Final Softball Rankings & Volleyball Championship Preview

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FINAL SOFTBALL RANKINGS

Happy Halloween! Today, we release the Final Softball Rankings and preview Saturday's Volleyball State Championships. Also, we post the Week 11 Football Schedule in the lefthand column. Please visit ScoreATL.com for more coverage and contact us at info@scoreatl.com for story ideas and information to help us make this year's newsletter great.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

• • •

FINAL SOFTBALL RANKINGS

• • •

WEEK 11 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

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SCORE TRIVIA

TODAY'S QUESTION

How many defending state champions advanced to this year's volleyball finals?

WEDNESDAY'S QUESTION

How many schools won first-ever softball championships this season?

WEDNESDAY'S ANSWER

3 (Mountain View, Banks County, Mt. De Sales)

WEEK 11 SCHEDULE

Thursday Oct. 31

Callaway at Jordan

Central-Macon at Rutland

Hardaway at Northside-Columbus

Friday, Nov. 1

Allatoona at Dalton

Alpharetta at Johns Creek

Americus-Sumter at Westover

Apalachee at Gainesville

Appling County at Pierce County

Arabia Mountain at Southwest DeKalb

Archer at South Gwinnett

Armuchee at Pepperell

Athens Academy at Hebron Christian

Athens Christian at Providence Christian

B.E.S.T. Academy at Therrell

Baconton Charter at Chattahoochee County

Bainbridge at Harris County

Beach at Benedictine

Blessed Trinity at Marist

Bowdon at Trion

Bradwell Institute at Brunswick

Bremen at Spencer

Brooks County at Fitzgerald

Bryan County at Bacon County

Buford at Walnut Grove

Butler at Laney

Calhoun at Haralson County

Campbell at East Coweta

Carver-Atlanta at Lithia Springs

Cedar Shoals at Loganville

Cedartown at Sandy Creek

Centennial at North Atlanta

Central-Carroll at Troup

Chamblee at Columbia

Charlton County at Clinch County

Cherokee at Walton

Clarke Central at Johnson-Gainesville

Collins Hill at Mountain View

Colquitt County at Lowndes

Commerce at Riverside Military

Creekside at Douglas County

Crisp County at Cook

Cross Creek at Richmond Academy

Dacula at Lanier

Dade County at Chattooga

Darlington at North Cobb Christian

Dawson County at Cherokee Bluff

Dodge County at Bleckley County

Dougherty at Columbus

Douglass at KIPP Atlanta Charter

Druid Hills at Hampton

Duluth at Discovery

Dunwoody at Chattahoochee

Dutchtown at Eagles Landing

Eagles Landing Christian at Mt. Vernon Presbyterian

Early County at Berrien

East Hall at North Hall

Eastside at Henry County

Elbert County at Putnam County

Emanuel County Institute at Montgomery County

Evans at Alcovy

First Presbyterian at Tattnall Square

Forsyth Central at South Forsyth

Glenn Hills at Screven County

Glynn Academy at Effingham County

Gordon Lee at Christian Heritage

Grady at Riverwood

Greene County at Washington-Wilkes

Hart County at Franklin County

Heard County at Lamar County

Heritage-Conyers at Grovetown

Hillgrove at Marietta

Hiram at Kell

Holy Innocents' at Landmark Christian

Hughes at Northgate

Irwin County at Atkinson County

Islands at Savannah

Jackson at Peach County

Jackson County at Jefferson

Jackson-Atlanta at Decatur

Johnson County at Wheeler County

Jones County at Ola

Jonesboro at McIntosh

Josey at Hephzibah

Kennesaw Mountain at North Paulding

LaFayette at Pickens

LaGrange at Chapel Hill

Lakeside-DeKalb at Berkmar

Lakeside-Evans at Greenbrier

Lakeview Academy at Towns County

Lanier County at Telfair County

Lassiter at Etowah

Lee County at Houston County

Liberty County at Brantley County

Locust Grove at Union Grove

Long County at Tattnall County

Lovett at Redan

Luella at Salem

Lumpkin County at Fannin County

M. L. King at Drew

Mary Persons at Perry

Mays at Alexander

Miller County at Calhoun County

Miller Grove at Lithonia

Milton at Lambert

Mitchell County at Randolph-Clay

Model at Coosa

Monroe at Worth County

Monticello at Banks County

Morgan County at East Jackson

Mt. Pisgah Christian at Walker

Mt. Zion-Jonesboro at Tucker

Mundy's Mill at Forest Park

Newnan at Pebblebrook

Newton at Shiloh

Norcross at Brookwood

North Clayton at Woodward Academy

North Cobb at McEachern

North Murray at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe

North Springs at Banneker

Northeast at Washington County

Northwest Whitfield at Southeast Whitfield

Oconee County at North Oconee

Our Lady of Mercy at Trinity Christian

Parkview at Meadowcreek

Pataula Charter at Cross Creek

Paulding County at Carrollton

Peachtree Ridge at North Gwinnett

Pelham at Seminole County

Pike County at Westside-Macon

Pinecrest Academy at Mt. Paran Christian

Pope at Northview

Portal at McIntosh County Academy

Prince Avenue at George Walton Academy

Rabun County at Oglethorpe County

Ridgeland at Gilmer

Ringgold at Adairsville

Rockdale County at Grayson

Rockmart at Gordon Central

Rome at Villa Rica

Roswell at Woodstock

