For the second straight year the Washington archery program will send several archers to compete in the nation’s biggest shoot. The Washington High School, middle school, and Lincoln Elementary archery teams participated in the National Archery in Schools Program (NASP) State Championship on Saturday in Des Moines.

Fourteen high school and two elementary school archers shot well enough to qualify themselves for the National Competition in Louisville, Ky this May.

The high school team finished in 13th place with an overall score of 3184. Sophomore John Sands was the Demons’ top boys’ shooter, scoring a 286 out of a possible 300 points. The effort was the 15th best performance in the high school division and the 17th best performance in the entire boys’ field. Junior Jade Wells finished as the girls’ top shooter with a score of 276, finishing in 24th place out of the 139 high school girls competing.

The high school archers who qualified for the national competition include: Sands, Wells, junior Joseph Dalziel, senior Kyle Basten, senior Alex Sinn, sophomore Grace Shafer-Smith, freshman Kylee Porter, junior Chloe Schlatter, senior Kennedy Hyde, senior Jake Crider, junior Shelby Mineart, freshman Jessica Hora, senior Levi Black and junior Carolan Hoffman.

Elementary students Olin Wells and Kenna Rathmell will join the high school archers at the National Competition after posting personal best scores at the state shoot. Wells scored a 276, placing him third in the elementary boys’ division. Rathmell shot a 261, placing her seventh among the elementary school shooters.

The middle school archery team scored a 3061, 11th in their field. The Lincoln Elementary archery team placed fifth with a score of 2922.

The NASP National Tournament will take place May 7 through May 9 at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky.