GORHAM, Maine — The New England Regional Elks “Hoop Shoot” Contest took place Saturday at Gorham Middle School, with nine-year-old Faith Sjoberg, representing Presque Isle Lodge 1954, placing third in the girls’ 8-9 year-old division by connecting on 18 of her 25 free throw attempts.
Ava Wentworth of Rhode Island and Adrianna Moosick of Massachusetts had tied for first place with 19, with Wentworth going on to win in a shoot-off. Norah Saluja of Connecticut, Kaia Anderson of Vermont and Grace Cardin of New Hampshire were the other competitors in the 8-9 age group.
Sjoberg began her Hoop Shoot journey at the local level by winning at Mapleton Elementary School in Dec. 6, 2013.
She went on to capture victories at the northern Aroostook County level at the University of Maine at Presque Isle Jan. 4, the Districts in Bangor Jan. 12 and the state championship in Brunswick Jan. 26 to earn the right to compete in the New Englands.
She is the daughter of Kevin and Susan Sjoberg of Presque Isle.
The first-place shooters in the six divisions earned the right to advance to the nationals, to be held April 10-13 at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.
Maine featured champions in two of the age divisions. Alexa Eaton, representing Brunswick Lodge 2043, won the girls’ 10-11 division, while Crystal Bell, representing Bangor Lodge 244, took first place in the girls’ 12-13 division.
Bell is the daughter of Calvin and Jackie Bell, who are Presque Isle natives now residing in Holden.
The Elks “Hoop Shoot” Contest was established in 1970.
Last year’s program included more than 3.3 million participants from across the nation.
