Captivating matchups and state title hopefuls prepare volleyball championship stage

The GHSA Volleyball State Championships return to the LakePoint Sports Champions Center for two days (Oct. 29-30) of captivating championship showdowns. Class A-3A Private, 5A, 3A and A will compete in a four-match marathon on Wednesday and the action will conclude on Thursday with Class 2A, 4A and 6A. In total, the 14 state finalists share a whopping 56 all-time state titles and there will be four teams hunting for first-ever championships this week.

In Class 6A, two-time defending state champion Alpharetta and 15-time state champion Walton will meet in the finals and neither team has lost within Class 6A this season. Alpharetta’s lone loss came on Aug. 9 to Cartersville (2-1) and the Raiders have won 32-straight since including a 3-2 victory over the Canes on Sept. 25 to avenge that loss. Walton carries a nine-match win-streak into the championship and a 27-6 overall record with its losses coming to Class 5A’s Pope and Woodward Academy, Class 4A’s Cartersville, Pace Academy and Marist and a loss to Class A-3A’s Mt. Paran. Walton’s last state title came in 2021 and the Raiders are battle tested after sweeping No. 2 ranked Buford 3-0 in the quarterfinals and rallying back from a 0-2 deficit to defeat No. 4 ranked North Forsyth 3-2 in the semifinals.

FAMILIAR FOES

Class 5A’s finals will stage the fourth meeting of the season between powerhouses Woodward Academy and McIntosh. McIntosh defeated Woodward Academy 2-0 in the first meeting on Sept. 11 at home, but then Woodward Academy hosted the Chiefs and won 2-0 on Sept. 20 and again 3-2 on Oct. 7. The home team has won in all three matches this season and a neutral court makes this matchup incredibly intriguing. For Woodward Academy, the War Eagles have won nine all-time state titles, but have not won a championship since 2010. McIntosh has seven all-time state crowns and is one match away from its first since 2023.

Pace Academy is looking to make history and capture its ninth-straight state title on Thursday against a Marist team that has the opportunity to win its first since 2021 and 11th all-time championship. The teams have not faced this season, but last year saw Pace Academy rally back from a 25-22 loss in the first set to defeat the War Eagles 3-1 in the semifinals.

BREAKOUT PERFORMANCES

Class 3A will have a new champion this year as Whitewater eliminated defending state champion Jefferson 3-1 in the quarterfinals. The Wildcats followed up their road win over the Dragons with a 3-2 road win over Calhoun and have an opportunity to win their third all-time state title and first since 2012. Facing No. 6 seed Whitewater will be No. 13 seeded Cherokee Bluff—who is also battle tested. The Bears scored a 3-2 road win over North Hall in the quarterfinals and a 3-2 road win over No. 1 seed Richmond Academy in the semifinals. Now, the Bears have a chance to win the school’s first-ever state title.

Ringgold punched its ticket to the Class 2A finals with gutsy five-set victories over Columbus in the quarterfinals and Franklin County in the semifinals and is now one win away from achieving its first-ever state title. The Tigers will take on No. 1 ranked Morgan County and the Bulldogs have an opportunity to capture back-to-back state titles for the first time in school history.

Class A’s showdown between Bremen and Oglethorpe County is the only championship this year that is guaranteed to crown a first-time state champion. No. 3 seeded Oglethorpe County emerged out of the same quadrant as defending state champion Elite Scholar’s Academy and defeated Commerce, Armuchee, Lake Oconee Academy and Gordon Lee to reach the finals. Last season, Elite Scholar’s Academy defeated both Oglethorpe County (3-1 in the quarterfinals) and Bremen (3-1 in the semifinals) before taking down Gordon Lee in the finals. No. 1 ranked Bremen has conquered a deep playoff field with victories over Crawford County, Dade County, Fannin County and Chattooga to reach the finals.

Class A-3A Private finalist Hebron Christian (47-2) joins Alpharetta, Pace Academy and Morgan County as teams with a chance to defend their state titles and the Golden Lions carry a state-best 40-match win-streak into its showdown with Lovett. Hebron has three all-time state titles and Lovett will be looking for its second all-time state crown and first since 2012. The Lions (41-3) have only dropped matches to Assumption (KY), Walton and Blessed Trinity this season and their young roster has an opportunity to berth a potential dynasty on Wednesday.

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