Pope Softball

East Cobb softball preview: Pope opens at Ga. champ Harrison

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Pope softball
All-state player Zoe Laneaux (14) is a senior for the Pope Greyhounds. (ECN file)

Just a few days after a new school year began, so does the high school sports schedule. For the Pope softball team, beginning a new season means facing the team it lost to in last year’s state championship round.

The Greyhounds play at Georgia Class 6A champion Harrison Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the season opener for both teams.

Pope, which finished 33-6 last year under coach Chris Turco, is loaded again for another shot at the state crown. Five all-state players return: Zoe Laneaux (third base), Katie Ward (outfield), Bailey Chapin (first base), Hallie Adams (pitcher) and Carolyn Deady (catcher).

The Greyhounds need to replace second baseman Hannah Dodd, shortstop Gracie Kittrell and pitcher Trinity Pizzutti, who were leaders of the Class of 2018 that won 108 games. Their home opener is Aug. 13 vs. Northview at 5:30 p.m.

Lassiter also reached the state playoffs in Class 7A and posted a 27-7 season under coach Jason Campbell. The Trojans open next week on the road, then play host to Harrison on Friday, Aug. 16 at 4:45 p.m.

Kell was 13-13 under Kevin Foster last year and gets underway at Sprayberry Wednesday at 5:30 in an all-East Cobb matchup. The Longhorns will play Paulding County Monday at 5:30 p.m. in the first home game of the season.

Walton, which was 5-20 in 2018, also swings into action next week at Westminster and Campbell, then plays at Wheeler on Aug. 19. The Raiders have their first home games on an Aug. 27 doubleheader against Lassiter that starts at 5 p.m. at Terrell Mill Park (480 Terrell Mill Road).

The other two East Cobb high schools have new coaches.

Sprayberry began its season Tuesday at home against Sequoyah and is playing Wednesday at Kell, returns home to play Creekview Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The Yellow Jackets also play host to Harrison Saturday at 12 p.m. under first-year coach Desmond Atwell.

Wheeler also has a new coach in Mark Collins, and starts the season with a tournament at Marietta High School Thursday-Saturday. The Wildcats open at home next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. against Riverwood. They play their home games at Coach Mau Field, behind the former East Cobb Middle School campus on Holt Road.

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East Cobb sports update: Pope softball finishes as state runner-up; Walton, Pope volleyball advance to semifinals

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Pope softball

Two East Cobb teams made it to the Elite 8 of the Georgia High School softball tournament this week, and turned in strong performances. The Pope softball team finished second in Class 6A, while Lassiter was third in Class 7A.

The Greyhounds came out of the elimination bracket to reach the finals in Columbus on Saturday, but fell to Cobb County rival Harrison 6-3.

Pope’s season started in August with a loss to the Hoyas. Along the way the Greyhounds compiled a 33-6 record, a school record for wins, captured their region in undefeated fashion and have now made three championship game appearances since 2012.

Lassiter also won its region and qualified for the Elite 8. On Friday, the Trojans lost to Mill Creek 3-0 in the Class 7A semifinals to end their season. Lassiter’s first loss in the double-elimination tournament was to eventual state champion East Coweta.

Also on Saturday, the Walton volleyball team rolled on in the Class 7A quarterfinals. Playing in their home gym, the Lady Raiders trounced Lambert in a sweep to advance to the semifinals on Tuesday at North Gwinnett.

The finals will be Saturday at Marietta High School.

Walton, the defending state champion, is 40-3 and is heavily favored to continue its dynastic run through the state of Georgia.

Lassiter also reached the state tournament in Class 7A, but fell to West Forsyth Saturday in the quarterfinals. The Trojans were 29-6 this season.

The Pope volleyball team also has reached the semifinals in Class 6A, and will meet Creekview on Tuesday. The Greyhounds are 38-9 on the season and defeated Glynn Academy Saturday to advance.

 

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East Cobb Sports Update: Walton, Wheeler in state volleyball; Pope, Lassiter softball reach Elite 8

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The first round of the Georgia High School Association volleyball tournament begins this weekend, and defending state champion Walton is a heavy favorite to repeat in Class 7A. Walton Volleyball team

The Raiders, who are 36-3 and have been ranked No. 1 in the state all season, will be playing host to a four-team bracket this Saturday. At noon, they will meet Colquitt County, after Wheeler plays North Cobb in a match that begins at 10 a.m.

