Ware County looking to defend at GHSA Riflery state championship

The GHSA Riflery season will come to an end at the University of North Georgias Convocation Center Saturday after the semifinals determined the 17 programs that will advance to the championship.

Defending-champion Ware County enters the event looking to add the programs fifth state championship. The Gators have been a championship stalwart since 2017, when it won the teams second championship (1997) and began a streak of three-straight championship victories.

Ware holds the state records for a Team from the 2018 season when it scored 1169, an Individual from Laci Jewells 2019 score of 298 and the Individual Finals Record, also from 2019 when Jewell scored 298 plus 103 in the finals for a total score of 401.

Due to the pandemic, the event was not held in 2020 but when it returned in 2021, Georgia Military took the championship. Ware County returned to the top of the podium last season and after beating Buford 1154-62 to 1114-47 in the semifinals, Ware earned its trip back to the finals. Georgia Military defeated Parkview in the semifinals to earn its championship berth.

In other semifinal victories, North Paulding outlasted North Gwinnett, 2016 champion East Coweta beat Cartersville, Kendrick defeated Cherokee, Chattahoochee beat Benedictine, Upson-Lee bested Social Circle and Columbus beat Walton.

Lumpkin County advanced after beating Ridgeland, Woodward beat Northside Columbus to advance, Camden defeated LaFayette, Tallulah Falls bested Glynn Academy, 2014 champion Allatoona moved past Dawson County, Cairo beat Jones County and Statesboro advanced past Kennesaw Mountain. The top-two highest losing semifinalists Social Circle and North Gwinnett will also travel to the championship matches.

Follow the link to the full playoff bracket.