The first archery shoot for many teams in the bluegrass was held this past Saturday, with Mason County hosting their annual fall shoot for several area teams.
With a field full of talented archers and 11 teams competing at the high school level, the Mason County Fall Shoot was a fiercely competitive tournament with each team giving their all at the start of the season.
Tournament hosts the Mason County Royals and Lady Royals took third place this event, with a final score of 3,223, picking up 127 tens by the end of the day. The Royals were led by senior Bryce Pollitt, who took first place individually, shooting a 285, picking up 16 tens along the way. Pollitt was the first ranked senior in contention, and ranked as the first place overall male archer in the field.
Just behind Pollitt was fellow senior, Dalton Hargett, with a score of 279 and 13 tens placing him at second place across the board. The Royals then had sophomore Dillon Mitchell at seventh place, with a score of 274, with 14 tens tying him with Fleming County’s Logan Bretz. Rocky Kirk and Lawson Foley then rounded out Mason County’s top five archers in the high school boys division, with Kirk shooting a 269 with eight tens to place 13th, ranking as fourth best sophomore in the field, and Foley taking 16th with a score of 267, picking up eight tens.
The Lady Royals had Laurelle Setters leading the pack, shooting a 276 with 14 tens to take fourth place, ranking as the third best senior girl in contention. Backing her up was Sydney Hamilton at ninth place, with a score of 270 with 12 tens ranking her as the second best freshman in the field, and the 11th best archer overall in the girls division.
Closing out the top five archers for the Lady Royals were Kimber Ferguson at 14th, with a score of 267 with 10 tens, Haley McDonald at 32md, with a score of 259 and eight tens and Mary Katherine Shepherd at 35th, shooting a 258 with seven tens.
The Fleming County Panthers shot out ahead of the Royals, placing first as a team with a score of 3,245, picking up 140 tens by the end of the shoot.
The Panthers were led by sophomore Chase Bretz, who shot a 277 with 15 tens placing him fourth, and ranking him as the first best sophomore in the field. Backing him up was his brother, Logan Bretz, shooting a 274 with 14 tens placing him sixth, and as the fourth best senior in contention.
Rounding out the Panthers top five, were Kevin Alfrey, John Graham and Carson Thomas. Alfrey also shot a 274, but with 12 tens, taking eighth place individually, ranking as the second strongest freshman in the field. Graham then shot a 272 with 13 tens to take eighth, and Thomas a 270 with 12 tens to take 11th.
The Lady Panthers also had a strong performance this shoot, with Mackenzie Conley leading the pack for Fleming County, shooting a 277 with 12 tens to place third in the high school girls division, and rank as the second strongest senior archer in the division.
Ember Fronk then shot a 271 with 11 tens to place eighth, ranking as the second strongest junior in contention. Terri Applegate then shot a 270 with 10 tens to place 10th, followed by Alexis Pendleton who shot a 269 with 11 tens, placing 11th. Rounding out the top five for the Lady Panthers this meet, was Cheyenne Pollitt, with a score of 263 and nine tens placing her 21st in the division.
The Robertson County Black Devils then placed fifth as a team this event, with a score of 3,118, and 104 tens.
Kalvin Whalen and Christopher Jett led the pack for the Black Devils this go around, with Whalen shooting a 269 with eight tens to tie with Mason County’s Rocky Kirk, taking 14th individually, and Jett shooting a 267 with 14 tens to take 15th.
Henry Chain then shot a 166 with 10 tens to place 17th, and rank as the sixth best senior in contention. Rounding out the top five for Robertson County were then junior Andrew Gray at 28th, with a score of 262 and eight tens, and Wyatt Curtis at 33rd, with a score of 260 and 11 tens.
The Lady Devils top archer this meet was Zoey McKay, placing 20th individually, with a score of 263 and 11 tens. Liz Murrell also shot a 263, with seven tens to tie with Montgomery County’s Jaylin Harris, taking 23rd place.
Marley Emmons then shot a 259, with seven tens placing her 34th, with Nicole Gosey not far behind at 36th, with a score of 258 and seven tens. Rounding out the top five Lady Devil archers was then Evelyn Stamper, with a score of 254 and 10 tens, placing her 39th.
The final local team competing, the Augusta Panthers then took ninth place as a team, with a score of 2,871 and 64 tens.
Ayden Courts led the Panthers, with a score of 251 and four tens placing him 54th. Backing him up was Cayden Bach at 73rd, with a score of 238 and four tens, Tristen Price at 80th with a score of 233 and four tens, and Camden Gill at 103rd, with a score of 158.
The Lady Panthers were led by Nora Gill, shooting a 261 with six tens to place 28th individually, followed by Abbey Bradford at 33rd, with a score of 258 and seven tens. Keira Brandenburg then shot a 254 with eight tens to place 40th, With Adalen Gilliam shooting a 238 with five tens and Claire Elliott a 204 and three tens rounding out Augusta’s female archers this competition.
Each archer competing this event was excited to start the season off with a strong start, and will be eager to return to the range for their next competition. Mason County’s next shoot will be the Pendleton County Winter Warm-up on December sixth.
