‘Top Shot’ reloads for second season - Entertainment, TV, Television - Navy Times

‘Top Shot’ reloads for second season

The History Channel is poised for a second season of “Top Shot,” this year featuring nine current or former military members among the 16 competitors vying for the $100,000 purse.

The first episode will air Feb. 8. Check local listings for times.

“The caliber of this cast is incredible,” host Colby Donaldson says on the show’s trailer. “The response was overwhelming. Literally thousands of people sent in applications.”

A Marine Reserve sniper placed second on last year’s “Top Shot.” With challenges including shooting upside-down and from a moving Humvee, this year contestants will employ more than 20 weapons, from the tommy gun and .50-caliber sniper rifle to the tomahawk and compound bow.

Those picked for the run-and-gun marksmanship matchup:

• Eric Anderson: Now a landfill supervisor in Webster, Fla., this 46-year-old spent nine years in the Marine Corps and most recently claimed the Cowboy Mounted Shooting National Championship title.

• Jermaine Finks: With 15 years in the Army under his belt, this 38-year-old from Lancaster, Pa., is now a federal agent and firearms instructor for the Homeland Security Department.

• Jamie Franks: An active-duty Navy rescue swimmer, this 31-year-old from San Diego has served on personal security details during two deployments to Afghanistan.

• Daryl Parker: Now a sheriff’s deputy in Bonham, Texas, after 21 years in the military, this 44-year-old is a former captain of the Marine Corps Shooting Team.

• Chris Reed: Now a Realtor, this 37-year-old former Marine from Franklin, Tenn., was the runner-up in the 2009 Field & Stream Total Outdoorsman Challenge and has won a slew of state and national titles in archery and long rifle.

• George Reinas: An active-duty Air Force security forces sniper, this 26-year-old from Mount Laurel, N.J., was the coach of the winning sniper team at the most recent Air Force Rodeo competition.

• Joe Serafini: A former Marine, this 28-year-old unemployed construction worker has 26 state archery championship titles across six states.

• Ashley Spurlin: A 34-year-old from Richmond, Va., Spurlin spent 10 years in Air Force Special Operations Command units as a combat controller. He received a Bronze Star after a 2009 deployment to Afghanistan.

• Brian Zins: This 41-year-old former Marine Corps military policeman is the National Rifle Association’s 10-time National Pistol champ. Recently retired from the Corps, he’s now an independent security contractor. Ë