030323...R SKEET 14...Liberty...03-03-23...John Dunne of Poland, right, gives a thumbs-up to teammate Steve Bolton of Lowellville (not in photo) as Blake Benyo of Austintown, left, watches the skeet action...All member of the YCC Skeet team...by R. Michael Semple

LIBERTY — For the first time since it began competing in the annual Indigo skeet tournament, the Youngstown Country Club Skeet team took top honors. The club also laid claim to the top gun award, collected by target shooter Blake Benyo of Austintown. The top gun award goes to the individual with the best score among the 50 competitors over all five teams.

Each of the five participating private skeet clubs hosts one day of the tournament. The Youngstown club hosted the March 3 shoot at their grounds in Liberty.

Other teams competing and hosting between Feb. 25 and March 5 were the Mentor Harbor Yacht Club, The Country Club in Cleveland, Kirtland Country Club and the Hunting Valley Gun Club. Each team consists of 10 members.

This was the 72nd year for the Indigo tournament. Youngstown, celebrating its 70th anniversary of skeet teams, joined the tournament in 1992.

Holding the Indigo over the last weekend of February and the first weekend of March all but guarantees inclement weather — snow, rain, wind and cold — an added challenge for competitors. The Youngstown Club barely finished its morning of hosting before rains began to pour.

Youngstown Country Club Skeet draws shooters from Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties.