What coach Mason Griffin saw with his own eyes was confirmed when others watched the Calvary Day School seventh/eighth-grade football team play this season.
“Every time someone came and watched the game, they told me after the game, (the Cavaliers) played super tough,” Griffin said in an interview with Prep Sports Report.
The Cavaliers, led by a group of 16 eighth-graders that Griffin called “super great guys and super, super tough,” went undefeated for a second consecutive season in capturing back-to-back SPAL championships.
The Calvary Day School seventh/eighth-grade football team celebrates its SPAL Championship victory after defeating St. James Catholic School, 18-12, on Oct. 20. (Photo courtesy of Calvary Day School Athletics)
Griffin has been the head coach for five seasons after three years as an assistant and recalled that the only other title during his tenure with the program was in 2019.
They went 8-0 In 2024, he said, and 7-0 this season, including a semifinal victory over Savannah Christian and an 18-12 win over St. James Catholic School on Oct. 20 for the title.
The championship game was a showcase for the Calvary defense, which accounted for 10 points by producing a safety and returning a fumble for a touchdown (plus two points for a conversion kick in SPAL).
“Our offense came out and some things went wrong,” Griffin said. “It just wasn’t our night on offense. But our defense kept us in it like they did all season.”
Offense and defense were dominant for the Calvary fifth/sixth-grade football team, which captured the SPAL crown with a 44-0 rout of the St. James Chargers on Oct. 20.
These Cavaliers went 7-0 in outscoring opponents 304-12, including five shutouts. Jimmy Barnes, who earned his first title in his three seasons as head coach, said 12 different players scored touchdowns on offense this season as well as two kickers collecting points. The defense forced turnovers and converted some into points, and the special teams returned kickoffs and punts for touchdowns.
“I can’t say enough about how well the boys performed on the field, but at Calvary, we really stress handling our business as followers of Christ and student-athletes, first and foremost,” Barnes said in emailed correspondence. “I’m more impressed by the work our guys did off the field and in the classroom than what was accomplished on the field.”
The Calvary Day School fifth/sixth-grade football team celebrates its SPAL Championship after completing an undefeated 7-0 season. (Photo courtesy of Calvary Day School Athletics)
Barnes noted that the roster has grown from 18 players to 26 to 38 in three seasons, and he credited the high school’s head football coach, Jason Cameron, and athletic director and former head coach Mark Stroud for their investment in the middle school program.
“The level of support from those guys has been amazing, with multiple members of the varsity staff attending our games and even dropping in on practice,” Barnes wrote.
SCCPSS FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Oglethorpe Charter School continues to dominate Chatham County’s public middle schools, outscoring opponents 232-13 this season en route to consecutive undefeated campaigns and SCCPSS championships.
Oglethorpe Charter School celebrates its 48-0 victory over Myers Middle School to claim the 2025 SCCPSS Football Championship. (Photo courtesy of Oglethorpe Charter School)
That includes the Oct. 29 showdown with Myers Middle School for the title at Savannah High School. They’ve met in the finals for three straight seasons, with Myers winning 6-0 in 2023 and OCS on top 36-6 last season.
The contest wasn’t close as OCS shut out Myers 48-0 in what head coach Derek Perry called “a complete team effort” to finish 7-0.
“Every one of our skill position players scored,” Perry said. “Our quarterback had his best game of the season.”
Team captain Kayden Hampton threw touchdown passes to Elliott Mack, Zion Boston, and KaDarius Coleman (who also intercepted a pass on defense). McCartney Giles, Zachary Davis, and Mikel Frieson rushed for TDs. Juan Garcia made all six extra-point attempts for 12 points and was excellent with deep kickoffs.
The defense recorded a shutout, as it did in a 60-0 victory over West Chatham in the semifinals. Myers topped Southwest Middle School 13-6 in the other.
“The kids do all the work. All we try to do is push them in the right direction,” said Perry, who has a 64-14 record since he started coaching OCS in 2012.
Perry won his first title in 2014 and added more in 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2024, and now 2025. Five of the seven crowns came on undefeated teams. The Titans have made nine playoff appearances since 2013.
“We’ve been blessed with a lot of really good players. We’ve been fortunate to have complete teams,” said Perry, who credited the players, coaching, school staff, and supportive parents for the program’s success.
SCCPSS SOFTBALL
Tybee Island Maritime Academy is building a softball program of dynastic proportions, adding the 2025 crown to those won in 2023 and 2022, when the middle school started playing, coach Noel Ingram reported.
The Tybee Island Maritime Academy won the SCCPSS middle school championship. (Photo by Jennifer Fleming)
TIMA defeated Garrison School for the Arts 8-3 in the championship game on Oct. 16 at the Groves softball complex.
Garrison eliminated Rice Creek School of Port Wentworth in one semifinal, while TIMA shut out Coastal Middle School 8-0 in the other.
The title contest’s Most Valuable Player was Kensley Mosely, who was the winning pitcher with 14 strikeouts and at the plate hit a triple and drove in two runs.
Teammate McKayla Thompson was 2-for-2, stole five bases, and contributed stellar defense at catcher, Ingram wrote in correspondence with Prep Sports Report.
