AA blog: Big weekend features Region 6 girls showdown

A look at the biggest games coming up this weekend in Class AA, including region tests for the top-ranked teams in the boys and girls rankings. ...

GIRLS

Top-ranked Holy Innocents’ plays at No. 3 Wesleyan on Saturday in a key Region 6-AA matchup. Holy Innocents’ (15-0) has won by wide margins in most of its games thus far, including a 77-43 win over No. 8 Lovett in region play on Dec. 12. Wesleyan (11-4), the defending AA runner-up and a perennial powerhouse, is likely the Lady Bears’ biggest threat to the region crown.

No. 4 Darlington plays at No. 7 Model on Friday in a battle for Region 7-AA supremacy. Darlington (12-2) won the first meeting between the two teams, a nonregion game in the finals of the Rome Holiday Festival tournament last month. Rachel Simon and Keera Evans scored 46 of Darlington’s 57 points in that game for the Lady Tigers, who have won seven straight since falling to Holy Innocents’ on Dec. 6.

BOYS

No. 6 Vidalia plays at No. 9 Bryan County on Friday in Region 2-AA play. Vidalia (12-1) bounced back from its first loss of the season (68-59 vs. Portal, Dec. 29) with a 56-51 win over Jeff Davis on Tuesday. Bryan County (12-2) has been led recently by senior Kajana Davis, who scored a season-high 29 points in last week’s win over Benedictine.

Top-ranked Thomasville returns to Region 1-AA action this weekend after falling to Bainbridge, the fourth-ranked team in Class AAAA, on Tuesday. The Bulldogs (11-3) host Early County on Friday, then No. 4 Seminole County on Saturday. The loss to Bainbridge was the first for Thomasville since back-to-back defeats to Tift County, the No. 2 team in AAAAAA, in November.

BOYS

1. Thomasville (11-3)

• Tuesday: Lost at Bainbridge (No. 4, Class AAAA), 97-93
• Up next: vs. Early County, Friday; vs. No. 4 Seminole County, Saturday

2. Pace Academy (11-2)

• Tuesday: Won vs. No. 5 Holy Innocents', 59-48
• Up next: vs. Hapeville Charter, Friday; at B.E.S.T. Academy, Saturday

3. Greater Atlanta Christian (8-5)

• Tuesday: Won at Wesleyan, 74-57
• Up next: at KIPP, Friday

4. Seminole County (11-2)

• Tuesday: Won vs. Miller County, 66-51
• Up next: vs. Fitzgerald, Friday; at No. 1 Thomasville, Saturday

5. Holy Innocents’ (12-3)

• Tuesday: Lost at No. 2 Pace Academy, 59-48
• Up next: vs. B.E.S.T Academy, Friday; at Wesleyan, Saturday

6. Vidalia (12-1)

• Tuesday: Won at Jeff Davis, 56-51
• Up next: at No. 9 Bryan County, Friday; at Montgomery County, Saturday

7. Model (12-2)

• Tuesday: Lost at Coosa, 55-45
• Up next: vs. Darlington, Friday; at Southwest Atlanta Christian, Saturday

8. Harlem (12-2)

• Tuesday: Lost at Swainsboro, 73-49
• Up next: vs. Screven County, Friday; at Dublin, Saturday

9. Bryan County (12-2)

• Tuesday: Won at McIntosh County Academy, 64-60
• Up next: vs. No. 6 Vidalia, Friday

10. Crawford County (11-3)

• Tuesday: Won vs. Monticello, 74-66
• Up next: at Northeast-Macon, Friday; vs. Taylor County, Saturday

GIRLS

1. Holy Innocents’ (15-0)

• Tuesday: Won at Pace Academy, 70-25
• Up next: at No. 3 Wesleyan, Saturday

2. Pelham (12-1)

• Tuesday: Won at Lowndes, 72-47
• Up next: vs. Mitchell County, Friday; at Brooks County, Saturday

3. Wesleyan (11-4)

• Tuesday: Won vs. GAC, 61-26
• Up next: vs. No. 8 Lovett, Thursday, vs. No. 1 Holy Innocents', Saturday

4. Darlington (12-2)

• Tuesday: Idle
• Up next: at No. 7 Model, Friday; vs. Josey, Saturday

5. Vidalia (11-2)

• Tuesday: Lost at Jeff Davis
• Up next: at Bryan County, Friday; at Montgomery County, Saturday

6. Putnam County (13-3)

• Tuesday: Won vs. Lamar County, 57-31
• Up next: vs. Northeast-Macon, Jan. 13

7. Model (14-2)

• Tuesday: Won at Coosa, 66-37
• Up next: vs. No. 4 Darlington, Friday

8. Lovett (10-4)

• Tuesday: Won vs. KIPP, 68-18
• Up next: at No. 3 Wesleyan, Thursday

9. Early County (10-2)

• Tuesday: Won at Northview (Ala.), 62-48
• Up next: at Thomasville, Friday; vs. Fitzgerald, Saturday