The GHSA Three-Position Riflery State Championship will take over the Ole Mill Range in Griffin on Saturday as teams across the state try to upend three-time defending champion Ware County.
The Gators won the 2017, 2018 and 2019 titles and had a chance to win their fourth straight in 2020 but the season was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2019, Ware set two championship records led by Laci Jewell’s individual state championship record score of 298. In the finals, Jewell also set the individual finals record with a score of 103 for a total of 401 points. The Gators’ effort in 2019 followed Ware’s record-setting victory in 2018 with a team total of 1169.
This season, Ware beat Carrollton 1158-1113 in the riflery playoffs to earn its berth in the championship. The Gators will face a field of stiff competition including North Gwinnett, Cairo, Union Grove, Northside-Columbus, Camden County, Allatoona, Georgia Military, Upson-Lee, North Paulding, East Coweta, Lumpkin County and Social Circle. Cherokee was the highest losing semifinalist and Walton was the second highest losing semifinalist and both will make the trip to Griffin.
The events begin at 8 a.m. Saturday with the prone competition. Following a changeover and a resighting period, the standing competition will occur followed by the kneeling competition. Firing points and relays are assigned by drawing lots and due to Covid-19, teams will fire by school and all members from a school will fire on the same relay. Individual qualifiers will be squadded with their school and team members from the same school will be on adjacent firing points. For safety, there will be an empty firing point between schools.
Follow the link to see the playoff brackets and the match program. For the defending champions go HERE and visit the Ole Mill Range Complex website by following the link.
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