Dampier’s record 293 leads rifle team win

Published 10:13 pm Tuesday, January 31, 2006

MOULTRIE — Victoria Dampier shot a range-record 293 on Tuesday to lead the Colquitt County High rifle team to a 1,145-389 victory over Dooly County at the JROTC building.

The score was the highest ever shot by a Colquitt County rifle team member and qualifies Dampier for the state rifle championships, which will be held April 1 at Fort Benning.

A score of 290 or better out of a possible 300 qualifies the shooter for state.

One of three seniors on the team, Dampier shot a 99 in both the prone and kneeling positions and had a 95 in the standing position.

Dampier opened the season with a 287 in last week’s victory at Crisp County.

Two other Colquitt County shooters nearly turned in a state-qualifying score as well on Tuesday.

Shontae Robinson and Yohann Brinson each shot a 286.

Robinson had a team-high 96 in the troublesome standing position and also had a 96 in the prone and a 94 kneeling. Brinson had a 97 prone, a 94 standing and a 95 kneeling.

Jessica Corona had a 280 for the team’s other counting score.

“Yohann and Shontae each shot a 286 and Corona had a 280, so they are all right in there,” said the team’s coach, Gunnery Sgt. Emmett Bryant. “They all have the capability of shooting 290 or above. They all work real hard and they are real consistent.”

Corona now has a 284 and a 280 in the first two competitions. Robinson, a 284 and a 286; and Brinson, a 285 and a 286.

Even the team’s non-counting scores were promising on Tuesday.

Amanda Thompson had a 274; Joshua Taylor, a 267; and Megan Dubberly, a 266.

“With all three of them above a 265, that’s a real good thing for us,” Bryant said.

Colquitt County, now 2-0, will try to win its third straight match — and try to qualify more shooters for the state competition — when it travels to Lee County on Thursday.

“We are off to a really good start,” Bryant said.

“We just need to continue to keep our heads in it.”

The Colquitt County team, made up entirely of Junior ROTC members, will be back to shoot at its home range on Tuesday, Feb. 7, against Westover.