Post-Season Honors: Boys and Girls Receive Accolades

It was a very successful lacrosse season for the boys and girls teams from Fellowship Christian School.

Both clubs set single-season win records, and advanced deep into the GHSA Class A-5A championships.

And now seven players from the girls team have received Class A-5A All State Girls Team honors, while three boys earned All Area honors, and senior Nick Schenken was an honorable mention selection for the Class A-5A All State Boys Team. Leo Hilton, the boys director of lacrosse, was named Class A-5A Coach of the Year and All Area Coach of the Year.

Schenken and Washburne were both named U.S. Lacrosse Academic All Americans.

The girls selected for the state team included: sophomore Brooke Beard (attack) and junior Cary Guthrie (goalie), first team; sophomore Lexi Menna (attack), junior Suzanne Moore (defense), senior Shelby Stock (midfield) and senior Camille Stroud (attack), second team; and freshman Breka McLaughlin (defense), honorable mention status.

Beard, Guthrie and Menna were selected for the Di-Varsity All Star game but did not play.

The Lady Paladins took the field 19 times in 2019, and lost only twice. Fellowship went 3-1 in the state playoffs, including victories over Stratford Academy, 5A Union Grove and 4A Marist, to advance to the Final Four for the first time in girls lacrosse. This past season was just the school's third varsity girls lacrosse campaign. The team set a season record for victories in a season.

On the boys side, seniors Cam Cochran (midfield), Nick Schenken (attack) and John Washburne (attack) were named to the first team of the All Area squad.

Washburne finished with 104 points (71 goals, 33 assists). He ranked third in the state for A-5A players in points, was second in goals and seventh in assists.

Schenken collected 96 points (67 goals, 29 assists) to place fourth in the state (A-5A).

Cochran registered 80 points (47 goals, 33 assists), had 162 ground balls and won 154 faceoffs. He was second in ground balls, third in both assists and points, and fifth in goals among state players in Classes A to 5A.

The Paladins (16-4 overall) advanced to the Elite Eight of the GHSA Class A-5A Boys Lacrosse Championships. The squad set a Fellowship single-season record for victories in a season and reached the Elite Eight of the GHSA tourney for the first time in school history.

The team awards for the boys team are as follows: Cochran (MVP), Washburne and Schenken (co-offensive players of the year), senior Parker Addison (Paladin), senior Sam Keim (defensive player of the year) and senior Kyle Maney (player-coach).

Diamond Stars: Oliver Named Region Coach of Year, Bouton Player of Year

The Fellowship Christian School varsity baseball team from 2019 has earned plenty of post-season accolades.

Head coach Shawn Oliver, who guided the Paladins to a 24-10 record and a trip to the Elite Eight of the GHSA Class A Private School Baseball Championships, was named Region Coach of the Year.

Senior pitcher-infielder Isaac Bouton was selected as the Region's Player of the Year and earned a spot on the first team as a pitcher and as an infielder.

The Paladins had 10 other players named to the team, including junior Preston Joye (pitcher) to the first team, and sophomores Andrew Davidson (designated hitter), Matson Grose (pitcher), Garrett Hauenstein (outfielder) and Luke Schmidt (utility player), junior George Moraitakis (pitcher) and senior Cameron Gill (catcher). Joye was also named to the second team as an infielder.

Sophomore David Bishop and Grose (infielder), junior Adam Rozeboom (outfielder) and Cody Tapley (outfielder) earned honorable mention status.

Bouton led the FCS pitchers with nine wins, a 2.01 earned run average and 62.2 innings pitched. He went 9-0 and allowed just 38 hits, 21 runs, 18 earned runs and 27 walks.

In 34 games at the plate, Bouton collected a team-high 50 hits. He smacked seven home runs, six triples and 14 doubles. He drove in 41 runs, scored 43, walked 31 times and batted .515. He led Fellowship in doubles, triples, home runs, RBIs, runs scored and batting average.

Both Bouton and Joye started 11 games to share the lead on the squad. Joye made 12 appearances on the mound to lead FCS, and finished with an 8-2 record, 2.24 ERA, 62.1 innings pitched and 70 strikeouts. He was second on the team in wins, ERA, innings and strikeouts. Joye allowed 45 hits, 24 runs, 20 earned runs and 31 walks.

As a hitter, Joye batted .288 this season with four homers, 26 RBIs, 32 hits, seven doubles, 34 runs and 17 walks in 34 games. He ranked second on the club in homers and doubles, tied for third in hits and placed fourth in RBIs.

