The TFS Precision Rifle team is State Championship bound after a thrilling win at Cairo in the semifinals. It took a clutch final shot by Joseph McGahee to secure the 1116-1111 victory.
Cairo, the Area 2 Champions and last year’s state runner-up played host to TFS and featured an experienced team with juniors and seniors. The young TFS group with lone senior Andrew Erwin made the long trip and came out victorious.
After the first position of prone, TFS held a slim 3-point lead, as McGahee and Kylee Loudermilk posted perfect 100 scores. In the standing offhand, Tallulah Falls increased its lead to 15. The final position of kneeling featured Cairo finishing strong with a 1111. TFS was at 1106 and awaiting McGahee’s final shot.
After rejecting several times, he hit a bullseye to give TFS the 1116-1111 win and a State Championship berth for the first time in school history. Loudermilk was the top shooter in the match, scoring a 283. McGahee followed with a 282 and rounding out the top 4 were Chloe Erwin’s 278 and Andrew Erwin’s 273.
Tallulah Falls will compete in the State Championship at Georgia Southern University on April 22-23. From 10 GHSA rifle areas not divided by school size, the top 17 programs advance to the championship multi-relay match and will be ranked by final scores. TFS finished second in Area 6, as a total of 4 teams from that area have advanced to the State Championship.
