Lady Cougars Win First Game at State

It was a new chapter in a familiar book for the Piedmont Academy girls basketball team.

The Lady Cougars, similar to how they did in the regular season, cruised through the region tournament last week and stepped right into state competition on Tuesday.

In their opening-round game of the GISA Class AA state tournament, the Piedmont girls once again rolled to victory with a 63-17 win against The Cottage School of Roswell.

“It was a good win,” coach Michael Wilson said. “We jumped out early and the starters were able get some rest. They going to need it moving forward because the opponents get tougher starting Friday.”

The coach said the team will need all of its depth the deeper it goes into the tournament.

“It was good to get Bailey, Haiden and Jacie good minutes because I really think we are going to need our inside players to step up moving forward,” Wilson said. “All the teams left have pretty good size. It was also good to see MaLynne Webb and Mallory Kelly contribute tonight. Mallory has had a rough year with injuries early on and Malynne joined us late but we may need them moving forward and hopefully a game like tonight will give them some confidence.”

Prior to Tuesday’s state game, it was the third consecutive region championship for the program.

“Winning a region title is great,” Wilson said. “Winning trophies never gets old, but it’s not the ultimate goal we have. We want to represent Piedmont in a way that reflects back all the great things we have going on here at school and to be able to represent the school in that manner is special and a source of personal pride. This year’s title is particularly special to me because it validates all of the work we have done over the last several years in building a program that can be successful year in and year out.”

Piedmont capped the Region 1-AA tournament with a 49-16 win against St. George’s in the championship game on Friday.

Marissa Holder paced the team with 18 points while Kylee Keck and Hannah Tyler both scored 11. Mallory Kelly, Teagan Satterfield, Abby Arnold and Maddie Waddleton each scored two points.

“Winning a third region title in a row is a great accomplishment for this program,” Wilson said. “The school has been around for more than 50 years and prior to the 2020 region championship the girls basketball team had only won three region titles. To be able to double that in such a short time is something I doubt many would have predicted this a few years back.

However, with talent, consistency and hard work we have really separated ourselves from a lot of schools we play.”

The Lady Cougars defeated Windsor Academy 66-14 in the semifinal round of region. Holder finished with 20 points while Keck added 16.

Waddleton and Tyler both finished in double digits against the Lady Knights with 11 points.

Teagan Satterfield added six points while Arnold scored 2.

“I love the fact we are a home-grown program,” Wilson said. “Even with all the growth we have had at Piedmont the last couple of years, the core of this team has been together since elementary basketball or middle school and our recent results tell me we are doing things the right way. Doing it in this manner takes time, patience and a committed coaching staff and a patient and supportive administration, wife and family. I’m so lucky to have all of that.”

Wilson also gave credit to those who assistant him with the team.

“The commitment and time that Ron Holder and Elizabeth Greenwood have put in with the varsity the last several years and Coach Moore’s work at the middle school level makes my job easy,” Wilson said. “They prepare the girls fundamentally so that when it’s their time to step up they are ready.”