapulpa High School as players lined up over the course of the morning to shoot free throws for a chance to win big.
A free throw program for youth ages 8-13, the Elks National Hoop Shoot contest pits students all over the nation against each other in a friendly but seriously competitive contest.
Each year, the six Hoop Shoot National Champions will have their names listed alongside their picture in a brand-new digital exhibit in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The atmosphere at the Elks Hoop Shoot is not at all like most basketball-related contests: whereas usually the gym will be filled with cheering fans and brimming with excitement, this competition is much more serious—very quiet as the players take their turn at the free throw line, shooting a series of ten shots, and then another round of 15 shots. The players, from different schools around the area, are surrounded by Elks Volunteers, watching the player to make sure they don’t step over the line, and that each shot is qualified. You could almost hear a pin drop.
Now in its 51st year, Saturday’s competition was for Districts, the winners will now go on to state at Enid in February, followed by Regionals and then Nationals. More information on the Hoop Shoot can be found at elks.org
District Winners
Boys, 12-13
1st – Bentley Meisenburg, Wagoner
2nd – Tagg Strelow, Broken Arrow
3rd – Cooper Trease, Miami
4th – Landon Barber, Sapulpa
5th – Parker Matozo, Pawhuska
6th – Jeremiah Frye, Claremore
Girls, 12-13
1st – Tristyn Williamson, Sapulpa
2nd – Kristen Holt, Claremore
3rd – Natalie Taylor, Sand Springs
4th – Lilly Martin, Wagoner
Boys, 10-11
1st – Carter Garland, Broken Arrow
2nd – Kimpton Barber, Sapulpa
3rd – Deagan Guinn, Pawhuska
4th – Cooper Thompson, Claremore
5th – Andrew Taylor, Sand Springs
6th – Casen Rebholz, Wagoner
Girls, 10-11
1st – Kayleigh Scantlen, Broken Arrow
2nd – Brooklynne Ott, Claremore
3rd – Ellie Garnett, Pawhuska
4th – Brylee Hutson, Sapulpa
Boys, 8-9
1st – Ryker Romine, Tahlequah
2nd – Newt Hayden, Pawhuska
3rd – Tucker Graves, Broken Arrow
4th – Deason Mosby, Wagoner
5th – Thomas Nolan, Claremore
Girls, 8-9
1st – Allee Malloy, Sapulpa
2nd – Estella Priest, Claremore
3rd – Lena Pacheco, Wagoner
4th – Arryion Gray, Broken Arrow
