For a high school football team in Georgia, the goal is to get to the Dome at the end of the season. For a high school basketball team, the goal is to reach either the Gwinnett Center or the Macon Centreplex depending on their classification.
For a baseball team in Georgia, the goal is to end the season on their home field, holding on to a state championship trophy. Last season, three out of the five state champions in baseball were from the Atlanta area and with the way the teams in they are playing this year, it looks like that trend will continue. Here’s a look at some of the top teams in the metro area.
5A OUTLOOK …
The Harrison Hoyas defeated the Lassiter Trojans in last year’s state championship series to win its second state title in school history. Currently, they have a 10-5 record and looked poised to go on another title run.
Harrison has a tough test on Thursday because they will face the Hillgrove Hawks who are currently 12-3 and ranked No. 2 in Class 5A according to the Prep Country Coaches Poll. With the help of catcher Michael Adkins, outfielder Justin Motley and pitcher Ben Lumsden, the Hawks are looking to build on the success they had last year with a 24-6 record and reaching the second round of the Class 4A playoffs. The Hawks have won their last four games by a combined score of 42-8. However, with teams such as Harrison, Lassiter and Etowah on the horizon, Hillgrove knows they have to play at a high level like they have all season long to earn wins over those three teams.
OTHERS TO WATCH …
While Hillgrove is looking to win their first baseball title in school history, Marist who won the 4A state title championship last year, is on a quest to win their 11th title in school history and their fourth title since 2002. They have a 14-2 record with their only losses coming from Flannigan which is a team from Florida, and Mill Creek, a team ranked No. 4 in 5A. With the help of pitchers Blake Stephens, Brandon Leibrandt and Daniel Spingola, Marist has been rolling this season and they have a good chance to defend their title. They will have another tough test on Friday when they take on another 5A foe in McEachern.
But Hillgrove and Marist are not the only teams to watch for as the season winds down. Mill Creek has beaten both Marist and Hillgrove this season, and they are in first place in Region 7-5A. Etowah currently has a 13-3 record and is looking to have a better showing in the playoffs this year than last year after losing to Mill Creek in the 2010 state tournament.
Kell, which is now playing in 4A, is ranked No. 6 in the Prep Country Coaches Poll and is led by Austin Petrik. who is also the quarterback for the football team.
Buford has found plenty of success in football as well as basketball. Baseball is no different, as the Wolves are No. 1 in 2A. Josh Heddinger and Jake Burnette, who are pitchers for the Wolves, are two of the best in the state. They were both All-Americans as juniors last season.
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