By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com
 

GIRLS

Quarterfinals

Peach County (22-7) at Franklin County (29-0)

6 p.m.

          There's one number that's as astounding as any one might find among the remaining teams, boys or girls and any classification.

          Franklin County has given up only 876 points in 29 games. That's 30.2 a game.

          Only three teams have scored 50 points or more.

          The Lions beat Region 8 runner-up Morgan County 59-32, 59-26, and 63-54. Morgan County was within three with 1:45 left in the third meeting but couldn't score.

          Aquinas, a Class A private team, scored 7 points. Grovetown, a 15-13 Class 6A team back in the playoffs with Tucker's vacating wins, lost 43-19.

          Granted, Franklin County is in a weak region that had only one other team, 19-9 Hart County, with a winning overall record. Franklin County won those meetings 64-46 and 71-47.

          Franklin County lost in the first round a year ago.

          Peach County averages 50 points a game and gives up 40. Franklin County averages 62 a game.

          The Trojans were stopped at this point a year ago, 70-66 to Johnson-Savannah on the road.

 

Dodge County (25-4) at Model (24-3)

6 p.m.

          There are two Class AA games that pit top-10 teams, and this is one.

          Dodge County entered the postseason ranked 3, 4, and 7, and Model 6 in all three polls.

          Model's losses are to a team from Franklin, Tenn., Class 6A playoff team Sequoyah (78-48), and Class 5A playoff team Rome (54-51).

          The Blue Devils have lost to Putnam County in the quarterfinals two years ago - their only loss of the year - and to eventual champ Laney in last year's semis.

          Dodge County was in 3A for four years before returning this year to 2A in head coach CaSandra Hamilton's first season.

          The Indians lost by one last year in the second round to Heard County, and in the first round in AAA two years ago by 11 to Westminster.

          Little separates the teams in scoring. Dodge County gets 60.4 a game, Model 58.8. But there's a difference on defense, the Blue Devils surrendering 9.8 fewer points a game.

          The Indians bring balance, with Europe Brown, Destanee Wright, and Zannesia Mitchell getting between 13.3 and 17.5 points a game, Wright also good for 8.3 rebounds.

          Dodge County has won eight straight, last losing to 58-52 to Class A Public No. 1 Telfair County on Jan. 26. Model has won by larger margins down the stretch, but Dodge County may have an advantage in a close game.

 

5/Prince Avenue (25-2) at 4/Stratford (25-2)

7 p.m.

          Things can't get much more even between the Wolverines and Eagles.

          They're 5-6 in one poll, 4 and 7 in another.

          PAC surrenders 34.4 points a game to 36.3 for Stratford, which scores 57.4 a game to 53.4 for PAC.

          Stratford is 4-0 and PAC 6-1 against common opponents, Athens Academy topping PAC 51-44 in mid-January.

          Both teams won their regions and had a first-round bye.

          Ansley Hall had 20, Maddi Britt 15, Karlee Armstrong 14, and Janie Henderson 1o in Prince Avenue's 67-44 quarterfinal win over Pinecrest.

          The Wolverines lost in the Elite Eight a year ago, while the Eagles lost to Holy Innocents' last year 78-39 and to Southwest Atlanta in the first round two years ago.

          Stratford is hoping to reach its first Final Four since 2014-15 when it lost 61-41 to St. Francis.

          The Eagles have gotten this far with only two seniors, Carey Woodcock and Evans McCook. Veteran head coach Ed Smith, who won his 500th game earlier this season, has mixed and matched underclassmen with the seniors.

 

GIRLS

Class 3A

R3 2 Johnson-Savannah (19-6) at R5 1 Lovett (25-4)

R2 1 Tattnall County (22-5) at R6 1 Haralson County (26-2)

R3 1 Beach (27-2) at R7 1 Greater Atlanta Christian (23-4)

R4 1 Peach County (22-7) at R8 1 Franklin County (29-0), Tuesday, 6 p.m.

          Semifinal is 2 p.m. Saturday at Armstrong Atlantic

 

Class AA

R3 1 Dodge County (25-4) at R7 1 Model (24-3), Tuesday, 6 p.m.

          Semifinal is 2 p.m. Saturday at Georgia College

R4 1 Laney (29-0) at R8 1 Banks County (25-5)

R8 3 Rabun County (24-6) at R1 1 Fitzgerald (16-5)

R3 2 Josey (25-4) at R6 1 Douglass-Atlanta (18-6)

 

Class A Private

8/Christian Heritage (22-6) at 1/Holy Innocents (27-1)

5/Prince Avenue (25-2) at 4/Stratford (25-2), Tuesday, 7 p.m.

          Semifinal is 2 p.m. Friday at Columbus State

10/Paideia (21-9) at 2/St. Francis (25-4)

6/Wesleyan (24-4) at 3/Calvary Day (26-2)