Score Atlanta
Allatoona fired the best championship-round score in history to win its first-ever riflery state title on Saturday afternoon at the Pool International Shooting Complex in Fort Benning. The Buccaneers posted a 1,162 total, two points better than both the 2001 Madison County squad and Union Grove in 2008. They shot past the rest of the 14-team field in relatively comfortable fashion, defeating runner-up Upson-Lee by nine points. Lumpkin County finished third, one point behind Upson-Lee with 1,152 points, and East Coweta’s 1,149 points put it in fourth place.
Allatoona capped off a great season thanks mostly to Alana Kelly, who earned top individual honors. She set a qualifying-round record with 296 points and posted a total of 396.9. Apalachee’s Brandon Thomas (393.1) was second and Brianna Shelton of Winder-Barrow (392.4) came in third. The remaining individual top eight included Lee County’s Courtney Weekly (390.9), Allatoona’s Ann Clay (389.2), Union Grove’s Mitchell Miller (388.4), Monroe Area’s Matthew Waters (387.6) and East Coweta’s Alex Wright (383.7).
East Coweta, the 2000 state champion, entered as the highest-scoring semifinal team with 1,156 points. Lumpkin County shot the highest total of the tournament with 1,163 points in its sectional match, but the Indians fell 11 points shy of that lofty standard on Saturday.
Final Scores
Team Winners
1. Allatoona - 1,162 (New State Team Record)
Coach Ware
Alana Kelly - 296
Ann Clay - 292
Tommy Simrill - 290
Addison Helbling - 284
2. Upson-Lee - 1,153
Coach Meyerriecks
Rosemary Kramer - 291
Alyssa Hanson - 288
Shannon Tyssen - 287
Miranda Baxley - 287
3. Lumpkin County - 1,152
Coach Fugate
Rhiannon Smith - 284
Dakota Spivey - 289
Heather Johnson - 290
Morgan Tritt - 289
Individual Winners
1. Alana Kelly, Allatoona - 396.9*
2. Brandon Thomas, Apalachee - 393.1
3. Brianna Shelton, Winder-Barrow - 392.4
* Alana Kelly set a State Record of 296 in the qualifying round
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