DILLON — Three girls and three boys, ages 8-13, were crowned champions at the Elks South District Hoop Shoot free throw contest Saturday at the Straugh Gymnasium on the Montana Western Campus.

Those winners include Butte’s Tenley Osborne and Clay Salo. Osborne won the girls’ 12-13 age group, making 20 out of 25 shots. Salo captured the boys’ 8-9 title. He sank 22 free throws.

Butte’s Jace Graham placed second in the boys’ 11-12 age group. He made 20 free throws. Anaconda’s Tre Estes won with 23.

Caitlyn Jo Gallagher of Butte took second in the girls’ 8-9 group.

Other Butte contestants who won the Butte Lodge No. 240 competition in November were Taylor Benski, Bridger Smyth, and JJ Hardy.

First and second place trophies were awarded to each boy and girl in three categories: ages 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13. The contestants who participated at the District Hoop Shoot Contest were crowned Champions at their local Lodge Contest within the Montana South District, comprised of Anaconda No. 239, Butte No. 240, Deer Lodge No. 1737, Dillon No. 1554.

The three first place boys and girls in age categories 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13 will advance to the Montana State Contest at Park County High School in Livingston on Feb. 14. They will compete against the Districts Champions from the other four Montana districts. With continued success, the six Montana State Champions will advance to the Regional Contest in Rapid City, South Dakota, on March 7and the National Finals in Chicago on April 18. The names of all the national winners will have their names digitally displayed in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

This program is totally sponsored by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the U.S.A. It is endorsed by hundreds of school systems around the country. The Elks fund the program primarily through its National Foundation and the support of the local lodges and state associations.

The Elks Hoop Shoot” began as a local program by Corvallis Oregon Elks in 1946, is in its 54th year of national competition. In the past, Montana has crowned several National Champions.

Age group winners (scores out of 25):

Girls 8-9
1st – Kasey Staley, Dillon 20
2nd – Caitlyn Jo Gallagher, Butte 11

Girls 10-11
1st – Aspen Gibson, Dillon 11, 3/5, 3/5
2nd – Adeley Kenny, Anaconda 11, 3/5, 2/5

Girls 12-13
1st – Tenley Osborne, Butte 20
2nd – Kansas Keller, Dillon 18

Boys 8-9
1st – Clay Salo, Butte 22
2nd – Emmett Holbrook, Twin Bridges 18

Boys 11-12
1st – Tre Estes, Anaconda 23
2nd – Jace Graham, Butte 20

Boys 12-13
1st – Austin Blando, Dillon 17, 4/5, 4/5
2nd – Jack Grinolds, Anaconda 17, 4/5, 3/5