By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Perhaps the busiest week of high school sports all year has arrived.

Updated Monday, 11:30 a.m.

Dear coaches, teams, and stat folks:
Please post/share playoff information (opponent, location, day, time(s)) as soon as they’re determine, or email The Sports Report.
And:

A chunk of the GHSA playoff pairings are out for Class 5A, 4A, and A/Division II, the classifications still operating under the longstanding top-four-region-teams and brackets.

Playoff action in GHSA baseball, girls and boys soccer, and girls and boys tennis starts, while track and golf wind down, GIAA spring sports nearing their stretch runs.

All of the brackets for GHSA baseball, soccer, and tennis were completed Monday morning, with about half done before that. Almost 100 teams across the five sports reached the postseason.

Classes AAA, AA, and A/Division I operate under a ratings and seeding system, with the classes being split between public and private schools for the playoffs, private schools being pulled out for their own playoff.

Among those ekeing in: Rutland at No. 29 in Class AA baseball, No. 29 Bleckley County in A/I boys soccer, No. 30 Westside in AA girls tennis, No. 30 Central in A/I boys tennis, No. 31 Dodge County in A/I baseball, No. 31 Peach County in girls tennis, No. 31 Washington County in A/I girls tennis, No. 32 Dublin in A/I girls tennis.

Among those just missing out: Mary Persons in Class AAA girls soccer, Rutland in AA girls soccer, Westside in AA boys soccer, among others.

The GHSA’s postseason rankings are invisible for a few days after the end of the regular season. The updated rankings remain unposted as of 11 a.m.. Monday, so getting a look at how close teams were is still a guess.

ACE Charter missed a first-round home baseball game in A/I by a spot, ranking 17th. The same goes for Bleckley County in A/I girls soccer, Putnam County in A/I boys soccer.

Area teams ranking in the top 5: No. 2 Peach County, 3A baseball; No. 2 Bleckley County, A/I girls tennis; No. 2 ACE Charter, A/I girls and boys soccer; No. 3 Bleckley County, A/I boys tennis; No. 5 Lamar County, A/I boys soccer; No. 5 Lamar County, A/I girls tennis; No. 5 West Laurens, AAA boys tennis.

Some tennis action has started, with with with Jones County's boys, Taylor County's boys and girls winning, and Veterans boys and Hawkinsville boys and girls losing.

In GIAA, individual tennis is this Monday and Tuesday with team playoffs April 29-30. Baseball begins on May 9, soccer on May 9.

⚾⚾⚾Baseball⚾⚾⚾

(‘If’ game time next day is in parentheses)
Class 5A
Wednesday
R8/4 Apalachee at R2/1 Houston County, 4:30 p.m. (5 p.m.)
R2/4 Veterans at R8/1 Loganville, 4 p.m. (6 p.m.)
Class 4A
Wednesday
R2/3 Jones County at R8/2 Flowery Branch, 4:30 p.m. (4 p.m.)
R1/4 Perry at R5/1 St. Pius X, 4:30 p.m. (5 p.m.)
Class 3A
Friday
No. 31 West Hall at No. 2 Peach County
No. 21 Jefferson at No. 12 West Laurens, 4 p.m. (12 p.m.)
No. 23 Mary Persons at No. 10 Adairsville
No. 26 Upson-Lee at No. 7 Luella
Class AA
No. 29 Rutland at No. 4 Redan
Class A/Division I
Friday
No. 27 East Laurens at No. 6 Bleckley County, 4:30 p.m. (12 p.m.)
No. 25 Putnam County at No. 8 Washington County
No. 17 ACE Charter at No. 16 Elbert County
No. 21 Haralson County at No. 12 Jasper County, 4:30 p.m. (1 p.m.)
No. 18 Dublin at No. 15 Worth County, 4 p.m. (2 p.m.)
No. 31 Dodge County at No. 2 Jeff Davis
No. 22 Lamar County at No. 11 Fitzgerald
Class A/Division II
Wednesday
R7/4 Manchester at R6/1 Crawford County, 3:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m.)
R3/3 Screven County at R4/2 Hawkinsville, 2 pm. (5 p.m.)
R5/3 GMC Prep at R1/2 Miller County, 4 p.m.
R6/3 Taylor County at R7/2 Trion, 5 p.m. (2 p.m.)

