FLOWERY BRANCH - If there was one big suprise in Region 7-AAA this season, it has been the Flowery Branch girls fall from atop the South subregion standings.
But the Lady Falcons have an excuse. They have been without their leader and best player Courtney Newton, who injured her knee, since early December, and, without her, are probably the youngest team in the region.
After a 4-1 start, they went 2-16 without her.
But the Lady Falcons can put all that behind them beginning at 6 p.m. Monday as they start the 7-AAA tournament with an East subregion play-in game against North Hall at the Flowery Branch gym.
The Flowery Branch boys will play North Hall at 7:30 p.m. in the boys East play-in game.
At Fannin County Monday in the West subregion play-in games, the Chestatee girls will play Gilmer at 6 p.m. and the Fannin County boys will play Gilmer at 7:30 p.m.
The quarterfinals begin Tuesday at Fannin County and the girls tournament definitely figues to be up-for-grabs with three teams - Gainesville (6th), Johnson (7th), Fannin County (10th) - in the final top 10 poll.
All three knocked off each other during the regular season with Gainesville beating both teams early and Johnson knocking off Gainesville late in the season. Fannin knocked off Johnson in both teams' season opener.
Tuesday's matchups are set. Here are the games with times:
- White County girls vs. Johnson, 4 p.m.
- White County boy vs. Johnson, 5:30 p.m.
- West Hall girls vs. Fannin County, 7 p.m.
- West Hall boys vs. Pickens, 8:30 p.m.
In the Region 7-AAA boys tournament, Gainesville at No. 5 is the only ranked team and the Red Elephants did not lose to a single region game during the regular season.
But Chestatee, the top seed from the West, is riding an 11-game win streak. Pickens, the No. 2 seed from the West beat East No. 2 seed Johnson late in the season.
The East seedings for the girls are: 1. Gainesville; 2. Johnson; 3. West Hall; 4. North Hall; and 5. Flowery Branch.
The West seedings for the girls are: 1. Pickens; 2. Fannin County; 3. White County; 4. Chestatee; and 5. Gilmer.
For the boys, The East seedings are: 1. Gainesville; 2. Johnson; 3. West Hall; 4. Flowery Branch; and 5. North Hall.
The West seedings for the boys are: 1. Chestatee; 2. Pickens; 3. White County; 4. Fannin County; and 5. Gilmer.
The winners of Monday's play-in games will play Wednesday against the no. 1 seeds.
Monday
May 6th, 2024
2:31PM
