The state’s top archers are descending on Des Moines today for the 2017 Iowa State Tournament. Washington High School archery coach Liz Goodwin was a guest on this week’s PM Sports Page and stated the Washington teams have once again qualified for the state competition. Goodwin says the top 23 high school, 21 middle school, and 13 elementary school teams are invited to the Richard O. Jacobson Exhibition Center today and tomorrow for the event.

The schools are ranked based on their top two scores from the season.

The Washington High School archery team is ranked sixth overall with a collective score of 6,664. Their top result was 3,351 on February 4 at the Prairie Archery Tournament. Freshman Samantha Mellinger enters the weekend as the second-best archer in the high school division with a score of 585. Her career-best performance of 293, out a possible 300 points, came during the Prairie Archery Tournament. Senior Grace Shafer ranks eighth overall with 578 points.

The Washington Middle School squad is the third-best junior high team entering the state shoot with 6,535 points. Their best score of 3,275 was recorded at the Ottumwa Bulldogs Archery Tournament on February 11. Allison Rees is ranked second entering the state shoot with a score of 579. Her top score of 290 was recorded at the Mount Vernon Tournament on February 18.

The Lincoln Elementary School squad is the 13th ranked squad with a two-meet score of 5,354. Their top performance of 2,696 points was posted at the Mount Vernon Tournament. Makynna Morgan is Lincoln’s top-ranked shooter and the 12th best in the elementary field with a collective score of 518. Her best score of 259 was recorded at the Cardinal Shooting Comets 3-D Tournament on January 7 at the Alburnett Archery Invitational.

Listen to KCII’s Sports Page Monday morning for results from the National Archery in the Schools Program’s 2017 Iowa State Tournament.