County Archery teams converge on WUHS

By Ryan Applegate

People’s Defender

The archery programs at West Union High School, North Adams High School, and Peebles High School are gaining momentum and bringing new opportunities to students across the Adams County Ohio Valley Local School District. Under the leadership of dedicated coaches, including Brian Chitwood, Erin and Rob Lewis, and Tiffany Chitwood, the sport has quickly become a beloved and competitive activity for many students.

Brian Chitwood, who oversees the entire archery program for the district and coaches at West Union, has been instrumental in developing the sport over the past five years. “Right now, we run all three schools,” Chitwood explained. “We have a varsity team, a JV team, and a middle school team for both North Adams and West Union. Peebles is in its first year with a middle school team, and the response has been overwhelming.”

Currently, the program has around 130 students participating across all three schools, demonstrating a strong interest in the sport. Archery’s unique nature as a truly co-ed sport is a significant draw. “To be considered a team, you need a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 24 archers, with at least four boys and four girls,” Chitwood said. “It’s a sport that doesn’t discriminate, and we have students of all abilities excelling.”

The Peebles archery team is coached by Erin and Rob Lewis, who initially became certified instructors to help their own children in the sport. When the opportunity arose to coach Peebles’ new program, they didn’t hesitate. “We were asked to step in because there wasn’t a coach, and we didn’t want the kids to miss out on this opportunity,” Rob Lewis shared.

Despite a late start, the Lewis duo have been working tirelessly to prepare their team for competition. “We’ve been putting in extra practices to get the kids ready for their first tournaments,” Erin Lewis said. “We normally practice twice a week, but we’ve been doing three times a week because the kids are hungry for it. One even asked why we aren’t practicing five days a week!”

The enthusiasm for the program at Peebles has grown rapidly. “We originally expected 19 or 20 kids to sign up, but we have 34 now,” Erin Lewis said. “We’re excited to continue expanding next season and even plan to host our own tournament.”

At West Union, Brian Chitwood has seen tremendous growth in the program since its inception. “It started as an after-school club and became school-affiliated about three years ago,” he explained. Now, the team competes at a high level, with several students qualifying for the state tournament. “I have one girl ranked 11th in the state out of 400 high school girls. She has a real shot at making it to nationals.”

Meanwhile, at North Adams, Tiffany Chitwood leads a strong team with a passion for competition. With her husband coaching West Union, tournament days can be a family affair. “It’s always fun when people ask us who our favorite team is,” Brian Chitwood joked.

One of the key aspects of archery is its emphasis on safety. “Archery is actually the second safest high school sport, right behind ping pong,” Chitwood noted. “Everything is done with whistle commands, and we have strict safety protocols in place.”

Beyond safety, the program focuses on developing skill and discipline. Unlike other sports, archery in schools uses bare bows—no sights, rests, releases, or stabilizers. “The students have to rely on their own technique and skill,” Chitwood explained. “Some of these kids outshoot me, and I’ve been hunting for years.”

As the program continues to grow, the excitement surrounding archery in Adams County is undeniable. The sense of community and personal achievement that comes with the sport has made a lasting impact on students, many of whom are participating in a team sport for the first time.

“It’s amazing to see kids who have never put on a team jersey before now competing and thriving,” Chitwood said. “The parents love it, the kids love it, and we’re just getting started.”

With passionate coaches and dedicated students, the archery programs at West Union, North Adams, and Peebles are set to continue their upward trajectory, providing an inclusive and competitive environment for young archers in Adams County.

High School Results-West Union Meet (February 15)

North Adams High School

Boys

Tyler Richendollar – Score: 281, Tens: 16

Randall Dunkin – Score: 273, Tens: 9

Kendrick Fithen – Score: 266, Tens: 9

Leeland Barry – Score: 259, Tens: 6

Christopher Osman – Score: 247, Tens: 7

Maddox Martin – Score: 244, Tens: 5

Kage Knechtly – Score: 241, Tens: 3

Andrew Creamer – Score: 239, Tens: 2

Colten Richards – Score: 238, Tens: 3

Sune Herstoem – Score: 224, Tens: 4

Jackson Hickey – Score: 222, Tens: 2

Tyler Stamper – Score: 219, Tens: 1

Zachary Bess – Score: 206, Tens: 4

Robert McClellan – Score: 185, Tens: 0

Girls

Jasmine Hill – Score: 279, Tens: 16

Alaina Chaffin – Score: 266, Tens: 8

Dakota McIntosh – Score: 264, Tens: 8

Kyleigh Fields – Score: 262, Tens: 6

Madeleine Smith – Score: 250, Tens: 5

Jocelyn Greene – Score: 253, Tens: 5

Elizabeth Hawes – Score: 234, Tens: 5

Carly Via – Score: 233, Tens: 1

Liberty Smith – Score: 226, Tens: 6

Lita Liston-McGraw – Score: 223, Tens: 1

Kensley Mathias – Score: 207, Tens: 3

Leah Caldwell – Score: 204, Tens: 3

Erin Doughman – Score: 218, Tens: 0

Kayla Hawes – Score: 189, Tens: 1

Hannah Easterling – Score: 186, Tens: 3

Edan Doughman – Score: 173, Tens: 2

Zoie Hurt – Score: 208, Tens: 3

Journie Collett – Score: 220, Tens: 3

West Union High School

Boys

Evan Ball – Score: 264, Tens: 6

Jonathan Phillips – Score: 262, Tens: 13

Amos West – Score: 260, Tens: 8

Blake Thacker – Score: 254, Tens: 7

Shane Taylor – Score: 251, Tens: 7

Aaron McGraw – Score: 250, Tens: 10

Zeke Akers – Score: 250, Tens: 7

Clayton Davenport – Score: 249, Tens: 4

Brannan Ayres – Score: 248, Tens: 6

Hunter Davis – Score: 247, Tens: 6

Nathaniel Horsley – Score: 241, Tens: 7

Parker Lewis – Score: 236, Tens: 4

Samson Strong – Score: 226, Tens: 4

Liam Newland – Score: 226, Tens: 1

Trenton Abrams – Score: 209, Tens: 4

Girls

Ella Shupert – Score: 274, Tens: 10

Emma Nehus – Score: 266, Tens: 11

Lily Randolph – Score: 265, Tens: 11

Summer Gilley – Score: 251, Tens: 4

Lea McNeilan – Score: 260, Tens: 6

Julie Knauff – Score: 235, Tens: 6

Kymora Webb – Score: 235, Tens: 4

Yasmine Munoz – Score: 234, Tens: 3

Jasmine Traylor – Score: 240, Tens: 6

Alexia Zimmerman – Score: 239, Tens: 4

Tristine Newman – Score: 216, Tens: 4

Nevaeh Baldwin – Score: 216, Tens: 4

Peebles High School

Boys

Gage Smart – Score: 277, Tens: 12

Jacob Houchen – Score: 246, Tens: 6

Dakota McPherson – Score: 240, Tens: 5

Calen Vogler – Score: 234, Tens: 3

Leland Snyder – Score: 224, Tens: 5

Alexander Dees – Score: 187, Tens: 3

Girls

Savanna Shoemaker – Score: 236, Tens: 4

Talashia Elkins – Score: 230, Tens: 4

Sarah Niswander – Score: 206, Tens: 3

Abby Whaley – Score: 203, Tens: 2

Harley McCleese – Score: 212, Tens: 2

Riley Davis – Score: 174, Tens: 1

Tiffany Burns – Score: 161, Tens: 2