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

Line Drive Media contributor Steve Hickey tracks the prep fastpitch journey in the Peach State for the seven public divisions (1A through 7A) and the one private division.

This is Week 2 of what will be a baker’s dozen of articles throughout the season to provide highlights and spotlights for journey in Georgia to crown its champions.

• Click HERE for Week 1’s report

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Georgia Dugout Club

One of the most important organizations that promotes Georgia High School Softball is the Georgia Dugout Club (GADC). 

It hosts a season-ending coaches meeting where they vote on the All-State recognition, it runs a Junior All-Star game, it tracks and publishes a classification ranking system, and also hosts an early season Invitational featuring some of the state’s bluest of blue blood matchups.   

Last week, at three parks across the state—East Coweta, Twin Creeks, and Leroy Johnson Park—GADC hosted over 20 teams across 50 games with some very compelling matchups. 

Perennial Columbus contenders like Buford, Gordon Lee, and East Coweta headlined the Invitational. 

Kell, East Cobb, Lassiter, Marist, Denmark, Woodstock, Strong Rock (a “GISA” entry) and Walton aspire to travel to South Commons and stepped into the arena to test their mettle in the oppressive Georgia heat. 

Early season in Georgia is marked by inescapable heat or pop-up thunderstorms that cause scheduling chaos. 

To get in a weekend invitational like the GADC pulled off this weekend is a gift from the softball gods. 

Here’s an early season look at some of the teams of note and how they did…

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Spotlight on East Coweta

East Coweta announced to the state that it is still talented and can rise to meet any competition on the dirt. 

The Indians hosted the southside breakout of the GADC Invitational, continuing its aversion to traveling to the hostile confines of the north, and welcomed Lee County, Wayne County, Taylor County, and Stars Mill. 

The week had mixed results with a 1-3 record and the team is now 6-4, but it’s early and there is a reason why East Coweta is a very special program, why it always has heightened expectations, and why Coach Franklin DeLoach is focusing on getting the culture right first. 

To outsiders, it’s called “reloading,” but Coach DeLoach has so many underclassmen that, last year, he famously said:

“If you want us, the 2026 season is the time to come get us.”

It is the youngest team he has steered in 15 years and if the Indians are to get the elusive championship it chases every year, the reason will be that Payton Wilson cannot be denied. 

This junior prodigy is one of the hottest players in Georgia for the 2028 class and will be very busy on the morning of September 1 taking calls and texts from college coaches.

Payton started the season with two home runs and anchors the defense.  The question is: Can Coach DeLoach bring along his young pitching staff to give his offense a chance? 

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GISA Teams

Strong Rock Christian is a GISA team that competes for its separate championship but carries a strong reputation for having some of the best players in the state. 

It fared well, going 3-1 for the weekend. 

Tatnall Square was the other GISA this weekend after it won the GISA championship last season and finished 2-1. 

Buford. Sequoyah, Johnson County, Creekview, and Kell each went 2-0 and passed the eye test that they have enough talent and ambition to have Columbus dreams. 

Harris County went “oh-for-Q” and must have been disappointed dropping a couple of close games to Pike County and North Hall. Woodstock, Mount Paran, Chapel Hill, and Hillgrove also walked away from the weekend’s games without a win.  

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7A 

Buford’s throne appears to be in good hands, but the field appears a little more balanced this year, as Carrollton and North Gwinnett are loaded this season. 

Everything just means more in this classification as lineups are 10-12 deep, and there are Power 4 pitchers at the top of all serious contender’s pitching rotations. 

The best ones have enough arms to get them to Columbus healthy and fresh.  We saw several breakdowns last season, when Buford coasted with their 1-2 punch of future LSU and Florida pitchers. 

Talented 2029 pitcher Laci Jordan led Carrollton to a 4-1 start with wins over Stars Mill and Lambert and the Trojans have East Coweta, North Cobb, and Hebron on their schedule. 

North Gwinnett, the last state champion from this classification not named Buford or East Coweta are off to a slow start, 3-2, with wins over Archer and Duluth, falling to West Forsyth and Lambert.

Walton has the type of team to break through this season to get back to Columbus.  Walton led by 2029 Isla Schweers, will try to map out the road to South Commons. Walton fell to power Gordon Lee 0-3 in the GADC and Lassiter 2-7 so, there are some questions to be answered in the weeks ahead. 

They will face Cherokee three more times this season—Lassiter, and North Cobb—so we will see. 

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6A 

Loganville appears to be a team to watch as it chases Creekview for a shot at the title in Columbus. 

The Lady Devils opened their season again Hebron Christian, a non-region sampler against one of the best pitchers in the state, 2028 Kate Kennedy, and pulled a 6-2 win. 

A promising win that suggests a strong season ahead of them. 

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5A 

Eastside made its opening statement in its title defense of last season opening to a 3-1 start with its only loss to 6A power Creekview. 

