Samuelson sisters have shooting touch in contest

Sisters Karlie and Katie Lou Samuelson of Huntington Beach competed last Saturday at the Elks National Regional Hoops Shoot contest in Las Vegas.

Karlie, 13, won the girls’ 12/13 division by sinking 23 of 25 attempts. With the win, she advances to the Hoop Shoot National Championship on April 25 at Western New England College in Springfield, Mass.

Karlie previously won at the national event three years ago.

Katie Lou, 11, tied for first place in the girls’ 10/11 division by hitting 20 of 25 attempts but was eliminated from the title after finishing second in a shoot-out.

The pair, students at Sowers Middle School, are the younger sisters of Bonnie Samuelson, a standout sophomore forward at Edison High.

The regional contest was held at Hyde Park Middle School in Las Vegas. Competitors from California, Hawaii, Nevada, Arizona and Utah vied for division titles and the chance to move on to the national competition in April.

— Mike Sciacca