By MEALAND RAGLAND-HUDGINS
Rutherford County Schools
June 26, 2024
Students from seven Rutherford County schools participated in the 2024 National Archery in the Schools Program’s Championship Tournament.
Held June 6-8 in Daytona Beach, Florida, the tournaments were for students using the traditional bullseye targets and 3D targets. Nearly 3,000 students from 39 states competed, according to NASP.
Rockvale Elementary School finished fifth out of 34 schools in the Elementary division for bullseye. Avery Notgrass earned a Top 10 finish (sixth) in the Elementary Girls bullseye division, finishing with a final score of 280 out of a possible 300.
In the 3D competition, Rockvale Elementary finished sixth. Archers Avery Notgrass and Savannah Mantor finished 11th and 15th, respectively, of the 208 competing in the Elementary Girls division. School Resource Officer T.J. Notgrass serves as Rockvale Elementary’s coach.
Christiana Middle, coached by Kelcey Slayton, ranked 11th of 47 teams in the 3D contest’s Middle division.
“I am extremely proud of the team this year. They worked hard all season at practice, and the 23'-24' tournament results consistently proved it,” Slayton said. “Rutherford County would not be where we are in the sport without the archers receiving a foundational NASP education from their elementary school coaches.
“I would personally like to thank Tyler Mingle, T.J. Notgrass, Erin Hopkins, and Dr. Seth Agee for pouring time and devotion into RCS archery. At the middle school level, we owe most of our success to the elementary school coaches,” Slayton said.
Detailed results from the Bullseye and 3D contests can be found here: https://nasptournaments.org/NationalWorld.aspx
The list of RCS students who participated in the tournament is below. Asterisks show those with Academic Archer status to recognize success in the classroom and on the range.
Blackman High: AnneMarie Granger
Blackman Middle: Abigail Harden*, Clarissa Alkiyami*, Luke Faris*, Tabitha Venetis*, Jezzie Bell Eddy*, Addison Phillips*, Devyn Mann, Gage Braun*, Kaylynn Chatman*, Boone Honey*, Adrien McKight, Copeland Bowers*
Christiana Elementary: Everly Lovitt, Archie Arnold, Melody Nelson, Tabler Murray, Blake Whitman, Samson Powell, Luke Holtsclaw, Gideon Limphaibule, Madison Pouge, Aeris Redmon, Isaac Sullivan
Christiana Middle: Emily Hopkins*, Bella Kunce*, Luciana Spivey-Palacios*, Chloe Slayton*, Vance Hadley*, Adrienne Benitez*, Mason Evans, Savannah Rempfer*, David Foster*, Kylie Urias*, Cooper Perry*, Kalyani Patel*, Bentley Phillips*, Reagan Tarin*
Eagleville School: Jacob Walden, Avery Honey, Caydee Anthony, Ariadna Gil, Raelynn Anthony
Siegel Middle: Millie Humphress*
Rockvale Elementary: Avery Notgrass*, Savannah Mantor, Andrew Barbee*, Katie Granger*, Audrey Notgrass*, Griffin Simmonds*, Charlotte Sitterly*, Lucas Rodrigues, Jack Sitterly*, Collyns Wilson*, Sawyer Bowker*, Tyler Lancaster*, Angela Baeza*, Nate Barbee*, Easton Prater*, John Luke Bauer*, Elianna Riehl*, Reese Merritt*, Amelia Bingham*
PHOTO: The Christiana Middle School archery team poses for a photo at the 2024 National Archery in the Schools Program’s Eastern National Tournament, held in Louisville, Kentucky.