Archers on target with one team, two individual state championships

Lexington, SC - Archers from three Lexington District One schools won state titles this season, including one back-to-back champion.

Gilbert High’s Gracie L. Howard won the S.C. National Archery in the Schools Program High School Division IBO 3D state title, as well as the S.C. NASP High School Division Bullseye state title. Her wins follow last season’s bullseye state title and runner-up finish in the IBO 3D event. In the IBO 3D competitions, students aim at life-size replicas of various animals.

At this season’s state championships, Howard shot a 294 in the bullseye event and a 292 in the IBO 3D event. Leading up to the state tournament, she finished first or second in every competition but one.

Carolina Springs Middle’s Alex M. Massengill also shot his way to a state title. Competing in the middle school division, he won the S.C. NASP Bullseye State Championship with a score of 292.

Massengill qualified for the NASP Eastern Nationals, where he improved his score to 296, finishing third in a field of 2,900 middle school boys. Capping off a great season on the range and in the classroom, NASP named Massengill a Middle School Division All-American Academic Archer. Also representing Gilbert Archery, Gilbert Middle’s team won a state title in the bullseye event.

Winners of the S.C. NASP Middle School Division Bullseye State Championship include L. Troy Buck, Bryson L. Cook, Marcus R. Cook, Cassidy D. Craps, Sonny D. DeVore, Sydney M. Duke, W. Justin Elrod, Brisa C. Greene, Kayla M. Hall, Brysen R. Hallman, Mackenzie R. Head, P. Blythe Hicks, John T. Howard, Haileigh E. Makuta, Connor M. Muskopf, Dorian G. Parriott, Braelyn L. Peake, Lily A. Price, Starlynn N. Robertson and Justin B. Sharpe.

The team shot a 3298 to beat 15 other teams, improving on their third-place finish at regionals. In the state IBO 3D event, GMS finished third with a score of 1616.