Brandon eighth-grader Mackenzie Martelle won the U14 division of the Vermont Elks Association’s statewide Soccer Shoot competition Oct. 11, earning a spot in the regional competition in Schenectady, New York, on Nov. 7.

It was Mackenzie’s first year participating in the competition. She advanced from a local contest in Rutland County to the state championship at the Perley Collins Sports Complex in St. Albans.

“I was really excited,” Mackenzie said of winning the state competition, adding that she was also nervous about competing at the regional level.

The Soccer Shoot is one of several youth programs sponsored by the Vermont Elks Association, which also provides scholarships and supports veterans and other charitable causes.

The competition tests participants’ kicking accuracy. In the U14 division, contestants take 15 shots from 36 feet away at a goal divided into different sections worth 1 to 5 points each. Mackenzie said most of her shots earned four points, with a few earning two.

Mackenzie, the daughter of Justin and Meghan Martelle of Brandon, was one of three siblings representing the Rutland Elks Lodge at the state competition. Her sister, Annabeth, competed in the U8 division and her brother, Grant, in the U10 division. 

An eighth grader at Otter Valley, Mackenzie plays soccer and basketball for the school and is also a member of the Valley Elite AAU basketball team.

To prepare for regionals, Mackenzie has been practicing with her siblings, holding friendly competitions to see who can make or block the most shots.

As for what she’s most looking forward to about the regional competition, Mackenzie said she’s simply hoping to have fun.