Virginia 4-H Archery Team Wins First-Ever National Title

The team competed June 21–26 in Grand Island, Nebraska, going up against the best youth archers in the country across a three-day, multi-event format. Virginia won the compound archery team event with a raw score of 3,666, edging Kentucky (3,568) and Wyoming (3,571). They also topped the 3D and FITA team standings to claim the overall title.

Captain Hunter Carlton led the way individually, finishing first in compound with a raw score of 1,471 — 61 points clear of second-place Austin Johnson of North Carolina (1,410). Powhatan's Hunter Smith (4th, 1,205) and Jacob Bass (10th, 1,190) also cracked the top 10. On the 3D final day, Carlton shot 299 points and hit the dead center of the 3D target for 16 Xs — more than anyone else in the field.

Coaches Chad Adams and Tracey Carlton brought the squad out of Split Nocks in the Powhatan area. Adams credited the athletes' focus and equipment care as much as raw talent. "As a coach you beg and plead for a dynamic like these kids have," he said. "They're their own specific unit." Virginia's four-athlete roster also included Gloria Jamerson, with Connor Maynard traveling as alternate.