Led by Carson Lingle and Bryson Elwer, who finished first and second overall, the Gatewood Varsity Shotgun Team secured its ninth GIAA AA state championship in the past 11 years this past weekend at the Forest City Gun Club in Savannah.
With scores of 291 and 285, respectively, out of a perfect 300, Lingle and Elwer got help from Carson Courchaine, who was third on the Gators with a 276 score.
Lawrey Benner, Blake Daniel, Carson Fried, and Wyatt Wojtas also performed well. They joined Lingle, Elwer, and Courchaine as 2024 Gatewood All-State shooters.
In trap shooting, Lingle placed second, with Elwer third. In skeet, Gatewood swept the top four spots, with Elwer first, followed by Lingle, Benner, and Lola Davis. In sporting clays, Lingle was second, followed by Elwer in third. Lola Davis placed third, Carson Courchaine placed fifth, and Lilly Kent Rainey placed fifth.
Overall, 570 shooters from 49 schools competed.
The depth of the talent of our team is extraordinary. If we had been competing in any other division, including all AAA schools and general, we would have still won the State Championship.