State champion Lady Falcons, Raider region champion teams honored by Laurens County school board

The Laurens County Board of Education capped one of the school district’s most successful sports years ever, celebrating several trophy-winning teams at its board meeting Thursday night.

The title-winners were led by the East Laurens Lady Falcons basketball squad who followed up a region crown with the school’s first-ever state championship in a team sport.

“You not only made a historic run but you made history,” Superintendent O.J. Hall told the team.

“It’s always good to be first,” joked head coach Danielle Lowther.

State Rep. Matt Hatchett presented each member and coach with a copy of a resolution approved by the Legislature, recognizing the team as state champs.

“This will be in the state record forever,” Hatchett said.

Two West Laurens teams – in boys soccer and baseball – were honored for both winning region championships before making deep runs in the state playoffs.

Coach Nate Smith’s soccer Raiders were unbeaten for most of the season, not losing a match until the regular season finale. They responded by marching through the playoffs and earning a spot in the state semifinals, a first in the sport for the school.

The baseball team and coach Parker Gordon reclaimed their spot at the top of the region with a run that ended in the state quarterfinals.

Hall thanked the school board for its support of the district’s athletic programs, as well as the student-athletes’ parents.

“I know the hard work it takes to compete for a region championship,” Hall told the teams. “and you can’t do that without your parents.”

The meeting was held at the old West Laurens gym to accommodate the larger-than-usual crowd, which thinned out significantly after the teams were recognized.