Mount Paran Christian Softball Wins 2026 State Title

Mount Paran Christian School secured its second state softball championship in program history on Saturday in Columbus. The Lady Eagles defeated Prince Avenue Christian by a score of 17-7 in the GHSA Class A-AAAA Private State Championship game. This victory marks the team's first title since 2020.

The team finished the season with a 25-9 record. They entered the playoffs with a strong regular season, playing against competitors such as Creekview, Woodstock, North Paulding, Hillgrove, Kennesaw Mountain, and Blessed Trinity. The squad maintained a 10-game winning streak that carried them to the state finals.

Head Coach Greg Giles credited the school environment for the team's success. He stated that the players are in the right place and that the families support the team as desired. Giles noted that the administration and alumni provided the necessary backing for the championship run.

Sophomore Sophia Blane was named the tournament Most Valuable Player. She hit two home runs in the final game, including a walk-off homer that ended the contest. Blane also served as the starting pitcher, striking out four batters. Sophomore Rebecca Cunane added two strikeouts in relief to keep Prince Avenue Christian from regaining a lead.

The championship game featured a decisive fourth-inning rally. Freshman Mary Norton started the surge with a grand slam. The Eagles collected four hits and scored six runs in that inning to take a 10-5 lead. Norton had earlier helped build a 3-0 first-inning lead with an RBI single.

Kira Driggers, a Clemson commit, set a new single-season school record with 18 home runs. In the final game, she drew five walks, including one with the bases loaded. Ava Mosley and Maddie Pendley both collected multiple hits. Mosley hit her first career home run during the championship game, which Coach Giles said helped close out the victory.

The defensive performance was error-free behind the plate. Ninth-grade catcher Katie Lussier anchored the defense throughout the game. The offense collected 13 hits in the final and scored 45 runs across its four victories in the winner's bracket.

The team overcame a 2-0 deficit in the Friday semifinal against Hebron Christian. Blane hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning to help secure a 5-2 win. Giles noted that the team had seven new faces, six of whom were freshmen, and that they began to click about three weeks prior to the tournament.

The tournament results were as follows: Mount Paran Christian beat North Cobb Christian 9-1 on Wednesday. They defeated Pace Academy 14-9 on Thursday. The semifinal victory over Hebron Christian came Friday. The final win against Prince Avenue Christian concluded the undefeated week. The team outscored all playoff opponents 74-28.