Central Georgia Sports ReportMay 09, 2025Comment

Friday's Report: GHSA/GIAA playoff, Mercer, Russell Henley, FVSU, state track; Braves, Tech/Danny Hall, Falcons; NBA playoffs, MLB, NASCAR, golf, NFL, college football, APR, WNBA, NHL playoffs

Central Georgia Sports ReportMay 09, 2025Comment

📰S📰C📰O📰R📰E📰B📰O📰A📰R📰D
High Schools
⚾ ⚾ ⚾ Baseball ⚾ ⚾ ⚾

GHSA Playoffs

Class A/Division I

Pepperell 9, Bleckley County 7, Game 3
The Royals (25-11) were in a 7-0 hole after three innings, pulled to within 9-4 through six, and managed three in the seventh. Bleckley County made for some drama in the seventh, after two outs, stranding runners on first and third when the game ended on a strikeout. Braegan Cravey went 3-for 4 with 5 RBI for Bleckley County, which got 2-hit games from Walker Boatright, Gavin Cole, and Clayton Beck.

GIAA Playoffs

Class AAA
Tiftarea 10, Westfield 7; Tiftarea 7, Westfield 0

Class AA
Brentwood 10, Westminster 7, 5 inn.; Brentwood 6, Westminster 0
A six-run second put the War Eagles (14-11) in charge in the opener, with Grady Boutelle getting 2 of Brentwood’s 6 hits. Ethan Daniel had a 5-inning no-hitter, with 2 strikeouts and 2 walks. The War Eagles needed all 7 innings in the night cap, but pitchers Rhett Hancock and Riley Helton were too much, teaming for a 3-hitter.Helton belted 2 homers with 4 RBI.

Class A
Vidalia Heritage 8, Covenant 4; VH 14, Covenant 5

⚽ ⚽ ⚽ Soccer ⚽ ⚽ ⚽

GHSA Playoffs

Class A/Division I
Model 1, ACE Charter 0 (Click here for complete story)
The visitors took an early lead, and the hosts spent the next 78 minutes trying to tie it, and couldn’t. Mode got a free kick on the sideline to the right of the goal. It went into a collision between ACE’s Laney Bridges and Model’s Emily Gentry, Gentry appearing to wheel a kick up, the ball squeezing in between the crossbar and just over keeper Macy Pierce’s hands just 112 seconds into the action. Both teams had chances throughout the match, but defense and the keepers came up big. The 16-1 Blue Devils ended the 18-4 Gryphons’ season in the semifinals for the second straight year, and in ACE’s first home semifinal match.

🏫🏫🏫College🏫🏫🏫
🥎 🥎 🥎Softball 🥎 🥎 🥎

Chattanooga 8, Mercer 7; Mercer 11, ETSU 3, Southern Conference Tournament

Pro

⚾ ⚾ ⚾ MLB⚾ ⚾ ⚾

Atlanta 5, Cincinnati 4, 11 inn.

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Around/About Central Georgia

High school coaching carousel: Dodge County, Hancock Central, Northeast

After a year at Middle Georgia State, Cedric Jordan is back as head boys coach at Dodge County, succeeding Pete Ranson, who resigned after one season, going 13-13.

Brandon Johnson was promoted from the staff and is the new head boys basketball coach at Hancock Central.

Tray Little is the new head boys basketball coach at Northeast, succeeding William Gordon, whose contract wasn’t renewed after the 2-22 season, his third season. Little was the girls coach at Midtown in Atlanta.

Henley off to good start at Truist

Draining a 22-footer for a birdie is a nice way to start the day, and that’s how the Truist Championship began for Russell Henley.

A hot start cooled off a little, but a steady and solid round followed, leaving Henley in a crowd tied for 11th in the signature even at the Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course.

Henley is among two dozen players at 5 under or better, with Keith Mitchell leading with a 9-under 61.

He started the day on No. 10, and pulled off a birdie. Henley birdied four of the first five holes, and then reeled off nothing but pars until a birdie on his final hole of the afternoon, a 24-footer.

His short game was off, leaving a solid three or four birdies on the course. After that early surge, he couldn’t convert on five birdie putt tries of 11 feet or less.

On the other hand, he tied for first for the day in scrambling, tied for second in driving accuracy, a0th in shots gained off the tee, and tied for 11th in shots gained.

Weather has pushed up Friday’s tee times a little, and Henley goes at 8:22 a.m., with Ludvig Aberg (tied for 25th) and Sepp Straka (tied for third).

Fort Valley State falls in three at NCAA volleyball tournament

The Wildcats were respectable in losing Thursday to Long Beach State 25-21, 25-16, and 25-16 in the NCAA men’s volleyball tournament in Columbus, Ohio.

State track meets get going

Track athletes from Central Georgia will be spread throughout the state for two days as the GHSA state track meets commence.

Class A/Division I and Class 5A are in Rome, Class 3A and A/Division II are in Albany, and Class AA and 4A are in East Jackson.

Central Georgians won several individual titles last year, with top-5 team finishes from Upson-Lee boys, Bleckley County girls, and GMC Prep’s boys and girls.

Come back Saturday and Sunday morning for Central Georgia’s only state track coverage.

SB-Mercer splits at SoCon tournament

Around/About Georgia

Baldwin drives in the winning run to lift Braves over Reds 5-4 in 11 innings

Strider (hamstring) takes next step with bullpen session

BSB-Yellow Jackets to celebrate Danny Hall this weekend

SB-No. 8 Tech topped by top seed Florida State in quarterfinals

UDFAs to keep an eye on at Falcons rookie minicamp

Opinion

President Trump, ignore Saban, Tuberville, and keep hands off college football

NBA

Uncomfortable replay of Nuggets’ blowout loss to OKC in Game 2 essentially a group therapy session