Dalriada on target

SEVERAL local schools recently participated in the Annual Schools Archery Competition held at 'The Range' Archery Centre in Ballymoney.

Teams from Coleraine High School, Loreto College, North Coast Integrated College, Dunluce, Ballymoney High School and Dalriada stood alongside each other for the the second year to battle for the prize of Top School Archery Team and best Individual Boy and Girl Archer.

The current holders were Coleraine High School.

This year each school was able to enter two teams if they chose. The teams entered had previously been selected through their own school qualification shoot with the top scoring archers going through to represent their school at the tournament.

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The format was a revised ‘Portsmouth Round’ which consisted of 36 arrows being shot at a distance of 14 metres at a 60cm target face. The maximum score for each arrow being shot was a ten, the perfect score being 360.

Last year’s winning individual score was 244. That score would prove to be all too easy to beat with the standards this year being pushed even higher. Indeed the record set last year was beaten by nine school archers.

The teams from Ballymoney High School, Dalriada, Dunluce and Coleraine High School were able to boast members from the local Archery Club – The Causeway Company of Archers who are also based at ‘The Range’.

This year the scoring system was also revised so as to allow the competing archers the opportunity to check up on their scores. After every 12 arrows were shot, the leaderboard was updated.

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Everyone could see how well or how bad they were shooting and this would add further pressure to the archers. It was obvious from the leader board that some relished this added pressure and for some it was too much.

Dalriada would however be crowned champions.

The final scores were: 1st Dalriada A 832 points; 2nd Ballymoney High School 785; 3rd, Dalriada B, 780.

The winning team from Dalriada were Ross McCracken, Jonny Kinnaird and Laura Cull.

In the Individual event it was a tight affair too for the boys and girls. However, it was two of the local archery club members who just managed to hold on to the top spots.

The Top 5 Individual scorers were as follows:

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Individual Girls - 1st Stephanie Craig 265 points (Girls Record); 2nd Laura Cull 256 points; 3rd Catherine Graham 246 points; 4th Nanci Gilliland 218 points; 5th Shonni Macfadyen 210 points

Stephanie Craig was this years worthy Individual Girls Champion. Stephanie was last years runner-up overall and improved her score this year by over 30 points. Also, Stephanie was the proud recipient of a School Bursary Award for Archery.

Individual Boys - 1st Stewart-Lee Macfadyen 314 (Boys Record); 2nd Ross McCracken 308; 3rd Gavin Beckitt 275; 4th Jonny Kinnaird 268; 5th Marc Macfadyen 261.

Stewart-Lee came through a tough challenge against Ross in the Boys event and the leaderboard had only three points separating the two boys before the last 12 arrows. Stewart kept a cool head and moved six points clear to win the title. Stewart-Lee is also the Northern Ireland champion in his age group for the last two years and holds two Northern Ireland records.

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An enjoyable day was had by all students and teaching staff who attended and every archer competing was presented with certificates of the occasion.

Dalriada was presented with the School Champions Team Shield and the winning boy and girl were awarded with commemorative trophies. Also, the Northern Ireland Archery Society donated medals for the winning team and two Individual archers.

Anyone interested in archery should speak to their PE Department or contact your local club in Ballymoney – The Causeway Company of Archers.

New beginners courses will be starting soon. Any old members or those who have completed a course before, are invited to apply for membership.

Contact club coach Chris on 07904065250 or log on to the website at www.causewayarchers.com for more details.