Saturday's Central Georgia Scoreboard: State GIAA finals, GHSA semifinals, baseball, more; colleges (updated)

March 5, 2023 Central Georgia Sports Report

High school coaches: please send postgame information and stats to centralgasports@gmail.com, post full scores and names/stats/records/info on Twitter and/or Facebook within 30 minutes of completion. Please send all postseason schedule information this way for posting.

Colleges: Please enclose story links in emails or social media posts.

Updated Sunday 12:30 p.m.

High School

🏀🏀🏀Basketball🏀🏀🏀

Girls

Baldwin 58, Holy Innocents 45

Top-ranked Holy Innocents didn’t have the answers against Baldwin, which got solid guard play to go with quality post action to advance to the GHSA Class 4A championship.

The Bravettes led top-ranked Holy Innocents 16-8 after one and 28-12 at halftime. They kept the foot on the gas for a 44-33 edge after three. Madison Ruff had 13 of her 17 points in the third quarter. Zy’keria Paschal and Kassidy Neal each had six in the clinching fourth quarter, Neal finishing with 23 points, 16 in the first half. Janaye Walker had 11 rebounds.

Baldwin’s defense held Holy Innocents to only four scorers, albeit only one more than the Bravettes. Olivia Hutcheson had 25 points for HI (25-6). Baldwin kept the Golden Bears to their second-lowest point total of the season and third game below 50 points.

Welcome to Sunday’s expanded coverage (technical difficulties 🤬)

Clinch County 63, Taylor County 55

Ameyion Grady scored 25 of her 30 points in the second half to lead Clinch County and hand Taylor County its second loss of the season in the GHSA Class A/Division II semifinal. Taylor County took advantage of a rough second quarter and led 26-24 at halftime, overcoming a 10-point deficit.

Boys

Video: Michael A. Lough/Central Georgia Sports Report

Stratford 65, St. Anne-Pacelli 64

Stratford crammed a few games into one in the GIAA Class AAAA finale. The Eagles led 20-7 after one, but Pacelli stormed back with a 30-9 second quarter for a 37-29 halftime lead, and the Vikings maintained a 50-48 advantage after three.

The lead was 64-62 with 16.7 seconds left when Stratford inbounded the ball at halfcourt. It went to Khalil Green, who calmly dribbled upcourt, then to the middle before seeing room and driving down the left side of the lane.

He was fouled amid his finger roll game-tying bucket with 7.1 seconds left. He swished the free throw for the lead.

Video: Michael A. Lough/Central Georgia Sports Report

Pacelli’s Jayddence Ford was fouled with 3.2 seconds left, and his shot wiggled in and out, followed by a scrum to get the rebound. Stratford celebrated, but officials put .8 back on the clock and gave the ball to Pacelli.

The inbounds pass was deflected by Dre Bonner, and the Eagles had their 27th win – against two losses – and a state title, their first since 2014

Green finished with 23 points, Josh Jackson 12 and Jarvis Smith 11.

Trinity Christian 57, Central Fellowship 49

The Lancers had a GIAA Class AA title in sight with a 31-23 halftime lead, and an 11-point advantage late in the third quarter. But that’s when guard Jaylen Goodrum was whistled for his fourth foul, and his reaction led to a technical foul, and his fifth, and the end of his night. CFCA led 45-39 after three, but Trinity Christian took control of the tempo and started hitting more shots, holding the Lancers to only four points in the final eight minutes. The second half was strong for the Crusaders, who outscored the Lancers 34-18. Henry Williams scored 18 of his game-high 25 points in the second half. Hayden Clay had six of his 12 points in the fourth. Goodrum and Karez Demory each had 11 for CFCA, but none in the fourth quarter. Trinity Christian held Jeb Walls to seven points, five from the line.

Wilkinson County 85, Macon County 63

Macon County took some momentum into the locker room wth a second-quarter rally from 11 down to three entering halftime, having trailed 36-23 at the 4:32 mark but holding the Warriors scoreless the rest of the quarter.

Macon County (28-3) tied it 10 seconds into the third with a 3-pointer from Eric Rice, but Wilkinson County (24-6)countered with a three-point play from Justin Stanley to take the lead for good en route to a responded with a 26-14 third quarter and a 62-47 lead entering the fourth quarter. Stanley led the 24-6 Warriors with 25 points.

⚾ ⚾ ⚾Baseball ⚾ ⚾ ⚾

Houston County 5, Central, Ala. 4; IMG 9, Houston County 1

Jasper County 9, Portal 3

South Effingham 8, FPD 6; FPD 14, Savannah Country Day 4

Tattnall 6, Strong Rock 5

Troup County 13, West Laurens 1

⚽ ⚽ ⚽Soccer ⚽ ⚽ ⚽

Girls

Stratford 9, Westminster 0

Boys

Stratford 2, Westminster 2

🎾 🎾 🎾Tennis 🎾 🎾 🎾