Gowanda High School Trap Team

06/08/2026

Today, our team participated in the state tournament at Cicero, and we would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to everyone who contributed to the event's success, including those who cooked, brought food, and ensured the athletes' safe transportation. Your support was invaluable. We finished 15th as a team out of 32 teams. Individually, Chris Hojnacki placed 29th out of 86 in the novice category, Jarek Howard finished 32nd out of 214 in the JV category, Zach Start placed 6th and Gavin Witcher placed 85th out of 247 in the male varsity class, and Tessa Bylbie finished 13th out of 39 in the varsity female category. Additionally, Zack Stark received his award for finishing second in the male conference category, and Maddison Smith received her third-place trophy in the female conference category. Congratulations to all, and thank you again to the community for their continuous support. We appreciate it greatly and will start our fall season in September.

06/07/2026

2026 USACTL State Tournament Programs

06/03/2026

Congratulations to members of the Gowanda High School Trap Team who participated in the 3rd annual Western New York High School Allied Trap Shoot this past Saturday. Zachary Stark claimed 1st place in the high gun male, Tessa Bylbie claimed 4th place for high gun female, and the team placed 2nd for high squad overall. Now the team is off to the New York State Tournament this weekend. Good luck to everyone attending.

05/30/2026

The team gathered for a practice session on Tuesday, focusing on preparation for the States competition scheduled for June 7th in Cicero, New York. We commend Maddison Smith for her outstanding performance at practice, scoring two 25s and a total of 96 out of 100. A contingent of nine team members will participate in a tournament today at Allied Sportsman's Club, with results to follow. Our team has 12 athletes set to participate in the State tournament and one athlete will represent us at Nationals in Mason, Michigan, on July 8th. Best of luck to Zach Start at Nationals.

05/28/2026

We would like to thank the Collins Conservation Club for their generous donation. Thank you very much, it's greatly appreciated

05/25/2026

05/25/2026

Our season concludes with a commendable second-place finish in the conference. Athletes, congratulations on your outstanding performance. Several individuals demonstrated remarkable prowess, including Zach Stark, who finished second in the conference, and Drezden Spire, who ranked 16th in the conference Among the females , Maddison Smith placing third, Tessa Bylbie fourth, Delanie Wright fifth, Kara Laskey sixth, and Elanya Ashley 15th. Our recent banquet celebrated the top three finishers and the most improved athlete. Zach Stark claimed the top spot, Madison Smith secured second place, and Tessa Bylbie took third. Delanie Wright was recognized for her significant improvement. We also took time to appreciate our seniors, including Maddison Smith, Chris, Timm Santino, Jefferlone, Colin Barnes, and Brendin Diebel, who was unable to attend the photo. The community's support was phenomenal, with 75,000 cans collected within a three-hour period. We are grateful to Can Kings for their role in the can drive and to Steve Volvo for donating the semi-trailer. Thanks to everyone for their support; we look forward to the next season.

05/24/2026

Let's take a moment to congratulate Colin Barnes on his senior achievement. Colin has been an integral part of the trap team, contributing over a span of two years. When reflecting on his favorite memory, Colin fondly recalls heckling Chris and Drez during shooting sessions. Moving forward, Colin aims to enter the workforce. Notably, Colin's proudest accomplishment is achieving second place in his inaugural year of shooting. Colin's parting wisdom for his teammates is to remain present and focused, emphasizing that there is always another opportunity. For fellow athletes, Colin jokingly advises not to take the coaches' jokes too much to heart.
Thank you to the Boosters for the banner.

05/23/2026

We are pleased to recognize Brendin Diebel's commitment to the Trap team over six years. Brendin will attend SUNY Cobleskill, focusing on environmental conservation. A standout achievement is his States selection. He advises teammates to follow coaches' instructions and enjoy the experience. The team appreciates the Gowanda Boosters Club's provision of senior banners and extends best wishes to Brendin for his future.