As the 2024 playoffs approach for girls softball in the Georgia High School Association, five northeast Georgia area teams are ranked in the top 10 in their respective classifications, with three already clinching region titles.
(The rankings are according to MaxPreps.)
One more team can clinch their region crown on Thursday with another half-dozen teams still alive for playoff berths. The GHSA state playoffs begin on Oct. 18 with the higher seeds hosting the first two rounds of best-of-three series. Class A-3A will be seeded according to the Power Rankings System.
Buford, who clinched the Region 8-6A title last week, has been ranked No. 1 in the state and Class 6A for most of the season. East Forsyth sits 7th in Class 4A.
Cherokee Bluff, who already has clinched the Region 8-3A title, is third in Class 3A while North Hall, who clinched the Region 6-3A title on Tuesday, is sixth. Jefferson is 11th, Lumpkin County 14th, and White County is 19th giving northeast Georgia five teams in the top 20 in a very balanced Class 3A.
Banks County (24-3) is 4th in Class 2A and can clinch the Region 8-A Division 1 title with a win over Oglethorpe County on Thursday.
North Hall did not make it out of the super regional in 2023 in Class 4A. In fact, the Lady Trojans (17-7, 14-2 Region 6-3A) had not won a region title since 2006.
Coach Molly Johnson said it has been “an all in” mentality throughout the roster.
“We've gotten production from all of our players top to bottom,” Johnson said. “We have seven seniors this season that have all stepped into leadership roles both on the mound and at the plate. (Senior) Olivia Mullins, (junior) Genesis Satterfield and (sophomore) Marley Weaver have led this team in big wins this season.”
North Hall has shown it can go toe-to-toe with the top-ranked teams in the state but Johnson also knows there won’t be any easy rounds once the playoffs start.
“There are a lot of good teams in 3A this year,” she said. “We knew that was the case going into the season. Our focus has been on preparation, limiting our distractions and focusing on one game at a time. We know that if we show up and play with focus, we're as good as anyone.”
Bluff has had a tremendous turnaround in 2024. The Lady Bears missed out on the playoffs in 2023, but in a new region with playoff stalwarts Jefferson and Oconee County, they have rolled to a 12-1 region record heading into Thursday’s showdown with third place Jefferson. They close out the regular season against second place Monroe Area on Tuesday.
Their only region loss came to East Hall, 3-1, back on August 22.
Lady Bears coach Josh Joiner said the offense has been a huge factor for the turnaround this season. They are averaging 7.83 runs/game while they are giving up 3.95 rpg in a very offensive-minded region.
“I would have to say the biggest turnaround would have to be the bats,” he said. “Our pitchers and defense give us a chance to win every game we play, but our hitters have had a phenomenal season this year. They work very hard and that work has definitely paid off.”
They will be able to take three quality pitchers -- Jaycee Archer, Lillie Diehl, and Bailey Greason -- into the playoffs and also got Peyton Davis back from injury.
“All of our pitchers have thrown very well for us all season,” Joiner said. “They have all been awesome. Our lineup has been driven by Kate Herren, Lillie Diehl, Mac Warren, Jaycee Archer, and Audrey Graham. All of them have been consistently good for us. Kaitlyn Benitez has been on fire the last month of the season too, hitting .462 with 5 doubles in September.”
Like Johnson for North Hall, Joiner said the 3A field will be a tough one to navigate but feels they can compete.
”We’re really just focused on playing softball as well as we possibly can, and getting better every day,” he said. “There are a bunch of really good teams in 3A, but I think we can compete with anyone if we play hard and control the things we know we can control.”
