Central Magnet High School repeated as champion of its division while Stewarts Creek Middle School and East Lincoln Elementary School claimed their first championships in their respective division at the Tennessee National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) State Championships.
Close to 2,000 students were registered at the event held at the Tennessee Miller Coliseum at the two-day tournament which concluded Friday evening. Central Magnet High shot a score of 3,367, beating last yearâs winning score by 22 points. White County, the state high school champion in 2014 and 2015, was again the runner-up with a 3,352. CHET, which participates with home school students in the Nashville area, had a 3,287 to finish third. Oakland was fourth with a 3,263 and Warren County fifth with a 3,246.
Stewarts Creek ended Central Magnetâs two-year reign as champion of the middle school division with a winning score of 3,212. Central Magnet was runner-up at 3,199 followed by Stone at 3,179, Whitworth Buchanan 3,147, and Christiana 3,136 to round out the top five.
East Lincoln moved to the top spot in the elementary division by shooting a 3,192. Buchanan was second with a 3,182, while Christiana, which had won the championship three of the past four years, was third with a 3,079. Clevelandâs Black Fox elementary was fourth with a 3,029 while Browns Chapel was fifth with a 2,914.
Central Magnetâs Alison Blanton was the eventâs top shooter. The junior shot a 297 (out of a possible 300). CHETâs Laurel Thompson, who was the eventâs top female shooter three straight years, edged Central Magnetâs Kaylie Corban for second place. Both girls shot a 294 in their rounds and a shoot-off was held to determine the runner-up. White County Highâs Haylie Young was fourth with a 293 and Tullahoma Middle Schools KT Payne had a 289 to comprise the top five overall female scores.
Warren County High School junior Austin Evans and Meigs County High freshman Caleb Smith each shot a 292. Austin was the medalist as he had 23 10s to Calebâs 21. Calebâs Meigs County classmate Jay Tyson was third with a 291. Stewarts Creekâs Chase Hulan was fourth with a 289 and Central Magnetâs Chase Wyatt fifth with a 286.
Following the competition, team awards were presented 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 2017 National NASP Tournament in Louisville, Ky.
Other participants who meet specific qualifying requirements will also be invited. 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 [email protected] or (615) 781-6542 or Matt Clarey, Regional Training Coordinator in TWRA Region III at [email protected] or (931) 484-9571.
