Tennis: North Hall, Gilmer, Pickens and West Forsyth girls qualify for state (4/16)

FLOWERY BRANCH -- The Class AAA second-ranked and undefeated North Hall girls tennis team lived up to expectations on Wednesday in the Region 7-AAA tournament, cruising into the semifinals and claiming a state playoff berth.

The Lady Trojans were joined by Pickens, West Forsyth and Gilmer girls teams, which also each qualified for the Class AAA tourney after earning second-round wins at the Bobby Bailey Tennis Center.

North Hall (18-0) beat Flowery Branch 4-0 in the second round, while Pickens beat Lumpkin County 3-0.

West Forsyth, meanwhile, swept East Hall 3-0. And Gilmer ousted West Hall 3-1.

There were no upsets on the day, as each state qualifier defeated a lower-seeded opponent.

North Hall will meet Pickens in one region semifinal at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Bobby Bailey Tennis Center. Meanwhile West Forsyth will take on Gilmer in the other semifinal at the same time.

The winners of those matches will play for the region crown at 2 p.m., while the losers will compete for region seeding.