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Lady Panthers are state bound and playing for region title

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

The Starr’s Mill Lady Panthers found a way to outlast Lovejoy on Monday night, 61-57, in what coach Whitt Jones called the team’s biggest win so far. The win not only advanced them to a semifinal game against Mundy’s Mill, it clinched a trip to the state playoffs for the team, a first for any basketball team in the school’s history. The Lady Panthers topped Monday’s win by defeating Mundy’s Mill 42-39 on Wednesday, sending them to the region championship game tonight at 7 p.m.

The leading scorer for the Lady Panthers on Monday night was Katie Jacobsen with 16 points, while Meredith Lytle and Shannon Dougherty each added seven points and Kirstin Massmann, Katreesa Rollins and Angela Garza each added six.

On Wednesday night, Emily Woodward led the team with 10 points and Lytle knocked down two crucial free throws in the waning seconds.Down by eight with three minutes remaining, Starr’s Mill hit three straight threes to take a lead.

The Starr’s Mill boys wanted to join the girls and head to the state tournament as well but Newnan, a team they had beaten twice during the regular season, thwarted their plans on Tuesday night. The Panthers led for much of the game but Newnan took the lead with a little over four minutes to go in the fourth quarter and never let go. They extended their lead to 10 points with a little over a minute to go but Starr’s Mill fought back cutting the lead to four points before Newnan pushed it back and sealed the 53-46 win. Vinnie LeDonne led Starr’s Mill in scoring with 18 points, while Mark Harris scored 10 and Todd Oakley chipped in seven points.

In other games played on Tuesday night, Fayette County’s boys outlasted Lovejoy 52-50 to advance in the region tournament and make the state tournament. Sidney McFadden and Jeremiah Enloe each had 12 points, while Jordan Windisch added 10 and Stephan Pleasant added nine points.

In other basketball games on Tuesday, McIntosh’s boys lost to Alexander 65-51 in the region 4-AAAA tournament, despite 26 points from Dwayne Irvin, while Whitewater’s boys fell to Lithia Springs 90-57 with Jay Bright chipping in 20 points for the Wildcats.

Wednesday night saw Sandy Creek’s Lady Patriots get a 67-44 win over Lithia Springs. Mary Fields led Sandy Creek in scoring with 20 points. The win clinches a spot in the AAAA state tournament. They will face Douglas County this afternoon at 4 p.m. at Lithia Springs High School. Fayette County’s girls produced the upset of the region 4-AAAAA tournament by taking down Newnan 44-38. The Lady Tigers got 19 points from Kristin Bunch and will take on Starr’s Mill tonight for the region championship.

The Sandy Creek boys opened tournament play yesterday evening against Villa Rica. If they win, they will face the winner of Chapel Hill and Woodward in the region semi-finals at 5:30 p.m. this afternoon.