White County repeated as champion in the high school division while Rutherford County’s Buchanan won the elementary title and Central Magnet claimed the middle school crown in the Ninth Annual Tennessee National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) State Championship.
Close to 1,750 students representing more than 90 schools were registered in the event held at the Tennessee Miller Coliseum which concluded Thursday evening. Three flights opened the tournament on Wednesday while six flights were held Thursday. .
White County High shot a score of 3,369 on its way to a second consecutive championship. CHET, which participates with home school students in the Nashville area, was runner-up for the second straight year with a 3,284. Murfreesboro Oakland was third with 3,253, Central Magnet was fourth with a 3,241 and Siegel fifth with 3,235.
Central Magnet, fourth place finishers last year, moved to the top in the middle school division with a 3,239. Stewarts Creek was second with a 3,211m followed by Whitworth Buchanan, the defending two-time state champions, with 3,211, Christiana 3,119, and Harrogate Force Ridge School with a 3,063 to round out the top five.
After a second place finish last year, Buchanan had an 82-point improvement to finish with a 3,083 ahead of two-time defending elementary champion Christiana. Newcomer East Lincoln elementary was third with a 2,920 followed by East Montgomery 2,919, and Browns Chapel 2,788 to round out the top five.
Central Magnet School’s Craig Bowen shot a 294 (out of a possible 300). Craig slipped past 2014 top overall male shooter, Isaiah Gardenhire of White County’s 293. Both students had 24 shots of 10 (out of 30 total shots).
CHET’s Laurel Thompson repeated as the event’s top female shooter. Laurel had a 291 with 22 shots of 10 to finish four points ahead of her 2014 winning score of 287. White County’s Jacklynn Bryant was second with a 289.
Team awards were presented following Thursday’s competition to the top three teams in each division. Medals were presented to the top five female and male finishers in the high school, middle school and elementary school divisions. Each student shot 30 arrows, 15 from 10 meters and 15 from 15 meters with a maximum score of 300.
The top team and top 10 individuals in each division automatically received a bid to compete in the 2015 National NASP Tournament next month in Louisville, Ky. Other participants who meet specific qualifying requirements will also be invited.
In the elementary division, leading the top five girls in the elementary division was Meredith Anderson (264, Christiana) for the second straight year. She was one of three girls to shoot a 264 and the places were decided by the shooters having the most 10s. Second place was Allison McCarver (Eastside), and third was Brianna Winkler (Dibrell). The fourth and fifth place finishers each shot 262 with the most 10s having Emilyn Arvidson (Christiana) fourth, and Shelby Roberts Hickory Creek) fifth. The elementary division boys also had a tie with Briley Colyar (East Lincoln) and Calvin Black (Christiana) each shot a 277 with Briley claiming first place with his 15 10s to Calvin’s 13. Rounding out the top five were Jacob Short (275, Christiana), Austin Thompson (273, Buchanan), and Connor Brannan (270, Buchanan).
In the middle school division, the girls were led by Leah Walters (288, Central Magnet), Sophia Jaramillo (284, Central Magnet), Graci Oakley (282, Rockvale), Chasity Gunterman (280, Stewarts Creek), and Morgan Davy (280, Whitworth Buchanan). The middle school boys division winner was Tristan Dye (285, Christiana), following by Cameron Schultz (282, Whitworth Buchanan), Connor Smathers (282, Central Magnet), Dalton Bates (281, Warren County), and Dan Adams (281, CHET).
Following Laurel Thompson in the girls high school division in second place and third place for the second straight year were Jacklynn Bryant (289, White County) and Anna Buri (286, CHET). The fourth place finishers was Sara Camichael (284, Oakland), and fifth was Alison Blanton (283, Central Magnet).
In the male high school division, completing the top five behind Craig Bowen and Isaiah Gardenhire‘s were Hayden Robbins (287, White County), Cole Diamond 285, Oakland), and Chris Morton (285, White County).
Sponsored by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), Tennessee began NASP in late 2004 with 12 pilot schools participating in the program. More than 290 schools now participate in the program. NASP is a 2-8 week curriculum taught during school that teaches International style target archery.
If a school or teacher is interested in starting a NASP program, please contact Don Crawford, Assistant Chief of Information and Education at Don.Crawford@tn.gov or (615) 781-6542 or Matt Clarey, Regional Training Coordinator in TWRA Region III at Matt.Clarey@tn.gov or (931) 484-9571.