Nine Georgia high schools won their first-ever state championships in sports this academic year and were among 69 schools overall that claimed the 163 state titles awarded by the Georgia High School Association.
Westminster captured the most titles with eight. The Buckhead private school has won 287 state titles recorded by the GHSA, by far the most among Georgia schools. Westminster has won no fewer than five state titles each of the past 10 years.
Blessed Trinity, Buford, Gordon Lee and Marist won four state titles apiece in 2017-18. (See lists at bottom.) Benedictine, Jefferson, McIntosh, Milton, Parkview and Wesleyan each won three.
Those schools are accustomed to winning championships. It was a special year for the nine that hadn’t.
Raising GHSA trophies for the first time were Creekview, Dutchtown, Hapeville Charter, Johnson-Gainesville, Lake Oconee Academy, Riverside Military Academy, Rutland, Sonoraville and Spalding.
Lake Oconee’s Class A girls golf championship corresponded with the school’s first graduating class. Lake Oconee is a charter school in Greensboro that first competed in varsity GHSA sports in 2016-17.
Most of the rest opened between 2000 and 2010. Those include Creekview of Cherokee County (softball), Dutchtown of Henry (boys track), Hapeville Charter of Fulton (football), Rutland of Macon (girls golf), Sonoraville of Calhoun (wrestling) and Spalding of Griffin (girls basketball).
The oldest schools breaking through – by far – were Johnson and Riverside Military, both of Gainesville
Johnson dates to 1958, when the school opened as South Hall. It became Johnson in the early 1970s. Johnson defeated McIntosh 1-0 in the Class AAAAA boys soccer final after runner-up finishes in 2014 and 2016.
"There is not one community in the state that deserves this more than Johnson, and that's from the high school all the way down to the middle school,'' Johnson coach Brian Shirley told the Gainesville Times. "We're so blessed to get to do this for the community. I'm so happy to see this after our guys worked their butts off all year."
Riverside, the Class A private-school champion in boys track and field, was established in 1907. But the military boarding school was not a traditional member of the GHSA until the 1980s. It also had a brief stint in the Georgia Independent School Association and won a football state-championship in that organization in 2005.
State titles by school:
Alexander - Track (Girls)
Allatoona - Track (Boys)
Alpharetta - Soccer (Girls)
Aquinas - Basketball (Boys)
Armuchee - Cheerleading
Banks County - Cross Country (Boys)
Benedictine (3) - Baseball, Soccer (Boys), Tennis (Boys)
Bleckley County (2) - Cross Country (Girls), Tennis (Girls)
Blessed Trinity (4) - Football, Lacrosse (Boys), Lacrosse (Girls), Swimming (Girls)
Brookwood (2) - Swimming (Boys), Swimming (Girls)
Buford (4) - Basketball (Girls), Track (Girls), Wrestling (Duals), Wrestling (Traditional)
Calhoun (2) - Football, Softball (Fastpitch)
Calvary Day - Volleyball
Cambridge (2) - Cross Country (Boys), Cross Country (Girls)
Camden County (2) - Wrestling (Duals), Wrestling (Traditional)
Carrollton - Cheerleading
Cedar Grove - Track (Boys)
Chamblee - Tennis (Girls)
Chapel Hill (2) - Cheerleading, Track (Girls)
Chattahoochee - Soccer (Boys)
Clinch County - Football
Columbus - Golf (Boys)
Commerce (2) - Wrestling (Duals), Wrestling (Traditional)
