Weekend preview: Swainsboro, Vidalia set for non-region clash; more challenges ahead for top girls teams

A look at some of the marquee games this weekend, as well as how the top 10 fared on Tuesday. ...

BOYS

No. 8 Vidalia travels to face No. 9 Swainsboro in an intriguing non-region matchup Saturday night. Vidalia has won three straight since a surprisingly lopsided 80-51 loss to Bryan County earlier this month in Region 1-AA play. Dating back to last season’s run to the state semifinals, the Indians’ strength has been their defense. Bryan County is the only team to top 61 points on Vidalia this season, and in the three games since, opponents are averaging less than 43 points per game.

Swainsboro enters the weekend as winners of six straight, but has an important Region 3-AA contest with Harlem on Friday before facing the Indians. Swainsboro defeated then-ranked Harlem 73-49 on Jan. 6 to start its current winning streak and holds a two-game lead over the second-place Bulldogs in the region.

GIRLS

Given last week’s results, in which they knocked off two of the state’s strongest teams, top-ranked Holy Innocents’ and No. 2 Pelham appear to be near-invincible right now, but both could be tested this weekend.

Pelham (17-1), which defeated Kendrick last week, has a pair of region games against ranked opponents, hosting No. 8 Thomasville on Friday then traveling to face No. 10 Early County on Saturday. Holy Innocents’ (20-0), which defeated McEachern on Saturday, will host ninth-ranked Lovett on Friday. All three games will be the second time these teams have met this season, with the Holy Innocents’ and Pelham winning by large margins.

Holy Innocents’ currently holds a one-game lead over No. 3 Wesleyan in Region 6-AA, while Thomasville and Early County sits games back of Pelham in the Region 1-AA loss column.

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How the top 10 fared

BOYS

1. Pace Academy (17-2)

• Tuesday: Won vs. No. 5 Greater Atlanta Christian, 71-40. The Knights had little trouble with the fifth-ranked Spartans, rolling behind Wendell Carter Jr.'s 19 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks.
• Friday: vs. KIPP Atlanta Collegiate.

2. Seminole County (14-3)

• Friday: vs. Brooks County
• Saturday: at Berrien

3. Holy Innocents’ (17-3)

• Tuesday: Won at Hapeville Charter, 69-41. Brent Duncan scored 17 of his team-high 19 points in the first half as the Golden Bears built at 36-20 lead.
• Friday: vs. Lovett

4. Thomasville (14-5)

• Monday: Lost at Crisp County, 64-63. The Bulldogs are now 3-3 in their last six games, but have just one loss in region play and remain in second place in Region 1-AA behind Seminole County.
• Friday: at Pelham
• Saturday: vs. Cairo

5. Greater Atlanta Christian (11-7)

• Tuesday: Lost at No. 1 Pace Academy, 71-40.
• Friday: at Hapeville Charter
• Saturday: vs. Lee (Ala.), at Norcross High School

6. Crawford County (14-3)

• Tuesday: Won at Macon County, 77-71. Crawford County junior William Jarrell had 26 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks in the win.
• Friday: vs. Bleckley County
• Saturday: at Putnam County

7. Bryan County (16-3)

• Tuesday: Won vs. Groves, 83-69. Alex Simmons scored 25 and Kajana Dixon added 22 as the Redskins moved to 10-0 in Region 2-AA.
• Friday: vs. Bacon County
• Saturday: at Southeast Bulloch

8. Vidalia (15-2)

• Tuesday: Won at Bacon County, 57-46.
• Friday: at McIntosh County Academy
• Saturday: at No. 9 Swainsboro

9. Swainsboro (12-6)

• Tuesday: Won at East Laurens, 82-61. Steven Howard had a team-high 22 points and four steals, and Da'Korey Somerville added 21 points, six rebounds and four assists as the Tigers won their sixth straight.
• Friday: at Harlem
• Saturday: vs. No. 8 Vidalia

10. Model (16-3)

• Tuesday: Won at Dade County, 64-60.
• Friday: at Gordon Lee

GIRLS

1. Holy Innocents’ (20-0)

• Tuesday: Won at Hapeville Charter, 62-35. Kaila Hubbard led the Lady Bears with 17 points.
• Friday: vs. No. 9 Lovett

2. Pelham (17-1)

• Friday: vs. No. 8 Thomasville
• Saturday: at No. 10 Early County

3. Wesleyan (15-5)

• Tuesday: Won at KIPP Atlanta Collegiate, 72-11. Nikki McDonald led all scorers with 15 points; Amaya Register added 12 points and eight assists.
• Saturday: vs. Kell

4. Model (18-2)

• Tuesday: Won at Dade County, 74-54. Freshman Victaria Saxton scored 19 to lead five Lady Devils in double figures.
• Friday: at Gordon Lee

5. Darlington (15-4)

• Tuesday: Lost at Gordon Lee, 63-55. Gordon Lee avenged a 31-point December loss and overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to score the upset and inch a little closer to second place in Region 7-AA. Darlington still holds a one-game edge over Gordon Lee, but is now two games behind region leader Model.
• Friday: at Armuchee
• Saturday: vs. Hardaway

6. Putnam County (16-3)

• Tuesday: Won at Bleckley County, 49-42. Sitting at 7-0 in Region 4-AA, first-place Putnam County now holds a two-game lead over Bleckley County and Macon County.
• Friday: at Macon County
• Saturday: at Crawford County

7. Vidalia (14-2)

• Tuesday: Won at Bacon County, 48-18.
• Friday: at McIntosh County Academy
• Saturday: at Swainsboro

8. Thomasville (14-5)