Gill posted a .321 batting average, smacked three home runs, knocked in 28 runs and scored 22 runs. He also finished with 34 hits, five doubles and three triples. Gill finished second on the Paladins in hits and triples, tied for third on the team with three home runs and was third in RBIs.

As a pitcher, Grose appeared in 11 games, including seven starts. He won four games, recorded one save, threw 44 innings, struck out 27 and posted a 4.61 ERA.

At the plate, Grose drove in 20 runs and played in 33 games. He registered 21 hits, six doubles, two triples, 11 runs and five walks.

Moraitakis posted a 3-3 record with a 3.97 ERA in 18 games. He logged 31.2 innings, and made 17 strikeouts.

Hauenstein appeared in 33 games and hit .381. He drove in four runs and collected 32 hits, five doubles, 20 runs and 10 walks. He shared third on the club in hits.

Davidson hit .381 with 27 hits, 21 RBIs, 16 runs, four doubles and one triple. He was fifth on Fellowship in RBIs, and shared third on the club in hits.

In 34 games, Schmidt batted .213 with 19 hits, a triple, six RBIs, 19 runs and 14 walks.

Bishop played in 32 games. He batted .320 and finished with two homers, 32 RBIs, 32 hits, five doubles, one triple, 33 runs and 16 walks. Bishop finished second on the club in RBIs, and shared third in hits.

Rozeboom played in 23 games, and hit .224. He collected 11 hits, drove in five runs, scored six runs and walked twice.

Tapley batted .279 with three home runs, 14 RBIs, 17 hits, two doubles, eight runs and eight walks in 27 games. Tapley shared second on the squad in home runs.

All Area Soccer Teams: Four FCS Boys, Three Lady Paladins Receive Post-Season Honors

Seven soccer players (four boys and three girls) from Fellowship Christian School have been named to their respective All-Area Teams.

FCS freshman Cate Hardin was named Co All-Area player of the year, and earned a spot on the girls first team with freshman Lucia Bustamante and junior Alisha Benbow.

Seniors Noah Dryden, Luke Morcos and Andrew Miller were named to the boys first team, while Ethan Miller made the second team.

The top scorer for the 8-5 girls team was Hardin, who led the team with 29 goals and eight assists. Bustamante was next with 14 goals and six assists. Benbow finished with two goals and one assist.

Andrew Miller netted a team-high 10 goals for the Fellowship boys squad that finished 7-6 overall.

Morcos anchored the team's midfield and netted three goals on the season. Dryden played in nine out of the team's 13 games, including four of its victories. Ethan Miller started all 13 games and led the FCS backline.

At the team's post-season banquet, Morcos was named team MVP, while Dryden was the club's defensive player of the year and Andrew Miller was the offensive player of the year. Junior Christian Heid received the Semper Nobilis Award.

On the girls side, Hardin was named team MVP, Benbow was Defensive MVP, Bustamante was named Offensive MVP and Audrey Bateman received the Semper Nobilis award.

(Photos by Tonya Miller and Lynn Young)

Unforgettable: Lady Paladins Fall in Final Four at 5A Starr's Mill

The Fellowship Christian School varsity girls lacrosse team truly had a memorable season.

The Lady Paladins took the field 19 times in 2019, and lost only twice. Those losses came to 5A Starr's Mill High School and 4A Blessed Trinity – the team's now playing for the state championship.

"We finished this season proudly with a record of 17-2," coach Tracy Morgan said. "Our two losses were to the two teams playing in the state finals on Saturday [May 18]. No doubt we wanted to win this one, but the big picture is a successful season full of progress, personal growth and a ton of fun."

On May 15 in Fayetteville, Starr's Mill defeated FCS in the Final Four contest of the GHSA Class A-5A Girls Lacrosse Championships.

Fellowship went 3-1 in the state playoffs, including victories over Stratford Academy, 5A Union Grove and 4A Marist, to advance to the Final Four for the first time in girls lacrosse.

This season is just the school's third varsity girls lacrosse campaign.

Reaching the State Semifinals: Lady Paladins Down 4A Marist HS in Elite Eight Match

For the first time in school history, the Fellowship Christian School varsity girls lacrosse team have qualified for the GHSA Class A-5A Lacrosse Championships Final Four.

The Lady Paladins (17-1 overall) downed 4A Marist High School in Atlanta on May 10.

It was the seventh straight victory for Fellowship, now just a win away from playing for a state championship. The semifinals are slated for May 14 or 15. Please stay tuned for match details.

In Atlanta, the Lady Paladins led 7-5 at halftime.

