Class 2A blog: Week 8 rankings rundown

Please note that all scheduled games mentioned here are subject to cancellation or postponement due to COVID-19 protocols.

Boys

1. Pace Academy (13-1)

Region record: 4-0 in 6-2A

Notes: The Knights capped off a 2-0 week in region play with a 64-60 win at No. 3 Lovett. In the game, the Knights were led by Josh Reed (18 points on 8-for-11 shooting, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks), Cole Middleton (16 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and three blocks) and Matthew Cleveland (15 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two seals). The win puts the Knights in sole possession of first place in the region standings. Earlier in the week, they beat KIPP 73-23. They opened this week with a 67-56 win over Columbia on Monday, and host 1-A Private’s No. 4 Galloway (7-0) on Tuesday. They close the week Friday at 7A’s Newton (7-6), Georgia’s No. 22-ranked team in the MaxPreps computer rankings.

2. Swainsboro (6-1)

Region record: 3-0 in 2-2A

Notes: The Tigers swept off the rust of a three-week layoff to beat Toombs County 81-47 on Friday in their first game since Dec. 15. They play three region games on the road this week, starting with Jeff Davis (5-2, 3-0) on Tuesday, East Laurens (0-8, 0-5) on Friday and Vidalia (7-4, 2-2) on Saturday.

3. Lovett (8-4)

Region record: 2-1 in 6-2A

Notes: The Lions went 1-1 last week, beating Washington 73-64 and losing 64-60 to top-ranked Pace Academy. They’ll look to rebound on Tuesday at Therrell (1-3, 3-10) and close the week on Friday at Columbia (5-5).

4. Woodville-Tompkins (9-1)

Region record: 4-1

Notes: The Wolverines picked up a pair of region wins over Vidalia (54-44) and East Laurens (81-38) last week. On Tuesday they play an Islands (3-4) team they beat 71-41 in their season opener. They close the week Friday at Bacon County (5-2, 2-1).

5. Washington County (4-0)

Region record: 2-0 in 3-2A

Notes: The Golden Hawks beat Dodge County 69-34 on Friday in their first game since Dec. 18. Now they’ll play three games in a week for the first time this season, starting with Bleckley County (2-9, 1-2) on Tuesday, Northeast (4-0, 4-1) on Friday and Monticello (1-6, 1-1) on Saturday.

6. Thomasville (8-1)

Region record: 3-0 in 1-2A

Notes: The Bulldogs went 2-0 last week with double digit wins over Cook (66-33) and Worth County (79-40). They play at Berrien (4-2, 2-0) — the only other undefeated team in region play — Friday and host Fitzgerald (4-9, 0-2) Saturday.

7. Westside-Augusta (8-2)

Region record: 2-0 in 4-2A

Notes: The Patriots beat Putnam County 58-54 last Tuesday in their first action since Dec. 15. They play this Tuesday at Olgethorpe County (2-3, 0-1) and after that, according to their schedule provided to MaxPreps, they have just three regular season games left between Jan. 22 and Feb. 5.

8. Laney (4-3)

Region record: 2-1 in 4-2A

Notes: The Wildcats beat Oglethorpe County 66-31 on Friday. They host Josey (0-4, 0-0) on Tuesday and Butler (3-3, 1-0) on Friday.

9. Banks County (11-6)

Region record: 1-0 in 8-2A

Notes: The Leopards had a very competitive week, beating Elbert County 74-62 in overtime on Tuesday, then losing 63-62 to 1A Public’s No. 3 Towns County on Friday. They won the game that mattered most, however, and are the only team in Region 8 with a winning record. They host 3A’s East Jackson (3-3) on Saturday in their only game this week.

10. Chattooga (7-2)

Region record: 3-0 in 7-2A

Notes: The Indians slide into the rankings, replacing formerly-No. 9 Vidalia, after a 2-0 week that saw them beat Fannin County 63-47 and Coosa 43-40. They play three road games this week Dade County (2-2, 2-0) Tuesday, Pepperell (5-7, 1-3) Thursday and 3A’s Rockmart (3-9) Saturday.

Girls

1. Rabun County (11-0)

Region record: 0-0 in 8-2A

Notes: The Lady Wildcats will put their perfect record on the line against another No. 1 team, 4A’s Jefferson Lady Dragons, on Tuesday in Jefferson. The Lady Dragons are 9-2 with their only losses coming to 6A’s No. 1 Buford (57-54 on Nov. 24) and 5A’s No. 7 St. Pius (57-49). Further, they’ve already played Rabun County’s 8-2A rival and No. 10 Banks County and beat them handily in consecutive games — 78-47 on Dec. 3 and 47-43 on Dec. 8. The Lady Wildcats went 2-0 last week against Rabun Gap-Nachoochee (57-29) and Towns County (44-23). After Jefferson, they open region play at No. 4 Elbert County (9-2, 1-0) on Friday, then host Union County (1-3, 0-0) the next day.

