Storms Interrupt But Fail to Stop AMU at 2021 National Long Range Matches
September 7, 2021
CAMP PERRY, Ohio – The CMP’s National Long Range events at Camp Perry saw over 700 individual entries throughout the five-day series, which ran from Aug. 10-14. Along with Long Range Rifle competition, the matches featured Service Rifle, Palma Rifle, Match Rifle and, for the first time, F-Class categories.
Some of the matches on the Long Range schedule were interrupted by heavy storms that moved in and out of the area. The Henry Memorial Match was especially affected by a particularly strong cell, causing a cease fire and evacuation of the ranges for safety. The storms persisted throughout the match day, leaving the remainder of the Henry Memorial to be, ultimately, cancelled. Luckily, the rest of the matches were conducted without delay and displayed exciting rounds of noteworthy performances from individuals and teams.
Earning the overall win in the National Long Range rifle category was Staff Sgt. Verne Conant, 25, of the Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) out of Ft. Benning, Georgia, with a score of 1436-80X. High Woman was Staff Sgt. Amanda Elsenboss, 25, of the Army National Guard with an aggregate score of 1425-64X, as Ronald LeBlanc, 64, of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, reached 1416-49X to become the High Senior of the class. Staff Sgt. Maj. Norman Crawford, 71, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, also pulled High Grand Senior honors for his showings in the Long Range matches.
Overall winners also included Staff Sgt. Jarrod McGaffic, 31, the AMU in Service Rifle and John Friguglietti, 50, of Lincolnton, North Carolina, with the Palma rifle. Hanne Brantner, 51, of Greencastle, Pennsylvania, earned High Woman in the Palma category, and Robert Steketee, 66, of Haslett, Michigan, claimed the High Senior title.
Adding to several individual victories, the U.S. AMU also achieved wins in both team events.
Though the Army led several matches in the Long Range category, Ronald LeBlanc managed to fire a score of 198-11X to top the AMU in the Critchfield Memorial Match. Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Sopko, 65, of Macungie, Pennsylvania, marked an incredible score of 200-11X to claim the win in the Kerr Memorial event.
Other notable individuals and teams from the 2021 National Long Range Matches:
Viale Memorial Match:
Overall Long Range Rifle: 1st Lt. Sarah Beard, 30, Danville, Indiana, AMU – 200-10X
Overall Service Rifle: Staff Sgt. Jarrod McGaffic, 31, Fort Benning, Georgia, AMU – 196-12X
Overall Palma Rifle: Keith Hoverstad, 66, Cary, North Carolina – 199-14X
Overall Match Rifle with Optics: Michael Keeler, 54, Wexford, Pennsylvania – 198-11X
Overall F-Open: Kenneth Livengood, 67, Palmerton, Pennsylvania – 194-7X
Overall F-T/R: Alan Barnhart, 65, Cedar Springs, Michigan – 191-6X
Critchfield Memorial Match:
Overall Long Range Rifle: Ronald LeBlanc, 64, Portsmouth, Rhode Island – 198-11X
Overall Service Rifle: 1st Sgt. Glenn Worley, 43, Laramie, Wyoming – 194-7X
Overall Palma Rifle: John Field, 38, Sandisfield, Massachusetts – 198-6X
Overall Match Rifle with Optics: Staff Sgt. Mark Altendorf, 41, Quantico, Virginia – 199-8X
Overall F-Open: Kenneth Livengood, 67, Palmerton, Pennsylvania – 196-3X
Overall F-T/R: Alan Barnhart, 65, Cedar Springs, Michigan – 188-3X
Kerr Memorial Match:
Overall Long Range Rifle: Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Sopko, 65, Macungie, Pennsylvania, USN – 200-11X
