A six-part series looking at the most read sports stories in Forsyth County in 2015 by school, ending with the Forsyth County News’ sports staff picking their top stories of the year.
Here are the five most read Pinecrest Academy sports stories of this past year:
1. Helicopter rescues Pinecrest Academy baseball game
On April 14, the most effective grounds crew in the county came from the sky. A helicopter was called in to hover over and dry off Pinecrest’s baseball field before a game against King’s Ridge. “It was definitely one of the crazier things I’ve seen,” Pinecrest head coach Ryan Weingart said.
2. Pinecrest Academy hires veteran college soccer coach
Former Georgia State and Georgia Gwinnett women’s soccer head coach Domenic Martelli was named Pinecrest’s head coach of the girls and boys soccer teams on June 2.
3. Pinecrest defeats defending state champion, earns region title
Buoyed by a peerless rushing performance by Ryan McCarthy and two massive defensive stands in the fourth quarter, the Paladins came away with a 28-21 win, shocking the defending state champs and ending the season as champions of Region 6-A for the first time in school history.
4. Pinecrest Academy names Kane next athletic director
Pinecrest girls and boys soccer coach Chris Kane was named to replace Tom Palmer as the school’s next athletic director on Feb. 26.
5. THE GRIND: Pinecrest Academy's Perez embraces big league pedigree
Pinecrest baseball player Andres Perez’s father, Eddie, was the preferred catcher for Greg Maddux while with the Atlanta Braves between 1995 and 2001, but Perez has made a name for himself as a 6-foot-6 catcher with power at the plate. Perez signed with North Georgia.