As great of a season the Wilbraham & Monson Academy Riflery team had last year, the team is remarkably doing just as well in 2017-18.
The WMA Riflery team won the Prep School Gallery Match Feb. 14, topping Suffield Academy and Avon Old Farms at Blue Trail Range in Connecticut. It was the second year in a row the Titans claimed the championship, and the first time since the 1949-50 season the team won back-to-back titles.
"It's a great honor to win such a prestigious match," Coach Bill Passy said. "The Gallery Match has been in existence for 87 years, and to do something no WMA team has done is 68 years is amazing. The kids have worked extremely hard and deserve all the credit in the world. To perform so well when everyone else is gunning for you is awesome."
WMA's four-person team of Dan Wesson '18 (198), Pin Hsin "Irene" Fang '18 (195), Nick Spellman '19 (194) and Erika Convery '19 (190) shot a final score of 777 (out of 800), beating second-place Suffield by 19 points. Dan's score of 198 matched the school record, set last season by Dan and Erika.
Also, in a sign of domination, the Titans not only posted the top three individual scores among the 33 shooters, but seven of the top 14.
As a bonus, WMA also won the Senior Match, meaning the shooters had to self-sight their targets. Dan (197), Erika (196), Nick (189) and Ben Bicknell '18 (181) teamed to record a 763, beating Avon by two points.
WMA has already clinched the Quinnipiac Division with one match remaining. The Titans will look to complete another undefeated regular season when they host Suffield on Senior Day at the Cowdrey Range Feb. 17 at 2 p.m.