T-Falls teen to compete at state Hoop Shoot

A Thompson Falls girl will be moving on to the next level of the Elks annual Hoop Shoot competition, after she nabbed first place in her age class Saturday in Polson.

Thirteen-year-old Allison Vaught, a seventh-grader at Thompson Falls Junior High School, sank 15 of 25 free throws during the 2007-2008 Montana West 5120 Elks District Hoop Shoot. Despite having the flu all week, Vaught shot two more baskets than second place winner Kyla Paulsen of Hamilton in the 12-13-year-old class.

Vaught was one of six Sanders County boys and girls of Clark Fork Valley Elks Lodge 2757 to participate in the competition. Madison Wheeler of Thompson Falls took second place in the 8-9-year-olds by shooting 11 of 25 baskets, one fewer than Cydney Finberg of Kalispell.

In the 8-9-year-old boys class, Dylan Beckman, a T-Falls resident, finished third with 15 baskets. Thompson Falls resident Erica Sorlie finished second place in the 10-11-year-old girls class with 19 baskets, missing first place by one basket. First went to Hannah England of Libby.

Kyle Revier of Plains took second place in the boys 10-11 age class with 15 of 25 hoops. And Neal Jopling of Trout Creek finished second in the 12-13-year-olds with 20 baskets, three fewer than first place Alexander Presnell of Kalispell.

Twenty-six competitors participated in the Polson event. The first place winners will compete at the state level championships in Billings Feb. 2, 2008.