The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dozen first-time finalists will play for titles
16 championship games this week begin today at Macon Coliseum.
Spencer’s boys and Lumpkin County’s girls basketball teams each have won 27 straight games, so their latest victories wouldn’t expect to be so newsworthy. But they were.
Those two, along with 10 other Georgia teams, are in the state finals for the first time in their histories after winning semifinals last weekend. The 16 championship games will be played today through Saturday at Macon Coliseum.
“It’s like a dream come true,” Spencer coach Quantavias Allen said. “The students, the athletes and the community have dreamed about this moment. These young men have worked extremely hard to get to this point, and I am glad their hard work is finally paying off.”
Spencer, a Columbus school that joined the GHSA in 1967, beat Marist in the Class 4A semifinals and will play Westover of Albany in the final today. Spencer hasn’t won a state title in any sport since claiming a boys track and field championship in 1973.
Lumpkin County, a Dahlonega school that dates to the 1950s, defeated Westminster and will play Greater Atlanta Christian in
the 3A girls final Friday. Lumpkin County has won only two previous state titles, the most recent in 2012 (riflery). No Lumpkin County girls sports team has won a championship.
“The way that our community has embraced this team is special and represents everything that is good in high school athletics — hometown kids playing for each other, their friends, school and community,” Lumpkin County coach David Dowse said.
The finals will have its usual share of Goliaths, as well. Eagle’s Landings boys and Woodward Academy’s girls (both Class 5A), Cross Creek’s boys (3A) and Hebron Christian’s girls (A private) are defending champions. Norcross’ boys and girls have won eight state titles between them,
though none since 2013, when each won. They can sweep Class 7A again this season.
But the dozen first-timers are more than usual.
Boys teams in the finals for the first time, in addition to Spencer, are Grovetown, King’s Ridge, Windsor Forest, Warren County and Drew Charter. Girls teams in their first finals are Luella, Lumpkin County, Elbert County, Hancock Central, Lake Oconee County and Mount Paran Christian. Warren County and Elbert County opened in 1956.
Three other teams have made previous finals but never won. Those are Marist’s girls (last final 2007), Rabun County’s girls (2017) and Harrison’s girls (2018).
Marist coach Kim Hixon has been Marist’s coach for 20 seasons, and her teams have made the playoffs 16 times and have lost in the finals twice. Marist is playing Luella for the Class 4A title today. Both teams are 27-3. Neither has won a state title.
“It would be super special for this group to be the first ever to win it for Marist,” said Hixon, whose team lost one of its best players for the season in the opener, and started 2-2 but is 25-1 since. “No one saw it coming, and a lot of people counted us out early, but these kids refuse to lose.”
Daily tickets are $15 and available only through Gofan! Games can be seen on Nhsfnetwork. com.