Article by Terry Kohler, Archery Advisor
This season’s Archery Teams set several records this year. First, the UDA High School Archery Team completed the 2023 season undefeated by winning all seven local tournaments. Second, this team eclipsed the State Record for team score three times! The previous record that was held by Upper Dauphin was 3353 which Upper Dauphin set in 2020 prior to COVID. The first time the High School broke the record was February 11, 2023, at Halifax, with a team score of 3359. At Line Mountain, just two weeks later, the team score was 3360.
However, this team wasn’t finished yet — they shot a team score of 3361 at the State Tournament, held at Spooky Nook, in Manheim, on March 24, 2023. Kyra Grace Tomlinson finished fifth in the State, for High School Girls, with a 287.
In 2023, for the fifth time, the UDA Trojan High School Archery Team was crowned State Champions: 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023. The Trojans finished second in 2018; there was no tournament held in 2021 due to COVID.
There were many shooters in the top 24 archers who shot their personal high scores this season. In the Boys Division: Junior, Bryson Pell: 294 (Millersburg); Junior, Aidan Fulkroad: 291 (Halifax); Freshman, Tanner Readinger: 290 (Line Mountain); Sophomore, Koen Deibert: 288 (Halifax and Line Mountain); Junior, Lennon Beck: 282 (State Tournament); Freshman, Jordan Bush: 281 (Upper Dauphin); Freshman, Aaron Boyer: 277 (Line Mountain); Junior, Gabe Gehring: 275 (State Tournament); Freshman, Conner Gilbert: 273 (Williams Valley); Sophomore, Scott Liddick: 271 (Halifax); Senior, Roy Henry: 270 (State Tournament), and Sophomore, Ben Spangler: 269 (Line Mountain).
In the Girls Division: Senior, Ryan Wertz: 288 (Tri-Valley); Senior, Kyra Grace Tomlinson: 287 (State Tournament); Freshman, Olivia Kohler: 286 (State Tournament); Junior, Shelby Klinger: 280 (Tri-Valley); and Sophomore, Raquel Koppenhaver: 272 (State Tournament).
Twice this season, the High School boys swept the podium at Line Mountain and Montrose. This season was indeed special for the High School Archery Team as they had one of the best seasons in the history of NASP in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The UDA Middle School Archery Team had a slightly different season as they only won one tournament all season, but it was the one that meant the most: The State Tournament. Leading into the State Tournament, the Middle School had six second place finishes and one fourth place finish at local tournaments. The Middle School Team was ranked fourth in the state prior to the State Tournament. The Archers kept working hard and slow, but steadily improved all season.
Eighth grade, Gary Leitzel, finished second at the State Tournament shooting a 286.
Again, there were many shooters in the top 24 archers who shot person high scores this season. In the Boys Division: Eighth Grade, Gary Leitzel: 286 (State Tournament); Sixth Grade, Ethan Keisling: 273 (Halifax); Sixth Grade, Chase Burkert: 268 (State Tournament); Sixth Grade, Drake Deibert: 267 (State Tournament); Eighth Grade, Logan Reed: 265 (State Tournament); Eighth Grade, Conrad Brown: 263 (State Tournament); and Eighth Grade, Ronald Yang: 269 (Halifax).
In the Girls Division: Seventh Grade, Kenzie Readinger: 281 (Montrose); Eighth Grade, Lydia Engle: 277 (State Tournament); Eighth Grade, Lauren Pozoic: 275 (Millersburg); Seventh Grade, Madison Maurer: 272 (State Tournament); Eighth Grade, Amandah Schreffler-Heck: 269 (State Tournament); Sixth Grade, Harper Burget: 267 (State Tournament); Seventh Grade, Eleana Webster: 266 (State Tournament); Eighth Grade, Olyvia Harig: 265 (Millersburg); Eighth Grade, Gabrielle Kissinger: 262 (Tri-Valley); Sixth Grade, Hannah Weaver: 261 (Upper Dauphin); Eighth Grade, Saani Ortiz: 259 (Line Mountain); Seventh Grade, Jadence Anderson: 248 (State Tournament); and Sixth Grade, Khloe Koppenhaver: 248 (State Tournament).
The future of the Middle School Team looks bright as there will be quite a few returning archer’s next season.
This is the first time in Pennsylvania’s NASP history that both the Middle AND High School Archery Teams placed first at the State Tournament. And by winning the State Tournament, both teams qualified to shoot at the National Tournament, held in Louisville Kentucky, May 11 through May 13, 2023.
Wish our UDA archers good luck as they prepare for Nationals and follow the UDA Archery Program on Facebook.
