News

Cloninger Takes 2025 Junior State Title For Her Second Cup; Culbert Is Sub-Junior Champ

Josie Cloninger is not new to winning, experiencing a great deal of it over the last several skeet seasons.

She wanted this one, though, opting to leave a family beach trip early just to have the chance to win the North Carolina Junior State Skeet Championship in her final year of eligibility.

Cloninger used a perfect 100 to secure the 2025 Junior State Championship on a warm day at Rowan County Wildlife Association. The title is Cloninger’s second in three years.

Reid Culbert followed up his third-place finish last year to win the 2025 Sub-Junior State Championship.

Jacob Meads shot a 98 to finish runner up while 2024 State Champion Ridge Pearson used a 97 to end up on the podium again this year.

Cloninger’s 100 also netted her the Ladies Champion with Daytona Mix and Morgan Elizabeth Melton using strong days on the skeet field to round out the Ladies podium. Cloninger joins her sister Corrie to become three-time winners of the Ladies Junior Cup.

Easton Davenport and Alexis Bouldin finished on the podium for the Sub-Juniors.

Caleb Howard ended up winning the Collegiate Title with Connor Bruning finishing runner up.

Among the strong participants were two of the top shooters in the arear shooting for the non-resident title. North Carolina’s Junior State Championship is an Open tournament allowing out-of-state shooters an opportunity to collect registered targets. This one turned into a battle of South Carolina’s finest with Robert Dudley outlasting fellow statesman Landon Bryant in a shootoff to take the Non-Resident trophy. Both shooters collected 99s in the 12 gauge event.

Congratulations to all participants. Be sure to check out the final rundown on the Results page.