Houston and York gave their all at Elks Regional Hoop Shoot

By Ken Steadman / Sun contributor

March 20, 2008 08:32 pm

— “There is no question that competition gets tougher and tougher as you advance in the Elks Hoop Shoot contest,” commented LeRoy Hammond, Hoop Shoot director for the Cumberland County Elks Lodge 2751. Tayler Houston and Shawn York found that out on Saturday, March 8, during the regional tournament in Paris, TN.
Houston and York started last fall competing in their age group in their elementary schools to see who could score the most baskets out of 25 attempts from the free throw line. Tayler Houston attends Homestead Elementary and Shawn York goes to North Cumberland Elementary. Both were winners in their age group and went on to the local Cumberland County event where they came in first in that contest.
Their next challenge was to face other first-place winners in the district and they accomplished that with another win. The next stage is the state of Tennessee where all first-place winners from all districts compete. Here again they became the first two winners from Cumberland County to hold that distinction. Tayler holds the title of state champion for the second straight year, 10-11 age group last year and 12-13 year old this year. Shawn attained his state champion title this year for boys 10-11.
Both boys were presented full warm-up outfits along with trophies for each stage of competition to go down in their memory book. Plus a great deal of pride from their parents, Lee and Jeff Houston and Nelda and Brett York. Hammond expressed his congratulations on behalf of the Cumberland County Elks Lodge for their hard work, poise during each competition, and especially their great sportsmanship.
The regional contest on March 8 brought the boys face to face with state winners from Missouri, Kentucky, and Arkansas. Both boys gave it their all but the end result was Shawn finished fourth in his age group and Tayler came in second in his age group. Kentucky and Missouri were the big winners for both boys and girls competition. Kentucky had four overall winners and Missouri had two.