All six schools that won Region Directors Cup trophies in 2014-15 repeated as champions in the recently concluded school year, a first in the 17-year history of the GHSA’s all-sports competition.
Lambert, Starr’s Mill, Marist, Westminster, Lovett and Commerce combined to win 24 state championships in the past 12 months to secure the all-sports titles, winning some of the closest races in the award’s history.
The Directors Cup competition awards points to each school based on its performances in the playoffs and state meets for the GHSA’s 24 sports. Each school’s eight highest-scoring sports for each gender are counted in the standings.
The closest competition came in AAA, where Westminster held off Region 4-AAA rival Blessed Trinity by 11 points in a race that wasn’t decided until the baseball championship series, the final event of the academic year on the GHSA calendar. Westminster beat Blessed Trinity 2-1 and 7-6 in the best-of-three series to win the state title and clinch its 16th Directors Cup in 17 years.
“It seems only fitting that the determination of the Directors Cup would come down to a bases-loaded, two-out scenario with Blessed Trinity,” said Tim Downes, Westminster’s director of athletics. “It's been a wonderful rivalry and one that has made us better. We'll miss that [Blessed Trinity moves to AAAA in the fall] but are also excited about developing new annual rivalries.”
Westminster won a state-best seven championships – football, boys swimming, boys tennis, boys golf, baseball, girls cross country and girls soccer – and finished with 1,380 points. Blessed Trinity won three state titles and finished second in seven other sports, including four in which Westminster won the championship.
Marist of Class AAAA continued its amazing run by winning the Directors Cup for the 17th consecutive season. The War Eagles took home state titles in boys cross country, boys tennis, boys golf, girls cross country and girls swimming and finished with a state-best 1,387 points.
Lovett won the Class AA competition, leading a parade of Region 6-AA teams at the top of the leader board. Lovett won state championships in baseball, boys tennis, girls soccer and girls cross country and finished with 1,252 points to win its fourth Directors Cup. The Lions were joined in the top five by region rivals Wesleyan (1,222 points), Pace Academy (1,144), Greater Atlanta Christian (1,052) and Holy Innocents’ (1,049.5).
Public schools won the other three classifications, each claiming the Directors Cup for the second time. In AAAAAA, Lambert won state championships in cheerleading, boys lacrosse, girls swimming and girls golf and finished with 1,194 points. That was 18.5 points better than Walton, which was the runner-up for the second consecutive year after winning the previous two Cups.
Class AAAAA Starr’s Mill claimed the title despite not winning a state championship in any sport. However, the Panthers were runners-up in cheerleading and boys tennis and had top-eight finishes in 12 sports.
Class A Commerce claimed state titles in wrestling (traditional and duals), cheerleading and boys track and finished with 980 points, 36.5 ahead of runner-up First Presbyterian.
REGIONS DIRECTORS CUP
Final Standings
(Top 15 in each classification)
Class AAAAAA
- Lambert – 1,194
- Walton – 1,175.5
- Mill Creek – 1,008.5
- Brookwood – 989
- Etowah – 910
- Harrison – 899
- Collins Hill – 871.7
- Johns Creek – 788.5
- East Coweta – 781
- Milton – 779
- North Gwinnett – 752
- South Forsyth – 740
- Hillgrove – 735
- Archer – 728
- Pope – 709
Class AAAAA
- Starr's Mill – 1,172
- Cambridge – 1,144
- Allatoona – 1,092
- McIntosh – 997
- Northgate – 868
- Columbus – 838
- Dunwoody – 808.5
- Lakeside-Evans – 755
- Gainesville – 739.5
- Union Grove – 720
- Northside-Columbus – 684
- Creekview – 653.5
- Greenbrier – 633
- Flowery Branch – 552
- Winder-Barrow – 549
Class AAAA
- Marist – 1,387
- Buford – 1,283
- Woodward Academy – 1,195.5
- St. Pius – 1,168.5
- North Oconee – 1,022
- North Hall – 890.5
- Carrollton – 787.5
- Heritage-Catoosa – 750
- Veterans – 700
- Cartersville – 684
- Whitewater – 643
- Wayne County – 642
- Grady – 627.5
- West Laurens – 576.3
- Chamblee – 575.5
Class AAA
- Westminster – 1,380
- Blessed Trinity – 1,369
- Oconee County – 1,091
- Calhoun – 1,065
- Jefferson – 939.5
- Morgan County – 687.3
- Decatur – 655
- Central-Carroll – 651.5
- Sonoraville – 632
- Jackson County – 629.5
- Dawson County – 615
- Pierce County – 606
- Peach County – 579
- Jackson – 538
- East Jackson – 537.5
Class AA
- Lovett – 1,252
- Wesleyan – 1,222
- Pace Academy – 1,144
- Greater Atlanta Christian – 1,052
- Holy Innocents' – 1,049.5
- Bremen – 983
- Vidalia – 872
- Bleckley County – 791
- Rabun County – 773
- Darlington – 735.5
- Union County – 659
- Fitzgerald – 650
- Social Circle – 644.5
- Model – 591
- Lamar County – 588
Class A
- Commerce – 980
- First Presbyterian – 943.5
- Stratford Academy – 932.5
- Trion – 906
- Eagle's Landing Christian – 882.5
- Mount Paran Christian – 859
- Athens Academy – 847
- Landmark Christian – 796
- Savannah Christian – 732
- Telfair County – 704
- Brookstone – 697
- Hebron Christian – 673
- Georgia Military – 643.5
- Fellowship Christian – 623
- Paideia – 622.5