Coosa - Volleyball
Creekview - Softball (Fastpitch)
Dalton - Swimming (Boys)
Darlington - Golf (Girls)
Dutchtown - Track (Boys)
Eagle's Landing Christian - Football
East Coweta - Softball (Fastpitch)
Elbert County - Track (Boys)
First Presbyterian - Soccer (Girls)
Flowery Branch - Tennis (Boys)
Georgia Military - Cross Country (Boys)
Gordon Lee (4) - Baseball, Cheerleading, Golf (Boys), Softball (Fastpitch)
Greater Atlanta Christian - Basketball (Boys)
Greenville - Basketball (Girls)
Hapeville Charter - Football
Haralson County - Softball (Slowpitch)
Harrison - Volleyball
Hebron Christian - Cross Country (Boys)
Holy Innocents' - Golf (Boys)
Irwin County - Tennis (Boys)
Jefferson (3) - Baseball, Wrestling (Duals), Wrestling (Traditional)
Johns Creek (2) - Golf (Boys), Tennis (Boys)
Johnson-Gainesville - Soccer (Boys)
Johnson-Savannah - Basketball (Girls)
Lake Oconee Academy - Golf (Girls)
Lambert (2) - Lacrosse (Boys), Soccer (Boys)
Landmark Christian - Cross Country (Girls)
Laney - Basketball (Girls)
Langston Hughes - Basketball (Boys)
Lee County - Football
Locust Grove - Softball (Fastpitch)
Loganville - Baseball
Lovejoy - Basketball (Girls)
Lovett (2) - Baseball, Tennis (Boys)
Marietta (2) - Cross Country (Girls), Track (Girls)
Marist (4) - Cross Country (Boys), Cross Country (Girls), Soccer (Girls), Volleyball
McIntosh (3) - Cross Country (Boys), Cross Country (Girls), Volleyball
Meadowcreek - Basketball (Boys)
Metter - Golf (Boys)
Mill Creek - Golf (Boys)
Milton (3) – Cheerleading (Co-ed), Cross Country (Boys), Lacrosse (Girls)
Monroe - Track (Girls)
Montgomery County - Track (Boys)
Mount Paran Christian - Cheerleading
North Gwinnett (2) - Football, Golf (Girls)
North Hall - Wrestling (Duals)
North Oconee (2) - Tennis (Boys), Tennis (Girls)
Northgate - Cheerleading
Northside, Columbus - Softball (Fastpitch)
Northview (2) - Golf (Girls), Tennis (Girls)
Northwest Whitfield - Soccer (Boys)
Pace Academy - Volleyball
Paideia - Soccer (Boys)
Parkview (3) - Baseball, Soccer (Girls), Track (Boys)
Pierce County - Cheerleading
Pope (2) - Baseball, Swimming (Girls)
Richmond Hill (2) - Wrestling (Duals), Wrestling (Traditional)
Riverside Military - Track (Boys)
Rockmart - Softball (Fastpitch)
Rome - Football
Rutland - Golf (Girls)
Social Circle (2) - Wrestling (Duals), Wrestling (Traditional)
Sonoraville - Wrestling (Traditional)
South Forsyth (2) - Cheerleading, Tennis (Boys)
Spalding - Basketball (Girls)
St. Pius (2) - Swimming (Boys), Track (Boys)
St. Vincent's (2) - Golf (Girls), Soccer (Girls)
Starr's Mill (2) - Golf (Boys), Golf (Girls)
Stratford Academy - Tennis (Boys)
Tattnall Square - Baseball
Telfair County (2) - Cross Country (Girls), Track (Girls)
Thomasville - Basketball (Boys)
Trion - Tennis (Girls)
Upson-Lee - Basketball (Boys)
Vidalia - Track (Girls)
Walker - Tennis (Girls)
Walton (2) - Tennis (Girls), Volleyball
Ware County - Riflery (Air Rifle)
Warner Robins - Basketball (Boys)
Wesleyan (3) - Basketball (Girls), Softball (Fastpitch), Track (Girls)
West Forsyth - Gymnastics (Girls)
Westlake - Basketball (Girls)
Westminster (8) - Cross Country (Boys), Cross Country (Girls), Golf (Boys), Soccer (Boys), Soccer (Girls), Swimming (Boys), Swimming (Girls), Tennis (Girls)
Whitewater - Soccer (Girls)
Wilkinson County - Basketball (Boys)
Woodward Academy - Golf (Girls)
State titles by sport:
