Tallulah Falls School seniors Marc Crotta and Joseph McGahee completed their 60-shot standing Junior Olympic National Championship competition on April 9-10 in Colorado Springs. The duo was up against the best in the United States, 20 years old and younger. Many of these rifle athletes are top NCAA shooters and members of the Olympic team.
McGahee, battling through an injury, shot 584.7 on the first day and a 598.3 in the second to score 1183, placing 87th nationally. His 598.3 is a personal best.
Crotta shot a 590.0 on Tuesday and followed that with a 581.3 on Wednesday for a total of 1171.3, placing 110th in the nation. His 590 represented a personal best.
Tallulah Falls was the only high school with three athletes invited to the prestigious match, as fellow senior Brianna Walter competed last weekend.
“I have coached Marc for four years and Joseph for three, and to see their joy of competing together in their senior year at the Olympic Training Center in the shadow of Pikes Peak is something I will remember for the rest of my life,” says coach Tim Stamey. “These young men are representing our school with pride.”