Cartersville also started strong with a 7-1 start with impressive wins over Villa Rica, 4-3, and a well-played game against Allatoona. 

The Lady Canes are led by 2027 Coastal Carolina commit, Zoie Shiftlet.  She is one of the Peach States best pitchers and could push Eastside and Harris County for who’s the best team in this classification.  

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4A 

The Heritage Generals have begun its title defense with a 6-0 start and, with wins against LaFayette and Calhoun, this team led by senior pitcher/infielder Molly O’Brien has all the parts to repeat in this classification.   

North Hall had a brutal opening to the season with losses to Sonoraville and East Forsyth. 

However, it pulled an upset of Harris County on Saturday 2-0 that showed this team has the stuff.  2028 RHP Hadleigh Crumley threw a three-hit shutout against Harris, and she also helped her own cause with a critical RBI.

The question is: “Can the Trojans consistently stack these wins to compete all season long?”

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3A 

Morgan County started 4-1 and dropped a good game against Prince Avenue, 4-6.  The team outhit the Wolverines 8-6 but could not manufacture the timely hit with runners in scoring position. 

The Bulldogs will ride the arm of Sidney Fischer this season, but can she hold up and carry her team through a rugged region? 

Pierce County will be pursuing Morgan County—they have started 5-0 against some lesser power teams.  We should see continued success against a schedule that does not present too many questions. 

Please note, for 2A-4A, we will remove all Private Schools from discussion until later.   

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2A 

Chasing Gordon Lee this season, Heard County looks to rebound from a disappointing last season and regain its Columbus birthright (Heard won three consecutive state titles in 2020, 2021, and 2023). 

Social Circle Redskins and Rabun County Lady Cats have difficult schedules and will forge the necessary iron to compete in late October. 

Social Circle (1-4) hosted Mount Vernon (6-1) on Tuesday—a rematch of a classic 2023 regional final that sent the winner to Columbus—but it was no contest this week as Mount Vernon pitched a 15-0 shutout.

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1A 

Johnson County, Irwin County, Trion, and Lanier County will press to win Georgia’s smallest school designation. 

Here is a hint: find the one unicorn that can pitch and hit her team to a championship. 

This intrepid reporter is scouting a couple of opportunities to go attend a game this season. 

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Private 

In perhaps the most shocking outcome of the young season, the four-time defending state champion Wesleyan Wolves were run ruled by Coach Mike Edmonson’s Mount Vernon Mustangs in five innings 8-0 and then lost 16-1 to Brookwood, but have come back to win three in a row this week.

Mustangs 2029 second baseman Olivia “Pork Chop” Stonecipher hit two triples to lead both clubs with three RBIs. 

Coach Savannah Peppers team lost to Mount Vernon for the first time in program history, leaving far more questions than answers for her young club.

Prince Avenue has launched itself to a 7-1 start and has some sobering non-region tests coming up. 

Coach Donnie Byrom has a phenom in sophomore catcher Finley Thomas who led her team to Columbus as freshman with 15 home runs! 

She has already gotten off to the 2026 campaign with two bombs.  The future is bright outside of Athens, Ga.!

As noted earlier, Hebron Christian has announced itself as this classifications team to beat.  Led by 2028 pitcher Kate Kennedy, she reached the 300-strikeout milestone last week as she led the team to 6-2 start. 

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Recruiting Window 

With the density of talent and the fall high school season, there are a lot of priorities to balance for these young players. 

It just hits differently in Georgia at this time of year. 

The September 1^st recruiting window looms large, the final camps on campus in August, and championship aspirations in Columbus are the most that these players have ever dealt with. 

And all at the same time. 

Staying fresh, staying excited, staying healthy, and being present in the dugout for your teammates. 

Some wisdom from a parent that has gone through this:

“Keep the first things first.”

There are a lot of juniors that misfired that year with all the added socks in the top drawer. 

Be patient. 

Use the GHSA season as a buffer for you to quietly evaluate.  Don’t forget to remind coaches that you are playing.  It is amazing how many coaches forget Georgia is off-cycle (which is one of the reasons for my series). 

Keep your recruiting process out of the dugout and out of the parent’s fan section.  There will be teams that do not call.  In fact, there will be coaches that flat out ghost you. 

If you are a Top 6 recruit, and the first five say yes, you may never hear from that dream school so control what you can control. 

Work hard at practice.  Play hard during your games.  And let the process come to you. 

So that was Week 2.  How many miles is it to Columbus from your school?

If you know it, feel free to drop me a line and give me the insider’s look at your team and the journey ahead this season. 

Many thanks already out to coaches that have already reached out and included me on their Gamechanger updates. 

Hopefully, you will see me following your Gamechanger feeds.  Coaches, tout your players.  Amaze, Amaze, Amaze! 

You can reach me at hickeysd1@yahoo.com and I will be happy to include an update and do a player or coach profile.   

— Steve Hickey/Line Drive Contributor