The winners of those matches will meet on Monday in the second round.

Lassiter (27-5) also has advanced in Class 7A, but has to travel, facing Lowndes in a bracket at East Coweta.

The third round will be played next weekend, and the tournament culminates as usual for Class 7A at Marietta High School on Nov. 3.

The Pope volleyball team (35-9) will be playing Saturday against Cobb rival Harrison in a Class 6A bracket at Apalachee High School in Winder. The 6A finals also are at Marietta.

The GHSA volleyball tournament is single-elimination.

The Pope and Lassiter softball teams once again have reached the “Elite 8” in their respective classes, which is the culminating stage of the state tournament.

Both will be competing in Columbus next week after winning home doubleheaders in the second round this week.

Lassiter (25-7) swept North Paulding 1-0 and 9-1. Pope (29-4) also moved in a sweep, taking both games against Dacula by 6-0 and 6-1 scores.

On Thursday, Pope will play Greenbrier at 11 a.m. in the Class 6A bracket (click here to see more) in a return visit to Columbus. The Greyhounds have reached the Final Four four times since 2012 and were state champions in 2014.

In Class 7A, Lassiter also gets underway on Thursday in a 9 a.m. game against Brookwood (here’s that bracket).

Both tournaments are double-elimination and will conclude on Saturday.

 

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Pope, Lassiter softball to start state tournament play at home

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The Pope softball team, fresh off winning the Region 7AAAAAA tournament last week, gets to stay at home as the Georgia High School Association state tournament begins this week.

The Greyhounds will play host to Creekview, the defending state champion, on Wednesday in a doubleheader at 5 and 7 p.m. in a best-two-of-three series. A decisive game if necessary also would be at Pope at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Here is the Class 6A playoff bracket.

Pope blazed through the region with a perfect 14-0 record and is 23-3 for the season. That’s only the second time the Greyhounds have defeated region opponents without a blemish. The other time was in 2014, when Pope won its only state championship.

Here’s more on their remarkable region run, from the Pope Fastpitch site:

The 2018 undefeated region campaign was marked with 5 no hitters and 10 shutouts over the course of the 14 games. The 2018 Hounds held a 164 run differential over opponents in region games scoring 169 runs while only surrendering 5 runs over the 14 game span.

The Lassiter softball team won Region 4AAAAAAA and also gets to play host to a first-round series against Peachtree Ridge on Wednesday, also in a doubleheader. The Trojans are 21-4 overall and went 13-2 in the region.

Here’s the Class 7A bracket.

 

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East Cobb sports update: Kelly Barnhill honored by Pope softball

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Kelly Barnhill, Pope softball

Former Pope softball star Kelly Barnhill had a special unveiling on the left field wall before Friday’s doubleheader against Sequoyah and North Paulding.

She was home in East Cobb for only a few days this week after helping the USA softball national team win the World Championships in Japan and qualify for the 2020 Olympics.

“It’s just nice coming home and being around people who helped make me who I am,” Barnhill said, mentioning family, friends and her former Pope coaches.

Kelly Barnhill

Barnhill got to throw out the first pitch, and met with fans and signed autographs.

Barnhill, who was the 2017 national college player of the year at the University of Florida, returns to Gainesville on Saturday.

 

The Greyhounds rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to win the first game 5-3 over Sequoyah. In the nightcap, North Paulding won as Pope’s record is now 4-2 on the season.

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Former Pope softball star Kelly Barnhill to appear at Greyhounds’ game Friday

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Fresh off a Team USA performance that resulted in Olympic qualification, former Pope softball star Kelly Barnhill will be making a homecoming visit on Friday.

Kelly Barnhill, former Pope softball star

The University of Florida pitching standout will appear at the Greyhounds’ home game on Friday against Sequoyah.

The game starts at 6 p.m. and admission is free. Barnhill will be throwing out the first pitch, meeting fans and signing autographs.

Barnhill, who led Pope to its first Georgia state championship in 2014, was part of the U.S. team that last week repeated as world champions. That resulted in an automatic berth for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Olympic softball is returning after being dropped in 2008. Barnhill has been a gold medalist for Team USA in the 2016 and now 2018 world championship tournaments.

Here’s what she posted on social media after the Americans’ victory in Japan over the weekend:

She will be a senior at Florida, where she has been an All-American and in 2017 was the national college player of the year.

The Greyhounds, who were playing Cambridge at home on Tuesday, have started the season with a 1-1 record. They also play at Chattahoochee on Thursday before the Friday game honoring Barnhill.

