The awards podium was a popular place for Jefferson County archers at the National Archery in Schools Program state tournament March 19-22 in Branson. Twenty-three area schools participated in the bullseye tournament and proved once again how strong our county is in this popular sport.
Wade Conner, a sophomore at Hillsboro High School, shot a score of 296 out of 300 and took the individual championship in the bullseye competition, and with his teammates posted the highest team score among the 51 high schools competing.
George Guffey Elementary continued its winning tradition as the best among fourth and fifth grade students in Missouri, and they were joined by top performances from other Fox C-6 District schools. Lonedell Elementary placed second, followed by Simpson Elementary in third, Meramec Heights Elementary seventh and Windsor Intermediate Center ninth in the field of 22 teams.
The Fox District also had the top performers in the middle school category for sixth through eighth grades. Ridgewood placed first and Seckman finished fourth. Hillsboro Junior High recorded the fifth best score of 64 schools in its division.
Guffey archers who finished in the top 100 include Allison Sullivan 273, Zeralyn Smith 270, Briella McCabe 267, Tathoi Das 267, Aylin Madzhitova 265, Charlie Bullington 264, Nora Burger 263, Lena Koch 263, Mani Jackson 261, Jaxson Nanney 260, Remy Bailey 258, Julia Kovack 253, Madeline Hazer 252, Beckett Downey 251, Mason Georger 249, Oliver Rongey 246, Lincoln Hoffman 243, Ariel Garrison 243, Kellie Zoellner 234, Julianna Throop 226, and Myles Dugan 222.
Top 100 shooters for Lonedell were Jack Ferrario 279, Stanley DeFrate 262, Ian Iverson 256, Lincoln Greiner 253, Tristan Harralston 252, Paulina Pullen 251, Sophia Smith 246, Rilynne DeLarber 246, Bree McDonald 245, Malcolm Harris 245, Luke Duffe 242, Sylvia Baechle 234, Lillianna Littrell 230, Conner Lanfer 226, Lila Salazar 204 and Alice Forbes 188.
Simpson high scorers were Kynslee Beutel 272, Joslyn Burgess 264, Ariana Giljum 263, Tessa Burgess 260, Erik Whelan Bourne 255, Angelina Smick 249, David Parrish 246, Edah Jusic 241, Majda Aliji 239, Maryam Aliji 231, James Rose 212, and Emma Schaefer 209.
The leaders for Meramec Heights were Carter Kennon 261, Jackson Olds 259, Jaxon Arnold 253, Bobby Renfro 250, Maddie Hill 248, Paisley Williams 246, Kaitlyn Steinman 246, Gabriella Romano 234, Lanie Matthews 231, Joe Gabler 210 and BreLea Rees 207.
Windsor Intermediate shooters’ scores included Rosie Hartman 248, Lorelei Slate 247, Addy McNabb 246, Grace Kezirian 245, Blaynee Buenniger 243, Mia Stockwell 231, Elizabeth Erb 229, Colt Hodges 229, Jaxon Bollinger 221, TJ Sinclair 215 and Caleb Welch 207.
Seckman Elementary top shooters were Emily Buss, 263, Blake Slivkov, 255, and Daniel Barnby, 248, and Athena Elementary was led by Kolton Conner, 249.
Ridgewood shooters in the top 100 of their class were Judah Martinez 284, Elise Watkins 284, Jasmine Collier 280, Leo Pagan 279, Armin Mujic 278, Tripp Reinken 277, Olivia Joggerst 274, Bailey Eskew 272, Truman Moore 271, Logan Bloodworth 270, Kaylee Storey 270, Sydney Wolff 268, Austin Kennon 266, Gracie Jo Watkins 262, Madeline Lenau 261 and Logan Stevens 255.
Seckman Middle’s top scorers were Danielle Crinnion 285, Ethan Miles 285, Luke Giger 278, Lena Anderson 276, Caden Schulte 274, Paige Steinhoff 270, Zoey Hatley 269, Austin Bell 269, Ethan McGee 268, Ryleigh Peppers 267, Elliette Howard 267, Caroline Belcher 266, Zoey Suntrup 263 and Ella Anderson, 252.
The best at Hillsboro Junior High were Ava Luttrell 284, Alaina Priscu 281, Tommy Kuczynski 281, Paxton Schnable 277, Addy Goforth 273, Jacki Kohler 273, Bentley Beavers 272, Kylee Olson 271, Gavin Bishop 270, Zayne Nichols 264, Morgan Crosby 262 and Talia Gross 262.
Windsor Middle had seven shooters in the top 100 for their class, including Shelby Hodges 274, Ty Riggs 265, Alexa Zehr 263, Jennalee Dews 263, Shelby Schenk 262, August Prehm 257 and Haley Hayes 255.
Jefferson Middle's Macartney Grider shot a 260 for 49th place among 210 sixth grade girls.
The first place team from Hillsboro High was led by Wade Conner 296, James Kimbrell-Cave 293, Austin Morgan 289, Gavin Formann 286, Olivia Heine 286, Trenton Weber 285, Briley Vontalge 285, Adelynn Jaeschke 284, Colton Olson 282, Natalie Jeaschke 281, Kaleb Greiwe 281, Bryce Ludwig 280, Samuel Pierce 279, Jackson Betzold 278, Thomas Kuczynski 278, Avery Oshia 275, Gavin Gross 274, Rylan Luttrell 274, Lucas Burle 273, Christian Ahlheim 273, Cole Huskey 272, Reece Churchill 267 and Jaxi Vontalge 261.
Seckman High finished in 13th place among 51 high schools, led by Abbi Hartigan 290, Alexa Formby 284, Landon Marlett 280, Cassidy Jablonski 279, Ian Slaven 277, Jackson Phillips 276, Brayden Woolsey 274, Collin Davis 273, Maddie McConochie 272, Jacob Boden 272, Cameron Crinnon 267, Logan Wampler 267, Josie Lenzen 264, Sara Balding 263, Madeline White 259, Sara Kitson 257, Kaitlyn Richardson 255 and Taylor Gallagher 254.
Windsor High’s top archers were Will Deters 285, Joseph Stephens 284, Owen Saeger 278, Noah Poirrier 276, Andrew Renner 275, A'nyah Hutchinson 270, Dakota Dedert 269, Ella Schaumann 269, Nick Guebert 268, Ella Cate 267, and Billy Belosi 261.
Fox High's best shooters were Mason Cook 280, Tanner Klotz 279, Semir Mujic 271, Braelyn Haynes 261 and Myra Burger 259. The best from Festus were Natalie Yates 290, Kylie Tucker 276 and Olivia Lucas 274.
Grandview High was led by Ellie Kutrip 283, Ethan McKinney 271, John Roberts 265 and Samantha Corio 263. The top-scoring Jefferson High archers were Carleigh Cook 271, Ethan Vandiver 270, Brooklynn Rapp 268, Ben Vandiver 268, Cameron Wideman 267 and Olivia Kentch 262. The best from De Soto High were Bailee Sickmeier 268, and Jayda Kirkpatrick.
John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine. If you have story ideas for the Leader outdoor news page, e-mail ogmjohnw@aol.com, and you can find more outdoor news and updates at johnjwink.com.