News
Former Dunwoody Baseball Coach Rick Kneisel Selected to GDC Hall of Fame
Rick Kneisel is now retired and spending time with his longtime companion Ranger. He coached just down the street for a few years after moving back to Ohio. (Courtesy [...]
Redan Alum Kevin Kilpatrick Drafted by the Atlanta Braves
Former Redan baseball players Kevin Kilpatrick drafted in 17th round by the Braves. (Courtesy Photo) Kevin Kilpatrick joins a long list of DeKalb County alums taken in the [...]
Moon Named MVP of Double Duty Classic hosted by the Chicago White Sox
Redan rising senior Bernard Moon was named West All-Star MVP in leading the West to a 13-8 win over the East in the Chicago White Sox Double Duty Baseball [...]
APS Defeats DeKalb 10-5 in Inaugural Senior All-Star Classic
Tucker's Noah Grayson (DeKalb) and North Atlanta's Chaice Boines (APS) earned MVP honors for their play in the inaugural APS/DeKalb Senior All-Star Classic. (Photo by Mark Brock) The [...]
Gresham Park Hosting Inaugural DCSD/APS Senior All-Star Baseball Game
DeKalb and Atlanta Public School Districts collide in the inaugural DCSD/APS Senior All-Star Classic on Tuesday. DeKalb County Schools and Atlanta Public Schools collide on Tuesday (May 31) [...]
East Seniors Use Eight-Run Inning on way to 11-5 Win over West Seniors
Tucker's Emory Guilford (left) and Chamblee's Tyler Sun (right) earned the East Senior All-Star and West Senior All-Star MVP awards, respectively. (Photo by Mark Brock) The East Senior [...]
West Juniors Run Win Streak to Four Games over East with 9-5 Win
Martin Luther King's Nate Flemister (left) and Druid HIlls Cullen Riel (right) won the East Junior All-Star and West Junior All-Star MVP awards in the 13th annual DCSD Junior [...]
Raiders Come Up Short in Thrilling Championship Loss to Pike Co.
Redan's Anthony Mateo's RBI single down the right field line gave the Raiders an early 2-0 lead in their 5-4 loss to Pike Co. in the Class 3A state [...]
Mateo Throws Two-Hit Shutout to Keep Raiders in Title Hunt
Redan's Adriel Martinez lays down a bunt for a single that turns into two Redan runs in the opening game 6-4 loss to Pike County. (Photo by Mark Brock) [...]
Three All-Star Games Involving DCSD Players Set in Coming Weeks
Three All-Star Games involving juniors and seniors from DeKalb County/Decatur are set for the coming weeks. The annual DCSD Junior All-Star and Senior All-Star games are set for [...]
Redan Takes Class 3A Semifinals Series 2-1 against Pierce County
Redan advances to the baseball state championship for the first time since winning the title in 2013. They will face Pike County at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville in a [...]
Redan Sweeps Burke Co. for Class 3A State Semifinal Berth
Jason Avila connects for an opposite field home run to put the Redan Raiders ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning in the opening game of their [...]
Redan Captures Game 3 vs. Southeast Bulloch 7-5 in Extra Innings
Redan's Tionne Witherspoon (23) drove in the winning runs in the top of the eighth to lead Redan to a 7-5 series clinching win over Southeast Bulloch on Thursday. [...]
Redan Extends Class 3A Best-of-Three Series against Southeast Bulloch
Redan's Daelyn House gets a lead off first base during the Raiders' first round playoff win over Dawson County. The Raiders look to move on to the Class 3A [...]
Raider Hold Off Dawson County for Class 3A Playoff Sweep
Redan second baseman Bernard Moon (1) celebrates the first of his three home runs on the night with teammates Daelyn House (16) and Manolo Parcel (22). Moon had a [...]
Dunwoody and Tucker Fall in Playoff Series Third Games (update)
Dunwoody's Owen Anchors scores on a wild pitch after delivering a bases-loaded triple to put the Wildcats up 4-0 in the first inning of a 7-6 loss in Game [...]
Druid Hills Sweeps Jefferson to Advance to Class 4A Sweet 16
Druid Hills Banks Coffman slides headfirst at home to beat a throw following a wild pitch. Coffman had three RBIs in Druid Hills Class 4A state playoff series sweep [...]
