The Riverwood Raiders fastpitch softball team kicked off its 2026-27 season with a 6-5 victory over Mount Vernon on Wednesday, Aug. 5, in Game 1 of the Battle of Sandy Springs tournament at Riverwood International Charter School.
The one-run win gave head coach Jason Russo his first on-field result since taking over the program in June.
Riverwood Athletics announced the final score on X shortly after the game, confirming the Raiders held off Mount Vernon in a one-run contest.
Russo era begins with a win
Russo is no stranger to Riverwood. Named head softball coach on June 4, he has taught at the school since 2018 and coached in the Raider baseball program since 2019 before moving to softball. Riverwood Athletics called him a familiar face in its June announcement, noting he had been part of the school for nearly a decade.
Beyond coaching, Russo teaches Adapted Physical Education and was recognized as PE Teacher of the Month by the USTA Georgia Chapter for incorporating tennis into his adaptive PE curriculum. He also serves as a Special Olympics Georgia coach.
Tournament continues Thursday
The Battle of Sandy Springs is a three-game, two-day showcase featuring four Sandy Springs-area schools: Riverwood, Mount Vernon, North Springs and Holy Innocents. All games are played on Riverwood's home field.
As we reported July 31, the tournament marks the first competition of the fall sports season for the Raiders, who compete in GHSA Region 7-6A.
Game 2, Riverwood vs. North Springs, was scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday. That result had not been confirmed as of Aug. 6. The Raiders close the tournament against Holy Innocents at 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6.
The Riverwood-North Springs matchup also serves as a preview of the cross-town football rivalry: the two schools meet on the gridiron Friday, Aug. 21.
How to watch
Tickets for the remaining games are available through GoFan. Games can also be streamed on the NFHS Network.
The Raiders' regular-season schedule picks up after the tournament wraps Aug. 6.
