Calvary baseball to host state semifinal series after (another) playoff series sweep

Calvary Day’s baseball team is aiming to do something it hasn’t done since 2007 – win a Georgia High School Association (GHSA) state championship. Thanks to their third straight series sweep in the Class 3A state playoffs, the Cavs are now just four wins away from doing just that.

Calvary (24-5 record) won both ends of a doubleheader against visiting Dawson County on Saturday at Grayson Stadium. Head coach Phillip Lee’s team won a rain-delayed-game, 7-3, in the series opener and followed it up with an 11-3 clinching victory in the nightcap.

They haven’t lost a game since April 6, winning 11 consecutive and 21 of 23.
The Cavs began the year ranked No. 4 in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution Class 3A preseason poll; they entered the state playoffs (after winning the region 3-3A title) as the state’s No. 3 ranked club.

After a universal coin flip by the GHSA last week, Calvary now gets another home series in the semifinal round (May 10-11) versus Mary Persons, which swept Wesleyan in their quarterfinal series on Saturday. The Bulldogs (23-12) hail from Forsyth, Georgia and they finished the regular season ranked No. 9 by the AJC.

Seven of the 12 MP losses this season have come by one run.

Specifics on the series schedule were finalized on Sunday. A doubleheader will be played Friday, May 10 starting at 4pm. The “if” game is set for Saturday, May 11, also at 4pm.

Calvary won its two state championships in baseball under former head coach Kevin Farmer in 2005 and 2007. In 2007, Calvary swept every series on its road to clinching a state title. Now the school’s head coach and Athletic Director, Lee is a former CDS baseball player and a graduate of Calvary Day School.
Greater Savannah Athletic Hall of Fame banquet set for Monday
The Greater Savannah Athletic Hall of Fame (GSAHOF) announced last month the 2024 inductees and award winners set to be honored on Monday, May 6 at the Hall’s annual banquet. The banquet begins at 6pm.

Below are the inductees and honorees for this year, as well as information on the GSAHOF.

Athletes
Donald Chumley – Groves High School Football, University of Georgia 1981-1984. Drafted by the Forty-Niners in ’85 NFL Draft, Played for Calgary Stampeders in the CFL

Kris Edge – Savannah Christian Preparatory School Baseball, University of Georgia Baseball 1999-2002

Frank Kearse – Savannah High School Football, Alabama A&M, Drafted by the Dolphins in the 2011 NFL Draft, 5-year NFL career with the Panthers, Cowboys, and Redskins

Jason Shiell – Windsor Forest High School Baseball, Drafted by the Braves in the 1995 MLB Draft. 13-year professional baseball career, including 3 years in Major League Baseball with Atlanta, San Diego, and Boston

Citation
Danny Britt – Benedictine – Head Football Coach
Julie Jones – Savannah Christian Prep – Head Volleyball Coach

Calhoun Award
Luke Kromenhoek – Benedictine – Quarterback

MA Spellman Award
Forest City Gun Club Juniors Team

Student Athletes
Will Hampton (Baseball - Calvary Day)
Caleb Jones (Boys Basketball - Benedictine)
Stella Oelschig (Girls Basketball - Savannah Country Day)
Jake Merklinger (Football - Calvary Day)
Wesley Hooker (Boys Soccer - Savannah Country Day)
Abby Walsh (Girls Soccer - Calvary Day)
Payton Livingston (Softball - Savannah Christian Prep)
Finn Higginbotham (Volleyball - Savannah Arts Academy)

Each year, the GSAHOF accepts nominations from the community for athletes and citation honorees to be considered for induction. The Hall’s board then evaluates those nominations to determine who will be inducted in any given year.
For a candidate to be considered as an athlete, the athlete must have spent his or her formative years (participating in area schools) in Savannah and must be either retired from competition for five or more years or be at least 40 years old. Distinguished athletes from any sport can be nominated for consideration.

A citation honoree may be a person or an organization that has made substantial contributions to Savannah area athletics via coaching, promoting or supporting athletics here. Citation honorees do not have to have spent their formative years in Savannah in order to be nominated.

The GSAHOF was founded in 1965 to honor the achievements and contributions of the athletic standouts and leaders in and around Savannah. Each year, the GSAHOF hosts a banquet to honor the new inductees while recognizing the Lawton M. Calhoun Award and M.A. Spellman Award winners. They also acknowledge the year’s most outstanding male and female high school athletes in the Greater Savannah area.

GSAHOF LEADERSHIP
The Founders
First Elected President - James M. Artley
First Vice President - Neal Ellis

Founding Board of Trustees
Nick Athanas
Leo E. Center
Carl Griffin
Ashley K. Dearing, Jr.
Robert LaMotte
Ivey M. "Chick" Shivers
Thomas "Buck" Stevens
H.S. Bounds
G. Fred Garis
Al B. Jennings
Judge Julius S. Fine
Nick Mamalakis
Harry T. Shore, Jr.
J. Rogers Templeton

Current Officers
President - Frank Hardeman III
Vice President - Earl Etheridge
Secretary - Paul Webber
Treasurer - Chip Grayson

Current Board of Trustees
Jeff Karesh
Stephen Brannan
Robbie White
Kevin Smith
Ken Griner
Sammy Strode