With the recent announcement of Spring Sports Teams of the Year, a few of those programs met the criteria to be placed in the BLITZ Hall of Fame (Teams). LEARN MORE

Commerce Lady Tigers

Coach: Scott Tolbert
Record: 19-2
Accomplishments: 1A DI State Final 4, Region 8-A DI Champions, #1 State Ranking

Fresh off a State Runner-Up finish, the Lady Tigers were ranked #1 in the state nearly wire-to-wire. National Player of the Year Top-50 Watch List and Ivy League commit Ivy Tolbert (Cornell) had a sensational season once again. The junior midfielder posted 87 goals and 50 assists, and senior midfielder teammates Chloe Diaz (47 G, 41 A) and Kate Hill (32 G, 31 A), as well as sophomore center back Sara English guided Commerce to the Final 4. The team outscored opponents 172-25 throughout the season, went 10-0 at home, and 19-2 overall while taking the Region 8-A DI title with ease. A 19-match win streak was alive until the 3-2 Final 4 loss to Mt. Vernon. Prior to that came an 11-1 win over Pepperell in the first round, 3-2 win over Atlanta International in the Sweet 16, and a 10-0 blanking of Bleckley County in the Elite 8.

Towns County Lady Indians

Coach: Clay Livingston
Record: 8-6-1
Accomplishments: 1A DII State Runner-Up, #2 State Ranking

Towns County’s record doesn’t show how good this team was. Everyone knew the slow start was due to Towns County’s girls basketball team making a deep playoff run into the Elite 8. It was only a matter of time before the Lady Indians got their core players such as Sarah Shook and Laura Mauldin back into the fold. So a team that started out 1-5-1 with losses to Hart, Rabun, Banks, Aquinas, and Lake Oconee Academy, and earned a draw against Franklin suddenly turned on a dime. Towns got the whole group together and won 7 straight games until the season-ending playoff loss in the State Championship to Aquinas. Seniors center mid Shook (11 G, 11 A), defender Alana Stowers (3 G, 4 A), and forward Jayden Taylor (21 G, 6 A) led along with Mauldin between the posts. Towns County earned a first round bye before an 8-3 win in the Sweet 16 over Portal. That was followed by a 2-0 Elite 8 win over Hawkinsville and a win in PKs over Lake Oconee Academy in the Final 4. A first-ever State Championship match came next and was a tough loss to Aquinas. It was a remarkable season for a veteran team that put up 3 straight Final 4 runs.

Union County Panthers

Coach: Tim Hunter
Record: 12-4
Accomplishments: 2A State Final 4, Region 8-AA Runner-Up, #3 State Ranking

Union County went 12-4 overall and rode all the way to the Final 4. The Panthers did it with an incredible defense first and foremost, as the team only scored 47 goals all season. However, Union allowed just 25 scores, and had a 7-match win streak early in the season. After falling to third in the region, the Panthers went on a tear in the playoffs, earning 3 straight 1-0 wins over North Murray (first round), Walker (Sweet 16), and Putnam (Elite 8). Game-winning goals, in order, came from Benton Gregory, Zuriel Mancillas, and Evan Bohms. The loss to Tattnall County in the Final 4 saw Union take an early lead before giving up a second half goal and in each overtime half. Of Union’s 4 losses, 3 were on the road against 2 state champion teams and one state runner-up. Standouts included SR keeper Trent Baker (3 GA, 0.51 GAA, 6 Shutouts), JR CM Bohms (9 G, 7 A), JR CM Mancillas (5 G, 9 A), SR D Isaiah Ortiz (1 G, 2 A, 6 Shutouts), and SR F Wilson Walker (17 G, 4 A).

Lumpkin County Indians

Coach: Paul Hoch
Record: 17-5
Accomplishments: 3A State Final 4, Region 7-AAA Runner-Up, Top-10 State Ranking

Despite being denied a Region Championship in a tough Region 7-AAA, the Indians shrugged off a Runner-Up finish to get all the way to the Final 4, and take a tough 3-2 loss to Savannah City Day to close out with a fantastic season. Lumpkin went 17-5 overall and 5-1 in region play, and just rolled through the playoff bracket with wins over Franklin County (Rnd 1), Bremen (Sweet 16), and Morgan County (Elite 8). The strength of the team was in the doubles lines, where Will Bicknell and Jack Lowry teamed up to go 9-2 overall and 4-0 in the state tourney at 1-doubles. The senior duo was followed by the 2-doubles team of brothers Will (JR) and Jack McKinney (SO), who were 11-1 overall and 4-0 in the tournament. Sophomore Bricen Popko at 3-singles was solid at 13-4 overall, and went 3-1 in the state playoffs as well.

White County Lady Warriors

Coach: Esta Johnson
Accomplishments: 3A State Runner-Up, Area 4-AAA Champions; #2 State Ranking

The Lady Warriors penned a new chapter with 1st-year head coach Esta Johnson, yet carried on the strong legacy of the program. White County finished as State Runner-Up in Class 3A, carrying a #2 state ranking. That came after an Area Championship as well. The Lady Warriors featured sophomore standouts Cameron Kimsey (14th at state), Layne Graham (9th), and BilliKayl Allison (28th). Junior Aubrey Free (22nd) and freshman Maddie Kate Hall (also 22nd) rounded out the young and talented group!