A Week of Milestones, Dominance, and Playoff Fever

Another week, another slate of unforgettable performances across the Tri-City area! From record-breaking achievements to playoff pushes and championship dreams, local athletes are making their mark in a big way. Let’s break it all down!

Hardaway’s “Floor General” has done it again! Adazha Burrell hit a career milestone, dishing out her 500th assist as the Hardaway Lady Hawks soared past Sumter County 64-41. Sitting atop the region at a flawless 12-0 (17-6 overall), Hardaway is riding a seven-game winning streak, and Burrell isn’t just leading the team—she’s leading the region in assists and ranks 18th in the entire state of Georgia! With two crucial matchups left against Kendrick and Spencer, the Lady Hawks are looking to close the regular season on a high note before their playoff run.

It was a tale of resilience for the Carver Lady Tigers, who staged a stunning 14-point halftime comeback to defeat Spencer 56-46. With this win, Carver notched three critical region victories, overcoming Columbus 69-59 and dismantling Jordan 80-18. Now sitting at 8-2 in the region, the Lady Tigers have a tough road ahead, with matchups against Sumter County and Kendrick to close out the season.

The Central Lady Red Devils capped off their regular season in emphatic fashion, taking down Smiths Station 70-42 behind a jaw-dropping performance from Jabria Lindsey. The star guard poured in 31 points, added 9 assists, and snagged 8 steals in a near-triple-double outing. Central finished 19-5 overall and 4-2 in region play, riding major momentum heading into the postseason. The Pacelli Lady Vikings kept their foot on the gas, dismantling Brookstone 60-20 to improve to 15-4 (6-0 region). Meanwhile, the Spencer Lady Greenwaves rebounded in a big way, picking up two key regional wins over Kendrick (87-10) and Columbus (47-40) to move to 7-5 in the region. With crucial matchups against Jordan and Hardaway still on the schedule, Spencer looks to keep climbing the standings.

On the boys’ side, the Pacelli Vikings continue their unbeaten tear, cruising past Brookstone 61-42 to move to 21-0 overall and 6-0 in region play. Senior standout Jalien Bush led the charge with 18 points and 4 steals as the Vikings gear up for their next showdown against Westfield. Carver’s dominance also remains unshaken, as the Tigers bulldozed Columbus 75-27 and Jordan 99-21 to extend their winning streak to 12 games. Now 20-2 overall and 12-0 in the region, Carver prepares for a road test against Sumter County in what could be a statement game before the postseason.

The Muscogee County Middle School playoffs tipped off with a bang! Defending champions Double Churches Lady Wildcats showed why they’re the team to beat, battling past Midland 43-37 to reach the semifinals. The Lady Wildcats Lauren Ellison was electric, dropping 21 points to lead the charge. The Lady Wildcats now set their sights on Aaron Cohn in a bid to move one step closer to another title. Meanwhile, the Fort Lady Patriots made quick work of Blackmon Road, steamrolling to a 50-12 victory. They now face the Richards Lady Warriors in what promises to be a high-energy matchup.

In the private school division, a massive congratulations goes out to Calvary Christian, who secured their first-ever Middle School Boys State Championship, defeating Eastern Christian 45-30! A historic moment for the program and a testament to the dedication of players and coaches alike.

The future of basketball is here! PorterSports SE tipped off its spring youth basketball season at Hardaway with thrilling action in the 6U division. Madison Nelson of the Timberwolves led her squad to an 18-15 victory over the Rockets, earning Double Coverage Player of the Game honors for her stellar performance. In the 8U division, the Warriors dominated their season opener, securing a 33-12 win. Muriyah Miles stole the show, earning Double Coverage Player of the Game with an outstanding all-around performance. The season is just getting started, and it’s already shaping up to be one for the books!

It was a proud moment for student-athletes across the area as National Signing Day saw several local stars commit to continuing their athletic careers at the next level. Brookstone Cougars' Jaxson James is headed to Shorter University, while Baylinn Carr is set to join the University of West Georgia. James, a dominant middle linebacker and defensive tackle, wrapped up his Brookstone career with an impressive 290 tackles, 6 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles. Meanwhile, Carr, a force on the defensive line, recorded 86 tackles and 5 sacks in just two seasons. Over at Central, Andrew Alford signed with the University of Tulsa, Zavion Chambers committed to Andrew College, Monterrius Echols is heading to Georgia State University, and Cameron Ash signed with the University of the Cumberlands.

Special congratulations to Columbus Blue Devils’ track star Gabrielle Harris, who is headed to Western Carolina University to compete at the D1 level! Harris holds the Columbus High 200m record, is a two-time region champion, two-time state qualifier, two-time national qualifier, and boasts an impressive 3.7 GPA. A true example of hard work paying off!

Mark your calendars for these must-watch matchups across basketball, wrestling, and tennis. February 6 sees Kendrick at Hardaway, Northside at Mundy's Mill, and Spencer at Jordan. February 7 brings GHSA AA Sectionals at Carver, Northside at Starr’s Mill, and Carver at Sumter County, while Columbus faces Carrollton in tennis. February 8 will feature Spencer at Hardaway, Jordan at Shaw for Senior Night, Kendrick at Carver, and Columbus at Sumter County. As the postseason looms, teams are making their final push, and records are being rewritten. Stay locked in, because the best is yet to come!

That’s a wrap for this edition of Time-Out! Stay tuned for more local sports coverage, and as always—support your teams, show up, and make some noise!