A large turnout of area children competed in the 40th annual Greater Nashua Elks Hoop Shoot free throw contest at the Elm Street Middle School Gymnasium on Saturday with five Nashua youths – 13-year-old Chaz Magras, 11-year-old Tilak Patel, 10-year-old Rita Dow, 9-year-old Bianco Gershgorin and 9-year-old Toby Therrien – and one Hollis girl – 12-year-old Molly Dee – winning their respective divisions.

The “Hottest Hands” in the contest were boys Tilak Patel (10-11 Boys Division) and Toby Therrien (8-9 Boys Division) each with 17 out 25 free throws.

Runner-up in the Boys 10-11 Division was Gaven Forcier, with Joshua Kinghorn placing third. Runner-up in the 8-9 Boys Divisions was Michael Robbins with Joey Morse placing third.

Magras, the 12-13 Boys champion, dropped in 16 free throws to win his division.

Runner-up honors went to Cyrus Forcier and third place to Harper Niven.

Dee won the 12-13 Girls title with 16 out of 25 free throws followed by runner-up Isabel Dunning and third place Danielle Upton. Rita Dow won the 10-11 Girls Division with 10 free throws followed by runner-up Peyton Ryan and third place Rachel Holden.

Winning the Girls 8-9 division was Bianca Gershgorin with 10 free throws, followed by runner-up Erin Bourgeois and Aalayah Forman in third.

The top three finishers in the six divisions were presented with their respective Gold Trophies by Nashua Elks Hoop Shoot chairman Al Savage.

The six 2011 area champions will now compete in the New Hampshire State Elks South District Hoop Shoot Championships in Nashua’s Elm Street Middle School gym on Jan. 7 at 9 a.m.