Sixty-five schools to compete in W.Va. archery tournament

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Students from 65 schools will participate in the 18th annual West Virginia Archery-in-the-Schools State Tournament on March 25, according to officials with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

Chris Scraggs, the division’s archery-in-schools program coordinator, says the program has blossomed since the Covid 19 pandemic, and the tournament is being moved to a larger venue in Charleston, West Virginia.

“We came back really strong last year with our first tournament after the pandemic, so we wanted to go bigger and better this year by having a larger space at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center and inviting more teams to compete,” Scraggs said.

More than 1,400 students from 96 schools participated in the state qualifier this year, but only the top 10 teams and the top 15 boys and top 15 girls from elementary, middle, and high school will go on to compete at the state tournament.

“We want to thank everyone who has been a part of this program. This fantastic program for students would not be possible without all of the coaches and volunteers and the conservation and educational organizations around our great state,” Scraggs said.

The tournament will be at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center on Saturday, March 25. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Check-in starts at 9 a.m. Students will compete from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. An awards ceremony will begin around 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for kids 6-17, and free for children younger than 6.

Students from the following schools qualified to participate in this year’s state tournament:

• Alderson Elementary
• Andrew Jackson Middle
• Bridge/Clendenin Elementary
• Buckhannon Upshur High
• Buckhannon-Upshur Middle
• Cameron Middle
• Cedar Grove Community School
• Chapmanville Middle
• Chapmanville Regional High
• Chesapeake Elementary
• Conner Street Elementary
• Corpus Christi
• East Bank Middle
• Edison Middle
• Elk Elementary
• Elkview Middle
• Elm Grove Elementary
• Grace Christian School
• HEAT
• Herbert Hoover High
• Hodgesville Elementary
• Hollywood Elementary
• Huff Consolidated
• Hurricane High
• Hurricane Middle
• Hurricane Town Elementary
• Independence Middle
• James Monroe High
• John Marshall High
• Lakeside Elementary
• Martin Elementary
• Maysville Elementary
• Middle Creek Elementary
• Mountain View Middle
• Our Lady of Peace
• Parkersburg South High
• Petersburg High
• Peterstown Elementary
• Peterstown Middle
• Pickens School
• Poca High
• Poca Middle
• Ravenswood High
• Ravenswood Middle
• Ripley High
• Ripley Middle
• Riverside High
• Shady Spring High
• Shady Spring Middle
• Sherrard Middle
• St. Vincent De Paul Parish School
• Summers County High
• Summers Middle
• Tennerton
• The Linsly School
• UCHAA Upshur County Homeschool Archery Association
• Union Elementary
• Wahama
• West Liberty Elementary
• West Teays Elementary
• Wheeling Park High
• Winfield High
• Winfield Middle
• Wirt County High
• Wirt County Middle

Only schools that have completed National Archery-in-the-Schools training and follow NASP rules can participate in the state tournament.

For more information about the West Virginia Archery in the Schools Program or to attend the next training, visit WVdnr.gov/west-virginia-archery-in-the-schools-program.