On March 11, the East Duplin Hunter Safety team competed in the district tournament and performed very well. They brought home a first-place finish in rifle, shotgun, and archery, and a second-place finish on the hunter skills test. This lead to a second-place finish overall which earned them a spot at the state tournament. On April 29, the Hunter Safety Team traveled to compete in the state tournament hosted by NC Wildlife Commission. At this tournament, the team won first place in shotgun, making them State Champions for this event! This means that this group of boys are the best shotgun team in the state of North Carolina. This is a huge accomplishment because this sport favors the western schools in our state--just the nature of the game.  After the victory, the coaches confirmed that this is the first state shooting sports trophy that has been won east of I95 in 10+ years. One thing is for sure, there is a state-champion shotgun team at East Duplin today. Shotgun team members are: Connor Kennedy, Eli Thigpen, Jake Lanier, Brecken Bowles, Chance Marshburn. Members to help polish off the East Duplin Hunter Safety Team: Matthew Mobley, Allyson Hatcher, and Sidney Lanier.