Over the past year, thousands of student archers competed in regional tournaments throughout the state for a chance to draw their bows at the 2025 National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) Alabama State Championship in Montgomery on April 3-4. During the event, nearly 2,000 archers from 105 schools competed for top honors and the opportunity to advance to the NASP Eastern National Championship on May 8-10, 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division awarded $16,750 in scholarships to select top archers at this year’s event. The top overall female and male archers each received a $2,500 scholarship. First place high school female and male archers each received a $1,500 scholarship, second place high school female and male archers each received a $1,000 scholarship, and third place high school female and male archers each received a $750 scholarship. The scholarships are funded, in part, by the Alabama Conservation Enforcement Officers Association.
“The Archery in the Schools Program helps prepare these students for life by teaching discipline, patience, and the life lessons required to be successful in both the classroom and at the archery range,” said Chris Blankenship, ADCNR Commissioner. “Their determination and dedication to both archery and academics will well serve these students now and in the future. I congratulate all of the archers who competed in this year’s state championship.”
In addition to the top archers, seven students randomly selected from a list of all registered Academic Archers who shot during the tournament were each awarded scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,000.
Those students are:
Scoring for the state tournament is based on international style target archery in three divisions – elementary, middle and high school. Competition is on team and individual levels. Perfect scores are 3,600 points for teams and 300 for individuals. If archers that place in each division have the same score, the ties are broken by comparing the numbers of 10s from the score sheet. The archers with the most 10s are ranked higher than their competitors.
“This year two competitors were tied for top male archer down to the number of 10s and 9s,” said Lt. Michael Bloxom, ADCNR's Regional Hunter Education Coordinator. “The title was decided by a shoot-off, which consists of five arrows shot from 15 meters. If a tie remains at the end of the five arrows, each competitor shoots one arrow and the closest to the center of the target wins. The title of top male archer and the $2,500 scholarship came down to the one arrow closest to the center. Alexander Roddy took the top spot by a very close margin.”
Top Scores in the 2025 Alabama NASP State Championship
TOP OVERALL INDIVIDUALS
FEMALE: Ava Denish, Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering, Score: 292
MALE: Alexander Roddy, Alma Bryant High, Score: 294
HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION
Alma Bryant High, Score: 3,436
Vinemont High, Score: 3,409
Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering, Score: 3,360
MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION
Cullman Middle, Score: 3,349
Causey Middle, Score: 3,335
Vinemont Middle, Score: 3,267
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DIVISION
East Elementary, Score: 3,110
Vinemont Elementary, Score: 3,078
Dawes Intermediate, Score: 3,033
INDIVIDUAL HIGH SCHOOL FEMALES
Ava Denish, Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering, Score: 292
Anna Lee McRae, Vinemont High, Score 288
Brandi Sounonnarath, Alma Bryant High, Score 288*
Emilie McConnell, Baker High, Score: 288*
*Tie for third place
INDIVIDUAL HIGH SCHOOL MALES
Alexander Roddy, Alma Bryant High, Score 294
Tyson James, Vinemont Hight, Score 293
Noah May, Good Hope High, Score: 293
INDIVIDUAL MIDDLE SCHOOL FEMALES
Laila Evans, Heartwood Christian Academy, Score: 292
Gabby Sartin, Cullman Middle, Score: 289
Lilliana Smith, Causey Middle, Score: 289
INDIVIDUAL MIDDLE SCHOOL MALES
Gunnar Couch, Grand Bay Middle, Score: 294
Kaiden Richardson, Causey Middle, Score: 292
Teage Fowler, Beacon of Hope Christian School, Score: 290
INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FEMALES
Isabella McDonald, West Elementary, Score: 286
Sophie Bush, Castlen Elementary, Score: 279
Payton Lyons, Dixon Elementary, Score: 276
INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MALES
Trevor Bone, East Elementary, Score: 282
Phillip Hall, Dawes Intermediate, Score: 281
Wyatt Cook, Allentown Elementary, Score: 278
Complete results for the 2025 NASP Alabama State Championship are available at https://nasptournaments.org/. To view photos from the event, visit ADCNR’s Flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/outdooralabama.
Alabama’s archery program is coordinated by WFF through partnerships with various schools and supporting organizations in the state. Alabama NASP is an affiliate of the national program and promotes discipline, self-esteem and life skills for students in grades 4-12.
To learn more about Alabama NASP, contact WFF Regional Hunter Education Coordinator Michael Bloxom at (334) 242-3620 or Michael.Bloxom@dcnr.alabama.gov.
ADCNR promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Learn more at www.outdooralabama.com.