(by Don Meador, Allen County Schools)
The James E. Bazzell Middle School (JEBMS) archers enjoyed strong performances at the National Archery in Schools Program (NASP®) Open Championships and IBO 3-D Championships Thursday and Friday at the Music City Center in Nashville.
The JEBMS sharp shooters participated both Thursday and Friday in the 3-D portion of the event---the part of the NASP® competition in which archers shoot at targets representing wildlife. On Thursday, the team placed first in their four-team flight with a score of 1461, thus qualifying to participate in Friday’s 3-D championships. The team improved their score to 1481 to finish 31st in the 38 team championship flight.
Cole Meador---an
incoming freshman at the Allen County-Scottsville High School---led the squad
both days. Meador posted a score of 256 on Thursday, fifth among the 15 eight
graders competing and 11th in the flight field. Meador improved his score to
275 on the final day to place 51st overall in the 291 middle school archer
field.
In Thursday’s preliminary round, JEBMS top 10 scores were Meador, Calvin Smith (252), Hunter Threet (249), Travis Jackson (239), Quinn Hartman (237), Wessly Butler (236), Cole Jackson (236), Andrew Woods (234), Caleb Underwood (231), and Erin Penny (228). Additional archers participating on the Bazzell team were Hunter Strain, Caelan Fox, Aiden Stone, Shyla Houchens, Isabella Roberts, Tugra Semerci, Shelby Hughes, Amber Smith, Lindsey Kendall, and Alura Grace Keith.
Friday, the top 10
scorers were Meador, Calvin Smith (255), Cole Jackson (252), Caelan Fox (240),
Caleb Underwood (238), Shyla Houchens (236), Quinn Hartman (223), Shelby Hughes
(219), Wessly Butler (206), and Erin Penny (206). Other shooters included Amber
Smith, Hunter Strain, Lindsey Kendall, Tugra Semerci, and Alura Grace Keith.
In the middle school Open division, the archers recorded a score of 2959 in Thursday’s flight. Rising seventh grader Ryan Wolfe paced JEBMS with a score of 272, seventh among 53 sixth graders and 35th out of 177 shooters in the flight. Additional top 10 archers were Calvin Smith (267), Cole Meador (265), Caelan Fox (260), Travis Jackson (258), Wessly Butler (254), Andrew Woods (251), Cole Jackson (250), Hunter Threet (247), and Shyla Houchens (243). Additional archers participating were Quinn Hartman, Aidan Stone, Erin Penny, Caleb Underwood, Tugra Semerci, Hunter Strain, Shelby Hughes, Amber Smith, Isabella Roberts, Lindsey Kendall, and Alura Grace Keith.
The event concluded
the archery year for the James E. Bazzell Middle School program. Students will
learn more about practice and next season soon after the start of the new
school year in August.