Forest City Juniors' Next Generation Aiming for Seventh Straight National Title
The Forest City Juniors pose after another successful season as the Savannah-based program prepares to chase a seventh consecutive SCTP national championship in Ohio. Photo courtesy of Forest City Juniors.
Ayden McKenzie, a member of the Forest City Gun Club’s Juniors program since 2020, says that of the three disciplines -- sporting clays, trap, and skeet -- skeet is by far her favorite.
“I kind of like it’s predictable, it’s the same way every time,” said McKenzie, 18. “But some people hate it because of that.”
The same could be said for the Forest City Juniors’ dynastic domination of the Scholastic Clay Target Program national championships. Six consecutive titles make the outcome predictable and expectations high, though the Savannah-based team takes nothing for granted when going for seven next month.
Let’s hope the competition has respect, not even a hint of hate, for their rival’s repeated finish atop the team standings.
The Georgia SCTP, which represents all Peach State teams, wrote on its Facebook page after last summer’s triumph: “Year after year, Forest City sets the standard with discipline, focus and a deep commitment to excellence. We couldn’t be prouder of their continued legacy.”
The Forest City Juniors try to continue that legacy on July 11-18 at Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio, annually the host site of the national tournament.
“I’m so excited about it,” said McKenzie, who graduated last month as valedictorian of the senior class at St. Vincent’s Academy and will attend the University of Notre Dame. “It’s just amazing that the team’s been able to keep going back and doing so well.”
The team didn’t exactly start out that way when head coach Zac Guerrettaz – the club’s general manager – and program director Lee Summerford created the Juniors in 2013 and began play with eight shooters in 2014.
One team member, Joseph Reyes, competed at nationals in 2014 in Sparta, Ill., and he captured the skeet title in the Intermediate Entry Division. Reyes is currently helping coach the Rookie Division for fifth-graders and below.
“It feels like it was just a few weeks ago we started the team,” Guerrettaz recalled. “When we first started competing and going out of town to compete, we weren’t as successful as we are now. I think the (shooters’) dedication, the hard work and the coaches and the infrastructure, the facilities, have a lot to do with it.”
He said an estimated 230 shooters as of 2025 have gone through the program, which will send 64, including 10 girls, across all divisions to nationals. They range in age from 10 to 22, including some Collegiate shooters who have aged out and have their own championship after high school.
The Juniors are led by team captains and recently graduated seniors McKenzie, Emaline Haddad, Mills Hollis, and Gavin Wamsley, as well as Marshall Kent, a rising senior at Glynn Academy.
From left, Coach Lee Summerford, Lucas McKenzie, Ayden McKenzie, Emaline Haddad and Coach Mark Cribbs pose during the SCTP Southeast Regional. Photo by Stacey McKenzie.
Guerrettaz also lauded the efforts of Chaz Palmer and McKenzie’s brother, Lucas McKenzie, a rising senior at Benedictine. Lucas McKenzie won the High Overall Award at the Georgia SCTP State Championship on June 5-7, and Palmer was third.
Haddad, a Savannah Christian graduate who will compete for Georgia Southern, was second in the Varsity Lady Division, Adyen McKenzie was fourth, and Landyn Fries was fifth.
Forest City Juniors head coach Zac Guerrettaz celebrates with Lucas McKenzie after McKenzie captured the High Overall Award at the Georgia SCTP State Championship. Photo by Jennifer Haddad.
Developing talent takes time, as shown by these shooters who are excelling in their high school years at state, regional, and national competitions, Guerrettaz said.
“They’ve been shooting for several years and they have the right coaches put in their game at the right time,” he said. “As long as we can continue to do that, we’re a threat.”
Lucas McKenzie poses with one of the Forest City Juniors' younger shooters after a tournament victory, reflecting the program's commitment to developing the next generation of champions.
The Juniors captured the SCTP Southeast Regional in April with a score of 1,038, besting the Lake Oconee Shotgun Team (1,024), the Gator Creek Young Guns (1,022), and 36 other clubs.
The Forest City Gun Club also hosted the state championship. The Juniors won the title (1,058) over Muddy Road Shooting Team (1,025) and Harris County High School (1,023).
Ayden McKenzie and Archer Ritchie celebrate after surviving a 15-way shoot-off to earn spots on the All-State Skeet Team during the Georgia SCTP State Championship. Photo by Andria Fetterman.