Marist was the top seed from Area 1. FCS is No. 2 from Area Five.

FCS Sophomore Places Sixth in 1,600 at State Meet; Sets Her Best Career Time

It was a good night for Sami Rickheim of the Fellowship Christian School's varsity track & field squad.

On May 10, the FCS sophomore finished in sixth place of the 1,600-meter finals on the second day of the GHSA Class A Private School Track & Field Championships. She set a personal best time of 5:29.

"It was a great accomplishment," head coach Greg Mayhue said. "Sami had a terrific season. She ran a great race."

The three-day GHSA Class A Private School Track & Field Championships are being hosted by Berry College in Rome.

(Photos by Greg Mayhue)

Season-Ending Loss: FCS Falls in Game Three to Wesleyan

The Fellowship Christian School varsity baseball team's season has come to a close.

FCS, which finished the season 24-10, dropped a 20-6 decision to Wesleyan School in the final game of the best-of-three GHSA Class A Private School Championships held on May 10 in Peachtree Corners.

The game, which started on May 9, was resumed in the top of the second inning with one out and a two-and-one count on the FCS batter and the game tied at 2-2.

On May 8, the teams split the first two games of the series. The host Wolves won game one, 5-4 in eight innings, but FCS took the second contest, 6-4, on senior Cody Tapley's walk-off homer

In game three, sophomore Andrew Davidson led Fellowship with three hits. Junior Preston Joye collected two RBIs, while seniors Isaac Bouton and Cameron Gill each knocked in one run.

Sad Ending: Paladins Record-Breaking Season Ends with Playoff Loss

It was a disappointing finish for the Fellowship Christian School varsity boys lacrosse team's record-breaking season.

The Paladins (16-4 overall) fought hard in a 15-7 loss to The Lovett School (a 3A school) in an Elite Eight game of the GHSA Class A-5A Boys Lacrosse Championships at Bob Lord Field on May 9.

The squad set a Fellowship single-season record for victories in a season and reached the Elite Eight of the GHSA tourney for the first time in school history.

On May 9, sophomore Josh McLaughlin led FCS with three goals. Senior Cam Cochran netted two goals, while senior Parker Addison and sophomore Cole Keim each added one goal.

The Schenken brothers – senior Nick and sophomore Michael – both collected one assist.

FCS trailed 8-4 at halftime.

FCS Battles Back to Win Game Two at Wesleyan, Series Heads for Game Three on May 9

The Fellowship Christian School varsity baseball team evened the series with a game two win on Cody Tapley's two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Paladins (24-9 overall) pulled out a 6-4 victory over Wesleyan School in game two of the GHSA Class A Private School Baseball Championships Elite Eight Round Series. The Wolves won game one, 5-4 in eight innings earlier in the evening. Wesleyan hosts game three on May 9 at 5:30 p.m.

Fellowship (seeded 11^th in the tournament) tied the game at 4-4 with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Tapley, a senior, nailed a two-run shot to win the game.

FCS cut Wesleyan's lead to 4-3 with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Fellowship scored one run in the first, and another in the third. The No. 3 Wolves took a 3-0 lead in the top half of the first and added a run in the third inning.

Senior Cameron Gill led FCS' 13-hit outburst with three hits. Tapley, sophomore Luke Schmidt and senior Isaac Bouton each pounded out two hits.

Bouton, Schmidt and juniors Preston Joye and Adam Rozeboom all drove in one run for Fellowship. Bouton and Joye also smacked home runs, and Bouton added a double. Davidson, Joye, Rozeboom and sophomore Garrett Hauenstein all registered one hit.

Joye pitched a complete-game victory. He struck out four, scattered seven hits and allowed four earned runs.

In game one, the Paladins lost to Wesleyan School, 5-4. The Wolves tied the game with a run in the seventh inning, and won it on a run in the bottom of the eighth.

FCS led 4-0 through four innings, including one run in the first inning, two in the second and one in the fourth. Wesleyan scored three runs in the fifth inning to cut Fellowship's lead to 4-3.

The Paladins pounded out nine hits in the first contest, including two apiece by Hauenstein and Gill. The team had home runs from both Gill and Tapley.

Tapley drove in two runs to lead FCS, while Gill and Bouton had one RBI apiece. Bouton smacked a double.

Bouton started on the mound and fanned 10 batters in seven innings. He allowed four earned runs. Junior George Moraitakis got one batter out in the eighth, but gave up the winning run.