SPAL VOLLEYBALL
The Savannah Country Day eighth-grade volleyball team had extra motivation when facing St. Peter the Apostle Catholic School for the SPAL championship.
The Savannah Country Day eighth-grade volleyball team celebrates its SPAL Championship victory over St. Peter the Apostle Catholic School on Oct. 23. (Photo submitted by Savannah Country Day School)
The St. Peter’s team had defeated SCD in its season opener, but the Hornets won their next 15 matches, including the title on Oct. 23.
“To avenge that defeat in the championship made the victory even sweeter,” Hornets coach Jill Faxon wrote in correspondence with Prep Sports Report.
Savannah Country Day reached the finals by defeating St. James (27-17, 25-19) and Blessed Sacrament (25-13, 25-16).
The finals went the Hornets’ way, 25-20, 27-25, and it was even tougher than it looks. SCD trailed St. Peter’s 18-4 in the second set before staging what Faxon called “a comeback for the ages.”
Emma Lee’s serving run sparked the rally, then Maddie Lanham’s clutch serves evened the score at 24, Faxon reported. Hollyn Murray broke a 25-25 tie with a powerful kill from the middle, then she closed out the match from the service line with an ace and a hard-fought final rally, the coach wrote.
“Last year as seventh-graders, this same group fell in the first round of the playoffs, making this season’s championship run even more remarkable,” Faxon wrote. “Their growth, determination and teamwork were on full display as they battled through every point. The Hornets truly showed what perseverance and belief can achieve, finishing their middle school volleyball careers as champions!”
Savannah Country also came away with the SPAL title for fifth-grade squads, but that was a given before the match started.
The Savannah Country Day fifth grade Green team celebrates its SPAL volleyball championship win over Savannah Country Day Gold team on Oct. 23 at Calvary Day School. (Photo submitted by Savannah Country Day School)
That’s because the SCD Green team faced the school’s Gold team, with Green capturing the crown 25-23, 10-25, 15-9 in a tight match played at Calvary Day School on Oct. 23.
Coach Ashtin Blackmore noted standout performances from Stella Kang, who “helped us pull away in the final set with a series of strong, consistent serves,” as well as Amelia Nicholson, who “stood out for her court awareness, hustle and reliable free balls throughout the match.”
The Hornets advanced to the finals by ousting St. Andrew’s School in the first round and St. Peter’s in the semifinals.
“We played eight regular-season games, losing only our very first matchup against Hancock,” Blackmore wrote. “From that point on, the girls showed tremendous growth, teamwork and determination.”
Two SPAL titles for Savannah Christian teams
Savannah Christian captured the seventh-grade championship as well as the sixth-grade crown, the latter marking back-to-back titles for the Raiders and coach Shawn Darling.
Savannah Christian Preparatory School’s sixth-grade volleyball team celebrates after capturing the SPAL championship for the second consecutive season. (Photo courtesy of Savannah Christian Preparatory School.)
The Raiders' sixth-graders went 13-0, including a 25-8, 22-25, 16-14 victory over St. Andrew’s in the championship match.
Carson Darling helped the Raiders rally from down 14-10 in the final set with a serving run to close out the match. She also totaled 16 aces and eight digs.
Other major contributors included Amelia Beason (three kills, six aces) and Aubrie Barnes (five digs).
“This group showed tremendous growth throughout the season, with most players being brand new to the sport,” coach Shawn Darling wrote. “We emphasize fundamentals and consistent three-contact volleyball to prepare them for the next level, and their hard work really paid off.”
Last year, the sixth-grade team went 10-0, including a 25-14, 25-12 victory over Hancock Day School for the championship.
The Savannah Christian seventh-grade volleyball team went 17-0 this season and did not lose a single set, coach Blake Vickroy reported. The Raiders defeated Hancock Day 25-19, 25-8 for the SPAL crown.
The Savannah Christian seventh-grade volleyball team finished an undefeated 17-0 season to claim the SPAL championship. (Photo courtesy of Savannah Christian Preparatory School.)
Team captain Alex Cejic, the starting setter, had five aces and nine assists in the title match. Other major contributors included Hadley O'Connell (four kills, .667 hitting percentage), Victoria Theriault (five aces), Vidhi Bodalia (six digs), and Emery Hart, who had four aces, including one on game and match point.
SPAL TENNIS
The Savannah Country Day boys and girls middle school tennis teams won the Savannah Middle School Tennis Championship. The boys had a first-round bye, then defeated Calvary Day 5-0 in the semifinals and Savannah Christian 4-1 in the championship match. The boys finished with a perfect 10-0 record and were led by seventh grader Charlie Berg at number one singles.
The Savannah Country Day boys and girls middle school tennis teams celebrate after sweeping the Savannah Middle School Tennis Championship. (Photo courtesy of Savannah Country Day School.)
The girls also had a first-round bye before defeating St. Andrew’s 5-0 in the semifinals and Hancock 4-1 in the finals. The girls were led by standout seventh grader Natsumi Maeda.
“Our middle school players are on track to continue the great tennis tradition at Savannah Country Day,” said head coach Lamar Kirkley.
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