There are five states that play their high school softball in the fall: Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma and Georgia, which is arguably the most significant of these states. 

Line Drive Softball has launched a 12-week series covering prep play in the Peach State led by Steve Hickey under the title of Road to Columbus, tracking the pathway to the state championships in Columbus, Ga.

Steve is no stranger to Columbus.  Buoyed by his two daughters and their high school teammates, he has visited Columbus each of the past four years.  

“It is a beautiful time of year in that part of the state in late October,” he says, “and I want every softball fan to share in the quality of those experiences.”

Now that his daughters are playing softball in college—Reagan is a redshirt freshman at  Virginia and Reese is a true freshman at Samford— Steve is writing to stay busy and use it as a cheap excuse to interview people for their thoughts that have stamped their mark on the sport from South Commons.

Here’s our 6th of the series which today takes a closer look at the favorites to make the trip to Columbus with half the season behind us.

Click on the following links to access previous articles:

• Week 5: September 7, 2025
• Week 4: August 31, 2025
• Week 3: August 24, 2025
• Week 2: August 17, 2025
• Week 1: August 10, 2025

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Facing the Giants 

This was a tough week for the undefeated programs in Georgia… no one is perfect, so may as well get it over.

Wesleyan and East Coweta, in their respective pursuits of history, could not survive the weekend.

Historically, there have only been two undefeated teams that claimed championships in the larger classifications, the 2022 Buford Wolves and the 2017 East Coweta Indians.  The pool of talent is too deep, too wide, and the season too long.  

There is another season that has kicked off in September that we will track as well: the recruiting season for the class of Juniors, or if you know one, you can just call them the 2027’s.

Since midnight on Sunday, September 1, calls and trips have been fast and furious.  It’s a waterfall process as the big schools swoop in and pick their athletes, and then the mid-majors and second tier of schools jump in. 

Make no mistake, there is plenty of talent and opportunities to go around.  It’s all about timing and match making.  All of this energy and focus have to affect play on the field, even absences due to official visits will disrupt expected matchups.

For whom the bell tolls. 

The 3A Heritage Generals (11-4) played host and tripped up the Wesleyan Wolves for their first loss 5-4. Wesleyan is historically the program to beat in the Private classification for combined 1A, 2A, and 3A schools. Prince Avenue, Hebron Christian, Mount Paran, and Mount Vernon are always watching, always striving. 

As the regular season drama unfolds, and the Road to Columbus comes into view, the words of William Faulkner ring true:

“The past is never dead. It is not even past.” 

As softball fans across the state cannot wait for the next chapter of the Buford/East Coweta Civil War.

Surprisingly, at the midway point of the season’s calendar, there are only four undefeated teams left across the state: Buford, Miller Grove, Eastside and Mount Vernon. 

Friday night lights mean something special in the state of Georgia – for football players.

In an interesting cross marketing round robin alongside a home football game, East Coweta hosted 2024 4A runner up Eastside and got into the wrong end of two shootouts (6-11 and 2-5). East Coweta Coach Franklin Deloach believes this is a more talented Eastside team and has the inside track to winning their 4A classification this year.    

The Hangover 

East Coweta could not snap out of it and dropped a third game to 2024 4A State Champion Harris County in nine innings 2-1.

These 4A teams have something to prove against the Indians, and everyone is throwing their best shot at the defending champs. Harris County’s Riley Huckaby smashed a run home run against Jada Savage. Savage was otherwise masterful striking out 19 hitters and walking one against Harris County.  

Franklin DeLoach is circumspect.

“You got to make sure your players, and the team can handle a loss in September, because that bounce back in October is critical. If you get lost in your feels in October, the next thing you know is you’re counting socks and making sure all the uniforms have been turned back in.” 

The composure of a championship coach is revealing, you are never as good as you think you are, you are never as bad as you think you are. 

Despite the setback, his coaching staff has been encouraged by the competitive response by the leaders across his team, and they have mobilized player only workouts.  

A chance to get course corrected is already hurtling towards them; Carrollton is a region opponent to East Coweta, and this looming showdown will control the homefield advantage for the region playoffs later in October.

The Trojans will visit East Coweta for a game under the lights on September 16^th, and that game will become an on-ramp to the Road to Columbus.   

On A Mission 

Eastside Lady Eagles have persevered to a perfect 14-0 record through mid-September. With several impressive wins already under their belt, they still have some major tests in front of them as they must play Morgan County and Buford. 

Led by Coach Heather Wood, she has seven seniors leading the team this year and urgency is in the air.  Donee Morain, a senior shortstop commit to Georgia Tech, has Eastside off to a commanding start.   

A Mystery Shrouded Inside an Enigma 

We do not know much about Miller Grove, led by seniors shortstop Mariah Presley and catcher Armonie Morrison, they have beaten everyone in front of them. 

The next 10 games are a repeat of their first 10 games, and it is not naïve to believe they could run the full regular season undefeated. 

However, their strength of schedule is suspect.

