2024 SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GUIDE

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LETTER FROM GHSA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - DR. TIM SCOTT

GREETINGS GHSA SOFTBALL FANS:

Welcome to the 2024 GHSA Softball championships! The games are sure to be exciting as all of the schools represented are looking forward to their team achieving the title of “Champion”. However we all know that all of our teams are outstanding and are defi nitely winners. This has been an outstanding season and this year’s championship games will include familiar faces as well as teams that have worked hard and peaked at just the right time. Our congratulations are in order for all of the teams, coaches, administrators, students and parents who have supported the athletes through this year’s journey to the fi nal games. I know you will enjoy and appreciate the games and all of the work leading up to this exciting event.

I would also like to thank you for your support of high school softball throughout the season. Your attendance and support is integral to the success of high school athletics and for the team you are here to cheer on. Good sportsmanship is expected from our athletes and I urge you to be positive in your support of all of our teams. Let’s work together to make today’s games a great experience for all involved.

To put on an event of this magnitude takes many volunteers who have worked tirelessly to provide a “fi rst class” event. Many hours of work from this group will enhance the experience of our players, students and fans. The GHSA staff has been working for weeks as well to ensure a special event for all involved.

Finally I would like to thank our corporate sponsors who make it possible to put on these championships. Their advertisements can be seen throughout this venue and I encourage you to support them whenever possible. The GHSA wants to thank these exemplary companies for their involvement, we appreciate their support.

Thank you for your attendance and I know you are going to enjoy the best high school softball anywhere!

