Hanson Wins Scholarship at State Archery Contest

The state archery contest took place this past weekend and some 2,300 students from nearly 150 Iowa schools were in Des Moines to take aim in the state archery tournament. Zach Benttine, the Iowa DNR’s archery coordinator, says there were two types of competition for the students in grades four through 12.

Prizes included more than $20,000 in college scholarships based on performance at the state tournament, while another $10,000 were awarded outside of the competition to archers based on academics, essays, and other criteria.

The tournament is part of the National Archery in the Schools program where nearly 250 Iowa schools teach archery in the schools according to Benttine.

One of the scholarship winners came from Garner-Hayfield-Ventura High School. Courtney Hanson won the Iowa Bowhunter’s Association “Cal Stuchen Memorial” Senior Scholarship Award valued at $500. The scholarship award is performance based and there were four available scholarships in that category.

A complete list of winners follows:

Awards

General Awards:

Coach of the Year – Mitch Bock, Prairie High School (Cedar Rapids) – Plaque and $500 Gift Card

Team Spirit Award – North Mahaska Schools – $500 Team Equipment Grant

Haney Family Foundation Senior Scholarship (Essay Based)

$1,000 – Natalie Baustian, Prairie High School (Cedar Rapids)

$1,000 – Blake Peck, Mid-Prairie High School

$1,000 – Kassie Rummel, Solon High School

Chuck “Coach” Hallier Memorial Senior Scholarship (Essay Based)

$1,000 – Lucas Hledik, Central Dewitt High School

$1,000 – Sierra Snyder, Mount Vernon High School

Iowa Bowhunter’s Association “Cal Stuchen Memorial” Senior Scholarship (Performance Based)

$500 – Bullseye Top Senior Boy – Lucas Hledik, Central DeWitt

$500 – Bullseye Top Senior Girl – Megan Kremer, Marquette Catholic Bellevue

$500 – 3D Top Senior Boy – Thayer Rooney, Creston High School

$500 – 3D Top Senior Girl – Courtney Hanson, Garner-Hayfield-Ventura High School

IBO 3D State Tournament Top Performers

Calina Olson, Springville Community Schools, won the girls 3D competition with a score of 292. William Frehse, Spencer High School, won the boys 3D competition with a score of 296. Both archers received a $1,500 scholarship and their choice of a custom Gen-X Bow package or $200 Gift Card.

Emily Mourlam, Center Point-Urbana, was the girls 3D runner-up with a score of 290. Cade Elsenbast, Spencer High School, was the boys 3D runner-up with a score of 292. Both runner-up archers received a $1,000 scholarship.

Bullseye State Tournament Top Performers

Myka Hanscon, Orient-Macksburg Middle School, won the girls bullseye competition with a score of 292. Timm Chandonia, South Tama, won the boys bullseye competition with a score of 294. Both archers received a $1,500 scholarship and a Genesis Pro Bow.

Emily Mourlam, Center Point-Urbana, was the girls’ bullseye runner-up with a score of 291. Gaige Mohr, East Union High School, was the boys runner-up with a score of 292. Both runner-up archers received a $1,000 scholarship.

 

High All-Around (IBO 3D/Bullseye Combined State Tournament Scores)

Emily Mourlam, Center Point-Urbana, with a total combined score of 581 was the female high all-around champion. Timm Chandonia, South Tama, with a total combined score of 584 was the male high all-around champion. Both archers received a $1,500 scholarship.

 

IBO 3D All-State Team (Highest League Score Combined with State Tournament Score)

Female – Ava Boldt, South Tama Middle School

Female – Shayla McDaniel, Prairie High School (Cedar Rapids)

Female – Calina Olson, Springville Community Schools

Female – Isabella Johnson, Independence High School

Female – Kaitlyn Oehler, Lawton-Bronson High School

Female – Ashlie Kascel, Prairie High School (Cedar Rapids)

Male – Grant Petty, Atlantic High School

Male – William Frehse, Spencer High School

Male – Timm Chandonia, South Tama High School

Male – Ethan Bannor, Madrid High School

Male – Ethan Hilts, Sergeant Bluff-Luton High School

Male – Carson Bright, Anamosa High School

Bullseye All-State Team (Highest League Score Combined with State Tournament Score)

Female – Ava Boldt, South Tama

Female – Emily Mourlam, Center Point-Urbana

Female – Ella Noesen, East Buchanan

Female – Isabella Johnson, Independence

Female – Mickala Herrick, Anamosa

Female – Audrey Smith, Van Buren County High School

Male – Timm Chandonia, South Tama

Male – Evan Miller, Independence

Male – Reuben Koob, Oelwein

Male – Lucas Hledik, Central DeWitt

Male – Grant Petty, Atlantic

Male – Cole Rosa, Valley High School

More than 4,653 archers participated in Iowa’s National Archery in the Schools After-School League Program. The season ran from Dec. 1, 2023 – Feb. 11, 2024.

The state tournament was sponsored by

• National Archery in the Schools Program
• Iowa Hunter Education Instructor Association
• Iowa Bowhunters Association
• Chuck “Coach” Hallier Memorial Fund
• Haney Family Foundation
• Whitetails Unlimited
• Safari Club International
• Ducks Unlimited
• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
• Pheasants Forever / Quail Forever