The 2016-17 season just keeps getting better and better for the Wilbraham & Monson Academy Riflery program.
For the first time in 28 years, the Titans won the 86th annual Prep School Gallery Match, topping Avon Old Farms and Suffield Academy Feb. 16 at Blue Trail Ridge in Wallingford, Conn.
The team of Dan Wesson '18 (196 of 200 points), Erika Convery '19 (196), Zihan "Leo" Liu '18 (183) and Ji Yuan "David" Zhan '17 (180) finished with a score of 775 to win by five points. Dan and Erika also both recorded the match's high score, with Dan being crowned champion because he shot more bull's-eyes.
"Winning the Prep Gallery Match was one of our goals before the season started," first-year Coach Bill Passy said. "I reminded them of that before we got off the bus. We had already accomplished a couple of our team goals, but I added the importance of this one since it hadn't been won by WMA in 28 years."
WMA trailed by 13 going into its last two shooters, and Dan and Erika responded with remarkable performances in a high-pressure situation to lift the Titans to the championship.
When the Titans won in 1989, Dan's dad, Eric Wesson '89, was a member of the winning team.
The Academy takes on archrival Suffield Feb. 18 and 20. Both teams are 6-0 in the Quinnipiac Division. The Feb. 18 match will be held at 1:30 p.m. at WMA.