2. Early County (7-0)

Region record: 3-0 in 1-2A

Notes: The Lady Bobcats picked up three 30-plus-point wins last week over Miller County (55-23), Worth County (77-45) and Berrien (50-18). Makayla Timpson averaged 30.3 points, 14 rebounds, 5.6 steals and three blocks in that span. They play a pair of region games this week starting Friday at Fitzgerald (3-11, 1-1), then at home against Cook (0-12, 0-2) the next day.

3. Washington County (4-0)

Region record: 2-0 in 3-2A

Notes: In their only game last week, the Lady Golden Hawks beat Dodge County 72-30 on Friday — their first game since Dec. 18. They were led by Miracle Parker (18 points), Ashley Gray (15 points) and Mikaili Parker (12 points, five assists, two steals). Deasia Canty had 10 steals and seven rebounds. The Lady Golden Hawks play two region games on the road, beginning with No. 9 Northeast (5-1, 3-0) on Friday, and Monticello (1-4, 0-1) the next day.

4. Elbert County (9-2)

Region record: 1-0 in 8-2A

Notes: The Lady Blue Devils went 1-1 last week, beating region rival and No. 10 Banks County 54-41, but losing to 4A’s then-No. 9 Cedar Shoals 55-41. They host Oconee County (5-5) on Tuesday, No. 1 Rabun County (11-0, 0-0) on Friday, then travel to Evans (6-3) the next day.

5. Woodville-Tompkins (9-1)

Region record: 4-1 in 2-2A

Notes: The Lady Wolverines went 1-1 in region play last week, beating Vidalia 39-27 and losing to No. 6 East Laurens 40-38. The loss dropped them two spots in the rankings. The win for East Laurens (6-2, 4-1) put the Lady Falcons in a tie for first place atop the 2A standings with the Lady Wolverines. Woodville beat East Laurens 51-34 earlier in the season. The Lady Wolverines look to get back on the winning track Tuesday, when they travel to play an Islands (3-9) team they beat 57-22 in their opener on Nov. 20. They close the week on the road against Bacon County (4-2, 2-1).

6. East Laurens (6-2)

Region record: 4-1 in 2-2A

Notes: The Lady Falcons enter the rankings after their 40-38 win over then-No. 3 Woodville-Tompkins. They also beat Jeff Davis 61-18 to go 2-0 on the week. The Lady Falcons are led by seniors Kristen Hubbard (13.8 points, 4.9 assists, 2.9 steals) and Ikeria Hamilton (12.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.1 steals, 1.4 blocks). This week they play three region games at home: Toombs County (5-8, 2-3) Tuesday, Swainsboro (3-4, 1-2) Friday and Bacon County (4-2, 2-1) Saturday.

7. Heard County (11-3)

Region record: 0-0

Notes: The Lady Braves played just once last week, beating Lithia Springs 57-46. They play just once this week as well, hosting Bremen (1-8) on Friday in the region opener for both teams.

8. Dade County (4-1)

Region record: 2-0 in 7-2A

Notes: The Lady Wolves beat Gordon Central 52-43 last week. This week, they host three teams: Chattooga (5-3, 3-1) on Tuesday, Sylvania, Ala., (7-4) on Friday and Model (5-6, 1-2) on Saturday. Their game against Sylvania is a rematch from Dec. 5, when Dade County won 70-64 in Alabama.

9. Northeast-Macon (5-1)

Region record: 3-0 in 4-2A

Notes: The Lady Raiders enter the rankings after topping then-No. 8 Dodge County 64-39 on Saturday, booting the Lady Indians from the rankings. They also beat Bleckley County 61-44. A young team with no seniors, they are led by junior Jakia Little (20.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.7 steals), sophomore Laniyah Richardson (12 points, three steals) and sophomore Shadae Thorpe (eight points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.8 steals). They play at No. 3 Washington County (4-0, 2-0) on Friday and host Central-Macon (4-3) on Saturday.

10. Banks County (11-7)

Region record: 0-1 in 8-2A

Notes: The Lady Leopards went 1-1 last week, losing 54-41 to No. 4 Elbert County, then rebounding to beat Towns County 58-32. They play once this week, hosting East Jackson (5-1) on Saturday. Senior Jenna Reeves (14.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists), sophomore Jacy Ayers (12 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.9 steals) and sophomore Kamryn Grier (10.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks) lead the team.

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