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High School Playoffs: Day 2 of the Georgia State Softball Championships Includes Several College Head Coaches Onsite & Shocking Losses by Seven No. 1 Seeds! (Oct. 30, 2026)

By Steve Hickey

October 30, 2026

In perhaps the most spirited game of fan-on-fan hooting and hollering in Thursday action in the Georgia High School Association state softball playoffs, Brantley County prevailed over Pike County in 3A action

High School Playoffs: Day 2 of the Georgia State Softball Championships Includes Several College Head Coaches Onsite & Shocking Losses by Seven No. 1 Seeds! (Oct. 30, 2026)

The Hickey family: (l-r) Reese, Cheney, Reagan and Steve.

The 2026 Georgia high school softball season officially began on August 1 and culminates this week with the playoffs running from October 28-31 at the South Commons Softball Complex in Columbus, Ga.

Line Drive Media contributor Steve Hickey has tracked the prep fastpitch journey in the Peach State for the seven public divisions (1A through 7A) and the one private division and is onsite in Columbus with reports from each of the four day’s of action.

Below is his report from Wednesday’s Day 1 action… first, though are his reports from the action leading up to this championship week:

*****

Day 2 Summary

Day 2 of the Georgia High School Association softball tournament backed up the promise of yesterday with even more.

Better weather, warm, clear, and dry; better moments and better games.

And unfortunately, fewer…  as 16 fewer teams that lost their second game and are now headed home.

Champions won’t be crowned until Saturday afternoon, but seasons and careers began to end today.

There is something exquisite about witnessing the final outs of the season.

Parents, players, and coaches all handle it differently, but it is hard, it is raw, and it’s a moment you never wanted to come.

In fact, we did come this far, just to come this far.

For the 16 teams today that saw their 2026 seasons come to an end, get your heads up, and know we share a mad respect for the body of work you put in just to come this far.

There are hundreds of teams, and thousands of players who don’t even know how to spell “Columbus.” Why? Because they’ve never been here before.

Over 61 percent of this year’s teams are repeat teams from last year’s tournament and that’s rarefied air, so congrats on a great season!     

Crowd sizes continued to grow as we spotted several large student body contingents making the trip down here.

There truly is nothing that strikes more fear in opposing teams hearts than teenage boys with a vuvuzela (what is a vuvuzela, you may ask?).

THIS is a vuvuzela..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Softball dads and moms and even a couple of rogue grandparents were seen blasting the durn things.  There were hundreds of them casting calls from around the park… in concert and in opposition with one another.

It is wonderful madness indeed.

*****

College Head Coaches Everywhere!

I also caught up with three college head coaches and wanted to hear their perspective of this tournament.

Here’s what they had to say…

Georgia Head Coach Tony Baldwin  
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Tony Baldwin.

Line Drive Media: Coach, you’ve been here the past two days, carefully watching several fields… what do you enjoy about Columbus and the playoffs here? 

Tony Baldwin: It reminds me of everything that is great about sports.  I am an Indiana guy; I grew up playing basketball and baseball, and I have very strong positive memories of my time playing with my neighborhood friends all the way through high school. 

The name on front of their jersey; not the back.  It is different than California, Colorado, or some of these other high-powered tournaments, because they are playing for something bigger than themselves. 

LDM: I notice that you have all four of your assistants here today as well.  Is it unusual for your entire staff to be out at the same event? 

TB: We approach this tournament because of how important it is to everyone in this state. 

I am not that important in the big scheme of things, but what I represent is really important.  You look around and you see all the logo UGA chairs here and in the parking lot, there is a lot of Bulldog pride across the state.

So, I believe it’s important to be here to recognize these players and teams that are trying to achieve something that is elusive, very hard and worthy of celebration.

Also, frankly, there is some high-level ball getting played here, so it is rewarding to sit back and watch other coaches do it and enjoy some great games.

LDM: Is there anything you would like to see different about Columbus? 

TB: Yeah, take those vuvuzelas away from the teenage boys. 

*****

Oklahoma State Head Coach Kenny Gajewski

Line Drive Media: Coach, you are a long way from home.  What brings you here? 

Kenny Gajewski: I coached at the University of Florida 16 years ago, and Coach (Tim) Walton wanted to recruit former Pope High star Kelly Barnhill ss I started then and fell in love with this tournament, and I have been coming ever since.  

Oklahoma State Cowgirl head coach Kenny Gajewski

LDM: What do you find so different about this tournament versus all of the others you go see? 

KG:  It’s the pressure.  It is the intensity.  It is the passion. 