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East Cobb softball teams start high school sports season

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The Sprayberry Yellow Jackets will start another season of high school sports as East Cobb softball teams swing into action this week.

The Yellow Jackets are playing at home tonight at 7 against Sequoyah, following a JV game between the two schools at 5:30 p.m.

Clay Ardeeser, Sprayberry softball coach, East Cobb softball teams
Clay Ardeeser, new Sprayberry softball coach

Sprayberry is coming off a 10-15 season in 2017 and will have a new coach. He is Clay Ardeeser, a former baseball assistant coach at North Springs High School, and his appointment was announced July 22.

After several away games over the next week, Sprayberry returns home Aug. 14 to play Osborne.

On Wednesday, the Pope Greyhounds also open their season at home at Harrison at 5:30 p.m.

Pope, a longtime state powerhouse, is coming off a 30-6 record, which was its best winning percentage for a season in school history, and earned a trip to the Class 6-A finals in Columbus. But the Greyhounds lost several standout players to graduation.

They do have four players who were named to the 7-AAAAAA All-Region team: third baseman Zoe Laneaux, pitchers Hallie Adams and Trinity Pizzutti and shortstop Gracie Kittrell.

Laneaux and Adams were both named 1st team All-State in 2017 by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association and Adams was named Cobb County Pitcher of the Year.

This is the 12th season for Pope coach Chris Turco, who is 241-125-2.

The other East Cobb teams will either start their seasons or play their home openers next week.

Kell plays at home next Monday against Hiram.

Lassiter is home to Brookwood on Tuesday, Aug. 14, and Walton is home against Norcross the same day.

Wheeler’s home opener is next Wednesday, Aug. 15, against Riverwood.

 

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Walton volleyball wins another state title; Top 5 finish for Pope softball

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Although the match was competitive, the Georgia Class 7A finals were really never in doubt Saturday at Marietta High School. The Walton volleyball team won its third consecutive title, defeating Etowah by scores of 25-16, 25-16, and 25-21. GHSA logo, Walton volleyball

The Lady Raiders finished the season with a 41-1 record, losing only to a team from California.

The Walton players this season are: Katie Crocker, Sam Jones, Caroline Cheney, Meg Froemming, Gabby Gonzales, Reilly MacNeill, Molly Pember, Jordan Rush, Riley Spurlin, Phoebe Awoleye, Madison Morey, Kendall O’Brien, Katie Strickland, Catherine Cheney, Julia Davis, Emery Dupes, Ashlyn Goolsby and Chandler Parker. Coach: Suzanne Fitzgerald.

The Pope softball team won one game at the Georgia Class 6A softball finals in Columbus, defeating Evans Thursday on a no-hitter by freshman Hallie Adams. However, the Lady Greyhounds fell to Allatoona (the eventual state champions) and Houston County and finished 5th with a record of 31-5.

The Pope players this season are: Gracie Kittrell, Hannah Dodd, Sydney Sheahan, Jodie Smith, Leah Higginbotham, Hannah Rogers, Carolyn Deady, Kyla Smith, Lea McFadden, Trinity Pizutti, Zoe Laneaux, Mary Deady, Hallie Adams, Kami Smith, Maura Foreman, Rachel Pearle, Lela Landry, Morgan Herman, Min Brookshire, Bailey Chapin, Abby Rocco, Taylor Henson, Alyssa Eman, Kaitlyn Wells. Coach: Chris Turco.

FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: With only one week left in the regular season, only Walton has clinched a state playoff spot from East Cobb. The Raiders stayed unbeaten (9-0) with a 42-21 win over Etowah. Walton will have senior night on Friday against Woodstock. In other football games Friday:

  • Lassiter inched closer to a playoff berth by beating Cherokee 31-0. The Trojans (6-3) have to visit Etowah Friday; a win means they advance, and they could play a home playoff game.
  • Kell moved to 5-4 and within reach of a playoff spot with a 21-12 win over Woodland. The Longhorns are tied for second in Region 7, Class 6A, and play Cass on Friday;
  • Pope fell to 3-6 with a 45-17 loss to Centennial; the Greyhounds conclude their season Friday at home against Northview;
  • Sprayberry is now 2-7 following a 35-21 loss on senior night to Creekview; the Yellow Jackets play their last game of 2-17 on Friday at Sequoyah;
  • Wheeler‘s senior night also was spoiled by Westlake, which won 48-27; the Wildcats, who are 2-7, close out on Friday at Pebblebrook.

