Prep Notebook: GHSA wrestling sectionals start today

Assorted Sports Equipment on Black
Assorted Sports Equipment on Black

The second phase of the traditional tournament postseason begins today for GHSA wrestlers at sectionals, where the fields will be cut in half to determine who qualifies for state.

There are two sectionals for each classification, and the top eight placers at each event for AAAA to AAAAAAA will advance to Macon next week, along with the top four from A to AAA. For a run at a team state title, a good sectional outing is a must.

"I'm not saying we have to be perfect, but we can't afford many mistakes," Sonoraville coach Randy Steward said.

His team has eight wrestlers in the Class AAA sectional at Bremen, including seven Area 3 champions. Also representing that area are strong contingents from Calhoun, Coahulla Creek and Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe - each with five wrestlers - and Ringgold, which advanced four.

Dalton has nine competitors in the Class AAAAAA sectional at Lanier High School in Buford, including four Area 6 champions. Gilmer enters the AAAA sectional at Woodward Academy in College Park with 12 wrestlers, while Heritage will take eight, Northwest Whitfield seven and Ridgeland five, including three Area 6 champs.

Area champions Chattooga and Trion will look to continue their strong postseason runs at the Class AA sectional at Rockmart and the Class A event at Irwin County, respectively. The Indians have eight competitors, while the Bulldogs qualified a perfect 14.

Lady Hawks honored

Two Hamilton Heights girls' basketball players - Elizabeth Balogun and Jazmine Massengill - were named to this season's McDonald's All-American team. Both are four-year starters who helped lead the Lady Hawks to the Dick's Sporting Goods National Championship game last year and the No. 2 national ranking in the current ESPN Super 25 poll.

Massengill, a 6-foot point guard and native Chattanoogan, has signed to play for the University of Tennessee and has averaged 10.3 points and 9.8 assists per game this season. She joined the Lady Hawks as a freshman and has scored more than 1,100 points, grabbed 521 rebounds and handed out 509 assists in her high school career.

Balogun is a 6-foot wing who moved to Chattanooga when she was 13 from Lagos, Nigeria. The Georgia Tech signee has scored more than 1,200 points and grabbed 486 rebounds in her high school career.

Both players are on the 25-player watch list for the Naismith Award, given to the top girls' prep basketball player in the nation.

The 17th annual McDonald's All-American game will be played March 28 at Philips Arena in Atlanta. Massengill will play for the East team, while Balogun will play for the West.

Ferrel to Trevecca

Grace Academy's Maddie Ferrel has accepted a scholarship offer to continue her soccer career at NCAA Divison II member Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville. She plans to sign Feb. 7.

Ferrel was a starter for the Lady Golden Eagles' high school team for five seasons and a team captain the last three. She compiled 23 goals and 24 assists at Grace and was selected all-district three times and all-region once. She has a 4.02 grade point average.

"I think Trevecca is very blessed to have Maddie," Grace coach Gretchen Hammel said. "I can't say enough about what a quality person she is. She's a hard worker and a true, bona fide leader. She has so much composure in all things. She never gets frazzled. She's going to step in and be a leader right away. Her tactical knowledge of the game is beyond her years. And she's a godly woman."

Wiley's 1,000th

Heritage junior Emily Wiley scored her 1,000th career point in last week's 54-45 win over Ringgold. The wing, who has a 4.0 GPA, is the fifth Lady General to reach the milestone but the first to do so in her junior year.

She also has 550 career rebounds and has blocked more than 100 shots.

"Emily is also our best one-on-one defensive player, and her basketball IQ is exceptionally high," coach Eddie Bryant said. "She works as hard as any player I have ever coached at the high school or college level."

CSTHEA's big night

On Wednesday, the boys' varsity team from Chattanooga's home-school basketball program, the CSTHEA Patriots, got to spend some time around the big boys - the really big boys. The Patriots had the opportunity to play an afternoon game in Philips Arena before the Atlanta Hawks hosted the Charlotte Hornets that night.

"Both teams had a few air balls in the beginning, but after that everybody kind of settled down," CSTHEA coach Phillip Hampton said of the Patriots' 85-61 loss to Georgia's Unity Prep Academy. "We played OK. It kind of got away from us late in the game."

Luke Land's back was bothering him, which caused him to miss the first half. But he eventually played and, including his 6-for-9 shooting from 3-point range in the fourth quarter, ended up leading the Patriots with 22 points.

"He was enjoying his moment," Hampton said. "That's what it's all about. It was a great opportunity for the program."

Hampton observed as the players enjoyed the experience, which included watching the game after greeting the Hawks right before they took the court. The Hornets won 123-110.

Colby Howell finished with 13 points and seven rebounds for CSTHEA, which has sent other teams in its organization to play before a Hawks game through a fundraising opportunity on the NBA team's website. For more information, visit on.nba.com/2s104qn.

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