Skip to main content

GHSA Championships: Buford’s Perfect Season, Wesleyan’s Dynasty, Eastside’s Historic Run

by: Tara Henry11/03/25
Buford Crop

COLUMBUS, Ga. — Championship Saturday at the GHSA Fast Pitch Softball State Championships presented by Mizuno featured 24 programs still fighting for glory across eight divisions.
With all eight championship games being played simultaneously at South Commons, I focused my coverage on three of the marquee divisions — 6A, Private, and 4A — where the nation’s top-ranked programs and premier recruits took center stage.

By the end of the evening, three stories stood above the rest: Buford’s perfection, Wesleyan’s sustained dominance, and Eastside’s long-awaited return to the top.

Buford Completes Perfect Season

The No. 1-ranked team in the country, the Buford Wolves, capped off a perfect 36–0 season with a commanding 16–1 victory over East Coweta, securing their 13th state championship.

Buford’s run of dominance starts in the circle, and few staffs in the nation can match the one-two punch of Florida commit Caroline Stanton, the No. 1 player in the 2026 class, and LSU commit Addie Rackley. The duo allowed just one run over the entire month of October, silencing every opponent in their path. Both also hit in a lineup that can do damage from top to bottom, blending elite speed and power through all nine spots.

East Coweta, the 2024 state champion, ran out of gas after defeating Brookwood 4–2 in the semifinal. Ole Miss commit Jada Savage, who led the Indians to last year’s title with two wins over Buford, did not start or throw in this year’s final, leaving East Coweta to rely on its bullpen against the most complete team in the country.

What makes Buford so dominant? It starts with talent and is sustained by a coaching staff that knows how to facilitate a winning culture. Below head coach Trent Adams explains the impact of the senior class.

“This team is extremely special, and it starts with our four seniors who are absolutely amazing,” Adams said. “Not just on the field, but in the locker room, in the hallways, in the classroom at Buford. They led by example and made each and every girl feel important.”

Freshman phenom LG Goldin was the story of the weekend, hitting .636 with 10 RBIs and two home runs to headline an offense that looked unstoppable. The smooth-fielding shortstop has already solidified herself on the radar of top college programs nationwide.

At the top of the lineup, her older sister Oklahoma State commit Janie Goldin sets the tone with a dangerous mix of speed and gap power. Georgia Tech commit Summer Castorri followed with multiple hard-hit shots and a home run, while Rackley continued to prove why she’s considered one of the most athletic two-way players in the 2026 class and a future Swiss Army knife for the Tigers.

In the cleanup spot, Brooklyn Atha doesn’t fit the typical four-hole frame but has undeniable pop and elite barrel control, soon bound for Mississippi State. Stanton followed her own dominance in the circle with a home run, helping her cause in the championship blowout.

Down the order, Liberty commit Ella Pierce Hensley added a home run in Buford’s semifinal win over Brookwood, followed by South Carolina commit Kadyn Gabrels, LG Goldin, and Lydia Hamrick — giving Buford a lineup that mirrored a 2025 Texas Longhorns build: top-end power, relentless speed, and zero breathing room for pitchers.

Private Division: Wesleyan Extends Its Dynasty

In the Private Division, Wesleyan cemented its dynasty with a fifth straight state championship, once again powered by Furman commit Jessica Epps in the circle. Epps’ ability to command the zone and shoulder innings gave the Wolves all they needed to run the table.

At the plate, Florida commit Shayla Bahr added another chapter to her legendary career. Bahr broke Jahni Kerr’s program record for career hits (204) during the title game with a pair of home runs, finishing her senior season with a 1.645 OPS, 10 home runs, and 33 RBIs from the leadoff spot. Her elite athleticism and balance at the plate mirror a young Jayda Coleman, combining speed, power, and poise.

Ole Miss commit Avery Tucker, hitting in the two-hole, went back-to-back with Bahr in the championship game — a fitting exclamation point for the program’s senior core. Behind them, sophomore Siena Myers provided steady defense behind the plate and showed emerging power, while Rhiyan Fairman delivered one of the weekend’s biggest swings — a three-run, extra-inning blast against Prince Avenue Christian to propel Wesleyan back to the finals.

With Bahr, Tucker, and Epps set to graduate, Wesleyan will need to reload but the standard remains the same.

Eastside Captures First Title Since 1999

Few stories in Columbus matched Eastside’s resilience. After a heartbreaking one-run loss to Kell on Friday night, the Lady Eagles battled through three straight elimination games on Saturday, playing 24 innings over nearly eight hours, to capture the program’s first state championship since 1999.

Led by Memphis commit Kylee Lawrence and Stetson commit Eva Davis, who split duties in the circle, Eastside clawed its way past Harris County in a 10-inning thriller before taking down Kell twice (5–3 and 9–6) to hoist the trophy.

Offensively, Georgia Tech commit Donee Morain and Ansley Hartman anchored the lineup, while a trio of seniors — Allie Vaughn (Coastal Carolina), Savannah Griffin (Gardner-Webb), and Avery Jewell — brought the long ball to life in key moments.

The defense stepped up when it mattered most, highlighted by sophomore Kamryn Davis’s grab in left field to rob a home run.

Kell’s effort shouldn’t go unnoticed either. Alabama commit Lyla Morici showcased her trademark dropball and offensive pop, homering in two games against Eastside. Junior Sami Shackelford and Virginia Tech commit Anna Bardeen kept the Longhorns within reach, but Eastside’s offense ultimately proved too much, exploding for nine runs in the first three innings of the decisive game.

Other GHSA Champions

5A: Creekview High School

3A: Heritage-Catoosa

2A: Sonoraville High School

1A Division I: Bremen High School

1A Division II: Lanier County High School

See official GHSA results and highlights →


You may also like