Higher seeds advance in first round of 5-AAAA girls tournament

There were no upsets on Tuesday as play started in the region 5-AAAA girls tournament at McIntosh.

Villa Rica topped Tri-Cities in the opener and Sandy Creek, winners of their last four games, defeated Banneker to move to the second round. Lithia Springs found a way to defeat Alexander and Northgate’s girls handed Whitewater a 19 point loss. The four winners are all one win away from qualifying for the Class AAAA state playoffs, but getting that win on Thursday won’t be easy.

Sandy Creek, the fifth seed, meets McIntosh, the fourth seed, at 4 p.m. and the winner will take on the winner of Villa Rica and Mays (set for 8:30 p.m. Thursday) in the semifinals at 4 p.m. on Friday. Northgate’s win puts them up against Fayette County at 7 p.m. Thursday and the winner will take on the winner of Douglas County and Lithia Springs at 7 p.m. on Friday.

In today’s basketball action, McIntosh’s boys meet Banneker at 4 p.m. for a spot in the state playoffs and a semifinal match against the winner of Lithia Springs and Villa Rica. Fayette County and Starr’s Mill follow the Chiefs at 5:30 p.m. and will meet the winner of Mays and Sandy Creek (scheduled to follow the match between the Tigers and Panthers).