The Watchman’s Female Athlete of Year: Beckville’s Grandgeorge comes into her own

Published 4:11 pm Thursday, July 17, 2025

Emily Grandgeorge showcased her ability to adapt rather it was on the volleyball court or the softball diamond.

The Beckville High junior thrived as a role player in volleyball and in softball was one of the best players in all of East Texas regardless of school size.

Grandgeorge was named the District 19-2A Most Valuable Player, named a first-team all-East Texas selection and 2A all-state first-team selection.

Now Grandgeorge can add one more accolade to her stupendous junior campaign as Grandgeorge through her excellence in both sports is your 2024-25 Panola Watchman Female Athlete of the Year.

“It means a lot because it means a lot people are looking at me,” Grandgeorge said. “It means a lot to me.”

Grandgeorge was a second-team all-district selection in volleyball and helped anchor the backline for the Ladycats who captured a 12-straight undefeated district championship.

Grandgeorge admits volleyball isn’t her top sport but gives it her all each and every point.

“I try my hardest 100% of the time,” Grandgeorge said. “I have the want and drive to go out there and want to be better than the past players. I go out there to try and be better than the last one (at the position) that was out there.”

This past season was Grandgeorge’s first full season up on varsity and proved to be an essential part of the team’s success.

“As a key player in the back row and serving positions, she proved to be a significant asset to the team,” said now Beckville former volleyball coach Andee Poteet. “Her versatile serve, characterized by its ability to land both short and deep, consistently challenged opponents’ defensive strategies.”

Grandgeorge spent the winter not only working out for softball season but undergoing a bit of transformation on the personal side.

In previous years Grandgeorge was able to just go about things her own way while the likes of older sister Bethany Grandgeorge and Lexi Barr led the way. Now with both gone and a super young team coming up Emily realized her personality had to change also.

Emily understood the task at hand and not only let her talking on the field speak for her but made herself more personable and a better teammate.

“It didn’t take long for her to get into her own,” Beckville softball coach and Emily’s dad Ronny Grandgeorge said. “That was a testament to the work that she put in as soon as we left Austin the year before. She knew there were question marks on the team and the program, but she knew we could be right in the mix and she went back to work.”

Emily, who had tremendous seasons in both her freshman and sophomore seasons, weren’t quite up to the standards that Bethany set.

It didn’t take long into this softball season for Emily Grandgeorge to show that she is indeed her.

This season Grandgeorge batted .467 with nine home runs, seven triples, 10 doubles, 47 RBIs and scored 71 runs while batting out of the leadoff spot all season.

In the circle, Grandgeorge finished with an 11-3 record with a 2.76 earned run average, 92 strikeouts and 14 walks in 58 and 1/3 innings pitched.

“Before Bethany graduated I was in her shadows,” Emily said. “I was always mentioned as being Bethany’s little sister but now it’s like I am Emily Grandgeorge, I am not Bethany’s little sister anymore. It feels good.”

There was stretch from the second half of district through the first few rounds of the postseason where Grandgeorge was putting up video game like numbers.

In a game with first place in the district on the line Grandgeorge had her career night in a game she struck out a career-high 16 batters — which surpassed Bethany’s career-high mark of 15 — and went 5-for-5 at the plate with a three-run home run, a double, five RBIs and four runs scored in a 13-1 victory at Harleton.

“I see the ball really clearly,” Grandgeorge said. “I go out there before I step in the box I read the defense. I read the pitcher and usually pitcher to pitcher you can really see what they are going to throw you. You just get in the box and look for that pitch.”

Grandgeorge is one to give credit where credit is due as even with her tremendous success in the circle she felt that freshman Hannah Rogers was the ace in the circle.

“I practiced really hard in the circle and it was fun,” Grandgeorge said. “That’s not really where my team needed me at since we have Hannah but I dominated in the circle when I needed to and I tried my best.”

Achieving the school single season home run mark of 11 held by Barr is something that Emily strived for as the season went on.

When Beckville finally reached the postseason that’s when it hit home just how hot Grandgeorge was from the plate.

In the bi-district round against Kerens Grandgeorge was actually pitched around including receiving multiple intentional walks.

“It’s a pleasure because nobody did that to Lexi and she holds the home run record,” Grandgeorge said. “It’s not great getting intentionally walked, it just means that I can hit the ball and they are scared to pitch to me.”

Grandgeorge’s success didn’t start at the beginning of softball season it started during the summer as the junior prepared for volleyball and softball simultaneously.

With the Ladycats having to replace so many places from the previous team that made to the 2A state championship game, Grandgeorge had to better herself to have a season that would come close to resembling the previous one.

With a team that featured seven freshmen including six that started Beckville made it all the way to the 2A Division II regional finals this past season.

“She came out of her shell and had to some things different,” Coach Grandgeorge said. “She had been able to ride those seniors from the years gone by and stand in the shadows and rightfully so. She went to work hard and it didn’t start when softball season got there, it started day one of volleyball. Doing two-a-days, weight room and working hard and showing what it means to be a Beckville Ladycat. It was an honor to see it come full term in softball season.”

Following Beckville’s elimination to Cross Roads, some of the Ladycats including Grandgeorge went and watched some of the state championship games at the University of Texas.

As if Grandgeorge didn’t need any more fuel heading into her senior season she got it and so did her young but now playoff experienced teammates.

“We want and watched the state games and I was sitting there in the stands like we should be here,” Grandgeorge said. “It should not be these other two teams. That’s when it set in that we need to pick up stuff and go to work. I had teammates there and they said the same thing. They were more mad about it than I was.

“Everybody really has the drive to go and win it next year.”

With her own name established now, Grandgeorge understands that a lot more eyes will be on her next season.

Grandgeorge who the previous year was fully comfortable letting the seniors get all their shine, wants it because she’s earned it.

“Not to sound cocky but I know I’m one of the best players because I have that much confidence in myself,” Grandgeorge said. “I know I can do more what everybody else can do.”

Coach Grandgeorge says when they go home softball talk is often left at school and practice.

“Once we got home we really didn’t talk much about the game,” Coach Grandgeorge said. “We want her to be relaxed and not feel like there was extra pressure being put on her. One of the big things we talked about in the program is it’s not about any one individual it’s about putting it all together. She knew that she needed to do her job.”

That job is be the face, leader and top producer for a team that will be again young but loaded with talent next season.

Grandgeorge is now creeping in the shadows anymore — she’s front and center for a very talented Ladycats team next season.

“Now you’re the target of everybody else,” Coach Grandgeorge said. “Everybody is going to know you so she’s going to have to be a little more disciplined and pick out that one pitch and she may only get one of them in an at-bat. We’ll work on some of those pitches that weren’t her prime pitch because those are going to have to become some of her prime pitches.

“She knows that and is excited about getting back to work and taking that senior season and helping lead the team back to Austin and bringing home a state championship.”

Coach Grandgeorge took off his coaching hat and discussed what it was like watching his youngest daughter blossom like a rose in volleyball but especially in softball this season.

From the hard work put in away from the diamond to her changing her personality and deamonor for the good of the team, Coach Grandgeorge is elated to see her succeed to this degree.

“As a dad it’s exciting,” Coach Grandgeorge said. “I try to be more vocal during games letting her know that her dad was there cheering her on but me and her mom as we are having our time to talk about Emily makes us proud parents. We know what she puts into it and the sacrifices she makes. It’s an exciting piece to see it come out in the game.”