Port Jervis clay target team finishes second season at state championships

Fourteen Port Jervis Central School District students took part in the New York State High School Clay Target League Championships as the district’s trap program wrapped up only its second season, a sign that the sport has quickly found a foothold in Orange County. The team is coached by Port Jervis graduate Tim Coalla, and district officials said the group had just finished its fall season.

The local program’s brightest individual performance came from Chris Kidney, who shot a perfect 25-for-25 round during the season. That kind of score is rare enough to draw attention beyond the range, and Kidney was later featured on WDLC radio with Michelle Taylor after his standout round.

Port Jervis joined a statewide league that has grown well beyond a niche offering. Spectrum News reported that about 3,200 students from more than 180 schools were competing in the New York State High School Clay Target League, showing how quickly the sport has expanded across New York. For Port Jervis, that growth has translated into a team large enough to field a full roster and send athletes into state-level competition.

The league’s championship structure also helps explain how a small district program can enter the state event. The New York State High School Clay Target League says a team needs at least five student athletes to compete in the team event, while all registered student athletes are eligible for individual competition. The 2026 New York Trap Shooting State Tournament ran June 5 through June 7 in Bridgeport, New York, and more than 120 high school teams and over 1,500 student athletes were expected to take part.

For Port Jervis, the second-season finish points to more than scores on a scorecard. It reflects families who are willing to support a demanding extracurricular, a coach with local ties, and students who have committed themselves to a sport that is gaining a larger place in school life across the region. As the program matures, the trap team has become part of the district’s expanding identity, giving Orange County another example of how student interests can build into a lasting school tradition.