The tennis state playoffs concluded its second round matches this past weekend, and now each of the classifications will have until this Wednesday, May 2 to complete their quarterfinal matches and narrow down the field to the semifinals. The state championships, which are set for May 12 at the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College, released the schedule that this year’s finalists will use, thanks to the first-year venue’s significant increase in court availability from the formerly used Clayton County Tennis Center.
A total of 40 courts will be used, so all of the five lines (Singles: 1-3, Doubles: 1-2) will be able to play at once in each of the eight classifications. Girls will go first with a 10am scheduled start, and the boys will follow with a 2pm start.
Here’s a brief update of what’s happened in this year’s playoffs so far:
In the girls Class AAAAAAA bracket, 19-time team state champion Walton leads the quarterfinals field that includes three teams from Region 3 (Milton, South Forsyth and Lambert). Lambert will host Camden County in the quarterfinals after sweeping the Wildcats 3-0 in last year’s second round, and Region 3 No. 3 seed Marietta is still alive after sweeping 2017 semifinalist Etowah 3-0 in the first round and topping Wheeler 3-0 in the second round.
All four seeds from Region 7 are alive in both the boys and girls Class AAAAAA brackets after the region sent all its teams to last year’s semis. In Class AAAAA, the defending champion Chamblee girls held off Carrollton 3-2 in the second round to advance to the quarterfinals. Last year’s semifinalists Kell and Starr’s Mill will square off this week for a spot in the semis, while Chamblee will host Region 1’s top seed Bainbridge.
In Class AAAA, the defending champion Marist boys host Northside-Columbus in the quarterfinals and will play the winner of North Oconee and Woodward Academy, which both advanced to last year’s Final Four.
In Class AAA, defending boys and girls state champion Westminster will both be hosting Savannah Arts in the semis (a rematch of the Westminster boys’ 5-0 second round victory a year ago). Class AA girls, defending champion Bleckley County visits Rockmart and runner-up Screven County visits Banks County this week to set up a potential rematch of last year’s championship in the semis. On the boys’ side, Bleckley County will visit Model in the quarterfinals after defeating Model 3-2 in last year’s finals.
In Class A-Public, Taylor County, Irwin County and Baconton Charter will await the winner of Trion and Telfair County to solidify the boys semifinal field and half the girls semifinal field was determined this weekend with Irwin County defeating Bowdon 3-1 and Marion County sweeping Washington-Wilkes 5-0.
GIRLS
Quarterfinals Pairings
Class AAAAAAA
R5#2 Milton at at R3#1 North Cobb
R5#3 South Forsyth at R4#1 Walton
R1#1 Camden County at R5#1 Lambert
R3#3 Marietta at R6#1 North Gwinnett
Class AAAAAA
R3#1 Lakeside-Evans at R7#1 Northview
R7#4 Johns Creek at R4#1 Tucker
R7#2 Cambridge at R1#1 Coffee
R7#3 Centennial at R2#1 Glynn Academy
Class AAAAA
R3#1 Starr's Mill at R7#1 Kell
R4#1 Union Grove at R8#1 Flowery Branch
R1#1 Bainbridge at R5#1 Chamblee
R8#2 Buford at R2#1 South Effingham
Class AAAA
R1#2 Northside-Columbus at R7#1 Marist
R4#1 Woodward Academy at R8#1 North Oconee
R1#1 Columbus at R5#1 Cartersville
R8#2 St. Pius at R2#1 West Laurens
Class AAA
R5#2 Westminster at R3#1 Savannah Arts
R5#3 Pace Academy at R2#2 Appling County
R1#1 Cook at R5#1 Lovett
R2#1 Brantley County at R6#1 Calhoun
Class AA
R3#1 Bleckley County at R7#1 Rockmart
R4#1 Screven County at R8#1 Banks County
R7#2 Armuchee at R1#1 Berrien
R8#2 Elbert County at R2#1 Jeff Davis
Class A-Private
A4#2 Mt. Paran at A1#1 Brookstone
A1#4 Stratford Academy at A4#3 Mt. Pisgah 3
A4#4 Whitefield Academy at A2#2 Athens Academy
A1#2 Savannah Christian at A4#1 Walker
Class A-Public
A3#3 Drew Charter at A1#1 Taylor County
A3#2 Bowdon 3, A4#3 Georgia Military 0
A2#1 Irwin County 3, A3#2 Bowdon 1
A2#2 Telfair County at A3#1 Trion
A1#2 Marion County 5, A4#1 Washington-Wilkes 0
BOYS
First Round Pairings
Class AAAAAAA
R5#2 Lambert at R3#1 North Cobb
R5#3 South Forsyth at R4#1 Lassiter
R4#3 Etowah at R5#1 Milton
R4#2 Walton at R6#1 North Gwinnett
Class AAAAAA
R3#1 Lakeside-Evans at R7#1 Johns Creek
R7#4 Centennial at R2#2 Effingham County
R7#2 Northview at R1#1 Coffee
R7#3 Dunwoody at R2#1 Glynn Academy
Class AAAAA
R3#1 Starr's Mill at R7#1 Carrollton
R4#1 Ola at R8#1 Buford
R3#2 McIntosh at R5#1 Chamblee
R8#2 Flowery Branch at R2#1 Statesboro
Class AAAA
R1#2 Northside-Columbus at R7#1 Marist
R4#1 Woodward Academy at R8#1 North Oconee
R7#2 Blessed Trinity at R1#1 Columbus
R8#2 Jefferson at R2#1 West Laurens
Class AAA
R2#3 Appling County at R5#2 Pace Academy
R5#3 Lovett at R4#1 Pike County 0
R3#2 Savannah Arts at R5#1 Westminster
R2#1 Brantley County at R6#1 Calhoun
Class AA
R3#1 Bleckley County at R7#1 Model
R4#1 Screven County at R8#1 Elbert County
R7#2 Rockmart at R1#1 Early County
R8#2 Banks County at R2#1 Benedictine
Class A-Private
A3#3 Weber at A1#1 Stratford Academy
A4#3 Mt. Paran at A2#1 Athens Academy
A2#2 Wesleyan at A3#1 Paideia
A1#2 First Presbyterian Day at A4#1 Walker
Class A-Public
A1#1 Taylor County 3, A4#2 Lincoln County 0
A2#1 Irwin County 5, A3#2 Bowdon 0
A2#2 Telfair County at A3#1 Trion
A1#2 Baconton Charter 3, A4#1 Commerce 1
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