This was GISA's Inaugural season for Clay Target Sports. The State Championship Meet was held at Forest City Gun Club in Savannah. More than 175 competitors in 8th to 12th grades attended.
During the State meet, the competitors shot 100 trap targets, 100 skeet targets, and 100 sporting clay targets. Simonton scored a total of 224 out of a possible 300 comprised of 85 in skeet, 81 trap, and 58 in sporting clays.
"You can't ask for a better student to coach than Sam Simonton," said Lakeview Clay Target Team Coach Steve Chester. "What an honor it was to have Sam compete in Savannah and win the State Championship for Lakeview! I'm looking forward to having her compete for us for three more years and see what other
achievements this team can do!
"This is the first year of the sport, so although it is a competition, everyone wants you to do well and it's a friendly atmosphere," Simonton explained as she described her experience at the State competition. "You have to be focused in this sport, but you also have to be calm and loose. You have to tune out everything around you."
Simonton made it to the State competition by finishing 2nd in Ladies at both the November 16 competition at Old Hudson Bay Plantation in Sparta, and the November 23 competition in Savannah at the Forest City Gun Club with her combined scores in skeet and sporting events.
"It was so exciting having Sam represent Lakeview on the state level as this is the inaugural season for both Lakeview Academy and the Georgia Independent Schools Association (GISA) for Clay Target Sports" explained Coach Chester. "Our team has six student athletes participating in this program with the support of Cherokee Gun Club in Gainesville. Having access to a professional shooting venue and assistance from several of their members was significant to our program getting off to a smooth start."
Sam Simonton
http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/12/268812