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2 days ago | 
ajc.com | Todd Holcomb
The Georgia High School Association’s proposed competitive-balance reclassification model is dead for now, and the Class 3A-A private playoff division that curtailed private-school sports domination is alive until at least 2028, pending final approval this fall.
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2 days ago | 
ajc.com | Todd Holcomb
This also was the first academic year since 2016-17 in which a public school was among those winning the most. Six of this year’s eight — all but Westminster and Lovett — were public schools. The only previous public schools this century to finish atop the state title count were Buford in 2016-17 and Collins Hill in 2007-08. GHSA reclassification led to the power shift, as 36 of the member private schools were confined to private-only state playoffs in most sports.
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3 days ago | 
ajc.com | Todd Holcomb
Marist’s Kate Harpring and Grayson’s Caleb Holt are among eight high school basketball players that Adidas recently signed to NIL deals. The other six, all elite college prospects, are Bruce Branch III of Arizona, Adam Oumiddoch of Virginia, Keleena Smith of California, Anthony Thomas of Ohio, Oliviyah Edwards of Washington and Taylen Kinney of Kentucky. Kinney also has local ties as he plays for Overtime Elite, an Atlanta basketball league and private school.
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1 week ago | 
ajc.com | Todd Holcomb
After decades of private-school sports domination, the Georgia High School Association reclassified its 456 schools last year with a goal of leveling playing fields. The result was historic and controversial. Private schools got their smallest share of state titles in 46 years during the academic year that ended with baseball finals last week. Private-school teams won 30 of the GHSA’s team 183 championships, about half the 58 they claimed in 2023-24.
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1 week ago | 
ajc.com | Todd Holcomb
Former Georgia football star Jarvis Jones was announced Sunday as football coach at defending Class 2A champion Carver-Columbus, his alma mater. Jones played on Carver’s 2007 Class 3A championship team and became an All-American linebacker at Georgia and a first-round NFL draft pick who played four NFL seasons, mostly with the Steelers.
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2 weeks ago | 
ajc.com | Todd Holcomb
Defending champion Lanier County beat Wilcox County 4-1 to win the Class A Division II baseball championship Wednesday night behind Ashton Cook’s three-hitter in the deciding game at Georgia Southern’s J.I. Clements Stadium in Statesboro. Cook drove in the winning run in the third inning on ground ball to third that scored Stone Carey, who was hit by a pitch to open the inning. The next inning, Carey drove in two runs for a 4-1 lead on a single through the left side.
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2 weeks ago | 
ajc.com | Todd Holcomb
Rockmart won its first baseball state title with two 6-0 victories over Franklin County in the Class 2A championship series Wednesday night at Rome’s AdventHealth Stadium. Hunter Akins and Trey Luke pitched the shutouts. Akins’ gem was a four-hitter with four strikeouts and no walks in Game 1. Akins is a senior committed to Georgia State. Rockmart opened the game with four straight singles. Neyland Hulsey was 3-for-4. Luke, Rob Yagyu and Akins had two hits apiece.
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2 weeks ago | 
ajc.com | Todd Holcomb
Sophomore lefthander Davis Moncus pitched six shutout innings after being tagged for three runs in the first and led his school to its first state baseball championship as Troup defeated Cherokee Bluff 6-3 in the Class 3A final Wednesday afternoon at Rome’s AdventHealth Stadium. Moncus allowed three hits, walked three batters and threw a wild pitch in the first inning, but Troup catcher Brady Willis minimized the damage by picking off a Cherokee Bluff runner at third base.
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2 weeks ago | 
ajc.com | Todd Holcomb
Pierre Coffey, the coach who led Carver-Columbus to the Class 2A football championship last season, accepted a job this week as principal of Stewart County High School. Coffey was Carver’s coach the past three seasons and led it to records of 9-3, 10-4 and 14-1. The 2024 team was the school’s first state champion since 2014 and outscored its five playoff opponents 234-48. Carver beat Burke County 52-14 in the title game. Coffey previously had coached at Chattahoochee County and Spencer.
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2 weeks ago | 
ajc.com | Todd Holcomb
Campbell High’s principal and athletic director have been assigned to other Cobb County schools for 2025-26 after their decision to fire the Smyrna school’s longtime basketball coaches led to public outcry and, eventually, the coaches’ reinstatement. Principal Vanessa Watkins was named principal at Betty Gray Middle School in Mableton. She will be replaced at Campbell by Paul Gillihan, Wheeler High’s principal the past six years.
