The 2018 GHSA Riflery State Championships featured last year’s champs, Ware County, as they worked their way toward back-to-back titles at the Pool International Shooting Complex in Fort Benning. The Ware County squad consisted of Laci Jewell, Ben Smith, Tyler Hanson, Rayne Riggins and Bryce Young. Their score of 1,169 topped the team’s winning total from last year’s championships by seven points and secured the record of most points scored in state championship history, besting the 2016 East Coweta team that scored 1,168.
Laci Jewell led the Gators to their third riflery state title with a state-winning score of 395.8. Jared Eddy of Columbus finished just .2 points behind Jewell with a second-place score of 395.6, and third place went to Ware County’s Ben Smith, who scored 393.3.
Allatoona placed second in the team results with a score of 1,164, a seven-point increase from their semifinal results. Tanner Whitehead, a member of the record-setting 2016 East Coweta team, returned to help secure third place for his school with a score of 1,152. Lumpkin County scored 1,137 but fell in the semifinals, and Upson-Lee scored 1,125 in its semis loss.
GHSA State Rifle Championships Final Results
1. Ware County- 1169 (New State Record)
Laci Jewell- 294
Ben Smith- 294
Tyler Hanson- 292
Rayne Riggins- 289
Bryce Young- (278)*
2. Allatoona- 1164
Savanna Stalnaker- 295
Alex Thackery- 293
Ashley Judson- 289
Maddie Dong- 287
Hope Thomas- (283)
3. East Coweta- 1152
Tanner Whitehead- 290
Evelyn Reid- 288
Kinsley Hannon- 287
Josh Holm- 287
Austin Barber- (283)
4. Carrollton-1150
Morgan Frank- 296
Ben Bradley- 288
Thomas Harris- 285
Collin Grubbs- 281
Taylor Berry- (269)
5. LaFayette- 1148
Alyssa Kiser- 295
Emma Sargeant- 292
Logan Massingill- 287
Alania Shults- 274
Steven Thompson- (274)
6. Woodward- 1142
Jacob Workman-287
Annalyn Smith- 286
Sydney Hallas- 286
Manaphy Wang- 283
Crystal Chen- (279)
7. Buford- 1134
Morgan Adams- 287
Jacob Ethridge- 285
Austin Cagle- 283
Taylor King- 279
Dylan Akins- (277)
8. Lumpkin County- 1131
Will Gilstrap- 288
Kayla Gray- 284
Ashley Goike- 283
Benjamin McLeod- 276
Colby Craddock- (245)
9. Tift County- 1125
Christian Dotson- 282
Johnathan Hemminger- 281
Blake Owens- 281
Jake Turner- 281
Caitlin Garren- (279)
10. Cherokee- 1125
Brody Miller- 288
Connor Walsh- 282
Dylan Rodriguez- 278
Davis Snyder- 277
Ayden Steen- (268)
*Top four scores in team final score
Individual Results
1. Laci Jewell, 395.8, Ware County
2. Jared Eddy, 395.6, Columbus
3. Ben Smith, 393.3, Ware County
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