Paladin Varsity Lax Team Downs Trinity Christian School in Second Round of GHSA A-5A Championships

It was a historic victory for the Fellowship Christian School varsity boys lacrosse team.

The Paladins (16-3 overall) have reached the Elite Eight of the GHSA Class A-5A Boys Lacrosse Championships for the first time in school history.

The Washburne brothers combined for nine goals and four assists as Fellowship posted a 22-8 win over Trinity Christian School of Sharpsburg at Bob Lord Field on May 7. It was just the second boys varsity state lacrosse playoff victory in school history.

The team will play an Elite Eight contest on May 9 or 10. Game details are coming soon.

FCS has now won two straight state playoff matches and three games overall. The club has set the single-season record for victories in the season. Fellowship is the No. 2 team from Area 5, and Trinity Christian was No. 4 from Area 7.

Senior Cam Cochran topped the Paladins in scoring with five goals and three assists. Senior John Washburne collected five goals and added two assists. His sophomore brother, Michael, netted four goals and registered two assists.

Senior Parker Addison collected two goals and two assists, while senior Michael Schenken recorded two goals and one assist.

Sophomore Josh McLaughlin netted two goals, and sophomore Nick Schenken added one goal and assisted two others. Sophomore Cole Keim netted one goal.

"I am so proud of the boys," director of lacrosse Leo Hilton said. "They keep giving it their all every single night. Tonight was another great playoff victory. We look forward to the Elite Eight match."

The Paladins led 16-4 at halftime, and 19-5 after the third quarter.

(Photos by Chip Cookston)

Headed for Elite Eight: Lady Paladin Varsity Girls Lacrosse Team Posts Second Round Road Victory in State Playoffs

The Fellowship Christian School girls varsity lacrosse team is moving through ground-breaking territory.

In just its third varsity season, the Lady Paladins have advanced to the Elite Eight of the GHSA Class A-5A Girls Varsity Girls Lacrosse Championships.

On May 6, Fellowship posted a 19-10 victory over host Union Grove High School in McDonough, Ga. Fellowship led 12-6 at halftime.

With the victory, the Lady Paladins improved to 16-1 overall, a school record for victories in a season. The club has now won six straight matches, including two in-a-row in the state playoffs.

Game details on the Elite Eight contest are coming soon.

(Photo courtesy of @PaladinsFCS)

Quarterfinal bound: Paladins Beat Mount Vernon in Game Three to Win Second-Round GHSA Baseball Series

The Fellowship Christian School varsity baseball team has reached the quarterfinals of the GHSA Class A Private School Baseball Championships for the first time in school history.

The Paladins (23-8 overall) defeated Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, 12-5, in game three of the best-of-three second-round state playoff series on May 3. The game was delayed by lightening. The teams split a pair of games in Sandy Springs on May 2.

FCS is seeded 11^th and upset the sixth-seeded Mustangs in the series. The state quarterfinals, also known as the Elite Eight, begin next week.

On May 3, the Paladins pounded out 20 hits and plated 12 runs, including runs in six out of seven innings. FCS scored two in the top half of the first inning, one in the second, four in the fourth, one in the fifth, and two in each of the sixth and seventh innings.

Mount Vernon scored one run in the bottom of the third, fourth and fifth innings, and pulled to within 10-5 with a pair in the sixth.

"I'm just so proud of these young men, battling heat, playing on a parking lot, and competing their tails off for each other," head coach Shawn Oliver said. "We play a tough non-Region schedule just for this purpose. Those tough losses and tight wins make us tougher in the postseason, and we love being battle tested. Our pitchers did an amazing job all series and I'm not sure the total number of hits during the series but it was a lot. Again, I'm just thankful for at least one more week with these boys."

Senior Isaac Bouton was once again a star at the plate. He led the team with four hits, including a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Junior Preston Joye collected three hits, including a pair of doubles, scored three runs and drove home two more. Senior Cameron Gill collected two hits and three RBIs, which led the club. Senior Cody Tapley added two hits and two RBIs for Fellowship.

Sophomores David Bishop, Andrew Davidson and Garrett Hauenstein each smacked two hits, while Bishop had two RBIs and Davidson drove in one.

Sophomores Matson Grose and Luke Schmidt and junior George Moraitakis all earned one hit.

Grose started and pitched five innings to earn the victory. He struck out two and allowed three earned runs. Moraitakis allowed just one hit in two innings of relief.

(Photos by LarryM63)

Varsity Paladin Lax Team Pounds First Presbyterian Day for First-Ever State Playoff Victory

It was an explosive offensive performance for the Fellowship Christian School varsity boys lacrosse team in its state playoff opener.

