The Westfield girls basketball team has had a few days to get over its loss to Deerfield-Windsor in the GISA Region 3-AAA tournament championship game.
The Lady Hornets will need to do just that because they have a more important task in front of them: the Class AAA tournament.
Westfield and Mount de Sales open the tournament against each other at 4 p.m. on Wednesday at Stratford.
“We had the lead late and lost it, and we were upset about it,” Westfield head coach Cass Cassell said of Saturday’s one-point loss. “We’re using that as motivation for the state playoffs. We went through things and corrected our mistakes, but we have to forget about it and move on.
“We have to put it behind us and get ready for the state tournament, and the girls excited about that.”
Westfield (19-7) and Mount de Sales played twice during the regular season with each team winning at home.
Jeannia Rust leads a balanced Westfield attack with 10 points and eight rebounds per game, while Sydney Ledford comes off the bench to average six points and five rebounds.
Mount de Sales is 18-7 in a season that saw it stop Arlington Christian’s 104-game winning streak.
In the other games Wednesday at Stratford, Stratford faces Tiftarea and Tattnall Square plays Deerfield. At John Milledge, John Milledge hosts Holy Spirit and Pinewood plays Atlanta Girls School.
Stratford is 16-9 in a season that changed early in the year with an injury to Morgan Long, who was averaging more than 20 points per game. Lane Bowden and Harbor Hicks have stepped up to lead the Eaglettes’ offense.
“The players who had to step in and assume a larger role have really become more comfortable with what they’re doing,” Stratford head coach Ed Smith said. “We’re playing better now than what we were a couple of weeks ago. When Morgan got hurt, that affected us greatly for a while, and we had to dig out of that hole. But the other girls have been without Morgan for so long now that they have gotten more comfortable and gained more confidence with what they’re doing.”
Tattnall is 17-10 and also suffered a big injury, losing Ivey Slaughter during the season.
Girls
Class AAA
Wednesday
At John Milledge
(2) Holy Spirit Prep vs. (3) John Milledge, 4 p.m.
(2) Westminster vs. (3) Mount Vernon, 5:30 p.m.
(1) Atlanta Girls School vs. (4) Pinewood Christian, 7 p.m.
(1) Bulloch Academy vs. (4) Dominion Christian, 8:30 p.m.
At Stratford
(2) Westfield vs. (3) Mount de Sales, 4 p.m.
(2) Stratford vs. (3) Tiftarea, 5:30 p.m.
(1) Deerfield-Windsor vs. (4) Tattnall Square, 7 p.m.
(1) Arlington Christian vs. (4) Southland, 8:30 p.m.
Friday
At Tattnall Square
Atlanta Girls School/Pinewood Christian vs. Stratford/Tiftarea, 4 p.m.
Arlington Christian/Southland vs. Holy Spirit Prep/John Milledge, 5:30 p.m.
At Stratford
Bulloch Academy/Dominion Christian vs. Westfield/Mount de Sales, 7 p.m.
Deerfield-Windsor/Tattnall Square vs. Westminster/Mount Vernon, 8:30 p.m.
Feb. 24
Semifinals at Georgia College, 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Feb. 25
Championship at Georgia College, 6:40 p.m.
Class AA
Wednesday
At Middle Georgia College
(2) Flint River vs. (3) Piedmont, 4 p.m.
(2) Briarwood vs. (3) Harvester Christian, 5:30 p.m.
(1) Christian Heritage vs. (4) Brentwood, 7 p.m.
(1) Gatewood vs. (4) Heritage, 8:30 p.m.
At Terrell Academy
(2) Edmund Burke vs. (3) Citizens Christian, 4 p.m.
(2) Fullington vs. (3) Robert Toombs, 5:30 p.m.
(1) Frederica vs. (4) Brookwood, 7 p.m.
(1) Terrell Academy vs. (4) Curtis Baptist, 8:30 p.m.
Friday
At Middle Georgia College
Christian Heritage/Brentwood vs. Fullington/Robert Toombs, 4 p.m.
Frederica/Brookwood vs. Briarwood/Harvester Christian, 5:30 p.m.
Terrell/Curtis Baptist vs. Flint River/Piedmont, 7 p.m.
Gatewood/Heritage vs. Edmund Burke/Citizens Christian, 8:30 p.m.
Feb. 24
Semifinals at Georgia College, 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Feb. 25
Championship at Georgia College, 3:20 p.m.
Class A
Wednesday
At ABAC
(2) Memorial Day vs. (3) Grace Christian, 4 p.m.
(2) Westwood vs. (3) Heritage Christian, 5:30 p.m.
(1) David Emanuel vs. (4) Georgia Christian, 7 p.m.
(1) Crisp Academy vs. (4) Twiggs Academy, 8:30 p.m.
At Thomas Jefferson
(2) Dawson Street vs. (3) Nathanael Greene, 5 p.m.
(1) Oak Mountain vs. (4) Bethlehem Christian, 6:30 p.m.
(2) Westminster Christian vs. (3) Heirway Christian, 8 p.m.
Friday
At ABAC
(1) Thomas Jefferson vs. Memorial Day/Grace Christian, 4 p.m.
Oak Mountain/Bethlehem Christian vs. Westwood/Heritage Christian, 5:30 p.m.
David Emanuel/Georgia Christian vs. Westminster Christian/Heirway Christian, 7 p.m.
Crisp Academy/Twiggs Academy vs. Dawson Street/Nathanael Greene, 8:30 p.m.
Feb. 24
Semifinals at Georgia College, 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Feb. 25
Championship at Georgia College, noon
