By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Updated at 9:55 p.m. May be updated with stats and details if reported.

Relevant semifinal schedule and state schedule follows the boys and girls quarterfinal results

Road trips weren't so bad after all.

Warner Robins went to Lithonia, and won a nail-biter.

Upson-Lee went up to just south of Chattanooga and won a snoozer.

Westside rode to near the South Carolina border and lost a lead and regained late to win a tight one.

Central battled powerful Morgan County for three-plus quarters before the home team pulled away. And Macon County couldn't get enough going at Central Talbotton.

Staying home was good for Baldwin, which led just about the whole way, and Wilkinson County, which survived Manchester's visit.

The semifinals are Friday and Saturday at assorted locations throughout the state, with the finals at the Macon Coliseum and Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion.

Stratford is the only Central Georgia girls team to survive into the finals.

The Eaglettes will play Holy Innocents' at 2 p.m. Friday at Columbus State. Holy Innocents' is the defending state runner-up, losing 51-48 to Wesleyan last year.

Quarterfinal results with Central Georgia teams

For a full look at brackets: https://www.ghsa.net/2017-2018-championship-brackets

BOYS

Class 5A

R1 1 Warner Robins 67, R5 1 Lithonia 64

Jaydon Norman steal with 12 seconds left in a 1-point game was followed by two missed foul shots. But he got the rebound on the second one, and was fouled again. This time, he hit both for a sliver of breathing room as the Demons held on in a game that was never separated by more than two possessions. The Demons also survived foul trouble from Nelson Phillips, but got key plays down the stretch. Phillips and Jacolbey Owens each had more than 20 points.

R8 2 Clarke Central 73, R4 2 Stockbridge 52

R5 3 Miller Grove 70, R4 1 Dutchtown 56

R7 1 Hiram 47, R3 1 Starr's Mill 35

Class 4A

R3 1 Baldwin 64, R52 Cartersville 52

The Braves led pretty much from the start, and looked a few times like they might ease away only for Cartersville to come back and then fail to take advantage of chances. Baldwin led 40-34 after three quarters, and finally got the lead to double digits with just less than 3 minutes left.

R8 1 St. Pius 77, R1 3 Carver-Columbus 65

R5 1 Sandy Creek 64, R3 2 Burke County 44

R2 1 Upson-Lee 70, R6 1 LaFayette 40

Upson-Lee took led at halftime and took control in the third quarter en route to the rout, its 29th straight win this season and 61st over the past two. The defending champs got a double-double from Travon Walker with 10 points and 13 rebounds, plus 5 blocks. Tye Fagan got going in the second half and had 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. Point guard Zyrice Scott added 13 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals, while JaCorey Smith had 6 rebounds and 12 points.

Class 3A

R7 1 Greater Atlanta Christian 75, R3 1 Johnson-Savannah 61

R8 1 Morgan County 51, R4 1 Central 37

The Chargers stayed with the hosts, trailing 33-30 after three in a defensive battle. But Morgan County, looking for its fifth straight trip to the championship, stepped up the defense and disrupted the Central offense to slowly pull away.

R3 2 Jenkins-Savannah 72, R5 1 Cedar Grove 65

R4 2 Westside 55, R8 2 Hart County 53

Westside apparently got off the bus after a ride of about 2.5 hours and had mighty fresh legs, bolting to a 6-0 lead, and 20-9 after a quarter. They kept rolling, and led 31-20 at halftime. Hart County had a good halftime talk and started coming back. A 9-point margin quickly dropped to 6, and all of a sudden, Hart County had a 48-47 lead. The Seminoles regained the lead at 50-48 with 1:16 left, and held on.

Class A Public

/Central-Talbotton 73, 7/Macon County 61

3/Wilkinson County 67, 6/Manchester 63

1/Calhoun County 60, 8/Woodville-Tompkins 50

5/Montgomery County 81, 4/Lanier County 74

GIRLS

Class 3A

R3 2 Johnson-Savannah 52, R5 1 Lovett 46

R2 1 Tattnall County 59, R6 1 Haralson County 46

R3 1 Beach (27-2) at R7 1 Greater Atlanta Christian 55, R3 1 Beach 45

R8 1 Franklin County 53, R4 1 Peach County 44

The first half was Peach County's, but the second half and the game belonged to undefeated Franklin County. The Trojans led 19-18 at halftime, but the Lions won the final two quarters 35-25.

