When it comes to the level of fan interest for sports in southwest Atlanta, nothing rivals the passion behind football, basketball, and to some degree, baseball. However, if one was to scratch beneath the surface, lurking in the rear and gaining momentum is tennis. Just this past spring, Westlake High School’s boys’ squad became the first predominately black team to advance to the state championship match in Georgia. But the Lions aren’t the only group creating a tennis buzz in the community. The Renaissance Tennis Group (RTG) is a grassroots organization that is exposing people to the …

  The holiday season is a festive time of celebration, and perhaps one of the biggest jubilant traditions is the multitudes of year-end  countdowns and reviews. From pop culture to politics, pre-teens and pun dents alike often rate the most memorable moments of the past 12 months with fondness as magical episodes that will forever live in the annals of history. Things are no different here in southwest Atlanta, and in 2011, the sports calendar was full of epic highlights from the second the peach ball dropped at midnight on Jan. 1. The talent student-athletes from Mays, Westlake and …

When it comes to high school football in Southwest Atlanta, the echoes of Friday night lights can be heard from miles away from the bone-jarring hits on the gridiron, to the loud screams from fans following a dazzling move resulting in another touchdown. The level of competition associated with the neighborhood squads ranks amongst the best in the metro area and in 2011, the squad raising eyebrows inside and beyond the 285 perimeter is the Mays Raiders. Mays enters this week’s action versus Lithonia at 4-0 and ranked No. 10 in the Class AAAA poll. With the exception of last weekend’s 24-20 …