Strong performances and two medals are coming back with the Thunder Creek Archery Club after they sent 24 athletes to the Saskatchewan Archery Association’s JOP Provincial Championship in Prince Albert over the weekend.

“Eight of those 24 kids increased their standings in the JOP levels by one badge level at minimum, which was fantastic,” said Karlie Cleave, JOP coach with the Thunder Creek Archery Club.

Hailey Cleave captured gold in her division, while Sarah Gonzales picked up a silver medal in a performance that Cleave said was incredible.

“She was just amazing,” Cleave said. “She had gone up there with not very good expectations because she had some problems and she went up and absolutely took away the show, she was just amazing.”

Gonzales shot 200 to qualify in the Archer Division and then scored 229 in the final to finish in second place behind Sturgis’s Carter Scheller, who scored 242.

Cleave said it was a great turnaround for Gonzales, “The coaches did some pretty extensive work with her at the end of our JOP season at the club and she just put it all together to take away the show,” he said.

Sarah Gonzales, left, picked up a second place finish at the JOP Provincial Championship in Prince Albert this past weekend. (Submitted photo)

Hailey Cleave topped the podium in the Olympian 280-290 division with a score of 282 in the final, edging out Hunter Rolufs out of Redvers by six points.

“She wound up going in there hoping to earn one badge and she was able to do that and wound up in first place going into the final and then coming out with first place,” said Karlie Cleave. “She did a very good job and was very proud of her performance.”

This marks the end of the JOP program’s season at the local club. It was a stellar year with 42 kids ranging from six to 18 taking part this season, which was some big growth for the program.

“People are getting into archery again, more people that have been away from it are coming back and then getting their kids into it, so it’s all helping,” said Cleave.

Cleave added that out of the 24 athletes that they took to provincials, about 18 of them were new to the sport this year. She said they picked up the sport quickly and did a great job throughout the season.

“The fact that they went to this competition and were going in blind and performed at least at par to what they were shooting in the club was just phenomenal because those competitions can be daunting,” Cleave said.

“They just did a fantastic job and us as a club are just so proud of the JOP kids.”

Click here for full results from this past weekend’s provincials.