Baseball
Parkview – 7A
Pope – 6A
Loganville – 5A
Jefferson – 4A
Lovett – 3A
Benedictine – 2A
Gordon Lee – 1A (PUB)
Tattnall Square Academy – 1A (PRI)
Basketball (Boys)
Meadowcreek – 7A
Langston Hughes – 6A
Warner Robins – 5A
Upson-Lee – 4A
Greater Atlanta Christian – 3A
Thomasville – 2A
Wilkinson County – 1A (PUB)
Aquinas – 1A (PRI)
Basketball (Girls)
Westlake – 7A
Lovejoy – 6A
Buford – 5A
Spalding – 4A
Johnson-Savannah – 3A
Laney – 2A
Greenville – 1A (PUB)
Wesleyan – 1A (PRI)
Cheerleading
South Forsyth – 7A
Northgate – 6A
Carrollton – 5A
Chapel Hill – 4A
Pierce County – 3A
Armuchee – 2A
Gordon Lee – 1A (PUB)
Mount Paran Christian – 1A (PRI)
Milton – Co-ed
Cross Country (Boys)
Milton – 7A
Cambridge – 6A
McIntosh – 5A
Marist – 4A
Westminster – 3A
Banks County – 2A
Georgia Military – 1A (PUB)
Hebron Christian – 1A (PRI)
Cross Country (Girls)
Marietta – 7A
Cambridge – 6A
McIntosh – 5A
Marist – 4A
Westminster – 3A
Bleckley County – 2A
Telfair County – 1A (PUB)
Landmark Christian – 1A (PRI)
Football
North Gwinnett – 7A
Lee County – 6A
Rome – 5A
Blessed Trinity – 4A
Calhoun – 3A
Hapeville Charter – 2A
Clinch County – 1A (PUB)
Eagle's Landing Christian – 1A (PRI)
Golf (Boys)
Mill Creek – 7A
Johns Creek – 6A
Starr's Mill – 5A
Columbus – 4A
Westminster – 3A
Metter – 2A
Gordon Lee – 1A (PUB)
Holy Innocents' – 1A (PRI)
Golf (Girls)
North Gwinnett – 7A
Northview – 6A
Starr's Mill – 5A
Woodward Academy – 4A
Rutland – 3A
St. Vincent's – 2A
Lake Oconee Academy – 1A (PUB)
Darlington – 1A (PRI)
Gymnastics
West Forsyth – OPEN
Lacrosse (Boys)
Lambert – 7A/6A
Blessed Trinity – 5A-1A
Milton – 7A/6A
Blessed Trinity – 5A-1A
Riflery (Air Rifle)
Ware County – OPEN
Soccer (Boys)
Lambert – 7A
Chattahoochee – 6A
Johnson-Gainesville – 5A
Northwest Whitfield – 4A
Westminster – 3A
Benedictine – 2A
Paideia – 1A
Soccer (Girls)
Parkview – 7A
Alpharetta – 6A
Whitewater – 5A
Marist – 4A
Westminster – 3A
St. Vincent's – 2A
First Presbyterian – 1A
Softball (Fastpitch)
East Coweta – 7A
Creekview – 6A
Locust Grove – 5A
Northside-Columbus – 4A
Calhoun – 3A
Rockmart – 2A
Gordon Lee – 1A (PUB)
Wesleyan – 1A (PRI)
Softball (Slowpitch)
Haralson County – OPEN
Swimming (Boys)
Brookwood – 7A
Dalton – 6A
St. Pius – 5A/4A
Westminster – 3A-1A
Brookwood – 7A
Pope – 6A
Blessed Trinity – 5A/4A
Westminster – 3A-1A
Tennis (Boys)
South Forsyth – 7A
Johns Creek – 6A
Flowery Branch – 5A
North Oconee – 4A
Lovett – 3A
Benedictine – 2A
Irwin County – 1A (PUB)
Stratford Academy – 1A (PRI)
Tennis (Girls)
Walton – 7A
Northview – 6A
Chamblee – 5A
North Oconee – 4A
Westminster – 3A
Bleckley County – 2A
Trion – 1A (PUB)
Walker – 1A (PRI)
Track (Boys)
Parkview – 7A
Allatoona – 6A
Dutchtown – 5A
St. Pius – 4A
Cedar Grove – 3A
Elbert County – 2A
Montgomery County – 1A (PUB)
Riverside Military Academy – 1A (PRI)
Track (Girls)
Marietta – 7A
Alexander – 6A
Buford – 5A
Chapel Hill – 4A
Monroe – 3A
Vidalia – 2A
Telfair County – 1A (PUB)
Wesleyan – 1A (PRI)
Volleyball
Walton – 7A
Harrison – 6A
McIntosh – 5A
Marist – 4A
Pace Academy – 3A
Coosa – 2A
Calvary Day – 1A
Wrestling (Duals)
Camden County – 7A
Richmond Hill – 6A
Buford – 5A
Jefferson – 4A
North Hall – 3A
Social Circle – 2A
Commerce – 1A
Wrestling (Traditional)
Camden County – 7A
Richmond Hill – 6A
Buford – 5A
Jefferson – 4A
Sonoraville – 3A
Social Circle – 2A
Commerce – 1A
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