Shooting isn't just a boys sport.

Just ask Sarah Frantz of Andreas.The 15-year-old has been a member of the Ontelaunee Junior Rifle team of New Tripoli for almost five years and was recently named the top shooter in the state by the Pennsylvania Rifle & Pistol Association in 4 Position smallbore shooting and third in the nation in the category by the National Rifle Association."I was in school before band when I found out I was third in the nation," Frantz said, explaining that she saw a text from her coach saying congratulations. "He had a picture of the results and it said third place for me. I started crying in the middle of the hallway because I was so happy."NationalsFrantz explained that the NRA National Championships was in February, but rather than traveling to a certain location, the 432 participants across the country competed at a range close to them and then submitted the results to the NRA for review.Frantz, who was 14 at the time, took her shots in the 4 Position match, which included taking 10 shots each in the prone, standing, sitting and kneeling positions at the Ontelaunee Rifle and Gun Club.The results were released in May with Frantz shooting a 396 out of a possible 400, only three points behind the national champion, Katie Zaun of Buffalo, North Dakota.In addition to being the top shooter in the state as a result of this competition and third in the nation in 4 Position, Frantz also landed 38th in the nation in 3 Position smallbore competition, and 13th in the intermediate junior age category as well.Taking aimWhen Frantz was 9, one of the coaches for the Ontelaunee Junior Rifle team, who was a close family friend, offered to teach her how to shoot.But it wasn't until a year later that Frantz said to her father, Richard, that she wanted to take him up on the offer to learn.She learned how to shoot air rifle and smallbore rifle and has been interested in the sport ever since."To me, it's just a lot of fun to shoot a gun," Frantz said. "I like doing that a lot. The other part about it though is it is more challenging because you have to be more patient and think about what you're doing while you're taking the shot."She said her team has helped her greatly and has a lot of excellent shooters.Her talents have taken her to competitions across the nation, including New Jersey, Connecticut, Indiana, Alabama, Ohio and even to Colorado Springs twice where she was a competitor at the USA Shooting Junior Olympics for air rifle.Off the rangeWhen not practicing her shooting skills or taking aim at a competition, Frantz can be found enjoying time with her friends and family.The Tamaqua Area High School sophomore is a member of the Raider Marching Band and Concert Band, where she plays the trumpet; and has maintained a very strong GPA so far in her school career."This sport requires extreme focus and determination to be successful," her mother, Louise, said. "Many competitors are strong academically as well.""Shooting has helped me in school," Frantz said, noting that it helps her focus on her homework and overcome nervousness with tests. "The thrill of shooting and trying to overcome the anxiousness is fun for me. It boosts your confidence because you're always competing against people and you have to learn to get over your fear of losing."Frantz said she plans to continue honing her skills over the next few years and beyond to college."One of my goals is to maybe make it to the Olympics one day," she said.But for now, the teen is happy following her dreams and doing what she loves.