Locals prove they are among the nation’s elite in Louisville

ARCHERY NATIONALS

A handful of local youth archers showed they are among the nation’s elite and teams from Medford and Gilman had solid showings during nationals weekend in Louisville, Ky. May 12-14.

Both schools had entries in the National Archery in the School Program (NASP) bullseye and 3-D shoots with Gilman junior Casey Grunseth earning the highest local finish. He was sixth out of 2,138 high school boys in the bullseye competition. Medford also had teams entered in the Centershot Ministries bullseye and 3-D shoots, also held in Louisville, and came away with an Eastern Regional national bullseye high school champion there in sophomore Jenna Wickersheim. Junior Landen Viergutz was third in 3-D and fifth in bullseye shooting and was the runner-up among boys for a combined score.

NASP highlights

The NASP Eastern Nationals bullseye shoot attracted 11,303 qualifiers with 5,951 of them being males and 5,352 being females.

Gilman’s team placed 139th out of 215 teams in the high school division with a score of 3,199, though its team score from its top 12 scorers –– with a minimum of four archers from each gender –– includes archers from the high, middle and elementary school levels.

Grunseth shot a 296 out of a possible 300 to earn his sixth-place finish out 2,138 high school boys. Of his 30 shots –– 15 from 10 meters and 15 from 15 meters –- he put 26 in the 10-point ring and the other four in the 9-point ring. He was just two points behind three cochampions from Alabama, Ohio and Missouri.

Viergutz was 69th with a score of 290 that included 20 10-point shots.

Gilman fifth-grader Colton Lang just missed the top 10, placing 11th out of 1,497 elementary boys (grades 4-5) with his score of 280.

Wickersheim was 108th among 2,055 high school girls with her score of 284.

Medford’s middle school team placed 134th out of 205 teams with a team score of 3,102.

Grunseth, Viergutz and Lang had scores that qualify them for NASP World competition in Louisville June 23-25.

In 3-D competition, Medford junior Kirsten Weix hit the Worlds-qualifying score of 288 while placing 14th out of 875 high school girls. Other top scores from local archers in that shoot included a 287 from Viergutz that put him 36th out of 940 high school boys and a 282 from Grunseth that placed 85th, a 274 from Lang that put him eighth out of 633 elementary boys and qualified him for Worlds competition, a 281 from Wickersheim that put her in 60th place, a 279 from Gilman’s Olivia Buske that put her 76th among high school girls and a 280 from Medford’s Ezra Hillebrand that ranked him 39th among 1,021 middle school boys.

Gilman was 39th among high school teams and Medford ranked 55th among middle school teams.

NASP Bullesye shoot High school team: 1. Castle High School, 3,434; 2. Hillsboro High School, 3,434; 139. Gilman, 3,199.

Middle school team: 1. Benton (La.) Middle School, 3,407; 2. Vinemont (Ala.) Middle School, 3,373; 134. Medford, 3,102.

High school boys: 1. Will Bolzle, Cullman, Ala., Mathew Harper, Maysville, Ohio and JJ Quehl, Blair Oaks, Mo., 298; 6. Casey Grunseth, Gil., 296; 69. Landen Viergutz, Med., 290; 540. Dalton Wisocky, Gil., 276; 757. Michael Meyer, Med., 272; 866. Coy Loucks, Med., 270; 1,068. Collin Rausch, Med., 266; 1,807. Tyrel Mravik, Gil., 244. High school girls: 1. Molly Wolken, Calvary Lutheran, Mo., 295; 108. Jenna Wickersheim, Med., 284; 195. Tatum Weir, Gil., 281; 224. Kirsten Weix, Med., 281; 367. Kaedence Ecklund, Med., 277; 590. Mattie Gebert, Med., 272; 617. Christine Czeshinski, Med., 272; 713. Melanie Kreklau, Med., 270; 845. Olivia Buske, Gil., 267; 1,364.

Tana Rappe, Med., 256.

Middle school boys: 1. Mark Pocker, Bernheim, Ky., 295; 204. Ezra Hillebrand, Med., 277; 415. Ethan Emmerich, Med., 270; 569. Dawson Grunseth, Gil., 267; 611. Jake Erl, Med., 266; 632.