I know I am in SEC country, so it is easy to say this tournament just means more.  Then to watch these highly skilled players handle the circus swirling around their fields, it is a real looksee into how their future level of play will translate when they get to the Big 12 and we have to battle our way into the NCAA tournament.

We have had some great Georgia players come to us, and I have a lot of respect for the talent from this state.  

You can go see a bunch of great players all in one place for a travel ball tournament or go see a high school player on their team, but the opposition for any one regular season game is hit or miss. 

But, I can come here and its quality players and quality competition everywhere across this park. 

*****

Samford Head Coach Tyra Perry
Samford head coach Tyra Perry.

Line Drive Media: Is this the first time you have ever been to GHSA playoffs here in South Commons? 

Tyra Perry: Well, it’s been a minute.  I did come in 1999, when there weren’t as many teams and it wasn’t this (as she waves her hands across the park). 

I have been coaching in the Midwest for the past 15 years and have not had an opportunity to come back down, but my assistant coaches and I are committed to investing in the players from Georgia.

We currently have seven players on our roster, so we have a lot of respect for the level of play over here. 

LDM: What are your impressions coming back this year? 

TP: I absolutely love it! It is what softball is supposed to be. 

I see players coming into the park with sparkly hair, wearing glitter cowgirl hats and some were wearing blue and pink wigs.

The stands are full of high school kids with those vuvuzelas, cowbells, and softball dads are rocking and rolling and high fiving.  The energy is literally palpable.

What is not to like?  This is an awesome gameday experience!

LDM: It sounds like you’re a big fan of how the playoffs here are run…

TP: Yes, I am really enjoying myself.  The weather is beautiful, the set-up for the park is terrific and the fan support is inspiring. 

As a new coach back to the South, I am seeing some old friends in the crowd, and it’s been a great opportunity to reconnect.  I am a big believer of how Georgia does their championship format.

*****

Attached are the live links for the playoff format in Columbus:

 

*****

3 Things I Learned Today

You cannot take the hunter out of the player.

Again and again, there are certain players that keep making noise in the highest of leverage moments.

These include:

  • Harrison’s Nola Tylke,
  • Lassiter’s Peyton Ushery,
  • Creekview’s Lili Beal,
  • Hebron Christian’s Kate Kennedy,
  • Trion’s Hartley Staton and
  • Sonoraville’s Lakelin Hall.

 

All these players have led their teams into the winner’s bracket showdown on Friday.

We aren’t saying its over for everyone else, but seven of the eight champions from last year all came through the winner’s bracket.

It’s not impossible, but it is very hard. 

I spoke with Haleigh Dickey, the owner of a skills development facility out of Atlanta called Dickey’s Dugout, and the new Director for Georgia Academy Power. 

She shuts her gym down for these couple of days and travels to Columbus to support her players.

Her No. 1 thing she loves about Columbus is working scoreboards.  I looked into this: the GHSA employs softball players from Columbus State and Valdosta State to come to these tournaments and work the scoreboards and manage the NFHS video feeds.

The organizers are very strict about not allowing any other Gamechanger or Facebook live feeds.

Coach Dickey does not like the blank scoreboards in all of the other tournaments.  If the score matters, then the players should have ready access to it, but it is the details that this tournament carefully tends to that makes it what it is today. 

*****

Other results from across the state: 

7A 
  • I was committed to write today and start giving Buford all of their due respect.  I mean they are the defending state champion and have absolutely steamrolled the competition all season long.
    • However, No. 4 Northgate had something to say about that and upset the No. 1 seed Buford in a wild back and forth game, 18-15.
    • 2028 CF Makenzie Khaler led the effort with six RBIs. Buford tastes its first loss before the weekend in Columbus in over 6 years.  Buford will drop and crossover in the loser bracket and will play Lambert.
  • 2 Harrison defeated No. 3 Brookwood 8-5.  The score was tied 2-2 going into the bottom of the 4th when Player of the Year candidate Nola Tylke was walked to force a bases loaded run.  Tylke came back up in the fifth inning and hit a three-run bomb.  The kid just keeps delivering the goods in crunch time.
  • Harrison and Northgate face off tomorrow in the winner’s bracket.
  • In the loser’s bracket, North Paulding sent Richmond Hill home 6-5, and Lambert defeated Carrollton 11-6. 
    • Brookwood will play North Paulding, and Buford will play Lambert.

