M&B News
Louisiana Archers Claim Second Straight National
Archery in Schools Program World Championship
After bringing home Louisiana’s first National
Archery in Schools Program (NASP) national championship in May, Benton Middle School claimed its
second straight NASP world title last month.
Benton won the championship, beating Castle North Middle School of Indiana by an impressive 70 points, at the 2016 NASP World
Tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Archers from six
Louisiana schools competed alongside more than
4,000 other students from the United States,
Canada, and Mongolia. A total of 103 Louisiana
student archers, part of the Archery in Louisiana
Schools (ALAS) program, attended the 2016 NASP
World Tournament after earning the right by qualifying at the NASP National Tournament in May.
Benton Middle archers improved their score from
NASP Nationals by 40 points. “That isn’t as an
easy feat when your archers are already shooting
at such a high level,” said ALAS State Coordinator
Robert Stroede, who oversees the program for the
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. “It
is impressive to see the dedication of these students. They gave up half of their summer vacation
to prepare for this tournament and it’s great to
see their hard work and determination pay off.”
The win was definitely a team effort with every
Benton Middle School team member shooting a
260 or above. The team was led by Abbie Rutledge, the top female shooter from Louisiana with
a 291 score ranking her fourth among middle
school girls. Riley Daniels was the top male
shooter for the team, firing a 290 which put him
15th among middle school boys.
Benton Middle wasn’t done yet though. Held
in conjunction with the NASP World Tournament
was the 2016 NASP World IBO 3-D Challenge.
Thanks to stellar performances by Emma Bunch,
Aidan Haire and Kaitlyn Misenheimer, Benton Middle School also won Louisiana’s first NASP 3D
World Championship.
Benton Middle School archers also brought
home hardware as individuals in the 3-D event.
After shooting a 291, Emma Bunch was named the
middle school girls world champion. Aidan Haire
and Kaitlyn Misenheimer both shot 289s and
placed third in the middle school division.