Pictured are the Ashville elementary and middle school state champion individual winners from last week’s tournament. They are, from left: Autumn Urban (elementary girls’ state champ), Alexis Baskin (3D target range state champ), Crimson Self (middle schools girls’ state champ) and Jeremy Stewart (middle school boys’ state champ).

The St. Clair County Commission issued a proclamation Tuesday praising the Ashville Bulldog archery teams for clinching the state championship last Friday.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be around these kids for many years,” Commissioner Jeff Brown said. “This is just a great sport for kids. Anybody can participate in this.”

Brown, who traveled with the team to see them compete, said that the elementary, middle and high school teams represented the county and themselves in the best way.

“You should have been there,” he said. While watching one of the kids shoot, Brown said, “I had tears in my eyes as big as my thumb… This is the best group of kids I’ve seen. They mingle together. To see a high school kid mingling with a middle school kid… it’s something else.”

The archers competed against over 1,000 other students and still clinched the top three honors.

Last year the team won the state and national title before coming in second in the world tournament in Orlando.

“I was very proud of them,” Brown said. “It takes a lot of self discipline and it will go a long way for all the kids.”

Commissioner Paul Manning praised those in Ashville for their efforts in helping the archers along the way with organizing getting the kids to events throughout the Southeast. “For folks to go out of their way to do this, I commend them.”