Wilton Archers Hit the Mark: Heading to Nationals After Record-Breaking State Competition

The Wilton Archery team had another incredible year of bullseyes in competition this season, according to head coach Rober Ell. And four archers are headed to Nationals!

Ell says 74 of the 84 archers on the team competed at the state tournament this season, turning in their best performance of the season right when it mattered most. That's no accident, according to Ell, who has led the program since 2015. "From the start of the season, scores are low, but as they compete more, they progressively do better and shoot their best at state," he said. This year, that formula paid off in a big way. Scores across the board were higher than normal, making it the strongest state tournament the program has seen.

Four individual athletes earned the right to compete at the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) Nationals competition this month. One middle school competitor earned the title of top 3D archer in the state before going on to claim the top overall ranking among all male archers across every division at the state tournament. He will compete at Nationals in both bullseye and 3D. Joining him are an elementary-age archer competing in both bullseye and 3D, and two high school athletes each earning a spot in their respective categories.

The Wilton program, which spans grades 4 through 12, is part of a statewide initiative overseen by North Dakota Game and Fish. The program was built with a clear purpose: to get young people into archery and use that as a gateway to a lifetime of outdoor activity. "It's something they can take with them, a life skill they can use their entire life," Ell said.

The program continues to grow. Competition across the state has gotten tougher as more schools launch their own archery teams, which Ell sees as a good sign for the sport. About one-third of the Wilton team is made up of younger, newer archers, a promising sign that the program's future is just as strong as its present.

Coach Ell summed up the season simply: "They had a phenomenal season. They shot their best at state. We look forward to nationals and to next year."

Good luck to Wilton's four national qualifiers. The whole community is cheering you on!