By Pat Dailey (for Ozarks Sports Zone)
BRANSON — Savannah Sadler and Micah Edwards were among the big winners at the 10th Annual Missouri National Archery Schools Program State Tournament Saturday, even though Sadler was admittedly left stunned and Edwards was in tears.
Sadler, a sophomore from Norwood, surprised herself by emerging as the top overall scorer among high school girls and the winner of the Bulls-Eye Tournament with a 295. Her career-high had been 293.
She didn’t put pressure to win on herself beforehand.
“My expectations were to just have fun,” Sadler said. “After I started having fun, I started relaxing and enjoying myself and did better. This is the best I have ever done.
“I didn’t how I was going to shoot. But I was open-minded.”
Sadler still couldn’t believe her accomplishments while being rewarded with trophies and medals during the tourney’s awards ceremony.
“A lot of shock,” she said. “I haven’t realized everything that has happened, yet. It’s all hitting me slowly. Now, I want to do this as many times as possible.”
The high school girls 3D Tournament came down to a shootout between Edwards, of Sarcoxie and Frankie Goforth, of Carl Junction. They were tied at 292. It was a dream scenario for Edwards, even before she won the shootout to take first place.
“To be able to to face Frankie and have the opportunity for first or second place at the state tournament was a dream come true,” said Edwards, who couldn’t hold back tears immediately upon learning she had won. “If there’s anybody I’d like to battle for first place with, it would be her. I look up to her. She’s the goal, where I want to climb to and be at.
“To not only reach her and tie with her, but win over her is an amazing feeling.”
Edwards and Goforth have become friendly rivals while competing against each other at practically every tournament they are in. Edwards had knocked off Goforth on only one other occasion prior to Saturday.
“I was very glad it came down to us two, too,” Goforth said. “As soon as Micah found out she won, she said to me, ‘Thank you for motivating me all season.’ That made me want to tear up. I’ll take second to Micah because what means so much to her means a lot to me, too.”
With all eyes on the competitors during their shootout, nerves were a factor.
“I was jello,” Edwards said. “All that was running through my head was I’ve got to keep my composure.”
“It was nerve-wracking,” Goforth added. “I was trying to focus on the whole mental process and my form and stance. I thought Micah handled it all very well. She deserved what she shot.”
Edwards’ college plans include playing volleyball at Northeast Oklahoma, for two years, before transferring to Bethel (Kansas) for archery. She has received scholarships for both sports.
“I feel my community knows me as a multi-sport athlete,” Edwards said. “I try hard in everything I do. I think my name is well-known in both volleyball and archery and I have a strong passion for both of them. I couldn’t say either one comes before the other.”
Edwards was part of Sarcoxie’s championship team effort at Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, a year ago.
“For a town of 1,400 people and a team of 24 kids to win Nationals, our town is probably still on high from that,” Edwards said.
Carl Junction was the top team from southwest Missouri on Saturday.
“We wanted over 1,700 (points) in 3D and we are at 1,726. I’m happy with that,” coach Chelsi Leggett said. “I wanted 3,400-plus for Bulls-Eye and we are at 3,419. I’m proud of them. We did great today.’
“Archery has become very popular and we’ve gotten a lot of attention because how well we’ve done,” Goforth said. “A lot more people have gotten interested in it at school and want to know what it’s all about.”
This was the second year Branson has hosted the state tournament. More than 200 teams and 2,500 students from elementary, middle schools and high schools statewide were on hand.
“The interest in archery has grown and we’d like to continue to grow,” said Carolyn Handtke, of the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, which hosted the tournament. “We want to offer it to other students across the state.”