Promising results from Junior U.S. Open
More recently, the program sent 53 competitors to the 2026 Junior U.S. Open on June 11-14 at Back Woods Quail Club in Georgetown, S.C. Forest City won team titles in the Varsity, Collegiate, Lady Varsity, and Rookie divisions.
The head coach’s son, 11-year-old Mason Guerrettaz, took first as an individual in Rookie and combined with Christopher Long and Campbell Fetterman for the team title as another generation makes progress.
Forest City Juniors Rookie Division shooters display their trophies following a championship performance at the 2026 Junior U.S. Open.
Lucas McKenzie was third and Hollis fourth in Varsity, and they combined with Wamsley for the team title against 39 other clubs.
Haddad, Ayden McKenzie, and Gray Garceau captured the Lady Varsity crown. Curt Jones was best in the Collegiate individually, and he joined Chase Buerger and James Daters to claim the team championship.
Zack Guerrettaz likes how his team is peaking at the right time as the national tournament approaches.
“I think if you had asked me this question in April, I probably would have said we’ve got a lot of work to do,” he said. “But I think these kids right now are hitting on all cylinders. There’s some fine-tuning to do, and a lot of them are shooting exceptionally well.
“I think it’s a lot of self-motivation and a lot of these kids, including the girls, get super excited about going up there and competing,” he continued. “We try to make it fun. They have fun hanging out with each other. I think they’re just getting excited for it. Not to mention, we practice a lot.”
Ayden McKenzie noted the hard work and fun when they gather in Ohio, with team activities such as cornhole and bingo, and the older, more experienced competitors guiding younger teammates through what could be a stressful week.
“We have a good time, get loose for nationals. It brings us closer together,” she said, adding that the head coach will have a team meeting to “get our minds right for the next couple of days when we shoot.”
Ayden McKenzie, Camille Seibert, Ellie Jones, Reagan Tate and Nora Lynes gather during the Georgia SCTP State Championship. The mentorship between veteran shooters and younger competitors is a cornerstone of the Forest City Juniors program. Photo by Mrs. Jones.
She credited the coaches for developing their mental toughness. Guerrettaz also praised a deep, experienced coaching staff that makes sacrifices as well as the efforts of Summerford, making the Juniors program what he called a well-oiled machine.
There’s a human factor behind the many team and individual titles, McKenzie said.
“I think it’s the people on it, from the coaching staff to the varsity kids that are willing and want it,” she said. “Even the Rookies that are there to watch the Varsity, give us motivation. Whenever we need a kick in the behind, Zac’s there to give us a pep talk. It’s just the people.”
2026 Junior U.S. Open
June 11-14, Back Woods Quail Club, Georgetown, S.C.
Top results for Forest City Juniors
Main Event individuals
Rookie (14 competitors) – 1. Mason Guerrettaz 126.
Varsity (96) – 3. Lucas McKenzie 194, 4. Mills Hollis 193.
Collegiate (53) – 1. Curt Jones 196.
Team scores
Rookie (three teams) – 1. Forest City Juniors 408 (Mason Guerrettaz, Christopher Long, Campbell Fetterman); 3. Forest City 302 (Turner Parr, Kameron Woo, Steele Anne Joyner).
Intermediate (39) – 3. Forest City 519 (Mac Reardon, Caleb Vo, Hunter Martin).
Junior Varsity (37) – 5. Forest City 413 (Oliver Whelan, Walker Brown, Chip Klein); 6. Forest City 512 (Raj Kameleson, Frank Kamaleson, Taehoo Kim).
Varsity (40) – 1. Forest City 567 (Lucas McKenzie, Mills Hollis, Gavin Wamsley).
Collegiate (20) – 1. Forest City 566 (Curt Jones, Chase Buerger, James Daters).
Lady Varsity (nine) – 1. Forest City 521 (Emaline Haddad, Ayden McKenzie, Gray Garceau).
Main Lady
Rookie (two competitors) – 2. Steele Anne Joyner 45.
Varsity (27) – 3. Emaline Haddad 183, 6. Ayden McKenzie 174.
Super Sporting
Rookie (11) – 2. Mason Guerrettaz 42, 3. Christopher Long 40.
Intermediate (62) – 2. Mac Reardon 48.
Junior Varsity (57) – 2. Frank Kamaleson, 48.
Varsity (59) – 2. Emaline Haddad 50.
Collegiate (22) – 1. Curt Jones 50.
Photos courtesy of Forest City Juniors, Zac Guerrettaz, Andria Fetterman, Jennifer Haddad, Stacey McKenzie, and Mrs. Jones.
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