By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Boy, the pressure is really on the spring sports teams at Brentwood now.

In December, the War Eagles football team rolled to a 38-6 win over Southwest Georgia for the GIAA Class AA state title.

Saturday, the school doubled up on that. And Southwest Georgia felt some of that pain again.

First, Brentwood’s girls rolled over Southwest Georgia 62-46 for the GIAA Class AA girls state title at Columbus State’s Lumpkin Center.

It was quite the going-away day for head coach Jamie Dickey, formerly the boys coach at Stratford. At the end of this school year, he will leave the coaches’ office to take over as head of school.

Then the boys handled Central Fellowship 81-59 a bit later for the boys title.

The Brentwood girls finish 26-5, the boys 25-2. The last boys’ loss? Back on Jan. 27, 64-54 to Central Fellowship.

Brentwood’s girls finished the season on a five-game winning streak, having gotten hot late after a three-game losing streak in January against GHSA quarterfinalist East Laurens, and Windsor and John Milledge.

Southwest Georgia ended the seasons of last year’s finalists, Central Fellowship and Trinity Christian in the second and third rounds.

Brentwood couldn’t do much with KJ Spann, who put in a big day with 26 points, sparked by six 3-pointers. But only one other player from Southwest Georgia scored more than three points.

For the full game story, go here

Meanwhile, Southwest Georgia did even less against Cadence English.

The 5-9 senior more than double her average of 14.9 points with a dazzling 34-point effort, with five 3-pointers and an 8-for-9 outing at the free-throw line. She passed the 1,500-point mark on Feb. 12, and the 1,000-rebound line on Saturday.

She was toughest in the first and third quarters, with 13 points in each.

Kaylee Rizner added 12 points and Camryn Hancock another 10.

Brentwood led 18-16 after one, but opened up a 34-23 halftime lead.

The War Eagles won their first state title since 2021-22, when they went 30-1. A year later, CFCA ended the War Eagles’ season 64-56 in the state tournament.

Some of the War Eagles who did damage last December in the football finale hurt feelings again on Saturday in the boys championship.

Baylor Cobb, the War Eagles’ gutty quarterback, went for 21 points on Saturday, sparked by a nifty 9-of-10 day at the free-throw line, 6 for 6 in the second quarter during which the War Eagles exploded for 33 points. Wideout Zyion Andrews added 20 points and multi-purpose footballer Tristan Robinson 15.

Andrew found a memorable time to pass the 1,000-point mark for his career, in a state championship game.

That second quarter was the difference, Brentwood leading only 15-14 after one quarter. Cobb accounted for two-thirds of his scoring in the second as Brentwood held the Lancers to another 14-point quarter.

Brentwood led 71-40 after three.

The Lancers went 8 of 14 from the line to 18 of 24 for the War Eagles. CFCA became a shorthanded team late in the season when starters Josh Sanders and Shaheem Barbosa left the team for personal reasons just before the region postseason started. Despite being on the team for so long, they were deleted from the team’s MaxPreps page, rendering stats inaccurate and misleading. Sanders is 6-7 and Barbosa 6-5.

Abram Austin led CFCA (22-8) with 16 points, with 13 from Sirron Chambers, 12 from Dude Lundy, and 10 from Trent Collins.

The first meeting between the teams was much different, CFCA taking a 59-57 win on Jan. 6, the War Eagles getting revenge 64-54 three weeks later and then 70-63 in region tournament.

Dickey took over the girls team after the 2023024 season when Kena Lindsey’s contract wasn’t renewed. and Tucker Shull succeeded athletics director – and head football coach – Adam Lord entering the 2023-24 season.

Athens Christian too much for Stratford

Athens Christian didn’t put forth a dazzling amount of offense, failing to crack 50 points for the eighth time this season.

But it was more than enough to handle a more offensively-challenged Stratford group 47-27 to win the Class 4A girls title.

The defense was there again for the Eagles, who beat Loganville Christian 46-30 in a semifinal.

For the full game story, go here

Stunningly, Stratford (25-4) was held to almost half of its previous lowest total of the season, which came in the 53-22 season-opening win over Mary Persons.

The loss ended a 14-game winning streak by Stratford, which last lost 60-57 in overtime to George Walton on Jan. 3.

Athens Christian’s height, led by 6-4 Marlene Mbilima and 6-2 Voldie Basana, was way too much for Stratford, especially defensively.

Mbilima and Bosana teamed for only 11 points, but made llife in eth paiitn painful for Stratford. Josi Vaughn went for 18 points for Athens Christian.

Senior Camiyah Hudson managed nine points for the Eaglettes.