OSAGE BEACH, Mo. - Two Helias students finished in the top five of their respective classes when the Missouri Department of Conservation recently hosted the seventh annual Missouri National Archery in the Schools (MoNASP) state tournament March 27-28 at Tan-Tar-A Resort.
The event drew 1,388 competitors in grades 4-12 from 88 schools across the state, along with more than 8,500 observers and supporters.
Winning teams and individuals, along with other teams and individuals who had qualifying scores, will go on to compete in the National Archery in the Schools (NASP) national tournament May 7-9 in Louisville, Ky.
MDC Education Outreach coordinator Eric Edwards, who coordinates MoNASP, said the overall quality was high at this year's competition.
"I am so impressed with the scores this year," he said. "Each year the scores just get better and better. Kids from Missouri should have a very strong chance at making the podium at the national NASP tournament in May."
Shelby Winslow, a sophomore from Lee's Summit West High School, won top female and top overall archer for the third year in a row with a score of 295 out of a possible 300. Seth Pezley, a freshman from Helias, was the top male archer with a score of 294.
Nipping at their heels was Salem Middle School fifth-grader Irving Johnson with a score of 293.
Katherine McDonald of Helias took fourth in the individual high school females division with her score of 285.
George Guffey Elementary School in Fenton continued its dominance, winning the team division for the elementary division for the seventh straight year.
MoNASP is coordinated through MDC in partnership with numerous schools and supporting organizations throughout the state. It is an affiliate of NASP and promotes education, self-esteem and physical activity for students in grades 4-12.
More than 135,000 Missouri students from 487 schools participate in MoNASP.
Here are the winning teams and the individual top-five finishers. (For full tournament scores, go online to nasptournaments.org/TournamentDetail.aspx?tid=742.)
High School Division
- Sarcoxie R-II, 2. Lee's Summit West, 3. Helias.
Middle School Division
- Ridgewood Middle School, Arnold; 2. Hillsboro Junior High, Hillsboro; 3. Sarcoxie Middle School, Sarcoxie.
Elementary School Division
- George Guffey Elementary School, Fenton; 2. St. Thomas the Apostle, St. Thomas; 3. Longview Farm Elementary, Lee's Summit.
Individual High School Males
- Seth Pezley, Helias; 2. Zane White, Sarcoxie R-II; 3. Christian Durst, Lee's Summit West; 4. Gavin Currey, Sarcoxie R-II; 5. Caleb Ridenour, Seckman.
Individual High School Females
- Shelby Winslow, Lee's Summit West; 2. Lexie Vaught, Crane; 3. Samantha Lee, Joplin; 4. Katherine McDonald, Helias; 5. Isabelle Smith, Lee's Summit West.
Individual Middle School Males
- Jeremy Stockman, St. Thomas the Apostle; 2. Andy Rodgers, Our Lady of the Presentation; 3. Nate Baldwin, Sarcoxie R-II; 4. Michael Sechrest-Grove, Ridgewood Middle School; 5. Ben Nance, St. Clair Middle School.
Individual Middle School Females
- Jenna Newell, Ridgewood Middle School; 2. Madison Genge, Hillsboro Junior High; 3. Lauren Smith, Summit Lakes Middle School; 4. Lexi Shopmaker, Crane Middle School; 5. McKenna Schneider, Ridgewood Middle School.
Individual Elementary School Males
- Irving Johnson, Salem Middle School; 2. Tyler Gardner, Clinton Intermediate; 3. Max Wangler, Sarcoxie Elementary; 4. Drake Acheson, Sarcoxie Elementary; 5. Wyatt Berhorst, St. Joseph Catholic Westphalia.
Individual Elementary School Females
- Maggie Carrol, George Guffey; 2. Sydney Menard, George Guffey; 3. Grace Boessen, St. Thomas the Apostle; 4. Jordyn Dawson, Simpson Elementary; 5. Katie Fredrickson, Carl Junction.