Competing in the Eagle Open class of the Shoot Out Series National Championship on Valentine’s Day, Owensboro native Jackson Congero emerged victorious – taking home the coveted trophy buckle.
The tournament consisted of multiple rounds, with archers competing against the next highest ranked competitor and shooting from 10 yards out. Competing against over 300 9-11-year-old archers from across 10 states, Congero entered as the one seed.
The seedings were based on the regular season and the 11-year-old posted perfect scores at multiple regional events – earning him top seed.
Because he was the top seed, Congero had to wait until after 10 pm before he could take the stage. After a full day of school, he battled exhaustion and almost fell asleep beforehand in the bleachers. Despite not being at full strength, Congero’s training kicked in, and he took care of business.
“He was shaking, but it was adrenaline. He was up there, and I could tell he was ready to go to bed,” Jessica Congero Jackson’s mother, said. “It was past his bedtime, and it’s going to be what it’s going to be, and we are just going to do our best and have fun with it. He went up there, and I don’t know where he pulled it from, but he showed up.”
When speaking with Congero, he acknowledged that when he was on the stage competing, it felt like just another day.
“It was exciting because it was my first time doing TSO,” Congero said. “It wasn’t very nerve-racking. …It was awesome that I got to shoot on a stage. Shooting on the stage was easier than I thought it would be.”
Next up for Congero is the Scholastic 3-D Archery (S3DA) National indoor tournament that is taking place this weekend.
