(Des Moines) – Over the weekend, the Atlantic High School Archery Team participated in the State Archery Tournament at the Fairgrounds in Des Moines, finishing 8th in 3D and 15th in Bullseye. The Trojans posted a score of 1665 in 3D and 3294 in Bullseye, competing against 140 teams.
This year’s tournament carried an emotional weight, as Atlantic played a small but meaningful role in honoring a young archer from Don Bosco. On Wednesday night, Coach Clint Roland received a call from the state coordinator about a tragic car accident that claimed the life of a Don Bosco student who had qualified for the tournament. Despite their loss, her teammates and coaches chose to compete in her honor.
Don Bosco competed in the same flight as Atlantic, with Trojan archer Connor Johnson being the first competitor paired with Kelly Schmitz, the young girl who passed away in the car accident.
Coach Roland noted that Mariah Hadley was also paired with another close friend of the late archer.
He says many Atlantic team members were grouped with Don Bosco competitors, and Roland expressed pride in how they handled the situation with respect and sportsmanship.
Reflecting on the season, Coach Roland acknowledged that the team had a slow start and missed a couple of tournaments due to weather and other factors. However, he emphasized that the team grew in many ways beyond just competition.
Coach Roland says despite not placing high in the state tournament, the team shot a lot of PR’s.
Click the Links below to see Atlantic’s results.
Atlantic High School 3D Tournament
Atlantic Middle School 3D Tournament
Atlantic High School Bullseye Tournament
Atlantic Middle School Bullseye Tournament
