Seven area teams remain in GHSA state basketball
The second round of the GHSA basketball state tournaments begin tonight with five girls’ games involving area teams, with a pair of boys’ games set for Saturday.
Thursday’s universal coin flip for hosting rights to quarterfinal games was kind to a handful of teams should they get that far. The Sonoraville girls (22-4), the Region 6-AAA champions, will host Sandy Creek (17-12) tonight and will stay at home if they win against either Cross Creek or Americus-Sumter.
The same goes for the Northwest Whitfield girls (14-10), who are the rare No. 2 seed guaranteed of hosting a possible third game should the Lady Bruins get past Cedar Shoals (16-8), a No. 4 seed, tonight. Awaiting in the quarters would be either Spalding, the Region 4 No. 3 seed, or Kendrick, Region 2’s fourth seed.
The remaining three area girls’ teams travel for the second round. Chattooga (13-7) visits Callaway (14-6) in Class AA, with Trion (19-4) facing undefeated Lake Oconee Academy in Class A public and Christian Heritage (14-10) going against Hebron Christian (25-2) in Class A private.
After a rough first round in which five of the area’s seven boys’ state qualifiers lost, region champions LaFayette and Christian Heritage remain alive. The Ramblers (21-1), who reached the Class AAAA quarterfinals last year, will host Greater Atlanta Christian (17-11) at 6 p.m. Saturday in Class AAA and, if they win, will host either Cross Creek or Americus-Sumter.
Christian Heritage (21-2) also plays at 6 on Saturday, hosting Athens Academy (8-16) in Class A private. The Lions were unlucky with Thursday’s coin toss, however, and would travel to fellow No. 1 seed First Presbyterian Day in the quarterfinals. Christian Heritage would host if No. 2 seed Savannah Christian were to win.
› In TSSAA boys’ basketball, in the Division II-A first round, Notre Dame beat Webb School 53-51 and Silverdale Baptist Academy lost 72-40 to FACS. In the DII-AA first round, McCallie beat Ensworth 62-48.
› In TSSAA girls’ basketball, in the DII-AA first round, GPS lost 55-28 to Pope John Paul II.
BASEBALL
› Northwest Whitfield 11, North Murray 1: Aiden Hosford pitched a five-inning no-hitter with seven strikeouts as the Bruins (4-1) won the nonregion game over their border rivals. It is the team’s second no-hitter of the season, joining Cade Fisher’s season-opening 21-strikeout gem.
Keaton McQuaig scored three runs and drove in one for Northwest on Thursday, when Will Roper had two RBIs.