Ashton Behling, Med., 266; 755. Brody Peche, Med., 263; 1,184. Dawson Robinson, Gil., 254; 1,762. Hank Paul, Med., 238; 2,008. Makii Austin Mallo, Gil., 227.

Middle school girls: 1. Savanah O’Donohue, Benton, La., 295; 454. Reece Weir, Gil., 267; 605.

Kella Gebert, Med., 264; 697. Mylie Stephens, Gil., 261; 699. Breanna Lemke, Med., 261; 876.

Haley Wesle, Med., 257; 887. Cora Semrau, Med., 257; 969. Misty Mravik, Gil., 254; 1,065. Jazmyn Robinson, Gil., 252; 1,157. Kadence Weix, Med., 249; 1,447. Ella Ewings, Gil., 241; 1,590. Rayanna Romig, Gil., 235; 1,593. Kodi Rappe, Med., 234; 1,878. Destiny Bertsinger, Gil., 216; 2,019. Kennedy Buske, Gil., 186.

Elementary boys: 1. Evan Miller, West Elementary School, Independence, Iowa, 288; 11. Colton Lang, Gil., 280; 435. Wyatt Stephens, Gil., 244; 735. Karson Ecklund, Med., 230; 1,426. Jaylin Mallo, Gil., 156.

NASP 3-D shoot High school team: 1. Hillsboro (Mo.) High School, 1,744; 2. Wynnbrook (Ga.) Christian School, 1,718; 31. Medford, 1,659; 39. Gilman, 1,643.

Middle school team: 1. Benton (La.) Middle School, 1,708; 2. Vinemont (Ala.) Middle School, 1,706; 55. Medford, 1,570.

High school boys: 1. JJ Quehl, Blair Oaks, Mo., 299; 36. Landen Viergutz, Med., 287; 85. Casey Grunseth, Gil., 282; 236. Dalton Wisocky, Gil., 272; 410. Coy Loucks, Med., 262; 862. Tyrel Mravik, Gil., 215.

High school girls: 1. Sarah-Kate Eshman, Wynnbrook (Ga.) Christian School, 297; 14. Kirsten Weix, Med., 288; 60. Jenna Wickersheim, Med., 281; 76. Olivia Buske, Gil., 279; 79. Tatum Weir, Gil., 278; 150. Mattie Gebert, Med., 273; 235.

Kaedence Ecklund, Med., 268; 514. Tana Rappe, Med., 250; 523. Christine Czeshinski, Med., 249.

Middle school boys: 1. Tucker Robinson, Vinemont, Ala., 293; 39. Ezra Hillebrand, Med., 280; 77. Ashton Behling, Med., 276; 324. Dawson Robinson, Gil., 258; 369. Jake Erl, Med., 255; 493.

Brody Peche, Med., 247; 565. Dawson Grunseth, Gil., 242; 829. Makii Austin Mallo, Gil., 219.

Middle school girls: 1. Mia Cornelson, Alba, Ala., 292; 85. Kella Gebert, Med., 272; 273. Mylie Stephens, Gil., 258; 339. Reece Weir, Gil, 253; 357.

Rayanna Romig, Gil., 252; 519. Jazmyn Robinson, Gil., 241; 528. Misty Mravik, Gil., 240; 533. Kodi Rappe, Med., 240; 696. Kadence Weix, Med., 226; 755. Ella Ewings, Gil., 219; 944. Destiny Bertsinger, Gil., 175; 978. Kennedy Buske, Gil., 111.

Elementary boys: 1. Logan Rhinevault, Lathrop Street Elementary (Pa.), 293; 8. Colton Lang, Gil., 274; 178. Wyatt Stephens, Gil., 241; 394. Karson Ecklund, Med., 210; 620. Jaylin Mallo, Gil., 121.

Centershot highlights

Wickersheim’s winning score in the Centershot bullseye competition was 294 and beat those of 326 others at the high school level. She was one point ahead of the next three competitors from Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.

Viergutz’s bullseye score was 295 and good for fifth out of 311 high school boys. JJ Quehl of Blair Oaks, Mo. shot a perfect 300 to win it.

