SAVANNAH, GA — Benedictine Military School’s sport shooting team brought home another title, winning the Georgia Independent Athletic Association (GIAA) State Championship at Forest City Gun Club after three days of competition last weekend, October 30 to November 1, in sporting clays, skeet, and trap.
The Cadets dominated the field, finishing 53 targets ahead of Savannah Christian and 103 ahead of Savannah Country Day — proving once again that depth and teamwork make a difference.
Benedictine Military School’s clay target team celebrates on the podium after winning the 2025 GIAA Clay Target State Championship at Forest City Gun Club. (Photo courtesy of Benedictine Military School social media.)
Clay target shooting is divided into three core disciplines — sporting clays, skeet, and trap. Sporting clays can be thought of as the golf of shotgun sports, with clay pigeons launched from every angle to probe a shooter’s versatility. In skeet, pairs of targets arc across the field from the low houses, demanding timing and a smooth rhythm. Trap, by contrast, fires targets away from the shooter at various angles, testing split-second reactions and unwavering focus.
Senior Mills Hollis led the way for BC with a 286 total to earn High Overall (HOA) honors for the tournament. He was followed closely by Chaz Palmer (277), Alex Ray (272), Sam Anderson (272), and Gavin Walmsley (268), all helping secure the program’s latest state title.
Benedictine Military School’s Mills Hollis stands atop the podium holding his High Overall award after leading the Cadets to the GIAA Clay Target State Championship. (Photo courtesy of Benedictine Military School social media)
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This marks Benedictine’s fourth state championship in six years under head coach Howard J. Morrison III, who praised his group for its all-around strength and experience.
“This is definitely the most depth we’ve had,” Morrison said. “These kids were all contributing when they were freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. They’ve all been winners all four years.”
This senior class holds a special place for Coach Morrison. Many of them have been with him since they first picked up a shotgun.
“Several of the seniors I actually watched learn to shoot,” Morrison said. “I helped teach them and coach them when they were in fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade outside of BC. So it’s gonna be kinda hard to see these guys go.”
Top Ten Shooters for Benedictine
| Shooter # | First | Last | Grade | Sporting | Skeet | Trap | TOTAL |
| 1 | Mills | Hollis | 12 | 90 | 96 | 100 | 286 |
| 2 | Chaz | Palmer | 11 | 88 | 96 | 93 | 277 |
| 3 | Alex | Ray | 12 | 82 | 96 | 94 | 272 |
| 3 | Sam | Anderson | 12 | 78 | 99 | 95 | 272 |
| 5 | Gavin | Walmsley | 12 | 83 | 96 | 89 | 268 |
| 6 | Lucas | McKenzie | 11 | 81 | 97 | 86 | 264 |
| 7 | Jim Reynolds | Morrison | 12 | 73 | 97 | 90 | 260 |
| 8 | Chip | Klein | 9 | 70 | 97 | 92 | 259 |
| 9 | Matthew | Boyer | 10 | 65 | 93 | 97 | 255 |
| 10 | Marshall | Pedigo | 11 | 69 | 94 | 91 | 254 |
With a strong mix of underclassmen returning, Benedictine’s future on the range looks just as sharp as its latest performance.
PHOTO: Benedicitne Military School Social Media pages
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