Photo: The Sarcoxie, Missouri, High School archery team set the record for highest NASP National Tournament team score with 3,465 out of 3,600. – Photo Courtesy Sarcoxie High School.
When the National Archery in the Schools (NASP) national tournament and the NASP International Bowhunting Organization (IBO) 3D Challenge were held May 11, 12 and 13 in Louisville, more than 14,490 student archers in grades 4 through 12 competed.
They came from 670 schools, including 857 student archers from 45 Missouri schools.
Sarcoxie High School’s archers were singled out for special attention when they were named national champions of NASP National Tournament.
Sarcoxie High School is also the smallest school to have ever won the national championship.
The Sarcoxie archery team set the record for highest NASP National Tournament team score with 3,465 out of 3,600.
“Sarcoxie didn’t get involved in NASP until five years ago, and to go from just starting to national champions in that short amount of time is simply amazing,” according to Eric Edwards, who is the Department of Conservation’s MoNASP coordinator. “The job that school, coaches and archers have done is indescribable.”
Missouri dominated the high school team division with five out of the top ten teams in that division. Sarcoxie High School took first, Hillsboro High School took sixth, Carl Junction High School took seventh, Lee’s Summit West High School took eighth, and Carthage High School took ninth out of 248 high school teams.
“To have five schools in the top ten is something that hasn’t been done in a while,” Edwards said. “I think the only other state to do that is Kentucky, which is where NASP originally started.”
Edwards also noted George Guffey Elementary did well during the national competition and took fifth place in the elementary team division.
“I am so proud of all the teams that travel and compete in the national tournament. It takes a lot of dedication not only from the archers, but the coaches, parents and school as well,” Edwards said.
This was NASP®'s fifteenth national tournament since its first was held March 3, 2002.
Student archers, coaches, parents and friends from 41 states and Washington, D.C. gathered at the Louisville Exposition Center for the three record-breaking tournaments under one roof.
A total of 14,492 youth participated in the world's largest archery tournament. There were nearly 30,000 friends and family in attendance, a 12.4 percent increase over the 2016 national tournament attendance.
Not only did NASP see an increase in the bull’s-eye competition, but the International Bow Hunting Organization 3D Challenge entertained 4,123 shooters, 600 more than last year.
Individual Missouri archer scores
Junior Anna Reinkemeyer from Helias High School took third place in the high school female division, with an impressive score of 296 out of 300. Freshman Trenton Meyer from Carthage High School also shot 296 out of 300, taking fifth place in the high school male division. Junior Frankie Goforth from Carl Junction High School and freshman Kamyrn Twehus from Blair Oaks High School tied for sixth place in the high school female division. They both shot a score of 294 out of 300.
Seventh grader Irvin Johnson from Salem Middle School shot a score of 294 out of 300 to take fifth place in the middle school boys division. Eighth grader Jeremiah Jones from Carl Junction Middle School shot a score of 293 out 300 to take eighth place in the middle school boys division.
“I am pleased and pleasantly surprised to see all the final scores,” Edwards said. “I think we have built a competitive program here in Missouri that the other states are going to have to watch out for when we compete on a national level.”
For a full listing of scores from the NASP National Tournament, go to http://bit.ly/2rjDK79.
NASP IBO 3D Challenge
Sarcoxie Middle School showed their dominance in the team division and took top honors claiming the national championship in the middle school team division at the NASP IBO 3D Challenge. Sarcoxie High School also took sixth place in the high school team division. Carl Junction High School took third place in the high school team division.
More than 4,100 student archers competed in the NASP IBO 3D Challenge, and many Missouri archers were among the top of their division.
Senior Brooke Hinkle from Sarcoxie High School took fifth place in the high school girls division with a score of 290 of 300. Senior Cole Sandbothe from Blair Oaks High School took seventh place in the high school boys division with a score of 295 out of 300.
Three Sarcoxie Middle Schoolers placed in the top ten in their divisions. Seventh grader Max Wangler took fifth place with a score of 289 out of 300, and eighth grader Dylan Heckmaster from took eighth place in the middle school boys division with a score of 287 out of 300.
Seventh grader Ally Nordell took eighth place in the middle school girls division with a score of 284 out 300. Fifth grader Sophie Pfahl from St. Joseph Catholic School Westphalia took sixth place in the elementary girls division with a score of 277 out of 300.
Final scores from the NASP IBO 3D Challenge are available at http://bit.ly/2ql4xBu.
NASP promotes education, self-esteem, and physical activity for students in grades 4-12 through participation in the sport of archery. Since NASP's beginnings in 2002, more than ten million students have participated in the program through 10,000 schools in 47 states and 10 countries.
In addition to the competitors, parents, and volunteers, sponsors’ generous contributions have allowed NASP® to flourish over the years.
Easton Technical Products (TP) provides the arrows while Morrell Targets are used at the competition, and Mathews Archery provides all the bows archers use.
MoNASP is an affiliate of NASP and also promotes education, self-esteem, and physical activity for students in grades 4-12 through participation in the sport of archery. To learn more, visit the MDC website.
—From the Missouri Department of Conservation and the National Archer in the Schools Program.