Walton, McIntosh and St. Pius X all protected their No. 1 pre-playoff rankings and claimed their respective classification’s state titles. With a win over Chattahoochee, Walton won its fourth-straight title. The Raiders’ quest for title No. 4 began with two of its top rising seniors opting to sit out their final season to focus on club and beach volleyball. The team matured throughout the season and once playoffs started were nearly unstoppable, dropping just one set the entire postseason. Chattahoochee proved to be the No. 2 team in Class AAAAAA with wins over Johns Creek and Roswell in the playoffs and its championship appearance. Lassiter is the lone team in the Class AAAAAA final poll that entered the playoffs unranked and comes in at No. 10 after its five-set victory over previously ranked Centennial.
In Class AAAAA, the finals set up a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup and top-ranked McIntosh dominated. No. 2 Sequoyah battled through Starr’s Mill, Glynn Academy and Dunwoody to reach the finals and are well-deserving for No. 2. Previously unranked Dunwoody finishes the season at No. 5 after reaching the Final Four during its impressive run. Glynn Academy was also unranked, but comes in at No. 8 after earning a spot in this year’s Elite 8 and playoff sweeps over Northview and Lakeside.
Columbus entered the postseason as a No. 2 and Marist was No. 1, but the Blue Devils’ 3-1 win over Marist in the state championship leaves Columbus as Class AAAA’s top finisher. Brianna Gogins and Shardonee Hayes added to the height of this year’s Columbus team and that allowed the Blue Devils to defend against a talented Marist team. Coming in at No. 3 is Sandy Creek who took the state champs to an epic five-set match in the semifinals.
In Class AAA, St. Pius X remains No. 1 after claiming the school’s first ever volleyball state title. Leah Hardeman had a performance that will go down in Golden Lions’ history as the senior emptied kill after kill on Blessed Trinity. The 5-foot-9 outside hitter tallied 35 kills in the state championship including 10 in the final set. Peyton Osborne, Molly Gunn and Katrina Connolly were outstanding in the finals as well for St. Pius. Blessed Trinity will remain No. 2 and Titans’ senior outside hitter Molly McAlvany finished one of the better volleyball careers that has come through the state of Georgia. McAlvany finished her last varsity match with 18 kills. The top four-ranked teams entering the postseason all earned spots in the semifinals and the only shifts are North Oconee jumping North Hall for No. 6 and Hart County jumping Oconee County for No. 8.
Weselyan was dominant in its 3-1 win over Westminster for the Class AA championship and earned the No. 1 ranking. Jefferson jumped GAC for the No. 4 spot after earning its appearance in the state semifinals. Chattooga replaces Coosa for the No. 10 spot.
Holy Innocents’ first ever volleyball state title earns the Golden Bears the No. 1 spot in Class A. Hebron Christian’s Eden Murray was outstanding all postseason and the Lions will take over the No. 2 spot after their runner-up finish in the state finals and 3-1 victory over defending champion Landmark Christian in the second round. Landmark falls to No. 4 behind No. 3 Eagle’s Landing Christian. Savannah Christian and Savannah Country Day proved to be dangerous squads in the postseason and finish the season at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively. Darlington was unranked in the pre-playoff poll and finishes the season at No. 10 after wins over Fellowship Christian and Our Lady of Mercy and its Elite 8 appearance. Walker dropped to No. 9 after getting swept at home by visiting Savannah Country Day.
AAAAAA
1. Walton
2. Chattahoochee
3. Johns Creek
4. South Forsyth
5. Harrison
6. Roswell
7. North Cobb
8. North Gwinnett
9. East Coweta
10. Lassiter
AAAAA
1. McIntosh
2. Sequoyah
3. Northgate
4. Starr’s Mill
5. Dunwoody
6. Whitewater
7. Pope
8. Glynn Academy
9. Apalachee
10. North Springs
AAAA
1. Columbus
2. Marist
3. Sandy Creek
4. River Ridge
5. Veterans
6. Carrollton
7. Heritage-Catoosa
8. Chestatee
9. Walnut Grove
10. Locust Grove
AAA
1. St. Pius X
2. Blessed Trinity
3. Woodward Academy
4. Buford
5. Sonoraville
6. North Oconee
7. North Hall
8. Hart County
9. Oconee County
10. Morgan County
AA
1. Wesleyan
2. Westminster
3. Lovett
4. Jefferson
5. Greater Atlanta Christian
6. Kendrick
7. Calhoun
8. St. Vincent’s Academy
9. Westside
10. Chattooga
A
1. Holy Innocents’
2. Hebron Christian
3. ELCA
4. Landmark Christian
5. Savannah Christian
6. Savannah County Day
7. Mt. Paran
8. Calvary Day
9. Walker
10. Darlington
Loading ...
