Area youngsters competed in the annual Perry Elks Lodge #407 Hoop Shoot Contest in the Perry Middle School gymnasium. Trophies were awarded in five divisions, with no entries in the sixth. This year’s winners:
Boys 8-9 years Drake Levan of Perry
Girls 10-11 years Lydia Olejniczak of Perry
Boys 10-11 years David Roberts of Perry
Girls 12-13 years Quinn Whiton of Perry
Boys 12-13 years Kolton Trent of Panora
No girls competed in the 8-9 years category.
The event was coordinated by Perry Elk Mark McCarty with assistance from nine other volunteers Elsk. First-place Hoop Shoot winners advance to the district contest in Storm Lake Jan. 17, McCarty said. Winners of the Perry Elks event will there compete against winners from Ames, Estherville, Jefferson and Sioux City for a chance to advance to the state finals in Oskaloosa.
McCarty said this was the 42nd year for the annual event hosted by the Perry Elks Lodge #407, which was started by longtime Perry Elk Larry Raines in 1973. “It’s been steadily dwindling year by year,” said McCarty, who has coordinated the Perry event since 2000. “AAU ball draws a lot of kids to tournaments elsewhere,” he said.
McCarty said the Hoop Shoot finals will be held at William Penn University Feb 21.
