CALHOUN, Ga. -- For a school that opened in 2009, North Murray is building quite the basketball reputation.
Both of the Chatsworth school's varsity teams will play beyond this week -- the third time in four years for the girls and the fourth consecutive trip for the boys -- after earning state playoff berths in Region 6-AAA tournament action Thursday. The Mountaineers used a suffocating defense to get past Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, 51-37, and the Lady Mountaineers rode senior Erin Robinson's 16 points to hold off a late LFO rally and win 41-34.
They were joined in next week's state field by the Sonoraville girls and boys, who defeated Murray County 53-32 and Coahulla Creek 52-39, respectively.
Today's semifinals begin with the Sonoraville and Ringgold girls at 4, followed by the Ringgold and North Murray boys at 5:30, the Calhoun and North Murray girls at 7 and the Calhoun and Sonoraville boys at 8:30.
The North Murray girls had the biggest challenge, though it didn't start that way. The Lady Mountaineers (15-9), fresh off a week's rest, used a combined 14 points from Robinson and Baylee Sutton to hold a 24-11 lead on an LFO team that had played the day before and looked a bit sluggish.
However, Lady Warriors star Abbi Mabry willed her team back into it in the third period, scoring nine points, including two three-point plays, as the lead was cut to eight entering the fourth. That margin shrank to two after back-to-back 3-pointers from Faith Alexander and Jazzmyn Elston and Elston's steal and layup with four minutes left.
LFO twice had the ball down two but couldn't score, and when North Murray post Robinson scored on consecutive trips, the rally was halted and the tournament's No. 3 seed escaped.
"They have some kids who can make plays, especially Mabry, so we knew it was coming," North Murray coach Keith Robinette said. "We helped them a bit with a couple of turnovers, but they're a good team that can put you in some pretty bad spots defensively.
"When it got close, we turned to Erin. That's where it starts with us. Erin has earned everything she's gotten this year, and I challenged her to put us on her shoulders, and she came through when we needed it tonight."
The Mountaineers (18-7) had no such trouble with an LFO team trying to play with leading scorer Tanner Bennett severely limited by a knee injury. Noah Allen scored 21 points and Jordan Couch added 11, but a trapping press that caused 27 turnovers made the big difference.
LFO, which trailed by 13 midway through the second period, cut the lead to six on Zach Thompson's layup starting the second half, but North Murray forced turnovers on the next four LFO possessions. During that time Allen hit a runner, Tyler Tipton made a free throw and Alex Viars had a steal and layup to push the lead back to 10.
The Warriors never threatened again.
"We like to pressure, and tonight it made a big difference," North Murray coach Tim Ellis said. "Coach (Jerry) Jones has been doing this a long time, so we didn't want to let them sit in the halfcourt and do what they do, so we got after them and caused quite a few turnovers. We talked at the half about maybe resting some of the guys and saving their legs in the second half, but right away we look up and the lead is down to six, so we had to get back after it."
Ellis hopes his team isn't satisfied with just making the state field, though he knows the other three teams will be tough.
"We want to host a playoff game and we're fighting for a region championship," he said. "Calhoun and Ringgold are both very good, and Sonoraville has beaten us twice this year."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.