The six winners of the Marion Elks 32 local Hoop Shoot Competition participated in the Elks North-Central District Hoop Shoot on Sunday, January 11th in Lexington, Ohio. Marion had two first place finishers who will proceed to the state competition. Marion also had one third and one second place finisher as well.
Eli Burris placed first in the boys 10-11 year division, and Cody Harris won the boys 12-13 division. Burris is a returning Elks state champion. Both young men will advance to the Elks State Hoop Shoot Competition, scheduled for February 7 in Upper Arlington, Ohio. State winners progress to the three-state Regional competition in March in Rochester, MI. The National Finals will be held in Massachusetts.
Katie Lawson finished second in the 12-13 girls division, and Courtney Rengert captured third place in the girl’s 8-9 division.
There are 15 Elks Lodges in Marion’s district (North-Central), and over 13,000 young people competed at the local Lodge level throughout the district. Over 90 youngsters, ages 8 through 13 competed in the January Elks North-Central District free throw contest in Lexington. This is the 32nd year that the Marion Elks have sponsored the “Hoop Shoot.”
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The "Hoop Shoot" contest is conducted in five tiers to qualify for the National Finals: the local school contest, the local Lodge contest, the District contest, the Regional contest and the State contest. Contestants will shoot for the best of 25 baskets at the Lodge contest and beyond. Ties will be broken by a five-basket shoot-off. 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd place trophies are awarded in all age groups. National winners also have their names inscribed on a permanent "Hoop Shoot" plaque at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.