With the Orange Beach Mako softball team hitting the road for the AHSAA Class 4A state tournament in Oxford today, senior Georgia McDonald would miss tonight’s graduation proceedings.

Instead, a special ceremony was held Thursday morning, May 18, to not only recognize the first four-year graduate of Orange Beach High School but also the first graduate of the OB City School System after it split from Baldwin County Public Schools entering this school year.

The Class of 2022 etched their names in the record books as the first graduating class with 35 members after they became the first sophomore class in school history when the school opened in 2019. Now the Class of 2023 will be the first to have spent all four years at Orange Beach High School before walking across the stage to collect their diplomas.

The Mako softball squad is the two-time defending state champion in Class 2A and is now competing in Class 4A due to enrollment. Orange Beach started its run at a state title in a new classification by finishing as runner-up in the South Regional championship in Gulf Shores. The Makos are set to open play in the state tournament against White Plains Friday at 10:45 a.m.