Central Georgia Sports ReportFebruary 28, 2025Comment

Friday's Report: GIAA semis, HS spring sports, Mercer, Mayhem, Russell Henley; Falcons/Penix, Braves, UGA, Tech; College hoops, social justice, Gene Hackman, NBA/Pop, MLB, NFL, CFB, NASCAR, ⛳

Central Georgia Sports ReportFebruary 28, 2025Comment

📰S📰C📰O📰R📰E📰B📰O📰A📰R📰D
High Schools
🏀🏀🏀Girls basketball🏀🏀🏀

GIAA semifinals

Class AAAA

St. Anne-Pacelli 67, Stratford 38
The near-home Vikings improved to 21-4 while Stratford’s season ended at 23-3. Pacelli clamped down on the Eaglettes threats, holding Camiyah Hudson to 9 and Da’Laila Lowe to 5, with post Kaliya Walker managing 11. McKayla Hosley went for 28 to lead Pacelli.

Class AA
Central Fellowship 62, Southwest Georgia 32
The Lancers had little trouble in improving to 23-4 with their second win in a row and fifth in their last six games. They’ll play Trinity Christian at 3 p.m. Saturday at Columbus State in the championship. The Lancers lost 53-41 to Piedmont in last year’s semifinal.

Trinity Christian 55, Brentwood 41
The 19-11 fifth seed upended the 19-7 top seed. Brentwood won the first two meetings, 47-30 and 55-50 before the Crusaders won 48-40 six days later in the district tournament. They’ll play Central Fellowship at 3 p.m. Saturday at Columbus State in the championship. The Crusaders lost 48-43 last year to Briarwood in a semifinal.

🏀🏀🏀Boys basketball🏀🏀🏀

Class AAAA

St. Anne-Pacelli 66, Tattnall 39 (Click here for full story)
The Vikings got a battle from the Trojans into the third quarter, but started pulling away in the third quarter en route to their 39th straight win. Pacelli led 21-15 at halftime, but the 20-13 third quarter built a solid cushion. Antone Johnson ended his Tattnall career with 17 points while Ty Hunnicutt added 14, two of the only four Trojans that scored. Four Vikings scored between 13 and 17 points.

Class AA

Heritage 62, Brentwood 51

⚾ ⚾ ⚾ Baseball ⚾ ⚾ ⚾

Berrien 6, Dodge County 2

Cullman, Ala. 7, Houston County 6

GMC Prep 18, Hancock Central 1

Hartselle 14, Gatewood 0

Jackson 9, Upson-Lee 1

John Milledge 10, Vidalia Heritage 0

Taylor County 6, Northside 5

Treutlen 10, East Laurens 9

Washington County 12, Toombs County 6

West Laurens 8, Appling County 5

Wilcox County 3, Bleckley County 0

Golf

B-FPD 153, Mount de Sales 184

⚽ ⚽ ⚽ Soccer ⚽ ⚽ ⚽

G-Baldwin 10, Hephzibah 0

G-Bleckley County 4, Central 1

B-Central 2, Bleckley County 1

G-Central Fellowship 1, Westfield 1

G-East Laurens 3, Dublin 0

B-East Laurens 3, Dublin 2, OT
Plieu Degard had both goals for Dublin.

G-John Milledge 4, St. George’s 3

G-Pike County 7, Perry 0

B-Stratford 6, Bulloch 1

🎾 🎾 🎾Tennis 🎾 🎾 🎾

G-Bleckley County 5, Jefferson County 0

B-Bleckley County 3, Jefferson County 0

G-Stratford 4, Loganville Christian 1

B-Stratford 5, Loganville Christian 0

Mount de Sales 4, Tattnall 1

🏫🏫🏫College🏫🏫🏫

🏀🏀🏀Women’s basketball🏀🏀🏀

Mercer 51, Wastern Carolina 49

Pro

🏒🏒🏒 SPHL 🏒🏒🏒

Huntsville 5, Macon 1

Goalie Josh Boyko recorded his 1,000th career save with the Mayhem, third on the team’s all-time list.

📰C📰O📰V📰E📰R📰A📰G📰E📰

Around/About Central Georgia

Henley off to big start in Florida

A few weeks after a weekend loaded with bogeys, Russell Henley opened the Cognizant Classic on the opposite end of the spectrum.

The rare bogey-free round.

Henley is tied for second with Daniel Berger and Sami Valimaki at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches. Both are four shots back of Jake Knapp.

The field of 144 includes nearly three dozen of the top 50 FedEx Cup players, led by No. 3 Sepp Straka.

Henley got rolling early, with three birdies on his first four holes, and then repeating a three-in-four streak around the turn, including birdies on two of the three par-5s.

He’s first in greens in regulation, tied for first in sand saves and scrambling, ninth in shots gained putting, and tied for fourth with eight birdies.

Henley tees off Friday at 12:40 p.m. with Ricke Fowler and Jordan Spieth. Fowler is tied for fifth and Spieth is tied for 11th.

Around/About Georgia

Falcons offseason, NFLPA report card: Morris ready to build around Penix Jr. despite bad Cousins deal

Why Penix Jr. was the talk of national media at the NFL Scouting Combine

White's dazzling play at second strengthens his case to stay on the roster

Braves notebook: Starters look good in spring, Drake Baldwin forcing hard decisions, more

W-Big first quarter by Cal too much for Tech

W-Georgia nips Auburn on Senior Night

College Basketball/Women

Auriemma and Martelli headline Joe Lapchick Character Award recipients

Pingeton, coach of struggling Missouri women, announces resignation effective at end of season

No. 5 UConn claims 5th straight Big East regular-season title with win over No. 22 Creighton