Two Wayne County archery programs are celebrating opportunities to compete on the national level and making plans to grow next year.
Northeastern and Lincoln both sent competitors to Louisville in May for the U.S. Eastern Nationals in the National Archery in the Schools Program. Lincoln also sent one archer to South Carolina in early June.
Brian Richmond, in his ninth season as Northeastern’s archery coach, says he’d put his coaching staff up against any in the state. He said they work well together to create a good culture for the program, which includes about 70 archers.
At nationals, the Knights finished 145th out of 252 middle schools and 117th out of 265 high schools, facing bigger schools with full-time programs. Some archers scored their personal bests at nationals.
Annie Hickel led the NHS Knights with a score of 283. She ranked 49th of 706 sophomores, and 180th of 2,664 high school girls. Additional NHS Knights were Kaci Schepman, Haylee Brown, Samantha Whallon, Kaylie Perry, Dakota Booker, Aidan Leddington, Noah Willett, Cheyenne Booker, Bailey Berhalter, Kevin Muckridge, Alicen Cassel, Leann Wadsworth, Brianna Shaw, Faithlyn Musselman, Breanna Day, Karlee Delucio, Whitney Burkhart, Austin Robles, Ayden Alcorn, Samara Carr and Charlie Roberts.
Northeastern Middle School’s Easton Koch and Briar Van Hoorebeke led the way for their team, both scoring 270. Close behind were Makenna Burdette, Caleb Byrum, Dalton Houser, Hayden Goble, Bryson Henemyre, Aryus Pentecost, Addison Schubert, Spencer Smith, Davis Spurlock, Bryson Koch, Kole Allen, Oliver Breitenbach, Devin Burnett, Grayson Pierce, Kynlee Burnett, Hailey Garwood, Ember Shouse, Emma Lipps, Dallas Brookshear, Hunter Thomas and Ethan Clark.
Meanwhile, Lincoln coach Craig Pennington said its archery program had the most successful year in its history. Lincoln had never had any archers qualify for or compete in the state competition. This year, five archers went to state: Andi Lakes, Adam Elliott, Kyra Elliott, Westley Burdette and Coleson Burdette.
Kyra Elliott won the state tournament, shooting a 285 to win the middle school girls bullseye division. She also qualified for the 3D division at the state tournament, and Coleson Burdette finished fifth in the middle school boys 3D division.
Both seventh graders competed in Louisville in May. Coleson ranked 84th of 479 boys in his grade, and 221st of 1,385 middle school boys.
In the 3D Challenge, Kyra was 95th of 396 seventh grade girls and 247th of 1,221 middle school girls. In her other contest, Kyra was 187th of 855 seventh grade girls and 552nd of 2,521 middle school girls.
Kyra also competed at the NASP Championship and the NASP/IBO 3D Championship in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on June 5. Kyra was 44th of 163 seventh graders in the 3D Championship and 109th of 488 middle school girls. In the NASP Championship, she was 154th of 216 seventh grade girls and 406th of 627 middle school girls.
Western Wayne Elementary will start its own archery program in 2025-2026. Larry Smith will serve as its coach.
A version of this article appeared in the June 25 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.