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Season Recap: Precision Rifle
The Precision Rifle team took their aim at history in 2022, and did not fall short. A young yet promising group, guided by first-year head coach Katie Keister and coach Tim Stamey, quickly emerged as one of the state's top programs.
In its first season in GHSA since 2017-18, TFS posted double-digit wins, often defeating much larger schools with rosters containing more experience. Though Tallulah Falls had one senior in captain Andrew Erwin, who's demeanor and experience rubbed off on the younger athletes.
The season got off to a quick start with a win over Class 7A opponent North Forsyth in the home rifle range. A road win against East Hall (4A) followed. Lumpkin County (3A), a consistent top-tier program, then visited and handed TFS its first loss of the season. Rather than get shaken, the Tallulah Falls rifle team regrouped and went back to work. TFS grabbed back-to-back wins at Parkview (7A) and at home against Dawson County (3A) to move to 4-1 on the season. North Gwinnett (7A) came to Tallulah Falls and edged out the home team to clouse out the 2021 portion of the schedule, making TFS 4-2 on the season.
From there, Tallulah Falls seemed to only get better. Wins at home over Riverside Military Academy (2A) and Buford (6A) were bookends around a road win at Lithonia (5A), which led TFS to a 7-2 record heading into the Area 6 Sectionals. A rematch with Lithonia, this time in the home range, produced yet another victory to push Tallulah Falls to 8-2 overall, and sending it to the Area 6 Shoot-Off at Lumpkin County.
Led by Erwin's 287, TFS secured a runner-up finish in Area, with only Lumpkin County ahead of it. Tallulah Falls then hosted a GHSA Sectional against Harrison (7A). The win came with Erwin firing a 289 (tied for the school record at the time), and lifted the program into the state semfinals. Joseph McGahee's final shot in the semifinals match against Cairo, and Kylee Loudermilks score of 283, gave TFS a 1116-1111 victory to advance to the GHSA State Championships at Georgia Southern University.
One of the youngest teams at the state finals shined, as Tallulah Falls came away with a 9th-place finish. TFS was the top 1A Private school in the state. McGahee set a new school record with a 292, and finished 7th individually among a talented field despite only competing competitively for less than a year. Despite the departure of team leader Erwin, the Precision Rifle team appears to have a bright future. Junior Jue Wang, sophomores Marc Crotta, Brooke Hayes, McGahee, and Ethan Simmons, as well as freshmen Chloe Erwin, Loudermilk, and Leah Rogers will ensure that the program continues to chase state championships.
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