Elk Mound archery clubs see success at regional, state level

By Cara L. Dempski

ELK MOUND — There is one sport at Elk Mound Middle School and Elk Mound High School that bridges the gap between winter and spring sports.

The two schools have been sending archery teams to competitions since late winter, and sent both teams to the state tournament held April 1 at Woodside Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells, with some success.

Individual archers compete by shooting at a bullseye target from two distances before moving on to “3D” shooting, which involves six different lanes and targets positioned in a diagonal line ranging in distance from 10 meters (32 feet, 10 inches) to 15 meters (49 feet, two inches) from the shooting line. Competitors are scored depending on where arrows hit the intended target.

ELK MOUND archer Amanda Holzer placed 3rd for High School girls at the Sparta Classic National Archery in Schools Program (NASP) tournament. —photo submitted

The high school team competed in four tournaments around Wisconsin this season, and placed 14th out of 21 schools at the state tournament. Elk Mound’s top five high school archers at state were Shylee Geske (273), Karie Jo Nigon (272), Kirstin Dutzle (269), Amanda Holzer (268), and Elizabeth Bauer (260).

ELK MOUND MIDDLE SCHOOL ARCHERY — The Elk Mound Middle School archers took home a first place trophy from Menomonie March 30, just days before competing in the April 1 state tournament at Wisconsin Dells. Pictured here (L to R) are, front row: Maddie Dutzle, Mitchell Hainstock, Lane Lee and Devan Scheffler; middle row: Zane Clemmens, Quintin Erdman, Ty Thornton, Zack Miller and Hunter Carlson; back row: Vincent Biegel, Ryder Simington, Christian Hall, Kody Maves, Mitchell Ruppelt, Elizabeth Hansen, Brennan Zais and Korbin Verdon; not pictured: Kayla Brantner. —photo submitted

The middle school team took third place at the Sparta Classic National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) Tournament March 3, and earned first at the Menomonie Archery Tournament March 30.

Mitchell Ruppelt pulled in the Mounders’ top middle school score at the state tournament with a total 289 points. He also earned third place in the bullseye shoot, and fourth in 3D for middle school boys at state.

Ruppelt will represent Elk Mound at the Midwest Regional Shootout April 22 in Dodgeville, and is headed to the National NASP Tournament in Nashville May 11-13.

Students, or parents, interested in learning more about Elk Mound’s Archery Club should contact Renee Simpson at Elk Mound Middle School.