Twice each year I get to write about the tremendous success of archers in Jefferson County. In January, bow and arrow hunters here recorded the top deer harvest for the 14th year in a row. Then last month, students in the National Archery in Schools Program killed it again at the state championships.
More than 3,800 young archers representing 304 schools competed in bull’s-eye and 3D tournaments March 18-21 in Branson. Shooters who ranked in the top 10 for their division, and the top-ranked schools qualify to participate in either the national tournament April 23-25 in Sandy (Utah), or May 7-9 in Louisville (Ky.).
George Guffey School in Fenton won again. An original in the program, the school has finished in first place in the elementary division every year the tournament has been held since 2010. For the second consecutive year, the archery team from Hillsboro High School took top honors in both the bull’s-eye and 3D target competitions.
Hillsboro has four individual national qualifiers in the bull’s-eye contest, including Wade Conner, Adelynn Jaeschke, Kaleb Greiwe and Jacki Kohler. Conner, Jaeschke and Kohler also qualified for the national 3D tournament along with Colton Olsen and Alaina Priscu.
Hillsboro Junior High finished second in the middle school division to qualify as a team for both national tournaments. Individuals to qualify were Kylee Olson, Ava Luttrell and Addy Goforth.
Guffey's first-place team finish was fueled by five individual national qualifiers. Jaxson Nanney, Henry Schisler, Mohammad Mohammady, Nora Burger and Remy Bailey all posted top 10 scores in the elementary school division.
Natalie Yates of Festus High School qualified for the national tournaments for finishing as the No. 1 high school female shooter in the 3D state tournament and in fifth place in the bull’s-eye competition. Other individual national qualifiers from Jefferson County included Jasmine Collier from Ridgewood Middle School and Colt Hodges from Windsor Intermediate School in the 3D competition.
Twenty-three Jefferson County schools sent archers and teams to Branson and 13 of those schools qualified for the national bull’s-eye event. Earning invitations were Fox High, Guffey Elementary, Hillsboro High, Hillsboro Junior High, Lonedell Elementary, Meramec Heights Elementary, Ridgewood Middle, Seckman High, Seckman Middle, Simpson Elementary, Windsor High, Windsor Middle and Windsor Intermediate.
Archery teams from Hillsboro Senior, Hillsboro Junior, Windsor High, Windsor Middle and Ridgewood Middle School also qualified for the National 3D target contest.
Other county schools represented in Branson were Athena Elementary, Danby Rush Tower, De Soto High, De Soto Middle, Festus High, Grandview High, Grandview Elementary, Jefferson High, Jefferson Middle and Vineland Elementary.
The archery program is coordinated through state Department of Conservation, the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, Conservation Federation of Missouri, and the National Archery in the Schools Program.
The in-school program for grades 4 through 12 teaches the basics of archery, along with the confidence, self-control, patience and discipline necessary for success both behind the bow and in school and life, according to a conservation department press release. It provides an engaging activity that’s inclusive of nearly all children, regardless of age or physical ability. Statistics show school archery programs improve students’ school attendance, increase their self-esteem and physical activity, and help kids get outside.
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.