Craig Daily Press / Dead Aim

Archive for Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Archery club has banner year at state

Photo by Nate Waggenspack. Enlarge photo.

The Moffat County 4-H Club Sliver Slingers archery team poses at the Colorado State Archery Shoot in Pueblo Aug. 19. The team had it's best year ever at the competition, winning the junior compound bow unlimited division, coming in third in the senior compound bow unlimited division, and fifth in the junior compound bow limited division. Kneeling (from left): Casey Copeland, Zachary Soron, Sam Walls, Cutter Polly, Sarah Polly (coach) Front row (from left): Tatam Hickman, Kimber Wheeler Middle row (from left): Ben Pugh, Ciara Hickman, Kyla Pogline, Tracer Hickman, Brittany Schulze, Jordan Kainz, Tiffany Schulze, Jaci McDiffett Back row (from left): Shawn Polly (coach), Nick Pugh, Jacob Briggs, Justin Willems, Steven Walls, Travis Walsh

By Nate Waggenspack

August 28, 2012, 10:14 p.m.

Updated: August 28, 2012, 10:14 p.m.

Moffat County 4-H Sliver Slingers at Colorado State Archery Shoot Junior Compound Bow Unlimited - Grand Champion

Cutter Polly

Jacob Briggs

Brittany Schulze

Casey Copeland

Senior Compound Unlimited - Third place

Tiffany Schulze

Justin Willems

Travis Walsh

Ciara Hickman

Junior Compound Limited - Fifth place

Nick Pugh

Jaci McDiffett

Kyla Cogline

Sam Walls

In their fifth year of competition, a group of local youth archers took the state competition by storm.

The Moffat County 4-H Club Sliver Slingers, a team of youth archers ages 9-19, won the grand championship in one juniors class and had its other teams place highly to have its best year ever at the Colorado State Archery Shoot Aug. 19 in Pueblo.

The junior team that competed in the compound bow unlimited class, which includes youths ages 8-13, won the state championship, while the junior compound limited team finished fifth overall. The senior team — ages 14-18 — compound unlimited team took third place in its division.

Sarah Polly, who coaches the team along with husband Shawn Polly, said it was the best weekend ever for a program that has had success in the past.

"We upped our game this year," Sarah said of the team's performance. "We did great last year, but we did much better this year."

Polly's son, Cutter, who competed on the grand champion junior team, placed third as an individual in the class. He was happy with the team's performance.

"State was really fun," Cutter said. "I took third and my team took grand (champion). I always have a lot of fun there, hanging out with friends and meeting new people every year."

It was Cutter's third year at the state shoot and his last as a junior. He, Jacob Briggs (fifth overall), Brittany Schulze (sixth) and Casey Copeland made the most of it.

Only seniors are invited to the national competition, so Cutter will have his first chance next summer.

He is hoping to get invited, but acknowledged it will be tougher.

"I'm thinking that might just be a little harder," he said. "I'll have to do more shooting. Other than that I think it should be fun."

The state success is the cherry on top of a sweet season. Sarah said the awards are nice, but the seasons would be fun anyway because the Sliver Slingers are a great group.

"It's great (coaching the team)," she said. "You always get a great group kids and a great group of parents. It's just a lot of fun."