LORDSTOWN 3 officers bring home top shooting trophy

The Lordstown team members scored 4 points higher than their closest competitor.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- Three village police officers earned top honors at a shooting contest in Orwell for law enforcement officers.
Sgt. Dave Harrison and officers Jim Victor and George Ebling earned first place at the Grand Valley Hunting Ranch's 4th annual Law Enforcement Week competition conducted last month. The team earned 361/3 points out of a possible 50 points.
Three other teams competed in the team event. The second-place team, from the Cuyahoga County sheriff's office, earned 321/3 points.
Teams from Geauga County Sheriff's Department and the Alliance Police Department earned 32 and 24 points, respectively.
The department received a traveling trophy for its win and a smaller trophy that will stay at the department. Fay Robison, manager of the ranch, delivered the trophies this week.
"One of our officers is building a stand to display the trophies," said Capt. Brent B. Milhoan.
What was new: The three officers have shot skeet before, but the competition marked their first experience shooting sporting clays.
"Sporting clays are harder," said Victor, who started skeet shooting a few months ago.
The competition involves officers' going to various stations through the course and stopping to shoot at clay disks that are about 4 to 5 inches in diameter. The disks come from various directions at various levels.
Harrison and Ebling last shot skeet about six months ago, but the competition marked their first experience with sporting clays.
"I figured if I practiced, that would be my best score," Harrison joked.
Purpose of event: Robison said the aim of the event is to generate friendly competition between law enforcement departments in Northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania. She said that all law enforcement departments in Northeast Ohio were invited to participate.
The officers plan to return to the competition next year.
"We started a tradition now," Ebling said.