Savannah Christian at Claxton

Savannah Country Day at Calvary Day

Sequoyah at Harrison

Shaw at Cairo

Sonoraville at Coahulla Creek

South Atlanta at McNair

South Cobb at River Ridge

Southeast Bulloch at Groves

Southwest at East Laurens

Spalding at Howard

Sprayberry at Creekview

St. Francis at King's Ridge

Starr's Mill at Riverdale

Statesboro at South Effingham

Stephens County at Madison County

Stephenson at Lovejoy

Stewart County at Terrell County

Stockbridge at Woodland-Stockbridge

Strong Rock Christian at Wesleyan

Swainsboro at Jeff Davis

Thomson at Burke County

Towers at Pace Academy

Treutlen at Jenkins County

Tri-Cities at South Paulding

Twiggs County at Stratford Academy

Union County at Social Circle

Upson-Lee at West Laurens

Valdosta at Northside-Warner Robins

Veterans at Thomas County Central

Vidalia at Metter

Ware County at New Hampstead

Warren County at Aquinas

Washington at Hapeville Charter

West Forsyth at North Forsyth

West Hall at Flowery Branch

Westlake at Wheeler

Westminster at Stone Mountain

Westside-Augusta at Jefferson County

White County at Chestatee

Whitefield Academy at Fellowship Christian

Whitewater at Fayette County

Wilcox County at Turner County

Wilkinson County at Mt. de Sales

Winder-Barrow at Habersham Central

Windsor Forest at Johnson-Savannah

Woodland-Cartersville at East Paulding

VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

This year’s finals are packed with state championship power. 10 of the 14 finalists have won state titles in their program’s history, amounting to a grand total of 41 all-time state titles and five of the championship matches feature teams that will be playing to defend their crowns. No volleyball program in the history of the state has more hardware than the 13-time state champion Walton Lady Raiders, who are back in the finals as four-time defending champions. Walton’s opponent is rival Lassiter, which has played the Raiders closely in both regular season defeats this season. Lassiter also is coming off a massive sweep at Etowah in the semifinals.

Class AAAAAA will also see two region rivals squaring off with Allatoona and Sequoyah. Allatoona reached the finals this past year, but fell short to Pope 3-1, missing out on a chance to win its first-ever championship. The Bucs punched their ticket to this year’s championship by toppling No. 1 ranked Alpharetta in straight sets. Sequoyah previously won a state title in 2014 and is back in the finals after taking down defending champion Pope 3-0 in the semis. Sequoyah has won all three meetings against Allatoona this year, but the matches have been competitively tight with Sequoyah winning 7-of-9 total sets played by a combined 211-to-175 points.

FAMILIAR FOES…

In Class AAAAA, Area 3 rivals McIntosh and Whitewater will be squaring off. McIntosh is the two-time defending state champions and have won four all-time state titles. The Chiefs have won 33-straight matches heading into Saturday, including a 2-0 victory over Whitewater in the regular season’s only meeting. Whitewater has won two state titles in its program’s history (2009, 2012) and had to battle past Starr’s Mill on the road in a five-set marathon match to return to the championship stage. As noted in the classification preview, Whitewater sophomore Ashli-Amari Cox posted a career-high 12 total blocks in the semifinal victory. Whitewater’s defense at the net will be put to the test by a highly-effective McIntosh attack.

Class AAAA featured defending state champion St. Pius against six-time state champion Blessed Trinity. St. Pius has been outstanding throughout the 2019 season, compiling a 45-4 record along its return to the finals. The Golden Lions faced Blessed Trinity back on Aug. 17 and scored a 2-1 victory (25-17, 17-25, 15-3). In the victory, sophomore Lura Underwood (11) and senior Maggie McCurdy (10) combined for 21 of the team’s 32 kills. Blessed Trinity enters the finals with a 37-9 overall record and a 14-match winning streak that does not feature a single dropped set. The Titans are led at the net by Alyssa Parodi, Cate Wright and McKenna Nelson with Kaya Hood providing a strong defensive presence.

MAINTAINING MOMENTUM

In Class AAA, Area 4’s top two seeds, Westminster and Pace Academy will meet for the third time this season. Westminster rallied after dropping the first set to defeat the Knights 2-1 in the first meeting (28-30, 25-21, 15-7) and scored a 3-0 victory (25-17, 25-15, 26-24) in the Area 4 Finals match on Oct. 10. In the 3-0 victory, Westminster’s Chloe Emch notched 33 assists and junior Mary Emily Morgan (17) and sophomore Ashley Vincent (16) combined for 33 of the team’s 47 kills. Pace Academy, however, enters the championship as Class AAA’s two-time defending champions and the Knights proved to be in peak form in their 3-0 (25-12, 25-10, 25-6) semifinal win over Greater Atlanta Christian on Tuesday. As for the Wildcats, they cruised to a 3-0 win (25-16, 25-15, 25-7) over Jackson County in their semifinal triumph.

