Grady Clinches First Region Title Since 2010; 23 Make Class AA-Region 6 Softball Team

FOOTBALL

Grady is the Class AAAAA-Region 6 champion!

The Grey Knights clinched the title with a 15-14 win over Riverwood (Fulton County) last Friday. Senior quarterback Caylin Newton led the way by completing 18-of-25 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns – one to DiMarcus Clay for 47 yards, the other for 80 yards to Jacquez Sloan early in the fourth quarter. Newton then threw to Sloan for the successful two-point conversion attempt that provided the margin of victory for Grady (8-1, 6-0 in Region 5).

This is the first region title in football for Grady since 2010 and the sixth in school history. The Grey Knights will close out the regular season on Friday at Banneker (Fulton County) and then on Nov. 4, enter the Class AAAAA Georgia High School Association (GHSA) state football playoffs as the No. 1 seed from Region 6, where they will host the No. 4 seed from Region 8 – either Walnut Grove (Walton County) or Flowery Branch (Hall County).

In other games involving APS teams over the weekend:

Mays moved one step closer to winning its first region championship since 2003 with a 31-28 victory over Alexander (Douglas County), last Friday at Lakewood Stadium. Junior kicker Chloe Richardson’s 26-yard field goal in the first quarter proved to be the difference, and senior defensive back/receiver AJ Cayetano’s interception in the end zone with less than one minute left to play in the game sealed the win. The Raiders (8-1, 7-0) can win the Class AAAAAA-Region 5 crown outright with a win over Northgate (Coweta County), Friday at Lakewood Stadium.

Douglass will be headed back to the state playoffs for the first time since 2007. The Astros clinched a playoff spot by shutting out KIPP Atlanta Collegiate 41-0, last Saturday at Grady Stadium. Douglass will enter the playoffs on Nov. 4 as the No. 2 or No. 3 seed from Class AA-Region 6.

Carver clinched a home playoff game in the first round of the state playoffs with a 47-0 wipeout of Lithia Springs (Douglas County), last Saturday at Lakewood Stadium. The Panthers will enter the state playoffs as the No. 2 seed from Class AAAAA-Region 6, behind Grady.

South Atlanta closed its regular season with a bang by edging B.E.S.T. Academy 28-27, last Friday at Lakewood Stadium. The Hornets finished with a record of 3-7, 1-5 in Class AA-Region 6. The three wins is the most in a season for South Atlanta since 2012.

Therrell lost to Hapeville Charter (Fulton County) 30-0, and North Atlanta was defeated by Johns Creek (Fulton County) 59-7.

Maynard Jackson got the weekend started right for Atlanta Public Schools teams with a 35-0 win over Decatur, Thursday night at Grady Stadium.

SOFTBALL

APS players dominated the all-region softball team for Class AA-Region 6, as 23 were named to the team, announced last week after a vote by coaches in the region. Here is the list:

Coach of the Year – Jerry Mallett Jr., Coretta Scott King

Player of the Year – Mikayla Hailey, Coretta Scott King

Offensive Player of the Year – Portia Blanchard, South Atlanta

Defensive Player of the Year – Zykeria Davis, South Atlanta

Freshman of the Year – D’Mya Smith, Therrell

All-Region 1st Team
1. Mikayla Hailey – Coretta Scott King

Kaylyn Suggs – Coretta Scott King
Dorrie Moreland – Coretta Scott King
Ashanti Cobb – South Atlanta
Ronkierria Griffin – Therrell
Portia Blanchard – South Atlanta
Markala Hall – Therrell
Sude Suggs – Coretta Scott King
Keosha Hemmingway – South Atlanta

All-Region 2nd Team

Zykeria Davis – South Atlanta
2. Zaria Simmons – South Atlanta
3. Erin Golden – Therrell
4. Cherita Williams – Therrell
5. Qianai Ison – South Atlanta
D’Mya Smith – Therrell
Totiana Lay – South Atlanta
Tykierria Payne – Therrell
Danya Barnett – Therrell

Honorable Mention