A large turnout of area youths competed in the 39th annual Greater Nashua Elks Hoop Shoot Free Throw Contest at the Elm Street Middle School Gymnasium on Saturday with four Nashua youths, 13-year-old Michael Kernan, 10-year-old Tilak Patel, 10-year-old Heather Bridge and 9-year-old Hailey Sullivan winning their respective divisions and two Hudson youths, 12-year-old Amanda Torres and 9-year-old Garrett Lambert winning their respective divisions.

The “hottest hands” in the contest were that of Kernan’s and Jacob Coleman, who tied at 19-out-25 free throws. Kernan won the tie-breaker, sinking five out of five to Coleman’s four of five. Third place went to Casey Fisher. Another first place tie with 14 each took place in the Girls 10-11 division with Bridge sinking three out of five against Marisa Gaudette’s two out of five tie-breaker shots. Third place went to Molly Dee.

Torres won the 12-13 girls title with 16-of-25 free throws followed by runner-up Kaylee Verrington and third-place finisher Amanda Stumpf. Rounding out the girls 8-9 division was Sullivan with 13 free throws, followed by runner-up Jasmine Sylvester and Lauren Belair.

Lambert won the boys 8-9 division with 17 free throws, followed by runner-up Joshua Kinghorn and Christian Belonga. Rounding out the 10-11 boys division was winner Patel sinking 18-of-25 free throws. Runner-up was Harper Niven and Adam Fenlasor in third place.

The top three finishers in the six divisions were presented with their respective first place Gold Trophies by Nashua Elks Hoop Shoot Chairman Al Savage. The six 2010 area champions will now compete in the State Elks South District Hoop Shoot Championships in Nashua on Jan. 8. The contest will again be held in the Elm Street Middle School gym, starting at 9 a.m. Elks, parents, friends and all the Hoop Shoot Champions from the competing Elk Lodges of Nashua, Manchester, Concord, Keene, Dover, Portsmouth, Rochester and Derry/Salem will be guests at an Awards Luncheon at the Nashua Lodge of Elks Home immediately after the contest.

District winners will advance to the State Finals in Plymouth on Feb. 5 and 6, with winners advancing to the New England Regional Hoop Shoot in South Portland, Maine, in March. The Elks National Hoop Shoot Free Throw Finals will take place in Springfield, Mass., in April.

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