NEWS — Seven to represent Val Verde County at state rifle meet

By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times

Seven of the Val Verde County’s best shooters are aiming for top honors at the Texas 4-H Indoor Rifle Championship in Victoria, Texas, on June 1.

Two Val Verde County teams have qualified at the district level to shoot in the state meet. The first team is comprised of Creed Burk, Mason Hanselman, Rylee Kahler and
Remi Sewalt. The second team is comprised of Scarlet Church,

Lucas Garcia and Ella Jensen.

The seven young people who will be competing in the state championship meet have
spent countless hours fine-tuning their marksmanship skills under the guidance of long-
time rifle team coach Gary Humphreys. Parents (and at least one grandparent) also often
attend the practice sessions and offer support and encouragement.

The team members gather in the old 4-H shooting “barn” on the Val Verde County Fairgrounds most Monday evenings to further hone their skills behind the triggers of their
precision .22-caliber competition rifles.

The rifle team members recently shared some of their stories with The 830 Times:

• Creed Burk: “I’m 17 years old, and I have been in the 4-H shooting program for 10 years. I grew up on a ranch and learned at a very young age how to shoot, and that started my love for the sport.”

Burk said this will be his fourth year to qualify for the state meet with his team.

“I enjoy the challenge and excitement of the competition,” Burk said.

• Scarlet Church: “I’m 15 years old and a freshman at Del Rio High School.”

This is Church’s fourth year in the 4-H shooting program and her

first year on the state qualifying team.

Church said she enjoys shooting because it allows her to spend time with her dad and her
brother. Church also enjoys participating in other 4-H programs like the rabbit
program.

• Lucas Garcia: “I’m 14 years old, and I really enjoy being part of the 4-H shooting sports
program.”

Garcia said he has been shooting since he was a third grader.

“I like it because it helps me improve my focus and patience. I also like it because I enjoy
hanging out with my friends and shooting guns,” Garcia said.

• Mason Hanselman: “I’m 17 years old, and I participate in precision shooting because I
like to challenge myself to perfect my skills and aim for perfection.”

Like his teammate Lucas Garcia, Hanselman has been shooting since he was a third grader.

“Precision shooting helps with mental focus, and I think we have a great team this year,”
Hanselman said.

• Ella Jensen: “I’m 17 years old and a junior at Del Rio High School.”

This is Jensen’s second year in the 4-H shooting program.

“This is also my second year in 4-H, and last year I was looking at all the different
opportunities, the programs that were available, and I thought this would be something great to try,” Jensen said.

Jensen’s father and grandfather were both in the military and her uncle, Fred Knoll Jr., formerly served as the city’s chief of police.

• Rylee Kahler: “I am 18 years old, and I’ve been shooting since I was 10 years old. My grandpa and grandma had me shooting when I was young, and when I was old enough to
join 4-H, they both encouraged me to join the shooting sports program.”

Kahler said her grandparents also “kept inspiring me to stick with it and practice.”

“Since my grandpa, George Nelson, passed away, I continue to hear his inspiring words of encouragement. My grandma, La Nita Nelson, never misses a practice or a competition and continues to support me. Precision shooting requires mental stability, correct form and dedication, which Jimmy Ballard, my first coach, taught me,” Kahler said.

•Remi Sewalt: “I’m 16 years old, and I’ve been shooting for six years.”

Sewalt won top gun awards in both 2024 and 2025 and said she began shooting because her older cousins did it, but kept shooting because she loved it.

Sewalt’s grandfather, Tuffy Whitehead, shot in the Val Verde County 4-H program in the 1950s.

The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com