Area Athletes Place In Shooting Challenge
From Wibaux to Libby — and from Declo, Idaho, to Beach, N.D., — youth logged thousands of shots and hours of reflection in a record-setting test of skill, discipline and educational athletics.
Hosted by the Fairfield Basketball Club under the 127 Sports Intensity nonprofit banner, the 2025 Shooting Challenge mobilized:
• 157 youth athletes (101 boys and 56 girls)
• 46 Montana towns represented (plus participants from Idaho, North Dakota, and Washington)
• More then 76 consecutive days (April 15 – June 30, 2025) Athletes set and chased ambitious shooting goals — from 1,000 shots for pre-k to 6,000 for high school — while also completing weekly online homework assignments that reinforced core values of educational athletics: grit, growth, gratitude and self-awareness. All shots were verified through daily parent submissions, which totaled: 3,160 logged parental entries, 773,512 total made shots and an average of 10,177 shots per day.
Culbertson’s Finley Nickoloff earned first place in the girls’ 4-6 grade division. The fifth-grade student with 14,520 total shots.
The Hotshots of Highway 2 placed 11th in the team competition. Amongst the members of the team were Wolf Point’s Sophia Ricker, Wolf Point’s Aspyn Solberg, Frazer’s BriAnna Beston, Culbertson’s Ayden Ator and Culbertson’s Aeryn Ator.
The Renegades placed 14th in the team category. Amongst the team members were Culbertson’s Nickloff, Culbertson’s Leandra Perkins and Culbertson’s Payton Labatte.
