By Sean Simmons
LITTLE SILVER—On Sunday morning, the Red Bank Elks Lodge #233 held their annual Hoop Shoot competition at Red Bank Regional High School and once again it was a great success.
“We had another great turnout,” Hoop Shoot Chairman Thomas Van Laarhoven said. “We wish all our winners the best of luck from Elks Lodge #233 in Red Bank, New Jersey.”
The Elks Hoop Shoot Free Throw Contest is the largest and most visible of the many youth activities sponsored by Elks Lodges.
The Elks Hoop Shoot highlights the Elks commitment to America’s youth. From the millions of youngsters who participate and advance through local, district, state and regional competition, six national champions are named, one boy and one girl in each of three categories: ages 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13. The winners each receive a trophy and their names are inscribed on a plaque at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. Parents accompany the contestants throughout the competition and the parents of the finalists at the state, regional and national levels attend the competition as guests of the Elks.
In the boys 8-9 year old division, Robby Sypeck from Viola Sickles took third place shooting 13 out of 25. Taking second place was Chris Paternostro from St. Leo School shooting 15 out of 25. Brandon Klatsky from Oak Hill Academy came in first place shooting 17 out of 25.
In the girls 8-9 year old division, Julia Nappi from Oak Hill Academy came in third place shooting 8 out of 25. Coming in second place was Sophia Mahedy from Deane-Porter School shooting 10 out of 25. Abigail Cieri from Oak Hill Academy took first place shooting 13 out of 25.
In the boys 10-11 year old division, Joseph Calabrese from Knollwood School came in third place shooting 14 out of 25. Finishing in second place shooting 15 out of 25 was Stephen Braunstein from Oak Hill Academy. Taking first place was Alex Klatsky from Oak Hill Academy shooting 19 out of 25.
In the girls 10-11 year old division, Isabelle Losordo from Oak Hill Academy took third place shooting 5 out of 25. Coming in second place shooting 9 out of 25 was Kristina Nappi from Oak Hill Academy. Sarah Karpell from Indian Hill School took first place shooting 11 out of 25.
In the boys 12-13 year old division, Tommy Lang from Markham Place School came in third place shooting 16 out of 25. Taking second place was Logan Lukenda from Oak Hill Academy shooting 17 out of 25. John Poccia from St. James School took first place shooting 18 out of 25.
In the girls 12-13 year old division, taking third place shooting 14 out of 25 in a tiebreaker was Victoria Sullivan from Markham Place School. Coming in second place winning a tiebreaker and also shooting 14 out of 25 was Erica Soya from Shrewsbury Borough School. Finishing in first place was Ghillian Ferraiola shooting 19 out of 25.
All of the first place winners will move on to the District Hoop Shoot, which will be held at Carl Sandberg Middle School on January 7th, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. in Old Bridge, New Jersey.
“I want to give special thanks to all the volunteers from the Elks who gave their time to support the youth of our communities,” Van Laarhoven said.