⚽ ⚽ ⚽Girls Soccer ⚽ ⚽ ⚽

Tuesday
Class 5A
Tuesday
R8/4 Clarke Central at R2/1 Houston County
R8/3 Loganville at R2/2 Veterans
Class 4A
Tuesday
R5/3 Northview at R1/2 Warner Robins
R2/3 Jones County at R8/2 Walnut Grove, 5:30 p.m.
Class 3A
Wednesday
No. 21 Gilmer at No. 12 Peach County
No. 20 West Laurens at No. 13 Cherokee Bluff
No. 23 Upson-Lee at No. 10 Long County
No. 26 Baldwin at No. 7 Sandy Creek
Class AA
Thursday
No. 22 Westside at No. 11 Pierce County, 3 p.m.
Class A/Division I
Wednesday
No. 31 Rabun County at No. 2 ACE Charter
No. 26 Central at No. 7 East Laurens
No. 24 Coosa at No. 9 Lamar County
No. 20 Oglethorpe at No. 13 Dodge County
No. 17 Bleckley County at No. 16 Elbert County
No. 23 Washington County at No. 10 Armuchee
No. 25 Jasper County at No. 8 Jeff Davis
Class A/Division II
Tuesday
R4/4 Macon County at R2/1 GMC Prep
R2/4 Treutlen at R4/1 Crawford County
R2/3 Hawkinsville at R4/2 Chattahoochee County

⚽ ⚽ ⚽Boys Soccer ⚽ ⚽ ⚽

Class 5A
Wednesday
R8/4 Loganville at R2/1 Veterans
R2/3 Houston County at R8/2 Clarke Central
Class 4A
Wednesday
R5/4 Druid Hills at R1/1 Perry
Class AAA
Friday
No. 18 Chestatee at No. 15 West Laurens
No. 22 Heritage-Catoosa at No. 11 Mary Persons
No. 19 LaGrange at No. 14 Peach County
Class A/Division I
Friday
No. 31 Worth County at No. 2 ACE Charter
No. 28 Dublin at No. 5 Lamar County
No. 25 at No. 8 Jasper County
No. 23 Dalton Academy at No. 10 Dodge County
No. 17 Putnam County at No. 16 Vidalia
No. 20 East Laurens at No. 13 Fitzgerald
No. 29 Bleckley County at No. 4 Armuchee
Class A/Division II
Wednesday
R4/4 Manchester at R2/1 GMC Prep
R2/3 Montomery County at R4/2 Macon County
R4/3 Crawford County at R2/2 Dooly County

🎾 🎾 🎾Girls Tennis 🎾 🎾 🎾

Class 5A
By Thursday
R2/3 Houston County at R8/2 Loganville
R2/4 Veterans at R8/1 Jackson County
Class 4A
By Thursday
Jones County 3, Flowery Branch 2; Next: vs. Perry/Flowery Branch
R1/4 Warner Robins at R5/1 Marist
R1/3 Perry at R5/2 Northview
Class AAA
By Wednesday
No. 26 Adairsville at No. 7 West Laurens
No. 19 Mt. Zion-Jonesboro at No. 14 Mary Persons
No. 31 Peach County at No. 2 Oconee County
Class A/Division I
By Thursday
No. 31 Washington County at No. 2 Bleckley County, Wednesday, 3:30 p.m.
No. 28 Swainsboro at No. 5 Lamar County
No. 25 Pepperell at No. 8 ACE Charter
No. 19 Banks County at No. 14 Putnam County
No. 18 Bacon County at No. 15 East Laurens
No. 20 Dodge County at No. 13 Rabun County
No. 26 Jasper County vs. No. 7 Jeff Davis
No. 32 Dublin at No 1 Brantley County
Class A/Division II
Thursday
Claxton 3, Hawkinsville 0
Taylor County 3, Mt. Zion-Carrollton 0; Next: vs. Wilcox County/Bryan County
R1/3 Early County at R5/2 GMC Prep
R5/3 Wilkinson County at R1/2 Miller County

🎾 🎾 🎾Boys Tennis 🎾 🎾 🎾

Class 5A
By Thursday
Clarke Central 3, Veterans 0
R8/3 Jackson County at R2/2 Houston County
Class 4A
By Thursday
East Forsyth 3, Jones County 0
R3/1 Perry at R5/2 St. Pius X
Class 3A
By Thursday
No. 28 Adairsville at No. 5 West Laurens
No. 18 Mary Persons at No. 15 Lumpkin County
Class AA
By Thursday
No. 30 Westside at No. 3 South Atlanta, 11 a.m.
Class A/Division I
By Thursday
No. 30 Central at No. 3 Bleckley County, Tuesday, 4 p.m.
No. 26 Heard County at No. 7 ACE Charter
No. 22 Temple at No. 11 Lamar County
No. 18 East Laurens at No. 15 Banks County
No. 23 Dublin at No. 10 Vidalia
No. 25 Jasper County at No. 8 Rabun County
No. 28 Putnam County at No. 5 Model
No. 29 Dodge County at No. 4 Social Circle
Class A/Division II
By Thursday
Bryan County 1, Hawkinsville 0
Taylor County 3, Mt. Zion-Carrollton 0; Next: Vs. Bryan County
R1/3 Miller County at Region 5/2 GMC Prep
R5/3 Wilkinson County at R1/2 Seminole County