Pequot Lakes School students who participated in the Elks Hoop Shoot Contest in Baxter included, front row from left, Jordan Schommer, Desera Engholm and Mitchel Peterson; back row from left, Blake Lane, Jada Smith-Redding, Garrett Westlund and Samantha Littman. Not pictured: Emily Markham and Jack Kreitz.

The 37th annual Elks Hoop Shoot Contest was Saturday, Dec. 19, at Forestview Middle School in Baxter. The free throw contest was for students ages 8-13, and it was the most successful turnout ever with schools participating from a 30-mile radius of Brainerd.

Third- through fifth-grade Eagle View Elementary School students and sixth-graders from Pequot Lakes Middle School competed in their physical education class for the top spots in each age category to advance to the next level at Baxter.

Participants who competed at Forestview Middle School included Desera Engholm, Jada Smith-Redding, Samantha Littman, Emily Markham, Mitchell Peterson, Jordan Schommer, Garrett Westlund, Blake Lane and Jack Kreitz.

Schommer placed first in the 8- to 9-year-old category and advanced to the next level held Jan. 23 in Wadena. There he made 20 of 25 free throws, making him the second-place finisher in his age group and the third-place finisher overall.