The state playoffs begin for the third-ranked volleyball team this week while the season ended in the first round of the state playoffs last week for the softball squad. Football continues to sit in the No. 5 spot in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution AAA poll and are back in action after having the week off. Boys’ cross country has climbed to the top spot in the ga.milesplit.com all-classification poll while maintaining its No. 1-ranking in the AAA poll. Girls’ cross country remains No. 2 in the AAA poll.
The Golden Lion volleyball team will enter the state playoffs this Wednesday as the No. 2 seed out of Area 5-AAA after dropping the area title game to Blessed Trinity. St. Pius (39-17-1) will host the third-seed from Area 6, Morgan County. The Bulldogs have split with a pair of Area 5 teams, losing to East Hall while defeating West Hall. The Golden Lions defeated both teams in the regular season this year. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Boys’ cross country traveled to Jacksonville, Fla., to race in the Bail 'N Trail at Bartram Trail High School. The Golden Lions finished second in the event. Austin Sprague and Calvin Tirrell paced the harriers finishing third and sixth, respectively. Joey Ferrugia completed the course in tenth place. St. Pius will run this weekend at the Coach Wood Invitational in Gainesville.
Girls’ cross country finished seventh at the ASICS Invitational at the McIntosh Nature Preserve in Whitesburg on Saturday. Devon Dabney led the Golden Lions with a 22nd-place finish while Katie Glenn placed 35th. The lady harriers will join the boys at the Coach Wood Invitational this weekend.
Softball was knocked out of the first round of the state playoffs, dropping a best-of-three series to the No. 4-ranked Buford Wolves. The Golden Lions finished the season 11-23.
Competition Cheer recorded a sixth-place finish at the Peachtree Ridge Invitational on Saturday. The squad will participate in the Atlanta Public Schools Meet on Saturday at Douglass High School.
Football will be back in action this Friday night at Maloof Stadium as it hosts Cedar Grove on Parochial Schools Night at 7:30 p.m.
Water polo captured the state championship on Sunday, defeating Collins Hill, 5-4. Mike Peters was named state coach of the year while Sam Beckwith took goalie of the year honors. Beckwith was also named first team all-state along with Josh Chatfield. Zach Halbig was named to the second team.