From left, Vandan Pezzullo, Jonas Eloranta and Alexander Erickson of the Big Shooters youth program at Sagola Township Sportsmen’s Club wear medals won at the Shawano, Wis., Summer Shoot. (Submitted photo)

CHANNING — Four members of the Sagola Township Sportsmen’s Club Big Shooters youth program competed at the Shawano Summer Shoot, earning first-place medals in several events as well as two state titles.

Many of the events were new to the Big Shooters, as this was their first time attending the annual shoot. Jonas Eloranta was the only member to participate in archery. Representing Florence County 4-H, he took fourth place in 3-D animal archery.

In the wildlife junior event, Eloranta earned top honors. This is the highest any of the Big Shooters club has ever ranked in this event. In the animal team youth-adult event, he took home first place with his father, Tyler Eloranta, joining him.

Eloranta also won first place in the air rifle junior event.

In the powder-burning events, the other three members of the Big Shooters joined in the fun. Gavin Ollila earned second place in air rifle junior. Ollila also competed in the air rifle plinker event and earned top honors.

Intermediate shooter Vandan Pezzullo, representing Florence County 4-H, competed in four events. Pezzullo got second place in both the .22 sporter rifle and .22 pistol events. It was Pezzullo’s first time competing in any pistol event.

He earned first place in .22 rifle silhouettes and .22 rifle unlimited. Pezzullo’s intermediate silhouette scores from this event and the Brown County Shootout in June earned him top honors in Wisconsin for 2023 in rifle silhouettes.

The Big Shooters’ only senior competitive shooter was club President Alexander Erickson. He entered representing Florence County 4-H.

In .22 sporter rifle, Erickson earned a third-place medal. In his first time competing in a 4-H pistol event, he brought home a second-place medal.

Erickson earned first-place medals in .22 rifle unlimited and .22 rifle silhouettes. His scores from this event and previous scores at the Brown County Shootout in June earned him the Wisconsin championship for the 2023 rifle silhouette event. His latest silhouette score also set the record going back as far as 2018 for silhouette scores in Wisconsin 4-H.

The Big Shooters Club meets at 1 p.m. the first Sunday of every month at the Sagola Township Sportsmen’s Club in Channing.

Participants start out in a gun safety program and later move on to numerous shooting events.

Members regularly compete in 4-H, Civilian Marksmanship Program, American Legion and other National Rifle Association events.

For more information about the Big Shooters Club call Tony Erickson at 906-396-1119.