Overall Service Rifle: Staff Sgt. Jacob Blackburn, 28, Ellerslie, Georgia, AMU – 196-6X
Overall Palma Rifle: Spencer McGowan, 47, Hortonville, Wisconsin – 198-7X
Overall F-Open: Kenneth Livengood, 67, Palmerton, Pennsylvania – 195-5X
McMaken & Speaks Memorial Match:
Overall Long Range Rifle: Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Green, 36, Box Springs, Georgia, AMU – 199-15X
Overall Service Rifle: Staff Sgt. Jarrod McGaffic, 31, Fort Benning, Georgia, AMU – 196-X
Overall Palma Rifle: Thomas McGowan, 16, Hortonville, Wisconsin – 198-4X
Overall F-Open: Kenneth Livengood, 67, Palmerton, Pennsylvania – 195-5X
Bataan Memorial Team Match:
Overall Match Rifle: USAMU Greenwood (Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Green, Stagg Sgt. Erin McNeil, Staff Sgt. Verne Conant, Spc. 196-8X) – 794-39X
Overall Service Rifle: USMC (Sgt. Patrick Moody, Billy Sturman, Sgt. Shane Butler, Sgt. Travis Crago) 762-19X
Overall Palma Rifle: USNRT Gold Mrnak – Kent Shomber, John Field, William Meade, Col. Curtis Bohman) – 779-23X
Baesel Memorial Match:
Overall Long Range Rifle: Staff Sgt. Verne Conant, 25, Ft. Benning, Georgia, AMU – 200-12X
Overall Service Rifle: Sgt. Lane Ichord, 27, Phenix City, Alabama, AMU – 199-10X
Overall Palma Rifle: James Root, 47, Lasalle, Michigan – 200-10X
Overall Match Rifle with Optics: Tim Bloss, 45, Keyser, West Virginia – 198-8X
Overall F-Open: Kenneth Livengood, 67, Palmerton, Pennsylvania – 195-5X
Overall AR Tactical: Joseph Legg, 18, Wallisville, Texas – 186-4X
Winder Memorial Team Match:
Overall Service Rifle: USAMU Craig (Staff Sgt. Jacob Blackburn, Sgt. Lane Ichord, Staff Sgt. Jarrod McGaffic, Staff Sgt. Alexander Deal) – 777-24X
Overall Palma Rifle: WI & Denver (Spencer McGowan, Thomas McGowan, Staff Sgt. Brian Rautanen, Chief Warrant Officer Denver Gillham) – 779-26X
Overall Match Rifle: Southeast Rifle Club Blue (Thomas Guercio, John Whidden, Bill Vaughan, John Updike) – 790-34X
Camp Perry Palma Match:
Overall Palma Rifle: John Field, 38, Sandisfield, Massachusetts – 448-26X
Overall Match Rifle Any Sights: Sgt. Thomas Colyard, 33, Melbourne, Florida, USMC – 439-16X
Overall Service Rifle: Maj. Samuel Freeman, 37, Hendersonville, North Carolina – 441-20X
Overall F-Open: Kenneth Livengood, 67, Palmerton, Pennsylvania – 432-13X
Overall AR Tactical: Joseph Legg, 18, Wallisville, Texas – 428-12X
CMP Long Range National Individual Match Aggregate:
Overall National Long Range Rifle: Staff Sgt. Verne Conant, 25, Ft. Benning, Georgia – 1436-80X
High Woman Long Range: Staff Sgt. Amanda Elsenboss, 25, Ft. Benning, ARNG – 1425-64X
High Senior Long Range: Ronald LeBlanc, 64, Portsmouth, Rhode Island – 1416-49X
High Grand Senior Long Range: Staff Sgt. Maj. Norman Crawford, 71, Fayetteville, North Carolina – 1405-43X
Overall National Service Rifle: Staff Sgt. Jarrod McGaffic, 31, Fort Benning, Georgia – 1405-52X
Overall National Palma Rifle: John Friguglietti, 50, Lincolnton, North Carolina – 1423-59X
High Woman Palma Rifle: Hanne Brantner, 51, Greencastle, Pennsylvania – 1403-48X
High Senior Palma Rifle: Robert Steketee, 66, Haslett, Michigan – 1420-56X
View a complete list of results of this and other 2021 Camp Perry National Rifle Matches at https://ct.thecmp.org/21nmlongrangeresults.
Photos of the National Matches Long Range rifle events can be found and downloaded for free on the CMP’s Zenfolio page at https://cmp1.zenfolio.com/f224108322.