Participants at the Hoop Shoot contest hosted by Apache Junction Elks Lodge No. 2349.

Front row, from left, in the Girls 8-9 Division, Talea Hoff finished in first place, Lillianna Gordon in second place and Abigail Nesbitt in third place. In the Boys 8-9 Division, James Danison finished in first place at the Hoop Shoot hosted by Apache Junction Elks Lodge No. 2349.

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Apache Junction Elks Lodge No. 2349 would like to thank the physical education teachers at schools in the Apache Junction Unified School District for their continued support of the Elks Hoop Shoot program. Apache Junction Elks Lodge No. 2349 would also like to thank the city of Apache Junction Parks and Recreation Department for their support and hosting the competition at Prospector Park.”

Bryan Hughes, Apache Junction Elks Lodge No. 2349 Hoop Shoot director

Apache Junction Elks Lodge No. 2349’s annual free throw Hoop Shoot contest, held March 6 at Prospector Park, was open to boys and girls ages 8 to 13 and was free to all contestants. Two of the top winners — Braylond Smith and Kaylee Kidde — are registered with the National Hoop Shoot as first place winners of the district competition held a week later in Chandler.

Winners at the Prospector Park Hoop Shoot contest hosted by Apache Junction Elks Lodge No. 2349 were:

• In the Boys 8-9 Division, James Danison finished in first place.
• In the Girls 8-9 Division, Talea Hoff finished in first place, Lillianna Gordon in second place and Abigail Nesbitt in third place.
• In the Boys 10-11 Division, Braylond Smith finished in first place, Kyle Lamm in second place and Damien Jones in third place.
• In the Girls 10-11 Division, Myla Gentile finished in first place, Monserrat Lopez in second place and Sadie Nesbitt in third place.
• In the Boys 12-13 Division, Pablo Gonzalez finished in first place.
• In the Girls 12-13 Division, Kaylee Kidde finished in first place.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, Apache Junction winning contestants only advanced to the district competitions this year, which were held March 13 in Chandler. Winners were:

• In the Girls 8-9 Division, Talea Hoff took second place.
• In the Boys 10-11 Division, Braylond Smith took first place.
•  In the Girls 10-11 Division, Myla Gentile took second place.
• In the Boys 12-13 Division, Pablo Gonzalez took fourth place.
• In the Girls 12-13 Division, Kaylee Kidde finished in first place.

“Apache Junction Elks Lodge No. 2349 would like to thank the physical education teachers at schools in the Apache Junction Unified School District for their continued support of the Elks Hoop Shoot program. Apache Junction Elks Lodge No. 2349 would also like to thank the city of Apache Junction Parks and Recreation Department for their support and hosting the competition at Prospector Park,” Bryan Hughes, Apache Junction Elks Lodge No. 2349 Hoop Shoot director, said in a release.

The Elks National Hoop Shoot program is fully funded by the Elks National Foundation Inc. The 501(c)(3) public charity the Elks National Foundation helps Elks build stronger communities through programs that support youth, serve veterans and meet needs in areas where Elks live and work. For more information on the ENF, go to elks.org/enf.