EAST COBB SPORTS UPDATE: Walton volleyball aims for three-peat on Saturday

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The Walton volleyball team will find a familiar foe on the other side of the net Saturday when the Lady Raiders attempt to win their third consecutive Georgia High School Association state championship.

Walton faces Region 4AAAAAAA rival Etowah at 6:30 p.m. in the finals at Marietta High School (1171 Whitlock Road). The Eagles have been one of the better teams in the state all season, with a 43-6 record, and they haven’t dropped a set in the state tournament.

Walton volleyball

But they’ve been no match for Walton (39-1), which has twice beaten Etowah by 3-0 scores, including the region tournament in October.

In fact, the Lady Raiders haven’t lost to a team from Georgia since 2014. Their only loss this season came in an Arizona tournament in late September to a team from California.

Here’s something else that illustrates just how dominant Walton, a longtime volleyball dynasty in Georgia, has been this season: The only other sets they’ve dropped also came to out-of-state teams.

Walton is also doing this with with only two seniors seeing regular playing time. Team leaders Gabby Gonzales, Riley Spurlin, Caroline Cheney, Reilly MacNeill and Jordan Rush are juniors.

The Pope volleyball team reached the Class 6A semifinals, but was ousted on Wednesday by defending state champion Harrison.

The Lady Greyhounds had their best finish since winning their last state title in 2011, going 33-9. While two of Pope’s top offensive players, Samantha Walters and Danielle Bissel, are seniors, there is plenty of talent returning. As a freshman, Stella Dees was second on the team with 284 kills.

In the Class 6A softball tournament in Columbus, Pope split opening-round games on Thursday. In the opener, Hallie Adams pitched a no-hitter as the Greyhounds defeated Evans 2-0. However, they lost to Cobb County rival Allatoona 1-0 in Thursday evening and move to a losers bracket game Friday afternoon, meeting Houston County at 2 p.m.

EAST COBB HALLOWEEN EVENTS: Trunk or Treats; Pope Dead Band Running 5K; Holiday Décor Market and more

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East Cobb Halloween events

Don’t need much of a drumroll introduction for what’s coming up over the next few days. The East Cobb Halloween events calendar is absolutely loaded (and if we’ve missed your event there’s still time to let us know. E-mail calendar@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll post it!). So many trunk or treat events, assorted fall festivals and a new spooky event that may become a bonafide tradition: The Pope Dead Band Running 5K. Pope also has a Haunted Theater presentation of “The Dollhouse” to ramp up a frightening selection of Halloween-themed events

Also on tap this weekend is the Sprayberry Hall of Fame Gala and two final events of the fall that have become community stand-bys: Sunday Funday at East Cobb Park, and the Paper Mill Village Food Truck on Monday:

  • Trunk or Treats galore: Kicking off Friday at 6 at Addison ES, and including similar events for kids at St. Catherine’s Episcopal on Saturday, Wesley Chapel UMC on Sunday and on Halloween itself, at Powers Ferry UMC;Pope Dead Band Running 5K, East Cobb Halloween events
  • Run for Your Haunted Lives: A 5K run at night? In the spirit of Halloween, that’s what the Pope High School Marching Band has put together from 7-9 Saturday at the Mountain View Aquatic Center (2650 Gordy Parkway): The Pope Dead Band Running 5K, and you can show up in a costume or regular running attire. The proceeds raise funds for the band, which says it needs to replace Bessie, its aging equipment truck. Race-day registration begins at 6 p.m.;
  • Terrifying dollies: The Pope Haunted Theater gets into the spirit of Halloween with presentations of “The Dollhouse” Saturday and Sunday at $6, after two previous shows this week;
  • Last Call for Pumpkin Patches: They’re on sale at a few East Cobb churches through Halloween;
  • Get Your Pumpkin Carving On: Once you get your pumpkin, bring it on by the Mountain View Regional Library (3320 Sandy Plains Road) from 2-3 on Saturday for a carving event. It’s ideally for kids K-5 to enjoy, but you can come by even if you’re older;
  • Shopping for the kitties: With Halloween near, it also means it’s time for the Good Mews Holiday Décor Market, which starts Saturday at the Sandy Plains Exchange Shopping Center (1860 Sandy Plains Road, at Scufflegrit Road). The hours are 10-6 Saturdays and 12-6 Sundays, and the sale continues through Dec. 17. The proceeds benefit the Good Mews programs to care and place homeless cats for adoption, and they’re taking gently-used items on-site on Saturday until 3 p.m.;
  • All the way to state: The high school football season is winding down, with only two games left. Walton has already clinched a state playoff berth, and Lassiter and Kell have the best chances of joining them. But the biggest high school sporting events this weekend involve the young ladies of East Cobb. On Saturday, Walton attempts a three-peat in the Class 7A state volleyball finals against Etowah (6 p.m., Marietta High School, 1171 Whitlock Ave.). In Columbus, the Pope softball team is competing in the Class 6A softball finals, which got underway Thursday. We’ll be posting updates on these events as we get the results, so keep checking back for the latest scores;
  • Piedmont Church Fall Festival: Sunday will be an all-day and all-night of activities at the Piedmont Church (570 Piedmont Road). Sunday morning services will be followed by a family fall festival from 6-8, including pumpkin painting, a petting zoo and food. The event is free and open to the public.

