Statesboro and Southeast Bulloch High School have Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Riflery teams who are aiming for the top.
Statesboro High advanced to the semi-finals of the GHSA state playoffs on March 10, after a win over Crisp County High School in the State Sectional Meet held at Georgia Southern University’s Shooting Sports Education Center. The Blue Devils defeated Crisp County by an overall score of 1,131 to 1,108. Statesboro will now face Kennesaw Mountain High School next week in a semifinal match as the teams journey toward a possible spot in the state championship, scheduled for April 1, in Dahlonega, at the University of North Georgia Convocation Center.
Statesboro High’s star sophomore, Katlyn Sullivan, qualified for the individual state championship with a score of 292, just six points off a perfect score of 300. Sullivan has also qualified for the Georgia All-Star team and the Junior Olympics.
Southeast Bulloch High School and Statesboro High School both play in the GHSA’s Area 3 riflery group which includes 11 teams. The top six teams from each of GHSA’s 10 area groups advanced to sectionals leading up to the state playoffs. Crisp County was a qualifying team from Area 2 and Kennesaw Mountain High School is from Area 9. Bulloch County’s riflery teams are coached by Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp (JROTC) instructors at the schools, Eric Heffner, LTC (Ret.) at Statesboro and CPT. Dan Campbell and MSG Gwen Ford of Southeast Bulloch.
Dalton Bouknight, a senior member of Southeast Bulloch’s riflery team, has received an athletic scholarship from The Citadel in Charleston. On March 3, he signed his letter of intent to become a member of The Citadel’s rifle team at a ceremony in the SEBHS Media Center.
