MOULTRIE — The Colquitt County High gymnastics team’s victory in the state meet on Friday at Westminster High in Atlanta was significant on several levels.

Being the first team outside of Metro Atlanta to win the title let the state know that girls in south Georgia know their stuff, too.

But the Lady Packers also have the satisfaction of being the first Colquitt County High girls team to bring home a state championship.

They join the 1994 football team and 1997 and 2003 baseball teams in winning team state titles for Colquitt County High.

The Lady Packers edged Milton High for the title, scoring a 108.95. Milton, which had defeated Colquitt County in a state qualifying meet the week before, was second with a 108.90.

The eight-girl group of Meghan Marshall, Crystal Blizzard, Leah May, Temira Davis, Kaitlin Tucker, Krista Wood, Rachel Dampier and Arrienne Miller put its focus on team score, rather than individual scores, said coach Donna Marshall and it paid off.

And although Megan Marshall earned All-State honors for the third straight year and May was named All-State for the first time, the team received contributions from throughout its lineup.

“It is important to get the girls to work together as a team rather than as an individual,” said Marshall, who led the team to the state title in her first year as head coach.

“Yes, individual scores are important, but they add together for the team score. I think the girls knew that, because I heard them say they didn’t mind how they placed individually. It was the team score that counted.”

Colquitt County started on beam, an event that Donna Marshall said is difficult to begin on.

“The girls were a little shaky on the beam, but they ended up pulling out strong scores,” she said.

Davis had a 7.6; Wood, an 8.55; Meghan Marshall, a 9.2, placing fifth; and May a 9.35, good for second.

The Lady Packers next event was the floor exercise, one of its stronger events.

Dampier scored an 8.5, despite injuring her knee on the last pass.

“I am proud of her because she finished the routine,” Donna Marshall said. “ She knew how important it was to have the best team score possible.”

A trainer checked out her knee and found no trauma. She told her coach she wanted to vault, and Marshall said her score would be needed in that event.

Wood scored a 8.7 on floor and Meghan Marshall had a 9.2.

“Meghan’s routine was not flawless like it was at area with a 9.7,” Donna Marshall said. “Just a few mistakes cost her a few tenths in the score.

“Other than that, her routine was beautifully done.”

May turned in a 9.575.

“She had a strong showing on the floor,” Donna Marshall said. “We needed her floor score to help with our team score.”

Bars was the third event and Tucker turned in a 7.9 and Wood had an 8.6.

“Krista performed well at the meet and we needed her experience at competing at this level of competition,” her coach said.

May had what Marshall called “a beautiful” routine and scored an 8.825.

Meghan Marshall’s extra work on a skill she missed at the area meet paid off in a 9.25 score on bars.

After the first three events, the Colquitt County coach was approached by a reporter, who asked if she knew her team was leading.

“I did not know we were winning, but I definitely didn’t want the girls to know,” Marshall said. “I wanted them to give all that they could and hot hold back.

“I knew we needed an average of around a 9.2 on the vault and we had the potential to do just that.”

Dampier was first up on vault and despite the knee injured in the floor exercise, she scored an 8.9.

“If I could praise any one for their contribution to the team score, it would go to Rachel Dampier,” Marshall said. “She knew the team depended on her.

“Rachel was up first to vault and if she could throw the vault, the rest would be easy.”

May vaulted next and stuck her last vault, scoring a 9.5. Marshall vaulted last and turned in a 9.3.

“After the vault, I knew we were right there because the Milton team was on the side crying,” Donna Marshall said.

“Their coach came to me and offered her congratulations. Even though it was not official, some of us had the feeling.”

Colquitt County had advanced to the finals on four other occasions, but never finished higher than third.

Marshall said consistency was the difference this year.

“We’ve had some good girls come through our program, but we haven’t had real strength as a team until now,” she said.

Marshall said the best part was breaking the stranglehold that the Atlanta team had had on the championship.

“What a day for the South,” she said.

Tift County’s Morgan Jones placed first all around with a 37.45. Marisa Schneider of Milton was second with a 37.40, but Colquitt County took third and fourth.

May was third with a 37.25, followed by Marshall and her 36.95.