Jackson County Sports

The Marianna Lady Dawgs officially opened summer softball play Thursday with an impressive 10-6 victory over Southwest Georgia Academy, showcasing a blend of veteran leadership and youthful energy as the program begins preparing for the upcoming season.

The Makos capped off an outstanding season by claiming the Optimist Park Ponytail Championship with an impressive 9-1 record. More than just a talented group of players, the Makos distinguished themselves through their teamwork, sportsmanship, and commitment to one another, truly embodying what it means to be a team.

Some teams win games.

A few teams win championships. But every once in a while, a team comes along that creates a season people will talk about for years.

Marianna High School Athletics is hitting the reset button, and according to new Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Kevin Pettis, that reset starts by honoring tradition.

For most seventh graders, simply making a middle school team is an accomplishment. For Lazea Sorey, winning a state championship is just the beginning.

The Rockhounds AAA pulled out an exciting 5-4 win over the Muckdogs Friday night at the Marianna Recreation Department, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Cottondale High School baseball made history this season in more ways than one.

Three leagues are finishing up the spring soccer season but competing at the highest level to capture that all-important city championship title. From the Tiny Mites to the Juniors, the excitement on the field was nothing short of awesome.

Three AA coach pitch games at Optimist Park featured plenty of offense and extra-base hits during a busy week on the diamond.

Marianna High School has turned to a familiar face with championship experience to lead its volleyball program, naming Jordyn Riano as the school’s new head volleyball coach.

A season filled with grit, resilience, and history came to an end Wednesday morning as the Cottondale Hornets fell 2-0 to top-seeded Union County in the FHSAA State Semifinals.

Jackson County’s Darlings softball teams were busy on the diamond last week, with Sneads Little Volts picking up a win while BombSquad of Marianna and Graceville Darlings battled through high-scoring contests.

A big offensive night across Jackson County AAA baseball featured several high-scoring games Tuesday evening, with teams piling up runs, stolen bases and timely extra-base hits in a full slate of action.

Marianna High School sophomore Braylon Pleas is making school history, but if you ask him about it, you probably would not hear much fanfare.

A busy day of Jackson County rec ball action featured offense all across the county as teams combined for big innings, extra-base hits and plenty of runs in a full slate of AA coach-pitch games Monday and Tuesday.

Marianna’s varsity softball team closed the book on its 2025 season Tuesday night with a tough 10-9 loss to Florida State University High, as the Seminoles pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning following a defensive miscue. The Bulldogs, who entered the year knowing it would be a rebuilding season, battled to the final out and showed steady growth throughout, finishing with a 7-18 record.

Last Friday marked a milestone moment for Sneads athletics and an even bigger one for two of its senior standouts.

It was about as complete a performance as a team can deliver.

Cottondale left little doubt Saturday, sweeping Sneads in a best-of-three series to advance to the regional round, winning 4-3 in game one before pulling away for a 6-1 victory in game two on their home field. The Hornets, who also edged the Pirates 4-3 for the district title on April 17, showed both consistency and depth against their Jackson County rival.

The Camo Crushers of Sneads capitalized on control issues and a flood of free bases to roll past the Marianna Tribe 10-1 in a game defined entirely by walks, hit batters, and one early error. There were no hits recorded by either team.

Optimist Park was bursting at the seams last week with games, games, and more games. No fields could have been more exciting than the AAA field with three games being played.

Ya’Laysha Barnes has been part of Malone School since the second grade, and over the years she has grown into a standout student-athlete now preparing to take her game to the next level. A senior with a deep love for basketball, Barnes has spent the past seven years developing her skills on the court, along with a brief stint in softball. That dedication is paying off as she signs with Enterprise State Community College, just over an hour away, giving local fans the chance to continue watching her career.

Marianna K-8’s “A” team capped off a dominant season with a 7-2 win over RMS Lady Bears to claim the district championship, marking the program’s second consecutive title. The Bullpups, who also opened the postseason with a 10-0 shutout of FSUS, finished a perfect 22-0 on the year after going 19-2-1 last season. Over the course of this spring, Marianna K-8 overwhelmed opponents, outscoring them 241-19 while recording 11 shutouts in 22 games.

With a  break in the action over 2026 spring break, four Jackson County varsity softball teams were ready to hit the diamond last week.