Class AA

R7 1 Model 79, R3 1 Dodge County 63

The visiting Indians were with the Blue Devils early, but were outscored 29-14 in the second quarter and trailed 60-38 after three quarters. Destanee Wright went off for 41 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 steals for Dodge County (25-5), but the Indians couldn't get any more offense going.

R4 1 Laney (29-0) at R8 1 Banks County (25-5)

R1 1 Fitzgerald 70, R8 3 Rabun County 65

R3 2 Josey 57, R6 1 Douglass-Atlanta 39

Class A Private

1/Holy Innocents 86, Christian Heritage 49

4/Stratford 44, 5/Prince Avenue Christian 34

Stratford looked early on like it might be able to pull away, but Prince Avenue didn't let that happen. The Eaglettes led by only a bucket in the fourth quarter and kept the Wolverines, who missed a selection of second-chance opportunities and lost some oomph when Ansley Hall fouled out in the final minutes with 14 points. Nadia Reese led the Eaglettes with 18 points. The semifinal is 2 p.m. Friday at Columbus State against Holy Innocents'.

10/Paideia (21-9) at 2/St. Francis 89, 10/Paideia 41

6/Wesleyan 60, 3/Calvary Day (26-2) 20

Semifinals (locations with Central Georgia teams)

Class 5A

at Fort Valley State, Saturday

2 p.m.: G-Villa Rica vs. Buford

4 p.m. B-Hiram vs. Miller Grove

6 p.m.: G-Harris County vs. Flowery Branch

8 p.m.: B-Warner Robins vs. Clarke Central

Class 4A

at Fort Valley State, Friday

2 p.m.: G-Americus-Sumter vs. Henry County

4 p.m.: B-Baldwin vs. St. Pius

6 p.m.: G-Carver-Columbus vs. Spalding

8 p.m.: B-Upson-Lee vs. Sandy Creek

Class AAA

Armstrong Atlantic, Saturday

2 p.m.: G-Greater Atlanta Christian vs. Franklin County

4 p.m.: B- Greater Atlanta Christian vs. Morgan County

6 p.m.:G-Johnson-Savannah vs. Tattnall County

8 p.m.: B-Westside vs. Jenkins-Savannah

Class A Public

at Valdosta State, Saturday

2 p.m.: G: Telfair County vs. Greenville

4 p.m.: B- Montgomery County at Calhoun County

6 p.m.: G-Terrell County vs. Marion County

8 p.m.: B- Wilkinson County vs. Central Talbotton

Class A Private

Columbus State, Friday

2 p.m.: G-Holy Innocents' vs. Stratford

4 p.m.: B-Holy Innocents' vs. St. Francis

6 p.m.: G-St. Francis vs. Wesleyan

8 p.m.: B-Aquinas vs. ELCA

Finals Schedule/Locations

Wednesday, March 7

Macon Centreplex

2 p.m.: AA Girls

4 p.m.: AA Boys

6 p.m.: A Public Girls

8 p.m.: A Public Boys

Thursday, March 8

Macon Centreplex

11 a.m.: AAASP Wheelchair Game

2 p.m.: AAA Girls

4 p.m.: AAA Boys

6 p.m.: AAAAA Girls

8 p.m.: AAAAA Boys

Friday, March 9

Georgia Tech

2 p.m.: A Private Girls

4 p.m.: A Private Boys

6 p.m.: AAAAAA Girls

8 p.m.: AAAAAA Boys

Saturday, March 10

Georgia Tech

2 p.m.: AAAA Girls

4 p.m.: AAAA Boys

6 p.m.: AAAAAAA Girls

8 p.m.: AAAAAAA Boys