The Flowery Branch volleyball team was defeated 3-2 (25-22, 25-19, 22-25, 19-25, 9-15) by Evans on Thursday in the opening round of the Class AAAA state tournament in Augusta.

“We played hard and we played well,” Flowery Branch coach Rick Godfrey said. “They were just better tonight.”

Kathryn McMillin had 12 kills and Kenzi Grewett had 25 assists to lead Flowery Branch (21-12).

Alexis Love chipped in with 10 kills, while Brittani Hill had seven and Amber Merchant had five.

With the loss, Flowery Branch’s season is now complete.

Softball

WHITE COUNTY SWEEPS CARROLTTON (WEDNESDAY): The Lady Warriors (24-6) won 7-0, 24-0 in the opening round of the Class AAA state tournament in Cleveland and will visit the No. 1 seed from Region 5, St. Pius in round two Oct. 20.

HABERSHAM CENTRAL ADVANCES (WEDNESDAY): The Lady Raiders (20-8) defeated Chamblee 7-0, 15-0 (three innings) at Murphy Candler Park and will face the winner of the Creekview/Pope matchup on Oct. 20 in Class AA’s second round.

UNION COUNTY TAKES TWO (WEDNESDAY): The Lady Panthers (26-1-1) defeated Lovett 9-0, 8-0 in Blairsville to advance to the second round of Class AA’s state tournament. Union County will play host to Rockmart (26-7), the third seed from 7-AAA, on Oct. 20.

Cross Country

JACKSON COUNTY GIRLS TAKE FIRST AND THIRD (TUESDAY): Brittany Aikens took first place in the eighth annual Mainstreet News Invitational at Crow’s Lake in Jefferson.

Aikens finished the 5K run in 20 minutes, 57.88 seconds to beat Sherri Blaylock of East Jackson by a little less than seven seconds.

Also for Jackson County, Rachel Pasko placed third at 21:51.96 and Sydney Baird placed seventh at 22:49.26.

Jefferson’s Reese Bowles rounded out the top ten with a time of 23:04.91, followed by teammate Alison Missler in 11th (23:47.46).

Sara Beth Cokerham was the highest Union County finisher, placing 15th (23:42.19). The Lady Panthers took first overall at the meet with 57 points. Jefferson finised second with 80 points.

In the boys race, Ethan Alexander of Elbert County took first place (17:40.22) with Oglethorpe County’s Josh Wheeler placing second with a time of 17:46.38.

Cale Pirtle of East Jackson placed third with a time of 18:14.51.

Union County placed second overall in the meet with 127 points while North Oconee took first with 70. Daniel

Payne was the Panthers’ top runner, finishing seventh with a time of 18:34.16.

Kyle Haskuba (18:30.06) led fifth-placed Jefferson (139 points) in fifth place overall. Banks County, which placed seventh with 159 points, was led by 10th-place finisher Ivan Diaz (19:18.59).