The Class AA/A-Public championship match features two-time defending champion Coosa and Elite Scholars Academy, which sits one win away from achieving a historic first-ever state title. Coosa features senior Kasey Thacker, who was named the classification’s Player of the Year in 2018. Thacker tallied a match-best 17 kills off of 30 attempts in Coosa’s (25-19, 25-13, 25-12) sweep over Rabun County in the semifinals. Elite Scholars Academy has won its last 18 matches heading into Saturday and enters the match battle-tested after compiling a 37-10 record against a schedule packed with powerhouses. Royal Knights also feature a dynamic duo of Ranyla Griggs and Tobi Kassim, who are the team’s leaders in kills.

Class AA/A-Private has experienced a thrilling first four rounds of playoff action and it will be 2014 state champion Hebron Christian squaring off with Walker for this year’s crown. Hebron Christian recently scored a 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-17) sweep against Mt. Paran in the semifinals to improve to 44-7 overall. The Lions’ roster possesses a lot of size that makes them a potential mismatch for opponents. 6-foot senior outside hitter Hayden Mcgee is the team’s leader in kills. Also, 5-foot-11 senior Katie Marrero and 6-foot-2 senior Carly Heidger are premier middle hitters. Walker won a five-set thriller (15-25, 25-16, 25-10, 26-28, 15-11) over Holy Innocents’ in the semifinals to reach the championship and improve its overall record to a stellar 46-5. Walker a group of outside hitters that is led by Kaitlyn Rodriguez and senior Callaway Cason is a dependable setter to keep the Wolverines in attack mode. In Walker’s 3-0 win over Savannah Christian, Cason notched 40 assist and Rodriguez smashed 19 of the team’s 47 total kills.

2019 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Saturday, Nov. 2

At Marietta

11:00 am - Class 4A (St. Pius vs. Blessed Trinity - H)

1:30 pm - Class 5A (Whitewater vs. McIntosh - H)

4:00 pm - Class 6A (Allatoona vs. Sequoyah - H)

6:30 pm - Class 7A (Lassiter vs. Walton - H)

At McEachern

11:00 am - 1A/2A Private (Walker vs. Hebron Christian - H)

1:30 pm - 1A/2A Public (Coosa vs. Elite Scholars - H)

4:00 pm - Class 3A (Pace Academy vs. Westminster - H)

FINAL SOFTBALL RANKINGS

The GHSA softball season is over after a rain-soaked delay which postponed seven of the eight finals from Saturday in Columbus to Monday at the home fields of the undefeated teams.

Mountain View, Pope, Locust Grove, Heritage-Catoosa, Ringgold, Banks County, Gordon Lee and Mount de Sales walked away as the winners in their respective classes. Five programs ranked at the top of their respective classifications in the pre-playoff rankings captured state championships. The lowest-ranked program to take a state title was then-No. 6 Mountain View in Class AAAAAA. Pope, the Class AAAAAA champion, was ranked No. 5 entering the playoffs. Mount de Sales, the A-Private state champions for the first time, was ranked No. 4 in the pre-playoff poll.

Here’s how the teams finished.

Class AAAAAAA

1. Mountain View

2. Grayson

3. Etowah

4. Peachtree Ridge

5. East Coweta

6. North Forsyth

7. Colquitt County

8. Parkview

9. Cherokee

10. Hillgrove

Class AAAAAA

1. Pope

2. Lee County

3. Dacula

4. River Ridge

5. Northgate

6. Creekview

7. Apalachee

8. Evans

9. Effingham County

10. Alexander

Class AAAAA

1. Locust Grove

2. Harris County

3. Jones County

4. Buford

5. Walnut Grove

6. Carrollton

7. Starr’s Mill

8. Whitewater

9. Statesboro

10. Woodland-Cartersville

Class AAAA

1. Heritage-Catoosa

2. Marist

3. Oconee County

4. Northside-Columbus

5. Madison County

6. LaFayette

7. Central-Carroll

8. LaGrange

9. Northwest Whitfield

10. Perry

Class AAA

1. Ringgold

2. Franklin County

3. Lovett

4. Calhoun

5. Southeast Bulloch

6. East Hall

7. Jefferson

8. Lumpkin County

9. Sonoraville

10. Pierce County

Class AA

1. Banks County

2. Bremen

3. Rockmart

4. Harlem

5. Lamar County

6. Heard County

7. Jeff Davis

8. Vidalia

9. Dade County

10. Bacon County

Class A-Public

1. Gordon Lee

2. Trion

3. Commerce

4. Bowdon

5. Georgia Military

6. Emanuel County Institute

7. Marion County

8. Lanier County

9. Academy for Classical Education

10. Schley County

Class A-Private

1. Mount de Sales

2. Wesleyan

3. George Walton

4. Tattnall Square

5. Hebron Christian

6. Eagle’s Landing Christian

7. Stratford Academy

8. Mount Paran Christian

9. Strong Rock Christian

10. Christian Heritage

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