Tornado shooter medals at states

By John Enrietto
Eagle Sports Editor

Brian Osche just wanted to hang around with his cousin a little more often.
The Butler High School senior became a PIAA medalist as a result.
Osche and his cousin, Nick Cottage, joined the Butler rifle team together two years ago. Osche was a sophomore at the time while Cottage was a freshman.
"We were looking for something to do together and this was something different,"Osche said.
Osche described his first-year performance in rifle as "not very good." But things began to turn midway through last season.
"I began the year shooting in the 90s and began reaching 99 and 100 on a regular basis toward the end of the year,"Osche said. "That's when I decided to set some goals.
"I realized I could be pretty good at this. I was determined to be the best rifle member Butler has seen in a long time."
He succeeded.
Osche was one of four seniors coach Eric Beveridge entered in the WPIALIndividual Championships this year. He joined teammates Eric Double, Amanda Toy and Justin Simons at that competition.
Out of 43 shooters at that meet, Osche placed ninth and earned a spot in the state meet at Frazier Simplex in Washington, Pa.
He became the first Butler rifle team member to advance that far in Beveridge's three years as head coach.
"Brian has the right mind-set for this sport,"Beveridge said. "He's very low-key and he doesn't get upset very often.
"He has good focus. Rifle is a sport of concentration more than physical skill."
Osche didn't realize he was going to the state meet until he heard a coach announce that the top 10 finishers had earned a spot there.
"I got nervous right away,"he said. "I was scared all the way up until the state meet that following weekend."
But once he got there, Osche performed like he has all year.

 

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Brian Osche, holding the rifle on left, and three other members of the Butler rifle team competed in the state meet in Washington, Pa. Osche placed 10th and won a medal.
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The state meet goes by straight scores, no Xs involved. If a shot was not in the middle of the bullseye, it was scored a 99.
Osche's scores at the state meet were 96, 96, 98 and 99, good enough for 10th place out of 42 competitors. The top 10 in the state received medals.
"Once I was there, I treated it like it was nothing,"Osche said. "I figured it was a regular meet and I just settled in and shot my best."
Osche is believed to be the first Butler rifle member to place at states in nearly 10 years.
"Brian just worked hard to get to that point,"Beveridge said. "This is a sport you can't practice on your own, unless you belong to one of the local clubs or something.
"He showed up for practice every day. That helped. Sometimes it's hard to get high school kids to do that anymore."
Osche has never belonged to any trapshooting club. Because few colleges offer rifle as a sport, he admits his career in the sport is likely over.
"I'm pretty much done,"he said.
His cousin is not. Cottage will return for his senior season and Osche will attend Butler County Community College next year.
"He just needs to find his position and get his technique down,"Osche said. "You can do well at this sport if you concentrate.
"You don't need outside practice. You just have to know how to do it."