THEIR BEST SHOT; SANTA CLARITA TEENS SET SIGHTS ON RIFLE CONTEST.

Byline: Stacy Brown Daily News Staff Writer

Hefting a military-style rifle on his shoulder Wednesday, Nick Redford, 17, and his cohorts prepared to head off to Ohio to do battle.

But their battlefield is a shooting range, and their enemies the members of other junior rifle teams from across the United States. During the next two weeks, teen-age sharpshooters from California and the other 49 states will be competing in a contest sponsored by the National Rifle Association, the Reserve Officers' Training Corps and the California Rifle and Pistol Association.

``This takes a lot of devotion. We practice every single weekend, so I know we're ready,'' said Redford, one of 14 members of the California team, six of whom come from Santa Clarita.

Valencia High School student Megan Kanel, 16, learned to shoot only last year at an ROTC camp in Northern California, so she was surprised when she was chosen to be part of the elite squad.

``(Coach Wayne) Fenner asked if I wanted to take my skills to the next level and try out,'' Kanel said. ``I did, and I was picked, and now we're ready to go to Ohio and win.''

Competition involves teammates working cooperatively to shoot at moving targets, with points awarded for accuracy.

``I knew this would be a good challenge, but I was ready,'' said Aaron Johnson, a senior at Canyon Country High School.

Santa Clarita Valley teammate Keith Casmar said being a part of the team means a lot more than just learning to shoot at targets.

``We have to learn about wind factor and how it works in terms of shooting,'' Casmar said, ``and we also have to learn about backing up team members, and this teaches discipline.''

Laurie Covington, the mother of sharpshooter Sarah Covington, is one of the team's biggest supporters. ``Sarah is a great kid and loves what she does, so I'm there for her and the team,'' she said.

Tim Shepard, Redford's father, said Santa Clarita Valley residents and all Californians should be especially proud of the team, whose members have made a personal investment to participate.

``The teams they'll be competing against, such as (those from) Illinois, Arkansas and Ohio, get lots of funding from the state, while our team gets nothing,'' Shepard said.

Team members often spend $1,200 to $1,500 on their rifles and at least $400 on ammunition, and they pay their own travel expenses, Shepard said.

``This precludes them from taking up any other hobby or sport because it's so expensive,'' he said.

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PHOTO (Color) From left, Megan Kanel, Keith Casmar, Sarah Covington, Aaron Johnson and Nick Redford will compete for a national title.

Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News