Prep roundup: Seven area basketball teams alive in GHSA’s second round of state

The second round of the GHSA basketball state tournaments begin Friday night with five girls’ games involving area teams, with a pair of boys’ games set for Saturday.

Thursday’s universal coin flip for hosting rights to quarterfinal games was kind to a handful of teams should they get that far. The Sonoraville girls (22-4), the Region 6-AAA champions, will host Sandy Creek (17-12) on Friday and will stay at home if they win against either Cross Creek or Americus-Sumter.

The same goes for the Northwest Whitfield girls (14-10), who are the rare No. 2 seed guaranteed of hosting a possible third game should the Lady Bruins get past Cedar Shoals (16-8), a No. 4 seed, on Friday. Awaiting in the quarters would be either Spalding, the Region 4 No. 3 seed, or Kendrick, Region 2’s fourth seed.

The remaining three area girls’ teams travel for the second round. Chattooga (13-7) visits Callaway (14-6) in Class AA, with Trion (19-4) facing undefeated Lake Oconee Academy in Class A public and Christian Heritage (14-10) going against Hebron Christian (25-2) in Class A private.

After a rough first round in which five of the area’s seven boys’ state qualifiers lost, region champions LaFayette and Christian Heritage remain alive. The Ramblers (21-1), who reached the Class AAAA quarterfinals last year, will host Greater Atlanta Christian (17-11) at 6 p.m. Saturday in Class AAA and, if they win, will host either Cross Creek or Americus-Sumter.

Christian Heritage (21-2) also plays at 6 on Saturday, hosting Athens Academy (8-16) in Class A private. The Lions were unlucky with Thursday’s coin toss, however, and would travel to fellow No. 1 seed First Presbyterian Day in the quarterfinals. Christian Heritage would host if No. 2 seed Savannah Christian were to win.

— In TSSAA boys’ basketball, in the Division II-A first round, Notre Dame beat Webb School 53-51 and Silverdale Baptist Academy lost 72-40 to FACS. In the DII-AA first round, McCallie beat Ensworth 62-48.

— In TSSAA girls’ basketball, in the DII-AA first round, GPS lost 55-28 to Pope John Paul II.

 

BASEBALL

Northwest Whitfield 11, North Murray 1: Aiden Hosford pitched a five-inning no-hitter with seven strikeouts as the Bruins (4-1) won the nonregion game over their border rivals. It is the team’s second no-hitter of the season, joining Cade Fisher’s season-opening 21-strikeout gem.

Keaton McQuaig scored three runs and drove in one for Northwest on Thursday, when Will Roper had two RBIs.

Contact Lindsey Young at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.

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