Towers Joins DeKalb Playoff Contingent for First Time in 35 Years
The Towers Titans ended a 35-year playoff drought this year and some of those involved include (L-R) Tyler Wilson, Isaac James, head coach Crytalyn Savage, Demetress Broughton and Deshaun [...]
Three DeKalb Baseball Squads Finish Impressive Week 6 of Action
The Redan Raiders core and coaching staff have the Raiders at 17-1 on the season after going 6-0 in Week 6 baseball action. (Photo by Mark Brock) Redan, [...]
Southwest DeKalb Rallies Past Chamblee 3-2 in Region 5-5A Battle
Southwest DeKalb's Kamreon Scott (left) dives back to first as Chamblee first baseman David Welsh waits on a throw. (Photo by Mark Brock) Down 2-0 after the first [...]
History
The Dunwoody Wildcats ended a 33-year drought of baseball state championships for DeKalb County Schools by bringing home the Class AAA state title in 2007 with a 2-0 sweep of Columbus.
The last Georgia High School Association baseball state championship to find a home in DeKalb County Schools before 2007 came back in 1974 when Henderson laid claim with a 2-0 series sweep of Southwest Macon.
DeKalb County Schools had come up short since that time despite sending some very good teams into the playoffs. Prior to 1974, DeKalb had won titles in 1952 (Avondale), 1956 (Tucker), 1964 (Avondale), 1966 (Tucker), 1967 (Tucker), 1968 (Walker) and 1972 (Sequoyah).
Redan made sure it would not take 33 years for the next title as the Raiders knocked off rival Marist 2-0 (11-0, 4-3) in the 2013 championship series on the way to setting a school record for wins at 30-7 on the season.
It gave the perennial playoff contender, Redan, its first baseball state title as the Raiders upended the Marist War Eagles who had won the Region 6-AAAA title with a 2-1 series win over the Raiders. Redan went 10-1 in the state playoffs while sweeping four of the five playoff series.
Beginning with the 1952 season, DeKalb County Schools teams have combined for 129 playoff appearances through the 2007 season. Eighteen of the current 19 DeKalb schools have made at least one playoff appearance following Martin Luther King Jr.’s rise to 5AAA champ in 2004. Gordon and Shamrock, two of the seven schools that are no longer high schools, were the only ones of the 26 DeKalb schools to never make a playoff appearance prior to the opening of Miller Grove High School in 2005. The playoff run has collected 211 wins over that time as well.
The baseball history of DeKalb County Schools also includes the likes of former pros Wally Joyner (Redan), Pete Ladd (Henderson) and Ron Blomberg (Druid Hills).
Wally Joyner played 16 seasons in the majors with the California Angels, Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres and the hometown Atlanta Braves. He collected a .289 career batting average, 204 home runs, 1,106 RBI and 2,060 hits.
Ron Blomberg was the first player picked in the 1968 major league draft. He signed with the Yankees and spent eight years in the majors with New York and the Chicago White Sox. The .293 career hitter was baseball’s first designated hitter.Pete Ladd led Henderson to the 1974 state title and signed with Ole Miss. He had a career best 25 saves for Milwaukee in the 1983 season and posted two saves in the 1982 American League Championship Series.DeKalb County Schools has been a hotbed on draft day with 75 players drafted between 1985 and 2006. That includes three from the 2004 season including first round and number 9 pick overall Chris Nelson of Redan (Colorado) and four from 2006 including Scott Hunter of M.L. King in the 3rd round (San Diego, 93rd pick) and 2005 second round selection P.J. Phillips of Redan (California, 73rd pick).
Redan’s Brandon Phillips (Cincinnati) and Dominic Brown (Philadelphia) gave the Raiders a double-dip as both appeared in the 2013 MLB All-Star Game. Phillips was making his third appearance and first as the starting second baseman for the National League. Brown, an outfielder, was chosen for the National League squad after leading the league in home runs before the All-Star break.
Two former Redan coaches honored in Braves Untold Stores. See link below:
Goodwin, Pruitt honored in Braves Untold Stories
State Champions (10)
- Tucker (3) – 1956, 1966, 1967
- Avondale (2) – 1952, 1964
- Dunwoody (1) – 2007
- Henderson (1) – 1974
- Redan (1) – 2013
- Sequoyah (1) – 1972
- Walker (1) – 1968