The Paladins (15-3 overall) have advanced to the second round of the GHSA Class A-5A Boys Lacrosse Championships for the first time with a 27-3 opening-round victory over First Presbyterian Day School of Macon at Bob Lord Field on May 2. It was the first boys varsity state lacrosse playoff win in school history.

Fellowship is the No. 2 team from Area 5, and First Presbyterian Day School was No. 3 in Area 8. The Paladins face the winner of Trinity Christian-Union Grove contest in the next round.

"It was a great team victory," director of lacrosse Leo Hilton said. "We had assists on 20 of our 27 goals."

Senior John Washburne led FCS with six goals and added an assist. His sophomore brother, Michael, netted five goals and collected four assists.

Sophomore Josh McLaughlin recorded four goals and collected one assist, while sophomore Michael Schenken added three goals and one assist. Senior Cam Cochran recorded two goals and two assists, while junior Max Karetney added two goals and one assist.

Seniors Sam Keim and Parker Addison, and sophomores Nate Poulos and Reid Robinson finished with one goal and one assist each.

Sophomores Lawson Haigler recorded two assists, while sophomore Cole Keim and seniors Ford Hardwick, David Phillips and Nick Schenken had one assist apiece.

It's FCS' eighth varsity season, and second trip to the state tournament. The team lost to The Lovett School in the first round in 2013.

The team has set a school record for victories in a season in 2019. It is Hilton's second season as the school's director of lacrosse.

The Paladins previous record for wins in a season was 11. The team went 11-8 in 2013 and 11-6 in 2014 under head coach Andy Petrovich.

Paladins Fall at Mount Vernon in Game Two, 4-3, of GHSA Playoff Series; Bouton No Hits Mustangs in Game One Win

Fellowship Christian School varsity baseball team faces a third game of its second-round GHSA Class A Private School Championships series with Mount Vernon Presbyterian School.

The teams split a pair of games in Sandy Springs on May 2. Mount Vernon hosts game three on May 3 at 3:15 p.m.

On May 2, the Paladins won the first game at Mount Vernon, 8-1. The Mustangs claimed the second game, 4-3.

The Mustangs scored a run in the top half of the seventh to pull ahead, 4-3. Fellowship (22-8 overall) led 1-0 after the first inning. Mount Vernon scored three times in the third, and FCS added a run in the bottom half of the inning to cut the lead to 3-2. The Paladins, who had five hits, tied the game at 3-3 with a run in the bottom of the sixth.

Sophomores David Bishop and Garrett Hauenstein, junior Preston Joye and seniors Isaac Bouton and Cameron Gill all collected one hit. Bishop and Bouton each knocked in a run.

Bouton's RBI came on a solo homer. He scored two of Fellowship's three runs.

Joye fanned 10, but was tagged with the complete-game loss. He allowed four earned runs.

FCS is seeded 11^th and Mount Vernon sixth in the tourney.

Bouton pitched a complete-game no-hitter with 10 strikeouts for FCS in the 8-1 victory in game one. Bouton allowed just one unearned run and three walks to notch the victory.

Sophomore Luke Schmidt pounded out three hits, and Bouton and Hauenstein added two hits apiece as the Paladins had 12 hits in the game.

Bishop and fellow sophomores Andrew Davidson and Matson Grose, Joye and Gill all collected one hit apiece. Bouton and Gill each smacked a double. Bishop and Grose finished with two RBIs each, while Bouton, Davidson and Schmidt knocked in one run apiece.

Historic Results: Lady Paladins Move on to Second Round of the GHSA Class A-5A Tournament

It was a history-making night for the Fellowship Christian School varsity girls lacrosse team.

The Lady Paladins posted a 25-0 victory over Stratford Academy of Macon in the opening round of the GHSA Class A-5A Girls Lacrosse Championships on May 1. The Lady Paladins are the No. 2 team from Area 5, and Stratford was No. 3 in Area 8. FCS faces the winner of the Henry County-Union Grove match in the second round.

FCS advances to the second round of the state tournament for the first time in school history. In their third varsity season, this year's Lady Paladins squad has set a school record for wins in a season with 15.

The win over Stratford was the fifth straight for the 15-1 Fellowship team. The team went 12-7 last year, and was eliminated in the first round of the state playoffs.

"Tonight our girls rewrote the record books at Fellowship," coach Allison Senft said. "We couldn't be more proud of the effort they have put in during regular season, and again tonight to get them to this point in the post season."

(Front page picture by Chip Cookston)