BAZETTA — The Mosquito Bowmen Conservation League has been selected to host a state-level archery championship event the weekend of July 20 and 21 at its McCleary-Jacoby Road location.

And while many people were out over the weekend practicing for the competition, many families also were there enjoying some archery as a family.

Scott Abbott of Champion said the Archery Shooters Association is hosting the state championship at the Bazetta location for the first time. He said they expect between 150 and 300 people from Ohio and other states.

He said the Bazetta location met the qualifications to host the event based on property size, which is about 200 acres. There will be 45 targets for the state event. Abbott said people can score 5 to 12 points by hitting different locations on a target’s body.

Abbott said every month, the club hosts a two-day 3D fun shoot for people of all ages.

He said the event is a monthly club shoot where three-dimensional targets are used outside at 50 yards, rather than one-dimensional flat paper targets that are used inside.

“Some weekends, we get more than 120 people,” he said.

Abbott said archery is a sport where people get to spend time with others, and some find the sport therapeutic. He said children as young as 5 up through adults participate.

Abbott said to compete in the state championship, one has to have qualified but anyone is welcome to shoot that weekend. Frank Shiflet of Bazetta, club president, said it was an honor for the local club to be selected for the state event.

“It was a big deal for us to get this in Northeast Ohio,” Abbott said.

The casual start is throughout the day July 20 with a shotgun start at 10:30 a.m. July 21, with everyone starting and stopping at the same time.

Angie Cottrell of Mineral Ridge, a club member, said archery can be family oriented.

Siblings Sarah Thompson, 15, and Adam Thompson, 13, both of Youngstown, have been in archery for the past three to four years with their parents.

Sarah said she likes being able to hit the targets that include deer, turkey, bear, groundhog and coyote.

Abbott said for the fun shoot, they added a dinosaur target.

Geoff Thompson of Youngstown said he and his wife, Jennifer, inspired his children to participate in archery.

“That is how I hunt. We all like walking through the woods. My kids came here for a 3D shoot on Father’s Day 10 years ago.It was something different for all of us to try. We now do this whenever we can. It is like you compete against yourself to try and better yourself,” Geoff said.

Cynthia Lupien of Youngstown said archery is similar to miniature golf where you go to different numbered locations and try to shoot a target. She said in some locations, you have to climb up or down to get to the shooting area for the target,

Lupien, who has lived in Arizona, said when she came to Ohio, the Thompsons told her to get a bow and arrow.

PREPARATION FOR STATE

Brenda Zannetakis, a state ASA rep, said she was pleased to hear the Bazetta location was selected for the state event.

‘We have a field for parking and a church down the street is letting us park there,” she said.

Zannetakis said her husband, Louie Zannetakis, is responsible for talking to the Board of Directors at Mosquito Bowmen to get their foot in the door in 2017 to host a yearly Ohio ASA Federation Qualifier.

“We have been hosting qualifiers since 2017. The state competition is one step up. It does not get any higher than this. I went Saturday to the Pennsylvania state championship to get some ideas for our upcoming event,” Zannetakis said.

She said 27 states host ASA events. The local event will have first-, second- and third-place winners

Martha Lorence of Diamond, who participates at tournaments, said, “It is so exciting to have this event this summer. I expect a huge tournament.”

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