Road Warriors: North Cobb, Harrison Win

This year’s Georgia High School Association AAAAA girls basketball tournament started out just like last year’s—with Region 4-AAAAA dominating.

Last year all four 4-AAAAA entrants—, , and —made the quarterfinals, and the only teams that beat 4-AAAAA teams were other teams from the region and state champion Norcross.

Friday night, all four 4-AAAAA teams—McEachern, Hillgrove, North Cobb and —won their first-round games against Region 3-AAAAA teams, and they’re a Tuesday-night sweep away from matching 2011’s quarterfinal quartet.

While the two Powder Springs teams started at home, the Kennesaw entrants from 4-AAAAA had to take a long bus ride Friday, but it was worth it.

Harrison pulled off the upset of the night. The Lady Hoyas were the only fourth-seeded team in the tournament to beat a No. 1 seed, topping Beach, 43-25, in Savannah.

Senior Nikki Hegstetter almost outscored the Bulldogs by herself, tallying 24 points, and the Lady Hoyas held Beach 13.3 percent shooting (eight of 60), the Savannah Morning News reported.

The win was a sign of Region 4-AAAAA’s dominance, something Harrison Coach Steve Lenahan said gave him confidence Friday night.

“We play in the toughest region in the state, and we were playing a team in one of the weaker regions,” Lenahan told the Morning News.

It reportedly was and earned the Lady Hoyas a second-round game at Valdosta, a 48-44 winner over Newton.

Third-seeded North Cobb knocked off Bradwell Institute, 60-54, in Hinesville and next will travel to South Georgia to play Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Lowndes, the top seed from Region 1-AAAAA and a 61-53 winner over Luella on Friday.

Junior Amber Reeves had 23 points for the Lady Warriors, surpassing 1,000 points in her career, the North Cobb basketball website reported. Taylor Gordon added 20 points and 12 rebounds.

had no trouble at home against Camden County, winning 88-40. And the Lady Indians didn’t appear satisfied.

“Now how u love this. McEachern coaching staff brings team out of locker room after a 48pt win to RUN... Camden looking on in amazement,” JHillsman tweeted after the game.

McEachern will stay at home Tuesday against Westlake, a 67-63 home victor over Colquitt County.

Hillgrove, the region’s No. 2 seed, also opened the tournament at home and also cruised to victory, beating Windsor Forest, 73-53.

The Lady Hawks will travel to Stone Mountain for a second-round game against Region 2-AAAAA’s top seed, . The Lady Jaguars beat Tift County, 67-47.

Most of the boys teams take the court tonight.

From Region 4-AAAAA, Hillgrove and Harrison will make the drive to Savannah in the GHSA AAAAA tournament. The Hawks will play at Savannah, and the Hoyas will be at Johnson.

Staying at home are top seed North Cobb, ranked second in the state, and second seed . North Cobb plays Bradwell Institute at 6 p.m., and South Cobb hosts Jenkins at 7 p.m.

In the Class A boys tournament, top-ranked will try to keep its perfect season going at home at 6 p.m. against , with a second-round game against the state’s No. 2 team, Whitefield Academy, likely Wednesday.

, which to North Cobb Christian, will open at home against Wesleyan at 7:30 p.m.