Photos and information from Casey Luttrell:
Oakfield-Alabama High School freshman Chase Luttrell (top photo) won three trophies at the Amateur Trapshooting Association's Northeastern Grand Trapshooting Competition, held in Bridgeport Sept. 17 to 19.
The 14-year-old competed in the Sub Junior class (age 14 and under). He is coached by his father, Casey Luttrell, and Elba resident Kevin Rombaut, a teacher in the Elba Central School District.
Chase shoots a Beretta A400 multi-target 12-gauge shotgun as well as a Browning model 725.
He was named Sub Junior Singles* Champion with a high score of 89 on Friday of the competition.
He was the Sub Junior Handicap** event runner-up with a 67.
"The scores are usually higher than this but it was kind of a rough weather day up there with some nasty wind, so all scores were lower than usual," Casey Luttrell says.
In the contest that Saturday, Singles Championship Day, Chase earned the title of Sub Junior Champion with a 178/200 and again "the weather was dicey with wind affecting the targets pretty good."
Chase shot an 85/100 in the morning and came back with a 93/100 in the afternoon for a combined score of 178/200 to win his Sub Junior class.
"His normal gun, the Beretta, was malfunctioning in the morning so that's when he switched to the Browning over/under that he had never shot before and started shooting the lights out," Casey Luttrell said. "I was very proud of him because that is a difficult thing to do.
"Picking up a gun you have never shot before and shooting it well enough to win is above and beyond my expectations for him as his father and coach."
Both father and son won in their class in Singles Championship Day.
"I thought that was pretty cool," Chase's dad said. "I won AAA class, which is the highest classification you can achieve as a shooter with a 197/200. I also won AAA class on Thursday (Sept. 17) with a 99/100. So we did great as a father and son duo and brought home some hardware to add to the trophy case."
Casey started teaching Chase about a year and a half ago, using the knowledge accumulated in his 29 years of experience as a competitive shooter in the ATA and in local leagues.
"He has improved greatly month after month," says the proud parent.
Chase also plays basketball and is a member of the Oakfield/Elba junior/senior trapshooting team.
*Singles event means shooting from the 16-yard line.
**Handicap event is shooting from a yard line that is farther back. The farther back you get, the more difficult it is.
Below, Chase and Casey Luttrell, each with a trophy they won in their respective classes at the ATA Northeastern Grand Trapshooting Competition, and their trapshooting rifles.
