After bringing home Louisiana's first National Archery in Schools Program (NASP) national championship in May, Benton Middle School claimed its second straight NASP world title last weekend.

Benton won the championship, beating Castle North Middle School of Indiana by an impressive 70 points, at the 2016 NASP World Tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Archers from six Louisiana schools competed alongside more than 4,000 other students from the United States, Canada, and Mongolia. A total of 103 Louisiana student archers, part of the Archery in Louisiana Schools (ALAS) program, attended the 2016 NASP World Tournament after earning the right by qualifying at the NASP National Tournament in May.

Benton Middle archers improved their score from NASP Nationals by 40 points.

"That isn't as an easy feat when your archers are already shooting at such a high level," said ALAS State Coordinator Robert Stroede, who oversees the program for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. "It is impressive to see the dedication of these students. They gave up half of their summer vacation to prepare for this tournament and it's great to see their hard work and determination pay off."

The win was definitely a team effort with every Benton Middle School team member shooting a 260 or above. The team was led by Abbie Rutledge, the top female shooter from Louisiana with a 291 score ranking her fourth among middle school girls. Riley Daniels was the top male shooter for the team, firing a 290 which put him 15th among middle school boys.

Benton Middle wasn't done yet though. Held in conjunction with the NASP World Tournament was the 2016 NASP World IBO 3-D Challenge. Thanks to stellar performances by Emma Bunch, Aidan Haire and Kaitlyn Misenheimer, Benton Middle School also won Louisiana's first NASP 3D World Championship.

Benton Middle School archers also brought home hardware as individuals in the 3-D event. After shooting a 291, Emma Bunch was named the middle school girls world champion. Aidan Haire and Kaitlyn Misenheimer both shot 289s and placed third in the middle school division.

Two other Louisiana schools captured impressive finishes from the 2016 NASP World IBO 3D Challenge. Benton Elementary School and Kingston Elementary in Benton placed second and third, respectively, in the elementary school division. The two schools finished just three points apart. Kingston was competing in its first year in NASP events. Kennedy Halsell of Kingston Elementary received an individual award after shooting a 276 and placing fourth in the elementary girls division.

Benton Elementary school improved their score from NASP Nationals by 40 points, but it wasn't quite enough to defend its world championships from the past two years. However, both Benton and Kingston Elementary also had a strong showing in the bullseye portion of the tournament finishing second and fourth, respectively.

Other notable finishes at the NASP World Tournament included: top 25 finishes by both Northwood High School (17th) and Haughton Middle School (24th). Jena Junior High placed 35th in this, its first NASP World Tournament. Northwood High School also broke the top ten in the World IBO 3D Challenge placing ninth with Jena Junior High finishing 22nd. To see all results for the 2016 NASP World Tournament and the 2016 NASP World IBO 3-D Challenge visit www.nasptournaments.org.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries would like to extend congratulations to all Louisiana student archers and coaches who competed at the 2016 NASP World Tournament.

All students and schools who participated in the NASP World Tournament are part of the ALAS program, which is designed to teach students in grades 4-12 international target style archery. The NASP/IBO 3-D program features students shooting life-like 3-D animal targets with the same equipment used in the NASP program. The ALAS/NASP program is available to all schools in Louisiana and grants are available to assist with funding. For more information regarding the ALAS program, please contact NASP State Coordinator Robert Stroede at rstroede@wlf.la.gov or 318-484-2276.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.la.gov. To receive recreational or commercial fishing email and text alerts, signup at http://www.wlf.la.gov/signup.