Medford placed sixth as a team in high school competition and 10th in middle school competition.

Other high scorers in the bullseye shoot included Mattie Gebert’s 283 and Weix’s 280 among high school girls, Ashton Behling’s 279 in middle school boys competition and Kella Gebert’s 273 in the middle girls shoot.

Viergutz shot a 296 in the 3-D shoot to tie for third out of 190 high school boys entrants. He was two points behind winner Mathew Harper of Cornerstone Full Gospel of Ohio. His combined score of 591 was only beaten by Harper’s 594. Kella Gebert hit the top 10 out of 173 middle school girls with a seventh-place score of 280 and Wickersheim was 10th out of 199 high school girls at 285.

Again, Medford’s high schoolers were sixth in team competition and the middle schoolers were 10th.

Centershot bullseye shoot High school team: 1. Cornerstone Full Gospel, Duncan Falls, Ohio, 1,724; 2. Wynnbrook (Ga.)

Christian School, 1,717; 6. Medford, 1,696.

Middle school team: 1, Causey (Ala.) Middle School, 1,693; 2. Vinemont (Ala.) Middle School, 1,683; 16. Medford, 1,614.

High school girls: 1. Jenna Wickersheim, 294; 27. Mattie Gebert, 283; 44. Kirsten Weix, 280; 96. Kaedence Ecklund, 272; 113. Tana Rappe, 271; 174. Melanie Kreklau, 260; 252. Christine Czeshinski, 246.

High school boys: 1. JJ Quehl, Blair Oaks, Mo., 300; 5. Landen Viergutz, 295; 123. Collin Rausch, 272; 158. Coy Loucks, 268; 171. Michael Meyer, 265.

Middle school boys: 1. Aiden Sprouse, Montrose, Pa., 294; 37. Ashton Behling, 279; 63. Ezra Hillebrand, 273; 91. Jake Erl, 269; 189. Brody Peche, 256; 256. Ethan Emmerich, 247; 276. Hank Paul, 242.

Middle school girls: 1. Natalie Bell, East Burke, N.C. 294; 50. Kella Gebert, 273; 96. Cora Semrau, 264; 150. Haley Wesle, 256; 164. Kadence Weix, 253; 170. Breanna Lemke, 252; 282. Kodi Rappe, 219.

Elementary boys: 1. Logan Rhinevault, Lathrop Street Elementary (Pa.), 290; 140. Karson Ecklund, 230.

Centershot 3-D Challenge High school team: 1. Cornerstone Full Gospel, Duncan Falls, Ohio, 1,717; 2. Wynnbrook (Ga.)

Christian School, 1,695; 6. Medford, 1,667.

Middle school team: 1. Cullman (Ala.) Middle School, 1,652; 2. Trinity Lutheran School (Mo.), 1,645; 10. Medford, 1,583.

High school boys: 1. Mathew Harper, Cornerstone Full Gospel, 298; 3. Landen Viergutz, 296; 84. Coy Loucks, 266.

High school girls: 1. Payton Bellings, Bellevue, Iowa, 293; 10. Jenna Wickersheim, 285; 30.

Kirsten Weix, 275; 35. Christine Czeshinski, 275; 51. Tana Rappe, 270; 72. Mattie Gebert, 264; 74.

Kaedence Ecklund, 264.

Middle school girls: 1. Natalie Bell, East Burke, N.C., 289; 7. Kella Gebert, 280; 90. Kodi Rappe, 249; 122. Kadence Weix, 233.

Middle school boys: 1. Timm Chandonia, South Tama County, Iowa, 295; 28. Ezra Hillebrand, 273; 41. Ashton Behling, 269; 98. Brody Peche, 256; 99. Jake Erl, 256.

Elementary boys: 1. Logan Rhinevault, Lathrop Street Elementary (Pa.), 290; 81. Karson Ecklund, 207.

Medford’s Landen Viergutz (left) receives a trophy for compiling the second-highest combined score from the bullseye and 3-D shoots in the Centershot Eastern National competition last week in Lousville, Ky. He totaled 591 out of a possible 600 points. Mathew Harper of Ohio totaled 594 points in the two events.

Casey Grunseth