Check out our full calendar listings page for more things to do this weekend and beyond. Did we miss something? Have an event you’d like to share with the East Cobb community? E-mail your calendar listing to: calendar@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll post it ASAP! Here’s more information on how to send your news to East Cobb News!

Have a great weekend!

Pope softball shuts out Harrison to reach state finals; Lassiter eliminated

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The last home games of the season for the Pope softball team were close, but were clinchers for the Greyhounds as they advanced to the Georgia High School Association finals once again.

Pope defeated Harrison 1-0 and 3-0 in a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon, and will be headed to the GHSA Final Eight next week in Columbus.Pope softball

That’s the fifth time in the last six seasons for the Greyhounds (29-4), who reached the Class 6A semifinals in 2016.

Pope’s first game in the double-elimination round will be next Thursday morning at 11 against Evans High School of Augusta.

Another East Cobb team playing in the Class 7A state tournament was eliminated Wednesday. Lassiter lost a doubleheader on the road to Lowndes by 2-0 and 4-3 scores. The Lady Trojans finished with a 22-10 record.

Freshman pitcher Hallie Adams won both games for Pope, getting the game-winning run in the first game from Bailey Chapin, another freshman. Adams followed her one-hitter in the nightcap with a little more run support, as Chapin, senior Hannah Rogers and Leah Higgs drove in the runs for the Greyhounds to book another trip to Columbus.

Grace Kittrell was 2-for-4 at the plate for Pope.

In the Class 6A finals, another Cobb County team, Allatoona, also will be competing. But the biggest obstacle for Pope, should the Greyhounds advance, may be a team in their own region. Pope recently defeated Cambridge High School of North Fulton to win the Region 7-AAAAAA title.

However, Cambridge returns to Columbus as the defending state champion. Should Cambridge and Pope continue to advance, they could meet for the state championship as well.

Pope, Sprayberry, Walton softball teams open season with victories

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High school sports in East Cobb got underway on Monday, with three softball teams taking the field at home, and all three were winners.

The Pope Greyhounds, which reached the Georgia Class 7A Final Four last season, downed Sequoyah 7-6 in walkoff fashion, as Lea McFadden got the game-winning RBI.

Pope’s Hannah Rogers.

The winning pitcher was Hannah Rogers, an all-region pick in 2016, and Leah Higgs went 2-for-2 at the plate with a homer and two RBI.

The Greyhounds remain at home on Wednesday for their first region game, against Alpharetta, that starts at 5:30 p.m.

Sprayberry defeated North Cobb 8-5 and the top individual performers were:

  • Payton Wade: 2-3 with a walk, 2 stolen bases, and 2 runs scored;
  • Cate Willhoff: 1-2 with a stolen base and an RBI
  • Denisa Wilson: 1-1 with a walk and an RBI
  • Nicole DeCuircio: 2-5 with a double and an RBI.

The Yellow Jackets were scheduled to play at Sequoyah tonight but the game has been been delayed to Wednesday due to rain.

Walton won easily over Campbell Monday by an 11-2 score, and the Raiders jump right into region play with a big rivalry game on Wednesday at Wheeler starting at 5:30 p.m.

Lassiter opens its season on Wednesday at home against Mill Creek in a game that starts at 5:30 p.m., while the Kell Longhorns open their season on Thursday, also at home, against Cass. First pitch is 6 p.m.