Local archers from across the region were taking aim, not just at a bullseye, but at a national title, as they competed in the Canadian National Archery in School Program National Tournament April 27-29 in Regina.
The championships featured 830 archers from 66 teams in three provinces, including one from British Columbia, 21 from Alberta, and 44 from Saskatchewan.
Archers were broken up into one of three categories, with grade 4-5 students competing in the elementary school competition, grade 6-8 students competing in middle school action, and grade 9-12 students in high school competition.
While archers could compete in the team competition, none of the seven local schools who competed, including Englefeld, Lanigan, LeRoy, Naicam, Quill Lake, Raymore, and Watson had enough competitors to post a team score.
Englefeld
The Englefeld Eagles sent 11 archers to the national championship, including eight males and three females.
The Eagles’ contingent of 11 competed in male and female middle and high school action, where they enjoyed middling results, posting one top 100, and one additional top 200.
Ethan Murray was the Eagles’ top shooter at the competition as the tenth grader fired seven perfect scores of ten on his way to a final score of 261, which left him 76th overall.
The only other Eagle to crack the top 200 was Nicholas Venderbuhs.
The 11th grader finished just 15 points behind his teammate, but plummeted well down the standings, finishing with five scores of ten, and a final score of 246 to finish 165th overall.
Lanigan Elementary
The Lanigan Lazers sent a smaller contingent of just four archers to the national championship, including two males and two females.
Despite having just a small four member contingent, the Lazers’ four archers who all competed in middle school action, enjoyed a solid amount of success posting a trio of top 200 finishes.
Brooklyn Sereda was the Lazers’ top shooter at the competition, firing six scores of ten en route to a final score of 251, good enough for 110th overall.
Lyndon Campbell was Lanigan Elementary’s second best shooter firing a score of 248, thanks to eight tens, as the eighth grader finished 151st overall.
Rounding out Lanigan Elementary’s top 200 finishers was Tynell Mack, who finished 161st overall, as the seventh grader fired three tens, and an overall score of 238.
LeRoy
The LeRoy Lightning sent one of the largest local contingents to the national championships, with 11 archers in action including four males and seven females.
While the contingent of archers was rather large, the success did not follow for the Lightning, who had archers shooting in high school and middle school action, where they failed to see a single shooter reach the top 200.
Wyatt Panter was the closest shooter for the Lightning as the grade 12 student fired four tens, for a score of 238 to finish 211th overall.
Naicam
The Naicam Vikings sent nine shooters to the national championship, where their five male and four female archers competed in high school and middle school action.
It was an excellent national tournament for the Vikings, who managed four top 100s and two other top 200s.
Merrick Nystuen was the Vikings’ top shooter at the championships, firing a score of 266, thanks in large part to ten scores of ten, as the grade 11 student finished 52nd overall.
Just two points back of Nystuen was Austin Plamondon.
The tenth grader finished 62nd overall after posting seven tens and a score of 264.
The top Vikings female shooter was Jessica Voldeng, as the grade seven student fired seven tens and a score of 259 to finish in 74th position.
Rounding out the Vikings’ top 100 finishers was Skylar Hutchison who posted a score of 256, thanks to seven tens, as the sixth grader found himself with a 84th place finish.
Randi Zenner, found herself as the Vikings’ fifth best shooter as the 12th grader finished in 139th position overall after posting eight tens and a final score of 243.
Mitchell Nivon rounded out the Vikings’ top 200 finishers as the tenth grader finished in 173rd position overall after posting seven tens and a final score of 244.
Quill Lake
The Quill Lake Hornets also sent a small contingent to the national championships, with just four archers in action, including two males and two females, with one male shooting in the high school competition, and the remaining three all shooting in middle school action.
With just four archers in action, the Hornets enjoyed middling results, as they managed zero top 100 finishes, and just a single top 200.
Jordan Hill was the lone Hornet to crack the top 200 at the competition, as the ninth grader fired six tens, and a score of 251, good enough for a 135th place finish overall.
Raymore
The largest of the local contingents belonged to the Raymore Rebels, who sent 18 archers to the national championships including ten males and eight females, where they competed in all three competitions.
Despite sending the large contingent to the championships, it was far from an excellent showing for the Rebels, as they managed no top 100s and just four top 200s.
Josh Frankl was Raymore’s top archer as the grade ten student fired five scores of ten, and a total score of 254, to finish in 120th overall.
Inez Blind was the top Raymore female shooter, as the seventh grader finished 123rd overall, after posting five scores of ten and a total score of 248.
Joining Inez in the top 200 in the women’s competition was Nidahnia Blind, who posted a score of 236, thanks in small part to a trio of tens, as the grade 12 student finished 173rd overall.
Rounding out the Rebels’ top 200 finishers was Presley Saul, who finished in 194th place, after the grade seven student fired a pair of tens, and an overall score of 194th.
Watson
The Watson Raiders sent an average sized contingent to the national championships, with eight shooters in action, including six males, and two females.
The Raiders’ eight shooters competed in middle school and high school action, where they enjoyed decent results posting one top 100 and two top 200s.
Ethan Friesen was the Raiders’ top shooter at the championships, as the ninth grader finished 66th overall, thanks to a score of 262, which included 11 scores of ten.
Rounding out the Raiders’ top 200 finishers was Jillian Bader, who posted a score of 252, complete with six scores of ten, as the grade 12 student finished 107th overall.
