Archive for June, 2012

Brookwood won its second consecutive Regions Directors Cup trophy in Class AAAAA, and metro Atlanta private schools retained their hold on the other four classifications despite a strong challenge from their public school rivals.

The Directors Cup competition, which has been held every school year since 1999-2000, awards points to each school based on its performances in the playoffs and state meets for the GHSA’s 24 sports. Each school’s eight highest-scoring sports for each gender are counted in the standings.

Marist (Class AAAA), Westminster (AA) and Wesleyan (A) successfully defended their all-sports championships, and Woodward Academy held off rival St. Pius to win the AAA trophy. Public schools Pope (AAAA), Allatoona (AAA) and North Oconee (AA) were in first place in their classifications as late as early May but were overtaken over the final three weeks of the school year. The only public school below the largest classification to win a Directors Cup is …

Continue reading Brookwood, private schools claim Regions Directors Cup trophies »

Standout performances by these athletes led to individual and team success during the 2011-2012 school year:

Baseball

Matt Olson, Parkview: The senior pitcher and first baseman batted .407 with 11 home runs and 52 RBI in leading Parkview to its second consecutive Class AAAAA title. He hit the game-winning home run in the deciding game of the championship series. Olson was 12-1 with a 1.64 ERA as a pitcher. He has signed to play baseball at Vanderbilt University.

Basketball (boys)

Tony Parker, Miller Grove: The 6-foot-9 senior forward averaged 16.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots in leading Miller Grove to its fourth consecutive Class AAAA championship. Parker was the only Miller Grove player to start on all four of those teams. He has signed to play basketball at UCLA.

Basketball (girls)

Pachiyaanna Roberts, McEachern: The 5-foot-11 senior averaged 17.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.8 steals, 2.4 assists and 1.7 blocked shots in leading the Indians to a 33-0 record and …

Continue reading High school athletes of the year »

It’s been 20 years since a Georgia high school football team has won a national championship. Grayson, a returning state champion in Georgia’s highest classification, is poised to make a run.

This week, the Rams were ranked No. 2 in preseason by MaxPreps in the first major national poll. Grayson was 15-0 last season and finished in the top five of several national rankings. This season, 10 of 11 defensive starters return, including defensive end Robert Nkemdiche, the 2011 all-classification player of the year.

‘’Grayson should have the country’s best defense, and their offense, with the amount of skill it returns, will be just fine,’’ said Stephen Spiewak, editor of MaxPreps’ national football rankings. “I do expect them to return to a more run-based offense to which the program has been more accustomed. Not to mention, no matter which team Grayson plays, it will always have the single best player on the field [in Nkemdiche].’’

Ranked No. 1 is Manatee of …

Continue reading Football: Grayson ranked No. 2 in preseason poll »