RINGGOLD, Ga. – There are times when Heritage softball coach Tanner Moore would love to focus on the now and let the future take care of itself.
Two consecutive GHSA Class AAAA state championship journeys, however, have given Moore a more patient outlook, letting him balance the now and the next to near perfection. The Generals (21-5, 15-1) earned their fourth consecutive region title Tuesday by sweeping Ridgeland 11-3 and 10-2 while keeping an eye on what it may take to win another state title in a revamped playoff schedule with fewer days off.
With that in mind, senior ace pitcher Rachel Gibson, a two-time Scrappy Moore Female Athlete of the Year finalist and reigning BOP Softball Player of the Year, has not been used in back-to-back games in the region’s three-game series regular season format that has started with doubleheaders.
Gibson and Heritage overcame a sluggish start Tuesday to win the five-inning game one as she finished with nine strikeouts and six hits allowed before turning game two over to new-found No. 2 pitcher Kelsey Anderson. The freshman got out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fifth inning before the Heritage bats exploded for seven runs in the bottom half.
“She’s been really big for us,” Moore said. “She’s consistently given us great innings. To get out of that fifth inning when we were down a run really got us going. That was a big momentum swing for us.”
Game one was tied at one when Heritage scored three runs in the third, two coming in on Bailey Davis’ triple, and four more in the fourth as Riley KoKinda, Carmen Gayler and Madeline Stone had run-scoring hits.
In game two the Generals sent 11 batters to the plate in their seven-run fifth inning. Zoe Wright had a two-run double and Gayler drove in three with a double.
* Coahulla Creek 8, LaFayette 2: The Lady Colts (20-4, 12-4) clinched a spot in the Region 6-AAA championship round in their regular season league finale. Tatum Poe was 4-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Meka Henson added two RBIs to back a six-inning, four-hit, earned-run pitching effort from Sophia Voyles.
* Northwest Whitfield 1-7, Cedartown 5-0: The Lady Bruins (13-11, 8-8 in 7-AAAA) earned the doubleheader split as Mia Sewell had two hits, an RBI and scored three runs while Alyson Jarvi had two RBIs. Torrey Cummings was 3-for-3 with an RBI in game one.
* Rockmart 7, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 2: Rockmart (17-6, 12-4) will play in the No. 3 vs. No. 6 Region 6-AAA tournament best-of-three series against Adairsville if Sonoraville wins one of its two final league games. Emilee Register allowed two runs and seven hits while striking out nine and drove in three runs on four hits for the winners. Heidi Johson and Auna Rolfe had two hits each for LFO (13-11, 9-7), which will face Ringgold in the region’s No. 4 vs. No. 5 best-of-three series.
* Calhoun 9-15, Cass 1-1: The Lady Yellow Jackets (17-7, 12-0) clinched the Region 7-AAAAA championship with the sweep (there is no region tournament). Macy Brown was 2-for-2 with a homer and four RBIs and Molly Banks 2-for-3 with a homer in game one. Jordan Blair had three hits, including a double, and drove in four runs in game two, with Paris Kirby adding a homer among her two hits.
* Gordon Lee 4, Bowdon 0: The Lady Trojans (23-3, 10-0) completed a perfect Region 6-A public regular season as Emma Minghini pitched a complete-game two-hitter with 10 strikeouts and no walks while also hitting a two-run homer. Allie Farrow added a pair of hits and Emma Langston an RBI. Gordon Lee will host a region tournament game next Wednesday.
* Trion 6, Mt. Zion 0: The Lady Bulldogs (10-6, 5-3 in 6-A public) earned the regular season split with Mt. Zion as Ransley Lawrence pitched a three-hitter and added an RBI, as did Jenna Mosley and Hailey Adams.
FOOTBALL
COVID-19 concerns have postponed a pair of games this week and another next week. Coahulla Creek, which had a “cluster” of positive tests a week ago that resulted in its game with North Murray being postponed, will also have to make up its game this Friday with Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe due to quarantine policy.
Also Tuesday, Chattooga announced it is having to reschedule its games against Model this week and Gordon Central next week after positive COVID-19 tests involving its student-athletes, according to the Chattooga County Board of Education.
GOLF
Cleveland’s Hannah Nall stands in 10th place heading into the final day of the TSSAA Large Class girls state championship after carding a 4-over-par, 76 with 13 pars at WillowBrook on Tuesday.
David Schnieder Jerez and Stephanie Xian led Baylor’s golf programs to region titles at Harrison Bay’s Bear Trace on Tuesday. Both won individual championships as Schnieder-Jerez and Xian shot 69 and 70.
The Red Raiders shot a foursome score of 295, while the Lady Red Raiders shot 149 to take the team awards. The boys were rounded out by Sheldon McKnight (73), Haden Maxwell (76), Grant Burks (77) and Brett Cooper (79). Baylor’s Elle Rastvortseva and Kyndall Shamblin shot 79 and 80.
McCallie finished runner-up with a stroke total of 307 to advance to next week’s state tournament as Jack Martin and Sam Levine had strong showings shooting 70 and 75, respectively. GPS’ Ava and Olivia Scotchie advanced to state as individuals.
VOLLEYBALL
* East Hamilton 3, Hixson 0: The Lady Hurricanes won their fourth straight district championship as McKenna Hayes led the way with 11 kills and 14 digs. Tristin Sutton stood out for the Lady Hurricanes with six kills, 16 assists and four aces.
* Notre Dame 3, CAK 0: McKenna Brown had 25 kills on 41 swings and only one error to lead the Lady Irish to a first round region tournament victory. Lindsay Burns added 11 kills and 13 digs, while Riley McCormick (19 digs), Mary Fillauer (35 assists) and Regan Wolf (three kills, two blocks) helped Notre Dame improve to 27-3.
* Baylor 3, Knox Catholic 1: Elaine Redman, Tess Margio and Nadia Sixto combined for 39 kills to help lead a four-set victory. Redman had 18 kils, 17 digs and 15 assists while Elli Kinney had six kills and 23 digs.
* Sale Creek 3, Marion County 0: The Lady Panthers got 17 kills from Ava Higgins while Lillie Morgan had seven kills and seven aces to aid District 5-A semifinal sweep.
Heritage split matches beating LaFayette, 25-18, 25-15, and losing to Northwest Whitfield, 25-23, 16-25, 12-15, on Tuesday. Kallie Carter had 14 kills, five blocks and three aces while Anna Wilks combined for 23 digs and three aces.
SOCCER
* GPS 3, Knox Catholic 0: Senior star Ashley Grant scored her 61st and 62nd career goals and also assisted a goal by sophomore Kennedy Ball as the Bruisers finished the regular season 13-0.
* Cleveland 2, Hixson 2: Abbey Lin and Riley Rominger scored off assists from Paola Perez and Megan Cline for the Lady Wilcats. Janay Ryan and Polliana Moshenskiy scored for the Lady Blue Raiders.
* Soddy-Daisy 6, CSAS 2: Maddie Mayo starred with three goals and two assists, while Lady Trojan teammate Alaina Pemberton added two goals and an assist.