Bagley Middle School out of Chatsworth clinched its place in Perry by posting the top overall team score at the third Georgia-National Archery in the Schools Program regional tournament Saturday.

Bagley Middle's archery team fired a 3,3297, the highest team score after three regionals, to beat 10 other schools and qualify for the 9th annual Georgia-NASP State Tournament March 25 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry.

North Murray High School in Chatsworth won the high school division with a team score of 3,278, while Cohutta Elementary shot a 3,120 to capture the elementary school division. Both teams qualify for the state tournament with their respective regional division titles.

Bagley Middle's Aubree Coker arrowed a 289 (out of 300) to win the overall high-scoring title at the regional, while Bagley Middle's Cole Winkler shot a 288 to take home top male honors.

Other top individual shooters included: North Murray High's Hunter Jennings (285, top high school male); North Murray High's Haley Bagley (282, top high school female); Woodlawn Elementary's Mattie Nuckolls (282, top elementary school female); and Cohutta Elementary's John Kenneth Walters (282, top elementary school male).

More than 210 students in elementary, middle and high school competed at Georgia-NASP Regional No. 3 at Woodlawn Elementary in Chatsworth. Other competing schools were Northwest Elementary School, New Hope Elementary, Tunnel Hill Elementary, Kennesaw Charter Science and Math Academy, Gladden Middle, Ashworth Middle and Murray County High. Final tournament results are posted at www.nasptournaments.org.

Schools that did not win their division and an automatic berth to state at the regional tournament can still be selected as a high-scoring wildcard team after the final regional tournament is completed Feb. 28. Wildcard standings will be posted at www.georgiawildlife.com/NASP along with regional, state and national tournament rules, regulations, and more.

More than 2,000 student archers have registered to compete in the seven regional Georgia-NASP tournaments held in January and February. The remaining regional tournaments will be held in Wrightsville (Feb. 28), Demorest (Feb. 21), Valdosta (Feb. 21), Leesburg (Feb. 28) and Folkston (Feb. 14).

MORE ABOUT NASP

The National Archery in the Schools Program is an in-school archery curriculum that meets all education department standards. Only schools that are certified in NASP through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources are qualified to compete in the Georgia Tournament. Schools in more than 100 counties in Georgia are NASP certified.

The program promotes instruction in international-style target archery to improve educational performance and participation in shooting sports. Research has shown that the program, administered through a minimum two-week course during the school year, improves class attendance and behavior. NASP universal fit bows make it possible for students of all sizes and genders to succeed in archery while raising self-esteem levels and improving hand-eye coordination during physical activity.

NASP is taught in 48 states as well as 10 countries. To date, more than 12 million students have gone through the program.

For more information on NASP in Georgia, recreational shooting sports opportunities or to find a range near you, visit www.georgiawildlife.com, contact a local WRD Game Management Office or call (770) 918-6416.