Sincerely,

Dr. Tim Scott Executive Director

2024 GHSA FAST PITCH SOFTBALL STAFF

GHSA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dr. Tim Scott

GHSA SITE DIRECTOR

Earl Etheridge

SPONSORSHIP & MARKETING

Jorge Cimadevilla

Gus Andrews

Alan Sharp, Teall Properties Group

COLUMBUS SPORTS COUNCIL HOST

Merri Sherman

GHSA ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR/COORDINATOR

Don Corr

MEDIA INFORMATION

Marvin James Director of GHSA Media Relations

CHAMPIONSHIP

HOST SITE DIRECTOR

Sylvester Seldon

Columbus Parks & Recreation

SOFTBALL LIAISON

Eric Philbert

LOGISTICS ASSISTANT

Kevin Smith

Mitchell Minnick

UIC

Larry McCaden

ASSISTANT UIC

Kevin Spivey

FAST PITCH SOFTBALL PAST CHAMPIONS

CLASS 6A

WEDNESDAY

3PM GAME 1 FIELD 5

GAME 2 FIELD 6

5PM GAME 3 FIELD 5

GAME 4 FIELD 6

THURSDAY

3PM GAME 5 FIELD 8

GAME 6 STADIUM

7PM GAME 7 FIELD 8

GAME 8 STADIUM

FRIDAY

1PM GAME 9 FIELD 1

GAME 10 FIELD 2

5PM GAME 11 FIELD 3

GAME 12 FIELD 4

SATURDAY

11AM GAME 13 FIELD 8

1PM GAME 14 FIELD 8

3PM GAME 15 FIELD 8

CLASS 3A

WEDNESDAY

11AM GAME 1 FIELD 8

GAME 2 STADIUM

1PM GAME 3 FIELD 8 GAME 4 STADIUM THURSDAY

1PM GAME 5 FIELD 1

GAME 6 FIELD 2

5PM GAME 7 FIELD 1

GAME 8 FIELD 2

FRIDAY

11AM GAME 9 FIELD 3

GAME 10 FIELD 4

3PM GAME 11 FIELD 6

GAME 12 FIELD 5

SATURDAY

11AM GAME 13 FIELD 4

1PM GAME 14 FIELD 4

3PM GAME 15 FIELD 4

STATE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

CLASS 5A

WEDNESDAY

3PM GAME 1 FIELD 3

GAME 2 FIELD 4

5PM GAME 3 FIELD 3

GAME 4 FIELD 4

THURSDAY

3PM GAME 5 FIELD 5

GAME 6 FIELD 6

7PM GAME 7 FIELD 5

GAME 8 FIELD 6 FRIDAY

1PM GAME 9 FIELD 8 GAME 10 STADIUM

5PM GAME 11 FIELD 2 GAME 12 FIELD 1

SATURDAY

11AM GAME 13 FIELD 6 1PM GAME 14 FIELD 6 3PM GAME 15 FIELD 6

CLASS 2A

WEDNESDAY

11AM GAME 1 FIELD 5 GAME 2 FIELD 6

1PM GAME 3 FIELD 5 GAME 4 FIELD 6

THURSDAY

1PM GAME 5 FIELD 8 GAME 6 STADIUM

5PM GAME 7 FIELD 8 GAME 8 STADIUM

FRIDAY

11AM GAME 9 FIELD 1

GAME 10 FIELD 2 3PM GAME 11 FIELD 4 GAME 12 FIELD 3 SATURDAY

11AM GAME 13 FIELD 3 1PM GAME 14 FIELD 3 3PM GAME 15 FIELD 3

CLASS 4A

CLASS A - DIVISION 2 PRIVATE

2024 GHSA FAST PITCH SOFTBALL UMPIRES & EVALUATORS

CREW 1 ASSOCIATION

Rickie Sexton Chattahoochee

Dexter Williams Atlanta Quarterback

Richard Jenkins Hinesville

Stephanie Newson North Georgia Amateur

CREW 2 ASSOCIATION

W. Lee Gray Multi Sports

Don Maddox Houston County

David Haulman Hinesville

Paul Conner Southern Eagle

CREW 3 ASSOCIATION

Lynn Church North Georgia Amateur

Jeffery George Dalton

Kel Grier West Georgia

Michael Rawlings Houston County

CREW 4 ASSOCIATION

Micheal Heath Walker Houston County

Thereare seven defending champions making the trek to the South Commons Softball Complex for the GHSA Fast Pitch Softball State Championships highlighting a talented and storied field of 64 competitors who’ve combined for 73 previous state championships.

This season, after the GHSA reclassification cycle, Class 6A is the highest class in the state, down to Class A Division I and II with the new addition of a ‘Private’ classification – consisting of the private schools from Classes 3A-1A.

The first-round games will be played Wednesday with the second round of the winner’s bracket and first rounds of the loser’s brackets taking to the field Thursday. On Friday, the winner’s bracket games will place one team into the championship series while two rounds of play in the loser’s bracket will set up the early Saturday games to determine which teams will earn berths in the championship series.

The finals begin play at 1 p.m. Saturday with possible 3 p.m. games if the loser’s bracket team forces a decisive ‘if game’.

RETURNING EXCELLENCE HEADING TO WEST GEORGIA

The teams who have a chance to defend titles could be in a new class this season, creating intriguing matchups throughout each of the classes. Buford (7A), Northside-Columbus (5A), Wesleyan (3A), Appling County (2A), Prince Avenue Christian (A Division I) and Lanier County (A Division II) will try to defend last year’s championships.

The reclassification of the private schools into their own bracket has opened Classes 3A to Class

Donald Griffin South Georgia

Greg Newell Lanier

Jay McHugh Chattahoochee

CREW 5 ASSOCIATION

Powell Hazzard

North Georgia Amateur

Henry Hill All Star

Kenneth Hopkins

Augusta

Rana Smith Lanier

Jill Poole

Vidalia-Toombs County

CREW 6 ASSOCIATION

Tonya Cash Rome

Thomas Bills North Georgia Amateur

Barry Trammell

Heritage

William Epps Capital City

CREW 7 ASSOCIATION

John Gilleland North Georgia Amateur

David Gilliam All Star

Anthony Brown Central Georgia

Charles Kuhfahl Troup

CREW 8 ASSOCIATION

Chris Chubb Softball Umpires Unlimited

Dustin Holton Lanier

Rashaad Mincey Capital City

Jimmy Cranford Houston County

ADDITIONAL STAFF

Eric Philbert Softball Liaison

Larry McCadden UIC

Kevin Spivey Assistant UIC

Larry Sorrels Umpire Assistant

Cameron Ellison Umpire Assistant

Bob Earwood Umpire Assistant

A for new teams to carve championship pathways. There are 20 teams across those three classes who will be trying for their program’s first-ever championship.

WE’RE GOING TO NEED A BIGGER TROPHY CASE

Buford, one of the favorite contenders in Class 6A this season, has a tournament-leading 12 championships including a title in each of the past two seasons. The Wolves won 10-consecutive titles from 2007 to 2016 before capturing the 2022 and 2023 championships.