There are no high-end pitching opponents waiting on them, and it is very tough to believe they can live and thrive in the post season. The combined Power Ranking from GHSA has the team ranked 6^th in 2A.   

The Directional School 

Mount Vernon is the only 1A school and the only private school with a perfect mark. 

The program is no stranger to success, with four consecutive Columbus trips under their belt; yet they just completed their first undefeated month of August in school history. 

I asked Coach Mike Edmonson how he mixes the message of winning confidence with humble preparation for the next game.   

Coach responded,

“Honestly, I don’t mention the record or streak. I simply just try to put the focus on the next game.  We are a young team, but they have the best kind of confidence that lets them believe that they can do it and damned if they don’t. They have a championship mindset that has helped us persevere when things don’t go as planned.”

“Last year, we had five freshmen, and it was very rough there in the early part of the season, but as the season went on and they played their best ball down the stretch and had big time contributions in the post season.” 

It has been up to senior battery of pitcher Olivia McDougal and catcher Priscilla Andrin to guide this year’s team to their strong start so far.  They have already cut through some future Power Four pitchers and toppled some big-time programs to start the season.

Edmonson continues”

“Those sophomores have picked up where they left off, and now have added another freshman who has joined that collective belief and is gaining confidence daily.”

As the calendar nears October: “Pressure is a privilege.” 

It may be easier to win state than it will be to win their own region, as he expects three representatives from their region to make it to Columbus:  Wesleyan, Mount Paran, and Mount Vernon. 

End of regular season tests remain against Wesleyan and Mount Paran, and this trio will get everything sorted between the lines on the field. 

The Sound and the Fury 

The University of Buford (as it is affectionately and not so affectionately referred to) was the 2024 runner up in the 6A classification, and it continues its undefeated ways to 14-0. 

Buford will not play East Coweta in the regular season and has North Cobb and Eastside as its last remaining championship caliber regular season games.

Buford’s softball season is operating at an elite level under the shadow of its football team’s new $62 million football stadium. It is understandable that the 14-time state champion football team gets a brand-new facility of this quality.

Considering the softball program has won 12 state championships, a facility of 86 percent the value of the football program should be forthcoming soon (~$54 million). 

Everyone knows that behind every great football program, there is a great softball program, and a rising tide of football success also benefits softball: Clemson, Texas, Florida, Buford.

Florida commit Caroline Stanton has the team pointed towards South Commons, and what seems like an inevitable showdown to the ongoing Civil War with East Coweta. 

What is Your Plan? 

As the month of October nears, softball programs across the Peach State begin to rise or fall to their expectations. Teams—careful not to jinx themselves—begin booking room blocks in Columbus.

You can always drop the entire block if you lose in the Super Regionals.

What is your laundry plan?

After four years of research, this investigative reporter could not find a safe location to run uniforms through the wash.  Meal and recovery plans for the teams are critical for player optimization. 

Behind every great team is a couple of team moms that would rather feed their favorite collection of players than sip white wine. 

Let me tell you… Columbus is not a wine and cheese affair.

To get to Columbus, and in order to win in Columbus, it takes administrative commitment, fortitude, and resources. 

In 2022, North Atlanta High won their region and secured the right to host a Super Regional bracket to punch tickets to Columbus. 

However, that school would not step up and provide the necessary resources to host four teams over two days, and thus defaulted hosting to the No. 2 seed.  Of the 64 No. 1 seeds, 56 of them won their bracket on their home field in order to advance to Columbus.

North Atlanta was one of the eight top seeds to fall.  Travel logistics conspire against the away teams.

It is a busy time of year down in Columbus.

The week before the GHSA playoffs take over South Commons—with their approximate 1,000 players, plus coaches, plus administrators and organizers, plus families—the Georgia Independent Sports Association (GISA) will be in Columbus with its Elite Eight championship.

A much smaller version of GHSA, not as voluminous to its prep sibling, but has no lack of quality players coming through. Tatnall Square Academy won the GISA 4A last year with LSU commit Grady Appling leading the way.  

In addition to the tournament, the city of Columbus begins to hold its Fall Festival.

Local vendors begin running their best-in-class specials to catch wondering softball fans. The gas station across from South Commons gears up for the championships by running its legendary special of “buy two Dr. Peppers, get a free hotdog.”

Get there early while supplies last.  Opportunity only knocks once, both for championships and the Dr. Pepper special. 

Don’t get caught kicking yourself later for missing it. 

Other Misc GHSA News 

One of the most exciting and uncertain press releases by GHSA is the potential adoption of a relegation system for its classifications. 

For those that track the European model of soccer, where champions of classifications get promoted, and losers of higher classifications get demoted, this relegation system follows this approach.

This matching success (or lack thereof) and resources does a much more effective job of packing each classification of competitive middle classes.

Details are scarce, and it concerns many softball fans about how the mechanics will operate. Since football is king in Georgia, this proposal is clearly addressing the football landscape.

Will all sports be linked to this wagon? Or will every sport be measured and affected on its own merits? 

Which would be chaos…

— Steve Hickey/for Line Drive Softball