The 2022 fast-pitch softball campaign for Northeast Georgia-area teams was an almost all-or-nothing affair.
Buford won its 11th state title, knocking off East Coweta 9-1 in the Class 7A finals, but it was the first for the Lady Wolves since winning the Class 5A crown in 2016.
East Forsyth, in just its second season as a program, made it to Columbus in Class 4A while Union County in Class 2A also advanced to the Elite 8 tournament.
However, only 11 other teams qualified for the playoffs over the eight classifications, with only White County in Class 3A getting within one win of a trip to Columbus.
Only Buford in Region 8-7A and Union County in Region 8-2A snagged region titles.
After winning 10 straight state titles spanning four classifications between 2007-16, the Lady Wolves, who went a blistering 32-1 in 2022, ended their six-year drought by capturing the Class 7A crown. They stormed through the field, allowing just four runs while going a perfect 4-0 in Columbus.
Buford head coach Trent Adams, who was part of the first 10 as an assistant, called it a perfect storm in his first season at the helm.
“You have to have good chemistry to win a title in any sport. We had a great group of girls that had been working hard and building toward that,” Adams said. “It was very satisfying to get to Columbus and be able to win it all. After several years of not being able to finish the way we wanted, it makes you appreciate being able to do something like win 10 in a row.”
Buford returns eight, including a pair of solid hurlers in senior Emma Grace Williams and sophomore Caroline Stanton (P/OF), the Region 8-7A Player of the Year.
Stanton, along with seniors Adriana Martinez (1B) and Madison Pickens (C/OF), all were named to the 1st team All-State in Class 7A in 2022.
Adams expects it to be another challenging season as they try to repeat as Region 8-7A and state champions.
“We have a tough schedule, but we always try to challenge ourselves every year,” he said. “I think the talent is there to have another good season. We’ll just have to see how everything comes together.”
The Lady Wolves open their season on Aug. 10 against fellow 2022 Elite 8 team South Forsyth at home in the annual Rumble at the Ridge tournament.
For Union County, the trip to Columbus was one in the making. A talented crop of underclassmen dominated the lineup in 2022 and most of the core group, including seniors Sierra Brunette, the 2022 Region 8-2A Pitcher of the Year, and Class 2A All-State catcher Gracie Gladding. But it was a quick exit as they went 0-2 in the Elite 8 tournament.
Fellow seniors Georgia Patton (shortstop), Katie Byers (center field), and Jewell Massey (right field) also return in 2023.
Lady Panthers coach Carissa Dancer Owenby said the only thing they had been lacking was playoff experience. They got it. Now she is hoping they are ready to use that experience in 2023.
“The experience of getting to Columbus was huge for us,” Owenby said. “They were nervous last year. We only had three players on the team that had even played the year before. We were pretty young.
“But we got there and got that experience. Now, the goal is to WIN there. This group has a chance to be very good.”
Union County opens its season on Aug. 12 in the Blue Ridge Round Robin tournament against Prince Avenue Christian, who finished fourth in Class A Division 1 in 2022. They also will take on Paulding County and host Fannin County.
For East Forsyth, making the trek to Columbus was a huge step for the fledgling program. They also managed to win their first-ever game in Columbus, knocking off Islands 2-0. However, they dropped their next two games to get knocked out.
Coach Dan Weber called the experience “good and bad.”
“The girls did a great job last year,” he said. “To make it to Columbus was a goal and we did that. To win that first game was good. However, that also may have been a bad thing because we were a little complacent after that.
“The goal this year is to ‘Finish the Drill’ so to speak. The girls have embraced that and are working hard to have a better finish this year.”
The Lady Broncos return seven starters, including a pair of 2nd-team Class 4A All-State players in junior pitcher Cadence Alberty and senior catcher Shelby Conaway, a Piedmont College-commit. Seniors Kennah Wall (2B) and Avrie Nowalk (RF), juniors Ava Cowart (CF), Emma Smallwood (3B), and Cali Marshall (LF), and sophomore Reagan Bennett (1B) also are back. The addition of incoming freshman pitcher Kendall Linn should also help as they have perhaps the most experienced lineup in what will be a tough Region 8-4A once again.
East Forsyth finished second in Region 8-4A in 2022, losing a tiebreaker to Walnut Grove, who also advanced to Columbus. Weber expects another dogfight in 2023.
“It will be a tough, tough region again,” Weber said. “I think it could come down to us, Walnut Grove, and North Oconee again but North Hall, Cherokee Bluff, Madison County all should be in the mix for a playoff spot. We definitely can compete for a playoff spot and hopefully the region title.
“The key for us will be defense. We have good pitching and can score. If we play defense the way I think we can, I think we’ll have a chance to be really good.”
East Forsyth will open its season on Aug. 4th on the road against West Forsyth. The Lady Broncos open their Region 8-4A schedule just three days later against North Hall at home.
White County finished third in Region 7-3A in 2022, and was just one win from a spot in Columbus as well. The Lady Warriors return most of their key personnel, including five players that were freshmen or sophomores.
In a region that houses defending state champion Wesleyan, coach Drew Owens expects another tough road to the playoffs.
“I think the region will be even better than it was last year,” Owens said. “There is a lot of good, young talent throughout the region. Lumpkin is good, Dawson County should be better, Pickens is pretty good, and of course with Wesleyan in the region it makes every game very important.
“Our girls expect to make the playoffs and I think we’ll be competitive and certainly have a shot at the playoffs and maybe the region title as well. We were young last year but they got a lot of experience and improved as the season went on. We’re excited about this year.”
