After blowing out the Lady Jags from Thomas Jefferson Academy in the state basketball championship in March, the Crisp Academy Lady Wildcats claimed their fourth title in as many years. Overall, the girls from Cordele ended yet another nearly impeccable season with a perfect 9-0 record in 1-IA. Meanwhile, the team racked up 30 wins while only suffering two close losses on a remarkable 2013-14 season.
But, the story of this South Georgia basketball dynasty has been decades in the making. Crisp Academy’s head coach Gina Mitchell took over the Lady Wildcats basketball program after former coach Cliff Ranew retired in 2011. Mitchell played high school basketball for Coach Ranew at Worth Academy, and under his leadership, the Sylvester team won two state championships. “He was just an awesome coach,” Mitchell recalls. “He stressed fundamentals, and I’ve always coached my team the way we learned in high school. I learned from the best, and anywhere I coach, I try to teach my kids the same things.”
Carrying on the tradition that her predecessor started, the similar coaching styles between Ranew and Mitchell provided a nearly seamless transition for the players. In the four years Mitchell has coached at Crisp Academy, the Lady Wildcats have claimed four consecutive state championships. And the girls hold a staggering overall record of 110 wins and only 14 loses. According to the coach, experience has paid dividends as each new class steps up to fill the shoes of the seniors who graduated before them. “You’re only as good as your senior leadership, and the last four years we have had really good seniors that love to play, they don’t miss practice, and they work hard. They know what is expected of them,” the Lady Wildcats’ coach explains.
The Cats were stacked with six seniors for the 2013-14 season, and some of these girls played varsity ball while they were still in the eighth grade. So, the team is well prepared to compete at a higher level. They know their roles, they play hard, and they bring home championships in phenomenal fashion.
Additionally, three of the seniors in 2014 have been named all-state players in multiple seasons. Madi Mitchell, Coach Mitchell’s daughter, was named to the All-State team for five consecutive years dating back to her eighth grade season when she began playing at the varsity level. Kayla Childers was recognized as an All-State player for two years, though she probably would have earned a third nod if not for tearing her ACL in the region championship as a junior. Kara White was also named an All-State player for two consecutive years, and Maddie Crouse was recognized in her senior season.
On the other hand, these six graduating seniors will leave a huge void to fill in the Lady Wildcats’ roster for the season ahead. Coach Mitchell expects the four up-and-coming Crisp Academy seniors to step up in a big way for the 2014-15 schedule. She’s also expecting big things from her freshmen and sophomores this year. “It’s going to be really hard, but the kids are used to working. They’re used to winning, and they know what it takes.”
The new class of champions will have an opportunity to prove themselves in the weeks to come as Crisp Academy will take on a range of public school teams including Tift, Turner, Colquitt, and Coffee Counties to gain experience against some of Southwest Georgia’s toughest teams. While the girls began practicing for the upcoming season last month, a slew of scrimmage games are scheduled for June.
Four Straight State Titles for Lady Wildcats Basketball
By: Cale Colby