 

 *****

Creekview playing in the Stadium against Houston and advancing to the 6A winner’s bracket finals on Friday
6A 
  • Houston, we have a problem.  Creekview defeated Houston 12-2 powered by two home runs by Lili Beal and her six RBIs.
  • Lassiter defeated Lee County by run rule 12-0.
  • Lassiter and Creekview will have a high-powered showdown tomorrow in the winne’rs bracket.
  • South Effingham defeated Loganville 12-5, and Veterans defeated Pope 12-6.  Pope and Loganville are headed home.
    • Lee County will play South Effingham and Houston will play Veterans tomorrow.  It’s win or go home.
Lee County star Porter Butler tracks down a foul pop in front of the Lassistr dugout. Lassiter won, to play Creekview on Friday in 6A play.

 

*****

5A 
  • Jefferson defeated No. 1 Harris County 6-5 with a walk-off single from 2027 Sara Grace Cooper.
  • 2 Cartersville once again found a way to work its magic.  After last night’s walk-off against Marist, it did so again versus North Oconee winning 5-4 off a double from Carder Brock in the bottom of the 7th. 
  • Central defeated Starr’s Mill 2-1 and Wayne County defeated Marist 8-7, sending them home. 
    • Now, they will move forward in the loser’s bracket, and Central will play North Oconee, and Wayne will play Harris County tomorrow.

 

***** 

4A 
  • North Hall upset No. 1 seed Long County 12-4.
  • West Laurens defeated Cherokee Bluff 10-4. 
    • These two teams will advance to the winner’s final tomorrow. 
  • Defending champion Heritage defeated Pickens 1-0 in the losers bracket, and Harlem defeated Ridgeland 4-3.
    • Heritage will play Cherokee Bluff and Harlem will play Long County tomorrow.

 

***** 

3A 
  • Defending champion Sonoraville defeated Morgan County 4-0.
  • 7 Brantley continued its run of upsets as it beat Pike County 8-5.  
  • In the loser’s bracket, Appling defeated Toombs 6-4 and Worth County defeated Rockmart 2-1. 
    • Pike will play Appling County and Morgan County will play Worth County tomorrow.

 

 *****

2A 
  • 12-time state champion, overlooked all season, has officially entered the building.  It defeated No. 1 Banks County 4-2.
  • Jeff Davis defeated No. 2 Bacon County 11-2.    
  • In the loser’s bracket, Mt Zion topped Metter 2-1 and Vidalia defeated Berrien 2-0. 
    • Bacon crosses over and will play Mt Zion and Banks crosses over and plays Vidalia tomorrow.  Win or go home.

 

*****

1A 
  • 1 Wheeler becomes the only top seed to survive to Friday.  They defeated defending champ Lanier County 2-0.
  • 7 Trion continued to upset higher seeds behind the high-powered arm of 2029 Hartley Staton.  It toppled ECI 1-0.   Trion has not surrendered a run yet in the tournament.
  • In the loser’s bracket, Bowden won against Telfair 8-2, and Irwin won against Johnson 3-0.
    • ECI crosses over and will play Bowden, and Lanier will play Irwin tomorrow

 

 

*****

Private
  • Hebron suffocated No. 1 seed Prince Avenue 8-0 as Kate Kennedy tossed a no-hitter against the Wolverines.
  • Mount Paran defeated No. 2 seed Pace Academy, 14-9.  This was a tight game with Pace leading 8-6, before Mount Paran opened the game up in the bottom of the fifth inning scoring eight runs.  Mount Paran and Hebron will square off tomorrow.
  • Providence Christian sent five-time defending champion Wesleyan home to trick or treat 9-8, and North Cobb Christian defeated Mount Vernon 8-2.  
    • Pace will cross over and play Providence Christian and Prince will play North Cobb Christian tomorrow.

 

 

*****

Steve’s Take 

Another great day of ball on Thursday.

It’s official, the chalk is out the window and it is chaos.

Amazingly, only 1A top seed has survived unscathed thus far and the only No. 2 seeds that have survived are 7A’s Harrison, 5A’s Cartersville (double barely), and 4A’s West Laurens.

It’s a knife fight, and everyone has brought composite bats.  Rumors of a champion’s demise are often overstated and going into the loser’s bracket sometimes just pisses them off.

Championship pedigrees are hard to make, harder to replicate, and even harder to extinguish but don’t count out Buford just yet.

After Friday’s action, two more teams from each classification will be done, meaning 16 teams will face the cold reality that their seasons are over.

At this point, everyone is playing desperately for one more day in the sun, one more time onto the field with their neighborhood friends and one more time seeking the honor of wearing their school’s jersey.

It is an incredible theater for these last stories to be told.

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