Football – The Knights, led by new head coach Sean Weatherspoon, got off to a hot start to their season with a week one win of 21-12 against Chamblee. Coach Spoon has brought his football knowledge to Pace after playing professionally for the Atlanta Falcons. The win at Chamblee marked the 100th win in the history of the football program. In week 2, the team fell short to Westminster, but came out hot, making a statement on the field. “This is the closest football team I have been on; we spent a lot of time working together, and it has brought us all closer together,” said sophomore JK Hasson. The team has a strong foundation with Senior leadership, and they hope to make a deep run this year to make a name for themselves. Softball – The softball team has gotten off to yet another hot start, winning against Creekside, Martin Luther King and North Atlanta. “The Softball team’s chemistry and team bonding is something I love about the sport, and it doesn’t just feel like a competition; it also helps build friendships throughout different grades,” said sophomore Meghan Wrigley. The softball team is currently working hard to continue their good season with tough games ahead against Maynard Jackson and Midtown. Players have established a bond with each other that is shown on the field and helps them win games. The Knights are planning on going far into the playoffs this season. Volleyball – The volleyball team hopes to continue its dynasty with their ninth consecutive state title this year. “The team has so much chemistry having 10 Seniors, and for us, we want to have won state all four years,” said Senior Lawson Monroe. “The coaches are great and we have so much fun while getting better at practices.” The team currently stands at 8-3 with some tough matchups in their schedule, including a number two-ranked Mater Dei from California. Regardless, they feel confident that they can win states and bring home Pace’s ninth title in nine years. Cross Country – The cross country team is coming off somewhat of a disappointing year, finishing 4th (girls) and 5th (boys) in the states. The boy’s team hopes to return to their winning ways, being led by seniors Illiyan Hajiani, Ford Jordan, Beckett Allegra, Dominic Hantula, Andrew Kamin, John Hardesty, Hayes Pollard and Brooks Gerhard. “This is my first year doing cross country, and I have loved spending time with the team and working with them to hopefully do better than last year,” said Senior Brooks Gerhard. The girls’ team also hopes to return to their 2022 winnings, led by seniors Harriet Blaha, Grace Obryan, Gabi Swartz, Sofia Webb, and Ashley York. The team looks forward to this year’s season, hoping to redeem themselves from their 2024 finish. Cheerleading – This year’s cheerleading squad is led by a group of ten Senior leaders: Harrison Brown, Addison Davis, Brooke Forrester, Sydney Gaither, Brittain Meadows, Merrit Thompson, and Anne Weiss. “The team already has such great energy this year, and I’m so excited to get closer with the new girls on the team,” said Thompson. “My favorite part about cheer is performing at halftime and getting to hype up the student section alongside my amazing teammates.” The team is looking forward to having a packed student section at both the home and away games to support the cheerleading squad as well as the football team. They are excited to help the football team make a deep run this year as well. Water Polo – The Water Polo squad looks to have another successful season under coach John Ague, attempting to take their Runner-up season from last year one step further. This year, the team plans to play 12 regular-season games under the leadership of four seniors who are all focused on dominating at the State Tournament, attempting to bring another state championship to Pace Academy. Sophomore Jack Spires said, “The water polo team has a great community surrounding it where anybody can feel like they belong.” Flag Football – The Flag Football team looks to have yet another successful season. Last year, the team made it all the way to states, where they got the opportunity to play against Pope in the Mercedes-Benz stadium in the state championship. Sophomore Ann Cole said, “I’m excited for another Flag Football season and hopefully we’ll go back to the Benz.” The rest of the team shares this focus and is working hard to have another great season. Esports – The Esports team plays three games: chess, Super Smash bros and League of Legends. The team is led by Seniors Doyle Rona and computer science teacher Mr. Charlie Bryant. They are excited to get back in action and compete against other schools in the area.