Seminole County, Model closing in on regular season crowns

A recap of the week's action so far. ...

Boys

Seminole County junior Jordan Harris, a Georgia commit, scored 27 points in each of a pair of region games this week and has the Indians on the cusp of clinching the regular season 1-AA crown and the right to host the region tournament. Entering the final week, second-ranked Seminole County needs just one more win and will have the opportunity to clinch when they host current runners-up Thomasville on Tuesday and Early County on Friday.

No. 4 Crawford County clinched first place in Region 4-AA with a win Tuesday over Monticello, then scored a season high in a 108-101 win over Northeast-Macon on Friday. Six-foot-five sophomore center Marcal Knolton led all scorers with 48 points to go along with 13 rebounds and four blocks. Junior William Jarrell added 22 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists, five steals and four blocks for the Eagles.

Senior VJ Saxton scored 33 points to lead No. 7 Model to an 89-78 win over Coosa. The win lifts the Blue Devils into sole possession of first place in Region 7-AA with one game remaining on their regular season slate.

Girls

No. 3 Wesleyan stayed within reach of top-ranked Holy Innocents’ in Region 6-AA. The Lady Wolves knocked off No. 9 Lovett on Friday, 71-62, led by Nikki McDonald’s 24 points and 10 rebounds. It was the sixth straight win for Wesleyan, which holds sole possession of second place, one game behind the unbeaten Lady Bears heading into Tuesday’s rematch. Holy Innocents’ won the first meeting, 59-49, on Jan. 10.

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HOW THE TOP 10 FARED

Boys

1. Pace Academy (20-2)

• Tuesday: Won at No.3 Holy Innocents', 68-66.
• Friday: Won at Hapeville Charter, 91-69. Wendell Carter had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and Elijah Holifield added 19 points and six rebounds as the Knights won their 13th consecutive game.
• Saturday: at Galloway

2. Seminole County (18-3)

• Tuesday: Won vs. Pelham, 61-52
• Friday: Won at Fitzgerald, 81-62
• Saturday: vs. Baker County

3. Holy Innocents’ (18-4)

• Tuesday: Lost vs. No. 1 Pace Academy, 68-66
• Friday: at B.E.S.T. Academy (no score reported)

4. Crawford County (19-3)

• Tuesday: Won at Monticello, 70-61
• Friday: Won at Northeast-Macon, 108-101. The Eagles, who clinched the 4-AA regular season title on Tuesday, hit their season-high for points with the benefit of only three 3-pointers and no overtime.

5. Thomasville (16-6)

• Friday: Lost at Early County, 83-77. Thomasville led by as many as seven points in the fourth quarter before the Bobcats went on a 15-0 run to take the lead back for good. Entering the final week of the season, Early County and Thomasville are vying for the No. 2 seed in the Region 1-AA tournament with two region losses each.

6. Greater Atlanta Christian (14-8)

• Tuesday: Won vs. Wesleyan, 70-68 OT
• Friday: Won vs. KIPP Atlanta Collegiate, 95-62. Garrett Covington scored 20 to lead six Spartans in double figures. GAC enters the final week battling Holy Innocents' for second place in Region 6-AA.

7. Model (18-4)

• Tuesday: Won vs. Armuchee, 58-39
• Friday: Won vs. Coosa, 89-78. VJ Saxton scored 33 points to lead the Blue Devils to a key win that leaves them in sole possession of first place in Region 7-AA.

8. Bryan County (17-5)

• Tuesday: Lost at McIntosh County Academy, 57-55. The Redskins took their first loss in Region 2-AA play, adding extra importance to next week's rematch with Vidalia. Barring an upset between now and then, that game will decide the Region 2-AA regular season champion with no tiebreaker needed.
• Friday: at Jeff Davis (no score reported)

9. Vidalia (19-2)

• Tuesday: Won vs. Jeff Davis, 54-42
• Friday: Won at Groves, 65-51
• Saturday: vs. Toombs County

10. Harlem (20-3)

• Tuesday: Won vs. Dublin, 88-61
• Friday: Won vs. Metter, 90-35

Girls

1. Holy Innocents’ (22-0)

• Tuesday: Won vs. Pace Academy, 78-33
• Saturday: at Paideia

2. Pelham (21-1)

• Tuesday: Won at Seminole County, 79-17
• Friday: Won at Berrien, 68-19. Mahogany Brown led all scorers with 19 points.
• Saturday: at Mitchell County

3. Wesleyan (17-5)

• Tuesday: Won at Greater Atlanta Christian, 84-33
• Friday: Won at No. 9 Lovett, 71-62

4. Model (21-2)

• Tuesday: Won vs. Armuchee, 59-48
• Friday: Won vs. Coosa, 57-36. Freshman Victaria Saxton led the winning effort with 21 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. The Lady Devils, who have already clinched the top seed for the 7-AA tournament, will complete their regular season against No. 5 Darlington on Tuesday.

5. Darlington (17-5)

• Tuesday: Won at Coosa, 66-42

6. Putnam County (18-4)

• Tuesday: Won at Lamar County, 57-44

7. Vidalia (18-3)

• Tuesday: Won vs. Jeff Davis, 50-32
• Friday: Won at Groves, 64-15
• Saturday: vs. Toombs County

8. Thomasville (15-7)

• Friday: Lost at No. 10 Early County, 57-50