Pope and Walton to face off in outdoor volleyball game

Volleyball is one of the fastest rising sports in the entire country. Specifically, the NCAA has made it a big deal to promote the sport. Nebraska has become the biggest name in the game and set a record crowd of 92,000 in attendance for one of its games in 2023. In Georgia, the sport is growing into a spectacle that many fans are excited to watch.

Heated East Cobb rivals Pope and Walton are two of the best teams in the state. Pope is the defending 5A champion and has won state in two out of the last three years and is the definition of a modern dynasty. The Greyhounds return star players Lyden Harvey (who recorded 208 kills last season), Isabelle Andre (who had a .250 hitting percentage last season), and rising sophomore Lyla Skapinetz.

As for Walton, the Raiders went to the state championship two years ago before falling to North Cobb and are coming off a state semifinals appearance, again falling to North Cobb. This year, Walton has a new head coach in Ashley Jones and returns a lot of key players including Simone Searles (Duquesne commit), Janie Myers (listed as a top-50 sophomore according to Volleyball Adrenaline), and Scarlett Holden (led team in 2024 with 59 blocks).

The two teams recently announced (first reported by the Marietta Daily Journal) that they will play in an outdoor game, hosted at Pope’s football stadium.  The game will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 9th.

The pair faced off last season with the Raiders pulling out a 2-0 win (29-27, 19-25). The 2025 addition of this matchup is sure to draw a crowd that will be one of the largest in Georgia volleyball history.

Pope has two games scheduled before its match against Walton, playing Roswell and Kell. The Raiders have not reported a full schedule as off now.

If you are still not sold on this game, let’s sum it up. Two rivals, separated by a 10-minute drive, featuring a defending state champion, with both as title favorites this season, who played a tight game last season, all on a Saturday night in a football stadium after the first week that school is back. This game will be a must-see affair for any fan looking for something to do on a Saturday night.