ALBUQUERQUE – More than 800 archers competed at the eighth annual National Archery in the Schools, NASP State Tournament Feb. 9 at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

“We had 830 of New Mexico’s top archers compete toe-to-toe today,” said John Martsh, recruitment, retention, reactivation (R3) program manager for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. “We really can’t say enough about the dedication and hard work the students, coaches and families invested in making this one of the best tournaments in the nation.”

Caillie Waters of the Albuquerque Institute for Mathematics and Science at the University of New Mexico (AIMS@UNM) scored 266 out of a possible 300 points to take first place among female high school competitors. Josiah Romero-Millowa, also of AIMS@UNM, was the top male high school archer with a score of 276.

In the middle school division, Korvia Zuni, of Tony Hillerman Middle School, scored 279 out of 300 to lead the girls while Brandon Miller, of Camino Real Middle School, scored 277 as the boys’ front-runner.

In the elementary school division, Samar Mouri, of John Baker Elementary School, was the top girls’ top scorer at 249, edging out Amilia Lopez of Coronado Elementary School, also scoring 249, by shooting 10 bulls eyes during the competition. Benjamin Potters, of Clovis Christian School was the top boys’ top scorer at 266.

In team standings AIMS@UNM scored highest in the high school division with a score of 3121 out of a possible 3600 points while James Monroe Middle School won their division with a score of 3110. Clovis Christian school took first place in the elementary division with a top score of 2669.

The top 10 boy and girl scorers in each individual division qualify to participate in the NASP Western Nationals in Salt Lake City, Utah in April. For complete list of tournament results please visit www.napstournaments.org.

More than 100 public schools across New Mexico participate in the National Archery in the Schools Program and more join every year. Schools receive free training for instructors and the Department of Game and Fish provides 50 percent of the funding for each school to purchase archery equipment. It costs about $3,000 to outfit a school or organization with bows, targets, backstops and other equipment to get a program started. Many schools incorporate the program into existing physical education or after-school activities.

Federal funding through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service makes National Archery in the Schools Program possible. The Pittman-Robertson Act of 1937 dedicates federal excise taxes collected from manufacturers of firearms, ammunition and archery equipment to national wildlife restoration programs, which include hunter education, shooting and archery programs in addition to wildlife surveys, transplants, and the purchase and management of wildlife management areas.

For more information about the National Archery in the Schools Program and how your school can get involved, contact John Martsh, R3 program manager for the Department of Game and Fish at (505) 222-4719 or d.martsh@state.nm.us.