The Madill High School Archery team competed at theGrandStateTournament in Tulsa, Okla,. February 23. They finished 13th out of 31 Oklahoman teams with a score of 3160.
The Wildcats will be one of the 16 teams to represent Oklahoma at the National tournament. Ending the 2022/2023Oklahomaarchery season with a bang was Reagan Combs who scored a 286 with eighteen tens.
This State and National qualifier continues to make a name for himself in archery. Combs placed 11th out of 275 high school boys, ranked 4th out of 56 junior boys, and 15th out of 875 male archers. Combs gave thanks and gratitude to all who have pushed him during the season.
“I had an amazing year withallmyfellowarchers.We are also one of the best teams Madill has had in a while,” Combs said. “The coaches I have are like parents to me. Theykeepmeinlineandpush me to be the best I can. I could not ask for better coaches.”
The archery kids are not the only ones acknowledging the service of their coaches. The Madill Fire Department presentedHeadCoachBaker McHatton with an award for 30 years and 7 months of service. Madill’s tight knit community allows for sweet moments of recognition and teaches kids at the school how to continue making a difference in the “town where everybodyknowsyourname.”
TheMadillcommunitycontinues toshowitssupportand appreciation by “adopting” members of the team. Each archer received a personal goodie bag made by someone in the community. The night before the big day, the team went to eat at Hobo Joes and their meal was covered by Chuck McHatton-Shelter Insurance and Greg Clement Agency.
LoganRushing,onceagain, led as top female archer for the Wildcats with a score of 267 with seven tens. She ranked 46th out of 195 girls and 16th out of 67 10th grade girls.
This sophomore was the top female archer on the team her freshman year, it seems history will repeat itself again. Rushing’s top score this year in competition was a 271 was back in January at the NRC Winter Shootout.
The team honored their outgoing 2023 seniors Shayla Pruitt, River Shaw, and Andrew Ray. Shaw had a busy weekend balancing this state tournament with being a pivotal role in the boys’ basketball playoffs. He scored a 252 with ten 10s. Ray scored a 264 with nine tens making him 18th in the senior boys rank. Pruitt scored a 250 with seven tens. Sophomore Wyatt Evans scored a 277 with ten 10s. Junior Caden McHatton scored a 270 with ten 10s. These kids continue to put in the work to put the Wildcats on the map and it truly shows. The Wildcats will attend nationals on April 28 and 29.