The Lincoln-Nekoosa-Port Edwards-Adams/Friendship High School Trap Team spring 2026 season underway

CENTRAL WISCONSIN – The Wisconsin High School Clay Target League spring ‘26 season is underway. This brings another exciting season of high school trap shooting to our four local Central Wisconsin school districts. Athletes who shoot during the spring season have a state event where all athletes are welcome to compete for individual and team awards. This event is held at the WTA Homegrounds in Rome, Wis., June 6 and 7.
There is also a national event that student athletes must earn an invitation to by shooting in the top of their class during the spring season. The national event is held at the MTA grounds in Mason, Mich. July 8-12. This event brings 1,800 of the top individual shooters and 240 of the top teams from all of the states that participate in the USA High School Clay Target League to shoot for the number one spot in the nation.
“It is one of the most exciting, intense, and rewarding events I, as a coach, have attended!” Adams-Friendship High School Coach John Von Wald said.
The Lincoln, Nekoosa, Port Edwards, Adams-Friendship High School Trap Team is a very competitive team of young shooters who participate in the shotgun sport called trap. It is offered to high school students within the school districts previously listed. Middle school students, if interested, should see one of the coaches at their respective school district in preparation for the fall league. All athletes interested in becoming part of the team must have a Wisconsin DNR Hunter Safety card prior to team registration. To complete Hunter Safety training, please visit the Wisconsin DNR website.
The spring competition is currently underway with spring training and competition weeks one through three already in the books. Athletes will compete for a total of five weeks to conclude their spring conference season. Coaches have been working with new and returning athletes during spring training and additional practices to hone their skills before the competition rounds. The competition part of the league runs from the end of March to the State shoot in early June. Competition is held one day a week at the Wisconsin Trapshooting Association Homegrounds (WTA) in Rome.

The WTA hosts multiple shoots throughout the year and is the home base for the Wisconsin Amateur Trapshooting Association State shoot held yearly in July. It is a beautiful place to host a high school team and shoot on the same field as thousands of competitive adults do each year. The spring ‘26 team has already been formed and well underway for the season. However, athletes who are interested in joining can see a coach or school representative to get their name on the list for the fall ‘26 season that starts right as school does in the fall. This is an exciting opportunity for high school students to represent their school as part of a team in shooting sports and do what they love.
To follow the team and their standings, please visit the Wisconsin High School Clay Target League website and the leaderboard for the season. The team is in class 1A and Conference 8. Conference competitors include Oconto, Platteville, Kickapoo, Hillsboro, Argyle, Shawano and Bonduel High Schools. All conference teams shoot at their respective clubs with the scores being entered online and the competition being conducted virtually around the state. Athletes and teams are competing for a variety of team and individual awards throughout the season.
The Lincoln, Nekoosa, Port Edwards, Adams-Friendship High School Trap Team would like to thank the 2025 sponsors and all of the support provided for the year. With community support, the team is able to provide a uniform at no cost to each athlete, reduce the cost of targets per round, register a team for Nationals, provide ammunition to support practice and competition shoots plus many, many more ways of supporting the athletes of the trap team as they continue on their adventure in this sport.
2025 fall season recap
The fall season is a short but competitive season. The team is usually smaller in the fall due to other sports and athletes’ schedules conflicting with the scheduled shoot days. This fall, the team was composed of 16 members that came together for one practice, five competition weeks and a party shoot. The new athletes were able to pick up the sport fairly quickly, and the returning athletes were putting up solid scores on a nightly basis. Some returning athletes had large personal gains in scores between the spring and fall seasons. The season concluded with a fourth place finish in the conference against Cassville (first), Lena (second), Potosi (third), Gale-Etric-Trempealeau (fifth), Bonduel (sixth) and Marion (seventh) high schools.
Team awards
In team awards, there was a shoot-off for Top Gun between Erik Michalsen and Blake Hafeman, each shooting a 48/50 sometime within the season’s competition weeks. The shootoff was held at awards night with Blake Hafeman taking Top Gun for the season.
• High average was earned by Erik Michalsen shooting 45.2 of 50 targets for the season.
• Hoyt Koch had an honorable mention with a 45/50 targets for the season.
• Colin Resheske made some huge strides with his shooting and accuracy during the season and earned the most improved athlete award by raising his score 17.5 targets per 50 over the season.
• 25 straight patches were awarded throughout the season to Blake Hafeman (three), Hoyt Koch (one), Jordan Larson (one) and Erik Michalsen (one).
League standings
Conference recognition for earning a rank within the Top 25 athletes include the female division with Charlie Michalsen placing fourth and the male division with Erik Michalsen at #10, Hoyt Koch #12, Blake Hafeman #15, Jon Duerr #18 and Brayden Weis and Jordan Larson tied at #20.
High school students interested in becoming part of the High School Trap Team should contact a coach at their respective school. Coach contacts include John Von Wald at Adams-Friendship High School, 608-339-3213 extension 1143 or vonwald_j@afasd.net; or Charlie Duerr at Lincoln High School, 715-424-6750 or charles.duerr@wrps.net. School representatives include Steve Birno at Port Edwards, Birnost@pesd.k12.wi.us, and Ashley Engstrom at Nekoosa, Ashley_Engstrom@nekoosa.k12.wi.us.