The first round of the state playoffs will tipoff this weekend with games spanning from Thursday, Feb. 13 to Saturday Feb. 15. Here’s a quick rundown of the matchups. On the boys side, Woodward Academy, Sandy Creek, Upson-Lee, Denmark, St. Pius, Americus-Sumter, LaFayette and Cross Creek are top seeds and secured home court advantage until at least the Elite 8. Americus-Sumter is the only team that enters the playoffs without a loss and the Panthers are 27-0 after holding off Dougherty 60-55 in the Region 1-AAAA championship this past Saturday. Sandy Creek has won 20 of its last 21 games heading into the playoffs and Woodward Academy takes a 25-2 overall record into its first-round matchup with Spalding.
On the girls side, defending champion Carver-Columbus earned a top seed with a 60-56 overtime win over Americus-Sumter in the Region 1-AAAA championship. The Tigers and Panthers had split their previous two meetings prior to the overtime thriller on Saturday. Sandy Creek is the only school that swept region titles and the Lady Patriots avenged previous 44-43 loss to Troup with a Region 5-AAAA championship-clinching 56-49 win over Troup. Region 7-AAAA Marist looks like a strong contender with a 25-1 overall record and 10-game winning streak entering the playoffs. The Lady War Eagles’ only loss was to Class AAA’s Greater Atlanta Christian and boast a stellar defense that has held 12 different opponents to fewer than 30 points this season.
First Round Matchups
Class AAAA Boys
R8#3 Madison County at R6#2 Northwest Whitfield
R2#4 Spalding at R4#1 Woodward Academy
R1#3 Westover at R3#2 Baldwin
R7#4 Chestatee at R5#1 Sandy Creek
R6#3 Heritage-Catoosa at R8#2 North Oconee
R4#4 Druid Hills at R2#1 Upson-Lee
R3#3 Burke County at R1#2 Dougherty
R5#4 LaGrange at R7#1 Denmark
R4#3 North Clayton at R2#2 West Laurens
R6#4 Pickens at R8#1 St. Pius
R5#3 Troup at R7#2 Blessed Trinity
R3#4 Thomson at R1#1 Americus-Sumter
R2#3 Howard at R4#2 McDonough
R8#4 Oconee County at R6#1 LaFayette
R7#3 Marist at R5#2 Chapel Hill
R1#4 Carver-Columbus at R3#1 Cross Creek
Class AAAA Girls
R8#3 Stephens County at R6#2 Gilmer
R2#4 Upson-Lee at R4#1 Luella
R1#3 Dougherty at R3#2 Baldwin
R7#4 Flowery Branch at R5#1 Sandy Creek
R6#3 Pickens at R8#2 Oconee County
R4#4 Druid Hills at R2#1 Spalding
R3#3 Burke County at R1#2 Americus-Sumter
R5#4 Cedartown at R7#1 Marist
R4#3 Woodward Academy at R2#2 West Laurens
R6#4 LaFayette at R8#1 St. Pius
R5#3 Central-Carroll at R7#2 White County
R3#4 Thomson at R1#1 Carver-Columbus
R2#3 Perry at R4#2 McDonough
R8#4 Madison County at R6#1 Northwest Whitfield
R7#3 Chestatee at R5#2 Troup
R1#4 Hardaway at R3#1 Cross Creek
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