It was a big meet for the Golden Hawk Archery Club at the Iowa State 3D Championships in Des Moines earlier this month. The Mid-Prairie brother and sister duo, Lael and Joshua Seale, qualified for the National Championship meet.

Lael, an eighth grader, advanced by finishing seventh of 130 middle school girls in 3D with a 278 score that included 13 tens. Joshua, a fifth grader, was seventh of 68 elementary boys in 3D with a 267 score that included 13 tens. The pair recently joined the KCII PM Sports Page to talk about the State Tournament.

Lael said, “My favorite moment is when you get on the line and you shoot what you think is a really good score. Then you’re super excited because you’re like ‘Wow! I just did really good!’ You feel really proud of yourself!”

Joshua added, “I was pretty nervous but I was really excited to get to go there and that my sister was going there too. I feel like I could probably do my best because my sister had done it and I feel like I’m more used to it than someone who is going for their first time. In 3D I shot a 49, I shot my PR (Personal Record) by 12 points.”

The Seales now travel to the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville for the National Archery in the Schools Program IBO 3D Challenge May 9th through the 11th.

The pair join previous Nationals qualifiers Preston Ford and Elijah Statler in program history.