EvaKriener

Pull, bang, repeat. 

One by one, shotgun barrels rise into the air as the word “pull” rings through the air. Orange clays fly overhead, and the shooters aim to break them into hundreds of tiny pieces. Breaking one clay is more than what it seems; one orange disc is the difference between winning and losing. 

However, for senior Chloe’ Reynek, this isn’t her first shot at this sport. Reynek has been with the team since she first stepped foot in Marian, and it is something she wants everyone to be able to experience. “This sport was something I have never done before, but I was so excited to try it,” Reynek said. “It’s a very male-dominated sport, but I love being on an all-girls team. It’s very empowering when we beat out the boys’ teams during our meets.”

The trap team competes in six meets every Saturday beginning in mid-March. At the end of April, the team travels to Doniphan, Nebraska, to shoot at the state meet. 

Reynek said the state meet is the highlight of every season. “I love being able to be in the same hotel as the team; we really get the chance to bond over things that happened [during the meet]. It helps build our team’s community and increase our bond,” she said.

Though Reynek is the only Marian girl from the Class of 2023 and the team captain representing Marian, she feels extremely connected to the rest of the team. “Being the team captain makes you a leader, but it doesn’t put you above anyone else,” Reynek said. She said that “though it is a combined team with Duchesne and homeschool girls, we’re all on the same playing field and we do things together for the better of the team.”

This year will be Reynek’s last year as a member of the Marian team. She hopes to be able to pass this legacy on to other girls who want to try this sport. “The number of Marian girls on the team is shrinking, which really devastates me,” Reynek said. “This team has been a part of Marian since 2004, and I think it should continue to be here.” 

Reynek said that “being on the trap team has made her feel like she is part of something bigger than herself.” She mentioned that the team finds ways to be more of a whole, like wearing the blue vest.

“The blue vest is an important symbol of our team, and you earn it after your first year. Though we go to different schools and come from different backgrounds, it shows people that we are one team,” Reynek said.

She hopes that this team can continue to touch the lives of girls just as it touched her. 

UPDATE since Network publishing: The Cornhusker State Trapshoot took place on April 28 and 29. The results included many winners from the Duchesne girls on the team, including Calla Behney ‘24 winning the first place overall female shooter, Izzy Jansen ‘23 placing second in the overall female shooter category, and the first place team trophy to the Duchesne squad of Calla Behney ‘24, Grace Nigro ‘24, Izzy Jansen ‘23, Elizabeth Saal ‘26, and Delaney Moffitt ‘23.