The Ware County Shooting Range served as the center of high school rifle competition in Georgia on Saturday, March 14, 2026, as the GHSA Rifle State Championships were hosted in Waycross. Teams from across the state competed in the 3x20 Air Rifle course of fire, which includes the kneeling, prone, and standing positions.
Competing on their home range, the Ware County Gators delivered a strong performance, finishing 7th overall across all classifications in the state with a team aggregate score of 2289.
Team Results
After a full day of precision shooting, North Gwinnett High School captured the 2026 GHSA Rifle State Championship with a team score of 2337. Camden County followed closely behind in second place with a score of 2328, while Cartersville High School placed third with a total of 2313.
Final Team Standings (Top 6):
North Gwinnett - 2337
Camden County - 2328
Cartersville - 2313
East Coweta - 2311
Cherokee - 2302
Buford - 2301
Ware County finished 7th overall in the state with a score of 2289, competing against some of Georgia’s top rifle programs.
Gators Perform Well on Home Range
The Gators turned in solid scores across all three shooting positions, highlighted by a strong team prone score of 793, demonstrating excellent consistency throughout the competition.
Leading the way for Ware County was Camdyn Thornton, who finished 11th overall individually in the state with an impressive aggregate score of 581. Thornton posted outstanding marks across the board, including a 199 in the prone position.
Additional strong performances for Ware County included:
Autumn Buskirk - 572
Angel Hernandez - 572
Gabrielle Howard - 564
Mason Briggs - 556
Individual Competition
In the individual qualifying standings, Maggie Sheffield of Cartersville High School posted the top preliminary score with a 589 aggregate, followed closely by Remy Shim of North Gwinnett with 588 and Briana Dougherty of Camden County with 587.
The top shooters advanced to the GHSA State Championship Finals, where the state champion was determined in the three-position final round.
In a tightly contested final, Briana Dougherty of Camden County captured the GHSA Individual State Championship with a final score of 460.1, edging Remy Shim of North Gwinnett, who finished second at 459.6.
Finals Results:
Briana Dougherty - 460.1
Remy Shim - 459.6
James Wright - 447.9
Sarah Contis - 436.3
Brayden Ogden - 424.3
Maggie Sheffield - 403.1
Jahnaeja Maxwell - 402.9
Cam Preston - 412.3
Thank You to the Gator Community
Hosting the GHSA Rifle State Championships marked the culmination of another successful season for the Ware County Rifle program. The event showcased some of the best shooters in the state while highlighting the quality of the Ware County Shooting Range as a premier venue for competition.
The Ware County Rifle program would like to thank all of the coaches, volunteers, parents, and community members who supported the team throughout the season and helped make the year a success. The continued support of the Gator community plays a vital role in the growth and success of the program.
With another season completed and valuable experience gained on the state’s biggest stage, the Gator rifle team looks forward to building on this year’s accomplishments in the seasons ahead.
For more photos, please click the link below.
3/14/2026: GHSA State Rifle Meet Photos
For complete results, please click the link below.
3/14/2026: GHSA State Rifle Results
