Six reigning Regions Director’s Cup champions joined frequent past winners Blessed Trinity and Walton in taking home the top prizes in the GHSA’s all-sports competition for the 2021-22 school year.
Buford (6A), Marist (4A), Westminster (3A), Lovett (2A), Wesleyan (A Private) and Commerce (A Public) successfully defended their Director’s Cup championships.
For Marist and Westminster, the victories extended their run of dominance. They were the two highest-scoring schools in the state for the second consecutive year, paving the way for their 21st titles in the 22-year history of the Director’s Cup program.
The Director’s Cup competition awards points to each school based on its performances in the playoffs and state meets for the GHSA’s 26 championship sports. Each school’s eight highest-scoring sports for each gender are counted in the standings. The Director’s Cup program began in 1999 and has awarded trophies each year since, with the exception of the 2019-20 school year, when the pandemic led to the cancellation of the spring sports championships.
Westminster scored a state-best 1,484 points to win its classification for the 12th consecutive year. The Wildcats won 10 state championships - boys and girls cross country, boys and girls swimming, boys and girls tennis, boys and girls track, boys golf and girls soccer - and finished 275 points ahead of second-place Greater Atlanta Christian, the largest margin in any classification.
Marist finished with 1,471 points, 152 more than second-place North Oconee, to win Class 4A for the second consecutive year. The War Eagles won nine state championships - boys and girls tennis, boys and girls track, boys swimming, girls basketball, girls cross country, girls soccer and volleyball.
Blessed Trinity of Class 5A won its third Director’s Cup but first since 2009, holding off second-place St. Pius by 83 points. Starr’s Mill, the three-time defending champion in the classification, took third place.
“The most notable thing this year was that it was an accomplishment of our entire athletic program and not just one or two sports,” Blessed Trinity athletic director Ricky Turner said. “We only won one state championship (girls lacrosse) this year, but many of our teams advanced well into the playoffs, and many of our athletes play multiple sports, so winning a Director’s Cup is a great reward for them.”
Walton got a strong effort from its spring sports teams and rallied to dethrone Lambert by 138 points in Class 7A and claim its ninth Director’s Cup (first since 2019). The Raiders earned state championships in boys and girls tennis, girls swimming and volleyball.
Walton and Lambert have combined to produce the top athletic program in the highest classification for nine consecutive seasons.
“I think what enables us to have success year in and year out is the people who all buy in to pulling in the same direction while fulfilling their unique roles, from the student-athletes to the coaches to the faculty to the boosters,” Walton athletic director Chris Williams said.
Wesleyan ran away from the pack in Class A Private to win its fifth consecutive and 11th overall Director’s Cup. Lovett of Class 2A held off region-rival Pace Academy by 44 points in the closest race in any classification. The Directors Cup was the fourth in seven years for the Lions and the sixth overall. Buford won Class 6A for the second consecutive year and claimed its third overall Director’s Cup. Commerce won Class A Public for the second consecutive season and earned its fourth Director’s Cup.
REGIONS DIRECTOR’S CUP
Final Standings
(Top 10 in each classification)
Class 7A
1. Walton – 1,281
2. Lambert – 1,143
3. North Gwinnett – 1,140
4. Mill Creek – 1,099
5. West Forsyth – 1,013
6. Milton – 1,002
7. Harrison – 958
8. Brookwood – 934
9. Hillgrove – 909
10. Alpharetta – 898
Top boys program: Walton (599)
Top girls program: Walton (682)
Class 6A
1. Buford – 1,296
2. Cambridge – 1,187
3. Lassiter – 1,082
4. Pope – 1,073
5. Johns Creek – 1,009
6. Carrollton – 984
7. Creekview – 961
8. Richmond Hill – 960
9. Allatoona – 878
10. Lakeside-Evans – 868
Top boys program: Buford (667)
Top girls program: Lassiter (681)
Class 5A
1. Blessed Trinity – 1,300
2. St. Pius – 1,217
3. Starr’s Mill – 1,160
4. Woodward Academy – 1,130
5. Greenbrier – 979
6. McIntosh – 946
7. Ware County – 896
8. Midtown – 876
9. Calhoun – 852
10. Decatur – 851
Top boys program: Blessed Trinity (626)
Top girls program: Blessed Trinity (674)
Class 4A
1. Marist – 1,471
2. North Oconee – 1,319
3. Jefferson – 1,243
4. Columbus – 1,155
5. West Laurens – 900
6. Perry – 883
7. Central-Carroll – 877
8. Northwest Whitfield – 877
9. Heritage-Catoosa – 875
10. Bainbridge – 771
Top boys program: Marist (706)
Top girls program: Marist (765)
Class 3A
1. Westminster – 1,484
2. Greater Atlanta Christian – 1,209
3. Oconee County – 1,157
4. Cherokee Bluff – 901
5. Southeast Bulloch – 887
6. Pierce County – 879
7. Appling County – 874
8. Morgan County – 857
9. Hart County – 754
10. Mary Persons – 724
Top boys program: Westminster (726)
Top girls program: Westminster (758)
Class 2A
1. Lovett – 1,400
2. Pace Academy – 1,356
3. Bremen – 1,115
4. Vidalia – 1,001
5. Bleckley County – 908
6. Jeff Davis – 846
7. Model – 795
8. Union County – 738
9. Rabun County – 684
10. Banks County – 655
Top boys program: Pace Academy (728)
Top girls program: Lovett (675)
Class A Private
1. Wesleyan – 1,264
2. Holy Innocents’ – 1,103
3. Mount Paran Christian – 941
4. Brookstone – 904
5. Athens Academy – 889
6. First Presbyterian – 815
7. Hebron Christian – 792
8. Whitefield Academy – 777
9. Landmark Christian – 754
10. George Walton Academy – 752
Top boys program: Wesleyan (586)
Top girls program: Wesleyan (678)
Class A Public
1. Commerce – 1,114
2. Social Circle – 936
3. Gordon Lee – 899
4. ACE Charter – 851
5. Lake Oconee Academy – 825
6. Trion – 810
7. Armuchee – 774
8. Georgia Military College – 756
9. Metter – 720
10. Screven County – 600
Top boys program: Social Circle (539)
Top girls program: Commerce (591)
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