LAncaster11

In the Men's Unlimited class the top 64 are separated by relatively few points.
"It's anyone's game tomorrow," the always competitive Darrin Christenberry said. "Everyone in this shoot-off has the ability to shoot 12 X's in the finals."
The qualifying scores range from a staggering 657 shot by Reo Wilde of Idaho to a 639. Chance Beaubouef of Tennessee is sitting in a solid second place with a 656 and six men are tied for third with a score of 655.
Derry Null of Ohio, wearing a shirt of a different color this year, has made the cut in the Master's class. Derry is shooting a Hoyt Vantage Elite plus and tomorrow for the shoot-off says he is breaking out his 3-d bow, a Contender Elite.
When asked about his strategy for the shoot-off Derry claims "I made the cut. Every tournament I go to I expect to win. I shouldn't be there if I didn't feel that way".
Every Archer, when asked how they liked Lancaster's format compared to say Vegas, said they loved it. Most stated in the qualifying round the pressure is minimal. But, and this is a BIG BUT, in the final round the pressure is greater than Vegas for the tiny dime sized x ring is the quarry. Executing perfect shots is the goal and winning is the dream. We all know that pressure is self induced. However, with a guaranteed payout of $5,000.00 for the Men's Unlimited class who could blame anyone for feeling a little pressure.
I am off to trudge through 16+ inches of snow to Lancaster's shooting center for the elimination round. Stay tuned for the follow up visits with the winners of the competition.

As the Mercury here in Pennsylvania falls below the freezing mark again, things are heating up inside Lancaster Archery Supply.
Lancaster Archery is holding their "Lancaster Classic" this weekend. The Classic is an indoor spot tournament very similar to the World Archery Festival held in Vegas each year with a few differences. Here at the Lancaster Classic the "X" ring inside the 10 ring is counted as 11 points allowing an archer to make a mistake and still recover some lost points.
Tim Gillingham of Utah had to do just that, make up ground.
"I shot a seven and I'm still in it," Gillingham said. "I miss one at Vegas and I'm out".
The top 64 scorers advance into the shoot-off where they could be paired with anyone else in the top 64 of their respective class. Number one could theoretically be in a shootoff with number 64, with the winner of that match advancing to the next round!
Braden Gellenthien of Virginia is no stranger to this tournament as several years ago he won it! Braden's strategy for the shootoff?
"The game plan for tomorrow is to be perfect and with the quality of competitors you're not going to win many matches with a 130 or below," Gellenthien said. "You have to shoot 131's or 132's to move on".

The air in the shooting center at Lancaster Archery today felt a little tense. Stout competition and fantastic camaraderie among the competitors filled the floor space. You could not be in that room and not feel a sense of pride for all of those who made the shoot-up.
In the Women's Unlimited class the top four finalists went head to head in a single elimination shoot-off. Fourth seed Samantha Neal shot against third seed Alicia McHenry, with Alicia advancing to shoot against second seed Erika Anschutz.
This shoot-off with a berth to the finals on the line was a fierce battle as only one point separated the two women after the twelfth arrow had been shot sending Erika on the final match.
The final round found Erika and number one seed Holly Larson battling it out. Both of these women held their own, showing all who watched that they both deserved the win. At the end of the match, separated by only one point again, Holly was named the winner.
"I never go to a shoot expecting to win or place I just go, shoot my best and see how I stack up against the others" Holly stated.
Holly shoots a Mathews Apex seven, sure-loc sight with a true spot lens, B stinger stabilizers, Easton arrows and a Carter release.
"I have to thank my father, mother, husband and my sponsors for all of their support, especially my father though," Holly said. "He maintains all of my equipment and without him I wouldn't be anywhere."
Holly lives in Northern Minnesota where the winters are tough and long. Shooting indoors helps to pass the time during the cold months.
"I shoot all winter and take most of the summers off," Holly said.
The competition in the Men's unlimited class was a little more cut throat as the top eight men battled it out for the chance to take home the BIG money. Reo Wilde, who is no stranger to winning the Lancaster Classic, was leading the event heading into the shoot-up. Sixty four men made the cut and advanced to the elimination rounds. One by one the men were eliminated in head to head competition until only the top eight remained. Fifteen year old Garret Ayersman, the number eight seed had to test his nerves against number seven seed Ben Cleland. Ben's experience paid off and Ben advanced to the next round where he also defeated the number six seed Gary Smith Jr and then moved forward again to defeat the number five seed, Shane Wills.
Ben met his match when he stepped up against four seed Doug Monteleone.
Doug then displayed his nerves of steel against a man who has won this event in the past, Jesse Broadwater (Broadwater won the Lancaster Classic in 2005). These two men battled it out, each of them shooting flawlessly for two rounds, forcing another round, where Doug hit pay dirt. Doug walked away with a check for two thousand four hundred and twenty three dollars after losing a tight match to the number two seed Grant Schleunsner.
The final shoot-off for the Men's unlimited class found Reo Wilde back in very familiar territory going against Grant who had his work cut out for him. Grant would have to perform to perfection to keep his dream of winning alive. It just wasn't meant to be for Grant as Reo defeated him 131 to 128.
Reo has been performing at the top of his game for quite a long time now. What keeps him motivated?
"I love archery, I love to shoot, I love to compete, I love all of the entities of it," Reo said.
This is Reo's third win at the Lancaster Classic. He won in 2008 and now has won back to back events in 2010 and 2011.
This year Reo is shooting a Hoyt Vantage Elite plus, Easton arrows, Sure-loc scope, Tru ball releases, Excel sight, Spot Hog rest and Fuse Blade stabilizers.
Well, the air has thinned, the awards handed out and the building is pretty much empty now. The Lancaster crew has much work in front of them getting the buildings back together and tidying up the place. The Lancaster crew obviously put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this event and it certainly didn't go unnoticed. Rob and Carol Kaufhold had the entire Lancaster staff assemble in front of the crowd and publicly thanked them for their hard work and dedication to the store, the events of this weekend and most of all to the customers. Rob went on to thank his wife personally saying she is the brains of the business and stating that he is not really sure what he does, with a huge smile on his face, of course and bringing the weekend to a close stating, "that's a wrap".