Mill Creek archery coach Martha Pritchard helps fourth-grader Will Bagwell from Columbia Elementary School set his bow in his first archery tournament. Columbia students Mikel Booth and Brandon Booth also competed. CONTRIBUTED

MADISON – One of Madison’s breakout sports reached a new milestone with the first annual Maverick Shootout Archery Tournament.

Mill Creek Elementary School hosted 73 archers at the tournament on Jan. 11-12 for all Madison elementary schools offering archery.

“This is Mill Creek’s third year for a program, and Columbia, Rainbow and Heritage elementary school’s first year. West Madison Elementary School is also forming a team,” Jennifer Klein said. Klein coaches archery and physical education at Mill Creek.

“The tournament allowed new archers to experience a tournament before going to a larger one open to all schools,” Klein said. The event also gave savvy to Mill Creek in hosting an expanded tournament in 2017.

Columbia fourth-grader Will Bagwell is a first-year archer. “I had lots of fun. It was so exciting to make a bull’s-eye. I’m looking forward to participating in more tournaments and my school forming their own team,” Bagwell said.

While waiting their turn to shoot, archers pursued service projects by collecting items for Madison Small Pups Adoption and Rescue, along with writing letters to military members.

“I was nervous. They let us have five practice shots and that helped me settle down,” first-year archer Brook Lynn said. Lynn is a Mill Creek fourth-grader.

“I enjoyed the day very much,” Lynn said. “My arm was sore from shooting 40 arrows. I also like writing letters to soldiers while we waited to shoot.”

Overall winner for boys was Alex King and for girls McKenna Shelly, both of Mill Creek.

Individual schools presented awards for top three places:

* Columbia — Will Bagwell, Mikel Booth, Brandon Booth.

* Rainbow — Colin Bruyns, Johah Tuttle, Monroe Tribble, Connor Bailey.

* Heritage — Henry Hoff, Olivia Bonner, Ethan Benko.

* Mill Creek — Boys – Alex King, Alex Lorch, Satchel Wheeler; girls – Mckenna Shelly, Avaini Singireddy, Priya Mautraratram.