The 2017 spring league of the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League kicked off last week. 

Part of the league for their seventh season are the student athletes from NRHEG High School.  Fielding 59 shooters this year, the Panthers find themselves in Class 7A, Conference 3 against teams from Monticello, Big Lake, Forest Lake, Delano, East Grand Forks and Royalton. Both NRHEG and Monticello are looking for their second consecutive spring conference title.

The Panthers, who shoot at the Owatonna Gun Club south of Hope, recorded three scores of 49/50 and two scores of 48/50.  The Monticello squad posted two perfect rounds of 50, one 49/50, and five 48/50 scores.

NRHEG coach Dan Sorum said it was high scoring for the first week of the regular competition. Twenty-one athletes posted scores of 48/50 or higher between the NRHEG, Monticello, Delano, Forest Lake and Big Lake teams.

Leading the way for the NRHEG shooters were Collin Christenson, Tory Christenson and Noah Lund. 

To catch Monticello in the remaining four weeks of this five-week season, the Panthers will have to see improvement from their lower third of shooters while maintaining the high scores posted by their top group, Sorum said.

All standings, scores and statistics from the league can be found at mnclaytarget.com. The NRHEG team will take to the range again at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Owatonna Gun Club. Spectators are welcome.