The Ware County Gator Rifle Team turned in another strong performance on Friday, January 23, 2026, hosting the Statesboro Blue Devils at the Ware County Shooting Range. The Gators controlled the match from start to finish, earning a convincing victory with a team score of 1156 with 62 centers, while Statesboro finished at 1069 with 24 centers.
Leading the way for Ware County was Gabbie Howard, who delivered a standout performance and qualified for the GHSA State Championships with an outstanding 298 out of 300, including 22 centers. Howard posted perfect scores in both the kneeling and prone positions before closing strong in standing, cementing her place atop the individual leaderboard.
The Ware A squad claimed first place overall, showcasing balance and depth across all three positions. Alongside Howard, Autumn Buskirk followed with a 288, while Camdyn Thornton (286), Angel Hernandez (284), Aniston Pittman (284), Grant Johnson (283), and Mason Briggs (276) all contributed to the top team score.
Statesboro was paced by Mireyda Cheavers, who shot a 279, and Chaeyeong Oh with a 268, but the Blue Devils were unable to keep pace with the Gators’ consistency across the line.
Ware County also impressed with its depth throughout the lineup. Ware B placed third overall with a 1054, led by Nicholas Hensley and Hayden Lang, who both posted scores of 269. Ware C followed closely behind with a 1043, highlighted by strong performances from Zakyira Perry (275) and Nathan Casavant (274). The Ware 4-H entry was led by Greyson Christmas, who turned in a solid 288 with 16 centers.
With momentum on their side and a state qualifier already secured, the Gators now look ahead to a busy week of competition. Ware County will host Brunswick on Monday, January 26 at 5:00 PM, followed by another home match against Groves on Thursday at 5:00 PM, before wrapping up the week on Friday, January 30 versus Southeast Bulloch at 5:00 PM.
