Ferguson, Others Spark New Records at 2022 Eastern CMP Games & Highpower Matches
May 13, 2022
CAMP BUTNER, N.C. – SSgt Stephen Ferguson, 40, of Blackstone, Virginia, set a new event record in the Springfield Match Course at the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) 2022 Eastern CMP Games & Highpower Matches, with a score of 295-13X. Ferguson edged the previous record, set by David Thompson in 2016, by only five X-shots.
The annual Eastern Games was held April 22 to May 1 at Camp Butner in North Carolina, with over 400 participants firing in the variety of vintage, modern military, highpower rifle and pistol opportunities offered on the schedule. Designed to provide unique challenges to a wide spectrum of guests, the event is filled with recreational-style competitions and educational courses that are suitable for new and experienced enthusiasts.
Recognitions and awards for individual accomplishments, such as for Overall, High Woman, High Senior and High Junior competitors, are part of the CMP mission and are featured at each competitive event held throughout the year.
William Trowell, 58, of Raleigh, North Carolina, claimed the overall win in the As-Issued 1911 Pistol Match and commented on his positive experience during the 2022 Eastern Games, thanks to the CMP staff members’ commitment to the sport and to the comfort of those in attendance.
“I saw that the CMP Support Staff was passionate in supporting the program and the shooters,” he said. “Even us little shooters – to get the achievement medals in a ceremony is a big morale booster.”
Trowell, who has been attending the Eastern Games since 2013, also earned the high non-distinguished honor and second place overall in the .22 Rimfire Pistol EIC Match.
Winning the .22 competition was Jonathan Shue, 40, of Liberty, North Carolina. Shue went on to lead the Service Pistol EIC match, guiding him to the title of Overall Individual Pistol competitor of the Eastern Games event for his consistent outstanding scores.
Offered for the second year at Eastern Games was a series of pistol aggregate matches to further challenge competitors on the firing line. Overtaking the Match Pistol 2700 Aggregate, an accumulation of scores fired in the .22, .45 and Center Fire 900 Aggregates, was, again, Shue, after collecting all three 900 Aggregate wins and earning an overall score of 2628-125X.
In rifle, last year’s Garand Match winner, Brian Williams, 48, of Granby, Massachusetts, returned in 2022 to claim the overall win in the event as well as overall wins in the Modern Military and Carbine competitions.
Also marking a new Eastern Games Record was Keith Schachle, 63, of Jasper, Georgia, who fired a score of 293-10X in the Vintage match – surpassing his own 2017 record by one point.
In the CMP Highpower Matches, USAMU Green (SSG Ben Cleland, SFC Brandon Green, SSG Jarrod Mcgaffic, SSG David Bahten) overtook the Match Rifle 4-Man Team event with a new record score of 1981-97X, just one point above the previous record set in 2019.
SFC Brandon Green, 37, a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU), went on to break the CMP 2400 Aggregate Overall Match Rifle record he had originally set in 2018 – collecting a 2022 score of 2390-115X. USAMU teammate SSG Ben Cleland, 29, claimed a record of his own in the EIC Service Rifle Match after reaching an incredible score of 499-25X. Cleland dropped only one point the entire match, during the prone slow portion, while cleaning the rest of the stages.
SFC Erin O’Neill, 33, also of the USAMU, earned the Overall Service Rifle title in the 2400 Aggregate Match with a score of 2379-104X.
Daily highpower awards were also presented to the top civilian and military competitors in the Match and Service Rifle categories as well as to aggregate winners by slow and rapid fire stages. Find a complete list of results, including “High” categorical winners, on the CMP Competition Tracker page athttps://ct.thecmp.org/EasternGames22Results.
Other Notable Results of the 2022 Eastern Games & Highpower Matches:
Games Rifle:
M16 EIC Rifle: John Wilson, 49, Tampa, Florida – 379-5X
Garand: Brian Williams, 48, Granby, Massachusetts – 294-10X
Springfield: SSgt Stephen Ferguson, 40, Blackstone, Virginia – 295-13X
Vintage Military: Keith Schachle, 63, Jasper, Georgia – 293-10X
Modern Military: Brian Williams, 48, Granby, Massachusetts – 294-8X
Carbine: Brian Williams, 48, Granby, Massachusetts – 373-8X
Vintage Sniper Manual Team: Hard Leg 3 (Terrence McCoy, Michael Gugulis) – 391-20X
Rimfire Sporter:
O-Class: Ryan Ward, 25, Greenville, North Carolina – 575-14X
T-Class: : SSgt Stephen Ferguson, 40, Blackstone, Virginia – 591-29X
TU Class: Andy Miller, 47, Coshocton, Ohio – 585-27X
Games Pistol:
M9 EIC Pistol: Nicholas Madison, 30, Roanoke, Virginia – 252-3X
As-Issued 1911: William Trowell, 58, Raleigh, North Carolina – 377-7X
Military & Police Service Pistol: MSgt Nicholas Capko, 38, Fredericksburg, Virginia – 384-9X
CMP .22 Rimfire Pistol: Jonathan Shue, 40, Liberty, North Carolina – 281-10X
Pistol EIC: Jonathan Shue, 40, Liberty, North Carolina – 285-9X
Match Pistol 2700 Aggregate Any Sights: Jonathan Shue, 40, Liberty, North Carolina – 2628-125X
Match Pistol 2700 Aggregate Metallic Sights: Nate Gunn, 38, Spencer, West Virginia – 2420-37X
.22 Rimfire 900 Aggregate Any Sights: Jonathan Shue, 40, Liberty, North Carolina – 883-44X
.22 Rimfire 900 Aggregate Metallic Sights: Nate Gunn, 38, Spencer, West Virginia – 819-12
.45 900 Aggregate Any Sights: Jonathan Shue, 40, Liberty, North Carolina – 871-34X
.45 900 Aggregate Metallic Sights: Nate Gunn, 38, Spencer, West Virginia – 803-12X
Center Fire Aggregate Any Sights: Jonathan Shue, 40, Liberty, North Carolina – 874-47X
Center Fire Aggregate Metallic Sights: CDR Phillip Geiger USN, Suffolk, VA – 813-18X
Overall Individual Pistol Aggregate: Jonathan Shue, 40, Liberty, North Carolina – 1302-29X
CMP Highpower Matches:
4-Man Team:
USAMU Greenwood (Service Rifle) – 1970-81X
USAMU Green (Match Rifle) – 1981-97X
CMP 2400 Overall Aggregate:
Overall Service Rifle: SFC Erin O’Neill, 33, Fortson, Georgia – 2379-104X
Overall Match Rifle: SFC Brandon Green, 37, Box Springs, Georgia – 2390-115X
Overall EIC Service Rifle: SSG Ben Cleland, 29, USAMU – 499-25X
Photos of the event are available for free download at https://cmp1.zenfolio.com/f620606501.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the 2023 Eastern CMP Games & CMP HP Rifle Matches! The event will be held April 28 through May 7 – back at Camp Butner. View a full schedule of events for the upcoming Eastern Games on the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/cmp-matches/eastern-cmp-games-cmp-hp-rifle-matches/.
About the CMP Games:
The Competition Games are regional competitions held around the country throughout the year, featuring CMP’s unique rifle and pistol outdoor matches. Recognized as staple events of the CMP schedule, the Games are centered around recreation-oriented competition and educational activities that are designed to accommodate experienced marksmen as well as those hoping to learn more about the sport. For more information, including a detailed glance into each Games event, visit the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/competitions/cmp-travel-games/.