Gordon Lee, a favorite in the Class A Division I tournament, has won 11 championships and after the team’s first title in 2004, it won every title from 2010 to 2020, only missing out in 2014. NorthsideColumbus (5A, now 4A) and Wesleyan (3A, now Private) join Buford as teams entering the tournament having won consecutive championships in each of the past two seasons.

HIGH-CLASSED RIVALRY

The state’s highest class features two of the best softball teams in the country in top-ranked Buford and No. 2-ranked East Coweta. The programs met last season in the finals of the winner’s bracket where Buford won 3-2 before meeting again in the championship series, which the Wolves won 9-1 to earn the title. Two seasons ago, Buford defeated East Coweta 2-1 in the second round of the winner’s bracket, sending the Indians on a three-game redemption path through the loser’s bracket. The teams met again in the 2022-23 championship series, won by Buford, again 9-1.

This year’s bracket setup creates a chance that Buford and East Coweta could meet again in the second round if each team wins their first-round contests where Buford plays Brookwood and East Coweta meets Hillgrove.

AIMING FOR A PROGRAM FIRST

There are 34 teams who have advanced to the tournament brackets across the eight classifications who will be trying for the first state championship in program history. There are six teams in Classes 5A and 3A and five teams in Classes 2A and A Division II who are trying to win their team’s first championship. North Cobb, Hillgrove and Brookwood have never won a title and will enter the Class 6A tournament hungry for their first. In Class 5A, South Effingham, East Paulding, River Ridge, Houston County and Effingham County have yet to win a championship. Wayne County is the lone Class 4A program that’s never captured a championship. In Class 3A, LaFayette, LaGrange, Cherokee Bluff, Pickens, Monroe Area and Southeast Bulloch will try for program firsts. Pike County, Miller Grove, Stephens County, Sonoraville and Union County are the Class 2A teams in the hunt for their first trophy. Toombs County, Haralson County, Bremen and East Laurens mark the Class A Division I teams trying to add their first trophy to the case. In Class A Division II, Clinch County, Schley County, Irwin County, Metter and Screven County have never won a title. In the Private classification, Savannah Christian, Hebron Christian, Trinity Christian and Mount Vernon enter the bracket with eyes on their first titles.

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2024 GHSA CLASS 6A STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

2024 GHSA CLASS 6A STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

HILLGROVE HAWKS

BROOKWOOD BRONCOS • SNELLVILLE, GEORGIA BUFORD

2024 GHSA CLASS 5A STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

EAST PAULDING RAIDERS • DALLAS, GEORGIA RIVER RIDGE

2024 GHSA CLASS 5A STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

SECKINGER JAGUARS

2024 GHSA CLASS 4A STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

ST. PIUS X GOLDEN LIONS •

2024 GHSA CLASS 4A STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

CENTRAL-CARROLL LIONS

Play for everything. Play for nothing. Play to join. Play to escape. Play to win. Play to learn how to lose. Play to prove. Play to improve. Play to show them. Play to show yourself. Whatever you play for, however you play. Play inspired.

2024 GHSA CLASS 3A STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

2024 GHSA CLASS 3A STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

2024 GHSA CLASS 2A STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

2024 GHSA CLASS 2A STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

Ball In Play

� MaxPreps integration

� Pitching spray charts

� In-app stat editing

� Starting lineup capabilities

� Simple and powerful scorekeeping

� Better opponent stats & spray charts

� GameStream scoreboard integration

� Highlight clip sharing

� Video Archives

� Live play-by-play announcer

� Automatic hit clips, downloadable & shareable

� Pitch velocity displayed in stream (if recorded)

� Stay on top of your team with messaging and alerts

� Keep track of events with scheduling & calendar sync

� Share exciting moments with photo sharing

� RSVP with your availability

2024 GHSA CLASS A - DIV 1 STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

2024 GHSA CLASS A - DIV 1 STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

SOCIAL CIRCLE REDSKINS

2024 GHSA CLASS A - DIV 2 STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

2024 GHSA CLASS A - DIV 2 STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

2024 GHSA PRIVATE STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

2024 GHSA PRIVATE STATE FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

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