The Riverside Military basketball team advanced to the Region 8-AA finals with a 59-52 win against East Jackson on Friday at Rabun County High in Tiger.
With the win, the Eagles (13-6) are guaranteed to host their first-round opponent in next week’s Class AA state tournament.
Riverside took a 17-13 lead in the first quarter and expanded it to nine at halftime after allowing only two points in the second quarter.
Though outscored in the second half, the Eagles capitalized on their early lead and held off East Jackson long enough to win.
Brandon McKinney led Riverside with 27 points. Dylen Setzekorn added 14 points and Richard Tribble had 11.
Caleb Gilbert scored 16 points for East Jackson. Jermaine Davis added 13.
Riverside faces Dawson County in the tournament finals at 8:30 p.m. tonight at Rabun County High.
Dawson County boys 46, Union County 39
The Tigers advanced to the Region 8-AA finals with a win Friday at Rabun County High in Tiger.
With the win, Dawson County (16-10) will host a state playoff game for the first time in school history. It is also the first time the Tigers have made three straight playoff appearances.
The game was tied at 15 at halftime, but a dominant second quarter was enough to secure a win for the Tigers, as they outscored the Panthers 34-21.
Stephens Scaife led Dawson County with 22 points. Josh Colwell and Seth Merritt each had 11 for Union County.
Dawson County plays Riverside for the region championship at 8:30 p.m. tonight.
Athens Christian boys 66, Commerce 47
The Tigers were dropped by Athens Christian in the Region 8-A Tournament semifinals Friday at Social Circle High.
Talmadge Green led Commerce (12-12) with 10 points.
Raymond Higgs scored 29 points for Athens Christian. David Mann added 13 points and Zach Lillie led Eagle rebounders with 20.
Commerce faces Lakeview Academy in the tournament third-place game at 5:30 p.m. today at Social Circle High.
SOCCER
Gainesville girls 1,
Columbus 0
Gisselle Lopez received a pass from Raquel Castillo and found the back of the net to upset Class AAA’s fifth-ranked Columbus on Friday at City Park.
Hong Tran made 18 saves and stopped two penalty kicks in a shutout performance for Gainesville (3-1).
Gainesville opens region play when it visits Chestatee at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
Gainesville boys 3,
Riverside Military 1
Russ Puckett scored two goals and Monish Lahire added two assists for the Red Elephants on Friday at City Park.
Merley Velazquez also scored for Gainesville (3-1).
Gainesville visits Chestatee at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Riverside plays host to Chestatee at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
West Hall boys 4,
East Hall 0
Rudy Vazquez scored twice in the first half to secure an early lead and keep the Spartans undefeated Friday at East Hall High.
Gerson Mejia and Alex Munoz also scored for West Hall (4-0, 1-0 Region 7-AAA). Juan Arbelaez added two assists for the Spartans.
Jamie King recorded his third straight shutout for West Hall.
West Hall visits West Forsyth at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
West Hall girls 4,
East Hall 0
The Lady Spartans kept their record unblemished in their region opener Friday at East Hall High.
Rachel Kline scored twice for West Hall (4-0, 1-0 Region 7-AAA). Tania Perez, Natalie Carrillo, Sara Gibson and Ansley Dobbs also scored for the Spartans.
West Hall visits West Forsyth at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Flowery Branch girls 4, Duluth 2
The Lady Falcons overpowered Duluth with two goals in overtime for their second straight win against a Class AAAAA opponent Friday in Duluth.
After an early Duluth goal, Cassidy Elrod and Lindsay Porter each buried a shot to give Flowery Branch (3-2) the lead. Duluth tied it again before halftime.
Porter scored her second goal of the night in overtime, along with Joy Smith’s tally.
Flowery Branch plays host to Salem at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
North Hall girls 9,
North Forsyth 2
Class AAA’s fourth-ranked Lady Trojans had three different players score five points, led by Tess Patten, who had four goals and one assist Friday at North Hall High.
Julia Matthews recorded a hat trick with three goals and two assists for North Hall (2-1). Allie Wright added two goals and three assists.
North Hall visits Class AA’s eighth-ranked Greater Atlanta Christian at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Chestatee girls 1,
North Oconee 1
Abi Mills scored the lone goal for the Lady War Eagles off a cross by Kelsey Neukum on Friday at Chestatee High.
North Oconee tied the game seven minutes later, which concluded scoring for the night.
Chestatee plays host to Gainesville at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
White County girls 0, Dawson County 0
The Lady Warriors controlled the offense, but neither team was able to record a goal Friday in Dawsonville.
Megan Runkel had six saves in goal for White County (2-0-1). Melanie Fain and Krista Spear led the Lady Warrior offense.
Buford girls 2,
Fannin County 0
Jacey Chandler and Lindsay White each scored in the Lady Wolves’ second straight win Friday in Buford.
Buford (2-1) visits St. Francis at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
TENNIS
Buford boys 5,
North Hall 0
Ben Hunter, Fletcher Cline and Preston Benson each had singles wins for the Wolves on Friday at North Hall High.
The doubles teams of Andrew Platt/David Markes and Michael Beck/Matthew Gates completed the sweep for Buford.
Buford and North Hall (1-2, 1-0 Region 7A-AAA) face each other again along with Gainesville and Carrollton at 9:45 a.m. today in Buford.
Buford girls 5,
North Hall 0
Audre Marlette, Jordan Poole and Kelley Cohron swept singles matches with wins in straight sets Friday in Buford.
The doubles teams of Cortland West/Michelle Handley and Janay Burge/Katherine Bradshaw completed the shutout for Buford.
Buford and North Hall (2-1, 1-0 Region 7A-AAA) face each other again along with Gainesville and Carrollton at 9:45 a.m. today in Buford.