Veterans carries momentum into Region 2-AAAA tournament

Defending GHSA Region 2-AAAA girls tournament champion Veterans is headed back to the region tournament, and the Warhawks have plenty of momentum.

Veterans is seeded first after a 12-0 regular-season region finish. It is 21-4 overall.

"We understand we have a target on our back," Veterans head coach Nicki Miranda said, "and everyone's gonna be gunning for that so we really have to be prepared, mentally and physically."

The Warhawks made it to the Class AAAA tournament last season but lost a tiebreaker against Carrollton, 43-42.

Miranda explained that she has a large group of seniors that understand what it takes to win a region championship and advance in the playoffs.

"We're a deep group," she said.

The team is still focusing on the fundamentals, "but at the same recognizing that we gotta be better than we were the last game," Miranda said. The Warhawks are off until Thursday when they face the Howard-Perry winner.

"We will go to work on Monday," Miranda added.

They finished off their first perfect regular-season region record in program history Friday when they beat Mary Persons 57-27.

The past two seasons Veterans and Mary Persons have split their meetings. The Warhawks, however, have not lost a region game since their 44-39 loss to Mary Persons at the end of last season.

"We have been playing at a higher level (this season) and I am proud of them."

Although they had a perfect season, the Warhawks hit a few bumps along the way. In mid-January three seniors suffered injuries.

Point guard Kya Cochran missed a few games due to an ankle injury. Anna Nicholson fractured her hyoid bone and missed several games. Morgan Riley just returned Friday after recovering from a sprained foot.

"Adversity, I believe, always makes you stronger," Miranda said.

GHSA Region 2-AAAA Tournaments

At Mary Persons

Boys

Tuesday

Howard vs. Baldwin, 4 p.m.

Mary Persons vs. Veterans, 5:30 p.m.

Perry vs. West Laurens, 7 p.m.

Thursday

Mary Persons-Veterans winner vs. Perry-West Laurens, winner, 5:30 p.m.

Howard-Baldwin winner vs. Upson-Lee, 8:30 p.m.

Friday

Consolation, 5:30 p.m.

Championship, 8:30 p.m.

Girls

Monday

Howard vs. Perry, 4 p.m.

West Laurens vs. Upson-Lee, 5:30 p.m.

Baldwin-Mary Persons, 7 p.m.

Thursday

West Laurens-Upson-Lee winner vs. Baldwin-Mary Persons winner, 4 p.m.

Howard-Perry winner vs. Veterans, 7 p.m.

Friday

Consolation, 4 p.m.

Championship, 7 p.m.

This story was originally published February 7, 2016 at 4:53 PM with the headline "Veterans carries momentum into Region 2-AAAA tournament ."