At just 9 years old, Carrigan Price has secured her spot in basketball history. She is the first participant from the Columbia-Middletown Elks 1074 Hoop Shoot to advance to the national competition, where she not only won first place in her age division, but she also took home an award as the highest-scoring girl in the entire competition. Her win came after a nail-biting shootout victory on April 26 in Chicago, earning her national recognition and her name on the wall at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Massachusetts.

Carrigan, who is the daughter of Ryan and Michele Price, is a fourth-grader at Landisville Intermediate Center. Her journey to the national competition began in November when she participated in the local event in Columbia.

Carrigan's winning path was paved with consistent excellence. At each of the previous stages - local, district, state and regional - she sank 23 out of 25 free throws each time. She ultimately qualified to represent her region at the national competition hosted by the Elks organization, which includes six divisions split by gender and age: 8 to 9, 10 to 11 and 12 to 13.

In Chicago, Carrigan faced stiff competition and intense pressure. After making 24 out of 25 free throws in regulation, she found herself tied with another contestant. What followed was a dramatic series of five shootouts of five shots each. In the end, Carrigan emerged victorious, scoring 45 out of 50 to clinch the national title by a single shot.

"I felt happy because it was my first year, and I didn't think I could make it all the way and win nationals," Carrigan said.

She wasn't just the top in her division. Her overall score made her the highest-scoring girl across all age groups at the event. That achievement earned her the Getty Powell Award, which she will receive in June at the Elks national convention in Kansas City.

Carrigan's journey began almost by chance. Her parents noticed an article about the local Hoop Shoot in the Merchandiser and encouraged her to give it a try. It turned out to be a full-circle moment. Both Michele and her brother, Mike Alpaugh, had competed in the Elks Hoop Shoot in their youth, though they hadn't initially realized it was the same program.

Although Carrigan played basketball, she wasn't used to focusing specifically on free throws. But she rose to the challenge, driven by her competitive spirit and strong family support.

From the start, her dad helped her design a rigorous practice regimen.

"Every single time we had free time, me and my dad would go to schools, parks and Spooky Nook, and we'd do simulations," she recalled. They mimicked shootout conditions, even practicing scenarios where Carrigan would shoot first or second, with rounds of 10 and 15 shots.

"I wanted her to be prepared for every situation," Ryan shared, and that turned out to be a great strategy. "At the national event, anything that could happen, happened."

As nationals approached, Carrigan's shooting percentages climbed.

"She was always stuck in the 23 range, but as we got closer, she was getting 24s and 25s," Ryan said. "When she punched the first 10 out of 10 in Chicago, I was feeling good."

Carrigan herself was remarkably composed under pressure. Spectators and commentators noted her poise, as she smiled through the competition. Her calmness belied her nerves.

"When I got there, I was nervous," she admitted. "I looked through a book of stats and was worried about the competition's numbers."

Beyond her impressive performance, Carrigan also displayed grace and sportsmanship. Val Kissinger, chair of the Hoop Shoot for Columbia Elks 1074, accompanied the Prices to Chicago and was struck by Carrigan's maturity.

"One thing that I really admired about Carrigan is that the little girl who got second place was sitting right beside her after Carrigan won," she said, "and Carrigan was consoling her."

For her efforts, Carrigan received a medal, a hat and a trophy at the awards ceremony. She traveled to nationals with her parents and her older sister, Cassidy, where she enjoyed themed events like trivia night, a "Space Jam" movie night and, of course, the competition. She especially liked trading custom Hoop Shoot cards with other participants and meeting kids from across the country, including as far away as Alaska.

Carrigan's shooting style includes a few personal touches. She wears her lucky shirt and basketball shoes and always remembers her dad's "golden rule": Don't miss two in a row. When that happened at the national competition, she quickly regrouped.

"When I think I'm going to miss, I take a breath before I shoot," she said, noting that in the final round, she sealed her victory with determination and grit. "I said in my head, 'I'm ending this,' and I punched a 5 out of 5."

Youths can mark their calendars for the next local Hoop Shoot on Sunday, Nov. 9. For more information, visit elks.org/hoopshoot.

Fans can watch Carrigan's performance on YouTube at https://bit.ly/3YH1403 (Carrigan's shots begin at about the 36-minute mark) and discover why Carrigan's cousin gave her a new moniker.

"My sister told me something my cousin had said while he was watching it online," Carrigan shared. "He said, 'You're the No. 1 8-to-9 girls' Michael Jordan.'"