By JESSA PEASE / Staff Writer

PELHAM— The Cahaba Valley Elks Lodge held a Hoop Shoot Competition for students in Shelby County Jan. 10 at Riverchase Middle School, and six competitors are moving on to the regional level.

The Hoop Shoot Competition is a national event hosted by Elks Lodges all over the country. Tom Davidson, the coordinator of the event, announced to the audience that this was biggest turnout the Cahaba Valley Elks had seen in Pelham.

“This is the largest crowd by far we have had (at the Hoop Shoot competition),” he said. “Thank you all for joining us.”

There were six categories of competitors, and each player was given 25 shots to prove their skills.

Zankira Scott, of Meadow View Elementary School in Alabaster, made 10 baskets in the 8-9 girls division, and Emma Miller, of Helena Intermediate School, came in second place with eight shots.

First place winner in the 8-9 boys category was Anderson Harris, who attends Meadow View Elementary. Harris tied with Graham Gulock, of Mt Laurel Elementary School, making 14 baskets.

The two boys had a shoot off, and Harris was able to make three of his five shots against Gulock’s one.

In the 10-11 girls category, two Mt Laurel students took first and second place. Sophia Brown made 16 baskets and Alexandria Redd made 13.

Preston Johnson took first place for the 10-11 boys. The Alabaster Sixth Grade Center student made 14 baskets. Blake Jennings, of Wilsonville Elementary School, took second place with 13 shots.

An impressive 17 baskets gave Alabaster Middle School student, Abby Grace Walker, the first place win in the 12-13 girls category.  Alyse Jones, or Montevallo Middle School, placed second with nine shots.

J.C. Lindley, of Helena Middle, and Jordan Holloway, of Riverchase Middle, tied with 15 baskets each in the 12-13 boys category. Lindley took the win after making four of the five shots during the tiebreaker versus Holloway’s one basket.

The first-place winners will compete in the regional competition Jan. 31 at Riverchase Middle School. Five students in the three age groups will compete in the final competition in Chicago, Ill.