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Kenai youth archers sweep Centershot state tournament

Published 1:30 pm Saturday, March 28, 2026

By Delcenia Cosman

The HisPins-Kenai youth archery team and coaches pose with their many awards following the 2nd annual Alaska Centershot State Tournament, held March 13-14, 2026, in Palmer, Alaska. Photo provided by Rick Johnson
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The HisPins-Kenai youth archery team and coaches pose with their many awards following the 2nd annual Alaska Centershot State Tournament, held March 13-14, 2026, in Palmer, Alaska. Photo provided by Rick Johnson

The HisPins-Kenai youth archery team and coaches pose with their many awards following the 2nd annual Alaska Centershot State Tournament, held March 13-14, 2026, in Palmer, Alaska. Photo provided by Rick Johnson
Elora Couturier (left) and Andrew Bearden (right) hold up their trophies at the 2nd annual Alaska Centershot State Tournament, held March 13-14, 2026, in Palmer, Alaska. Couturier won first place overall in the girls division and Bearden won first place overall in the boys division. Photo provided by Rick Johnson

Local youth archers from HisPins-Kenai, a youth archery ministry through Kenai’s Anchor of Hope Church, swept the Alaska Centershot State Tournament earlier this month, bringing home four team championships and claiming multiple individual titles in elementary, middle and high school divisions.

According to a press release provided to the Clarion by program leader Rick Johnson, HisPins-Kenai was originally founded in the summer of 2022 as a Vacation Bible School activity, and today offers free weekly archery classes and includes a travel team that competes statewide. The program combines target-shooting skills with life and leadership lessons, and competitors follow guidelines from the National Archery in the Schools Program and Centershot curriculum.

The second annual Alaska Centershot State Tournament was held March 13-14 at Palmer Junior/Middle School and saw competition from six other clubs from across the state in addition to the Kenai program. In order to enter, teams were required to be active Centershot members, have an associated NASP basic archery instructor and have completed a Centershot league.

Hosted by Wasilla’s Summit Worship Center, the tournament featured NASP-sanctioned Bullseye and Centershot 3D Challenge Shoots for individual and team honors, and brought in 92 archers from grades 4-12.

HisPins-Kenai took first place in both the middle school and high school divisions for the Bullseye and 3D Challenge, securing four team championships in total. Additional tournament highlights include junior Andrew Bearden winning Top Overall Male in the Bullseye and 3D Challenge with two new personal-best scores, and eighth-grader Elora Couturier earning Top Overall Female in the Bullseye and 3D Challenge with two personal-best scores.

“These kids are awesome. They are purposeful in practice, support one another as a team and strive to reflect God’s glory in all they do,” Johnson said in the release. “Their success at Centershot State reflects self-discipline, teamwork and a love for the sport, and we couldn’t be prouder.”

Individual placements — Bullseye Challenge (points/bullseyes)

High School Boys: 1st place, Andrew Bearden (283/16); 2nd place, Gideon Couturier (274/9); Third place, Caleb Maust (268/13)

High School Girls: First place, Caitlyn Wilburn (273/11); 2nd place, Bethany Reynolds (269/10)

Middle School Boys: 1st place, Mathew Reynolds (261/12); 2nd place, Ashur Byrd (257/5)

Middle School Girls: 1st place, Elora Couturier (278/15); 2nd place, Aria Franklin (264/9)

Elementary Girls: 1st place, Eliana Couturier (247/5)

Individual placements — 3D Challenge (points/bullseyes)

High School Boys: 1st place, Andrew Bearden (273/8); Third place, Gideon Couturier (255/8)

High School Girls: 2nd place, Caitlyn Wilburn (254/7)

Middle School Boys: 1st place, Mathew Reynolds (260/8)

Middle School Girls: 1st place, Elora Couturier (271/12); 2nd place, Aria Franklin (267/12)

Elementary Girls: 1st place, Eliana Couturier (236/5)

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