Advance preparation by the Tallulah Falls School precision rifle team paid off at a nine-state regional competition held April 5-6 in Anniston, AL.
Representing TFS at the 2019 CMP South East Regional 3-Position Air Rifle Championship were sophomore Sam Stamey of Clarkesville and freshmen Madi Perdue of Clayton, Andrew Erwin of Demorest and Aiden Gragg of Clarkesville.
According to head coach Tim Stamey, the team qualified for the competition two months ago.
Although nervous about competing against more experienced shooters, Stamey said once the team arrived, they were motivated by the energy present at the event.
“The team eyed their older competition, many of them seniors talking about the college teams they would be shooting for this fall,” he said. “The excitement in the air was contagious.”
After more than an hour of firing 20 shots each in prone, standing and kneeling, the student-athletes remained balanced and totally focused even though they were exhausted, he said.
The team shot their average scores, with the exception of Perdue who shot a personal record in kneeling of 192 out of a possible 200, he said.
“A bullseye counts 10 points; she shot 12 bullseyes and eight nines. The team’s match score for the first day was 2163 out of 2400,” Stamey said.
On Saturday morning, the team had more time to prepare before the match started.
“They arrived at the range more confident and were encouraging to each other,” he said. “It was obvious to TFS supporters in attendance that this was going to be a special day when all four team members got into the prone position and shot bullseyes on their first record shot.”
Team captain Sam Stamey shot a perfect prone score of 200, followed by Perdue with a personal prone record of 197. Stamey followed her TFS prone record with a TFS record standing score of 188.
The team achieved above average scores with Perdue shooting a personal record 3X20 match score of 553 out of 600 and Stamey set a new TFS match record with a 576.
The second day team match score was a much better 2220 and when combined with the day one score, landed TFS in 10th place for the nine state region.
Looking ahead to the next level of competition, according to Coach Stamey, is the National 3-Position Championship is at Camp Perry, Ohio held in July, with the top 27 precision teams in the nation. TFS could receive an invitation to the meet once final scoring is complete, he said.
“The South Eastern Region has many of the better teams in the nation and there is a possibility that our score could result in an invitation,” he said.
TFS will hear back by mid-May if the team will qualify for the national competition.
“I have coached many rifle shooters with several shooting at military academies and colleges but I’ve never been blessed with a team as GREAT as this one,” Stamey added. “Without being told, they did schoolwork when able and supported each other. They are courteous and helpful to everyone they meet Their maturity, ability and graciousness amazed several coaches and parents who asked me about this young team and our school. This team exemplifies the very best of TFS.”
Photos courtesy of Tallulah Falls School
