It started out with a great honor, but when the week was over and all the gun smoke had cleared, there was quite a bit of glory to go along with it.
Dirk Meckstroth has enjoyed shooting at the Cardinal Center shooting complex in Marengo since it opened about 10 years ago. But there’s never been a week quite like the one he experienced this past June 20-26.
Meckstroth, 49, from New Knoxville started the week by being inducted into the Ohio State Trapshooting Hall of Fame. With that honor, he joined his stepfather, Dave Berlet, as an HOF member.
But that was just the beginning. During the 131st Ohio State Trapshooting Championships that followed, Meckstroth walked away with several trophies, including the coveted Ohio Singles Championship. To win the singles, he broke all 200 of the regular program targets and then beat three others in a shootoff.
As if icing on the week, Meckstroth won the Class AA championships in both the High Over All and High All Around competitions. His scores were 1,146 and 390, respectively.
“It was quite a week and a lot of fun,” Meckstroth said. “I didn’t really know how I’d feel when the Hall of Fame induction came around, but it’s an honor. And it’s nice to be in there with my dad.”
He said the singles championship has been his greatest accomplishment in trapshooting, but he’s always enjoyed winning the father-son trophies at the Grand American.
“He (Berlet) has always been a big help to me in my shooting career, he and Brad Dysinger. They’re the ones who have meant the most,” Meckstroth said.
Several other Miami Valley shooters fared well. Larry Sowers of Dayton was the top veteran in All Around at 382. Jerry Russell of Piqua won the Class D Over All at 1,095.
The Ohio Handicap was won by Tanner Cornett of Hamilton with a 99. The sub-junior champ in that event was Adam Bush of Xenia with a 97; Kyle Kraemer of Hamilton was the junior winner at 98 and William Monroe of Middletown won senior vet at 97.
Meckstroth added a Class AA trophy in the Doubles Championship, shooting a 98. Jason Huffman of Piqua was the Class B winner with a 96.
In the singles championship, Craig Blank of Xenia was the vet winner at 199 and Rife Denlinger of Middletown was the top senior vet at 199.
Betty Peterson of Xenia won several events in the Ladies2 division. Rick Springer of Wapakoneta was the sub veteran winner in three events; Douglas Comer of DeGraff won a Class B in doubles at 98; Tony Homan of Coldwater had a Class B win in singles with Piqua’s Russell winning Class D at 96.
John Webb of Sabina won a singles AA title with a perfect score of 100. Bryce Havenar of Sidney won Class D at 96. In handicap competitions, Myron McBride of Hamilton had a vet win at 94, Laura Kuhn of Celina was Lady winner at 96 and Pat Neff of Middletown was a sub vet winner at 97. Berlet of New Knoxville won the first singles event in the senior vet category at 100.
Ed Harruff of New Bremen won a sub vet doubles title at 189.
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