By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support local journalism.
State bound
Girls are runners-up in region
Varsity Girls Bball pic
Sophomore Sheyenne Seabolt shoots a three-pointer over the outstretched hands of East Hall defender Aliah Burrows. Seabolt scored five points in the Lady Tigers 19-15 win in a low-scoring game last week. - photo by Ryan Coker Dawson Community News

The Lady Tigers basketball team is headed to the state tournament. Head coach Steve Sweat's team finished the season as the Region 7-AAA runners-up.

With the second place region finish, Dawson County was able to host the first round of the state tournament. The game will be played at 6 p.m. tonight against Blessed Trinity. Results were not available as of the posting of this story.

Blessed Trinity finished as the No. 3-seed out of Region 6-AAA after defeating Woodward Academy, 58-40, in the consolation game.

The Titans come into the game with a 15-13 record. Blessed Trinity has two players that average in double digits scoring.

The team is led by Kourtney Keegan who averages 10 points per game. Keegan has scored 231 points this season.

Teammate, Megan Casey, a junior post player, also scores in double digits, averaging 10.5 points per game for 251 points total this season.

If the Lady Tigers win the team will be matched up against the winner of Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe and North Oconee this weekend.

The region tournament got off to an interesting start for the Lady Tigers last week in Dawsonville.

Dawson County came away with a low-scoring 19-15 win over East Hall. The win put the Lady Tigers in the state tournament.

Coach Joey Rider's Lady Viking team held the basketball for four minutes in the first quarter, six minutes in the second and third quarters, and for three minutes in the final quarter.

Allie Costley led all Lady Tigers in scoring with six points. Sheyenne Seabolt added five and Carly Gilreath and Karlie Bearden each scored four.

"East Hall wanted to slow the game down to keep the score low," said Sweat. "They succeeded in that."

Chelsea Dale led East Hall in scoring with five points. Dale connected on one three-point shot.

In the semi-finals on Feb. 15, the team played Fannin County for the third time this season. The Lady Rebels made the final four by upsetting Banks County on Wednesday.

The two teams met at North Hall High School, the site of the region playoffs.

The Lady Tigers pulled away from Fannin in the second quarter by outscoring them 22-8 to take a 33-16 advantage at halftime.

Dawson County kept up the pressure in the second half and cruised to a 56-38 win.

Gilreath had a great game on offense and led all scorers with 26 points. Sophomore post player Sheyenne Seabolt recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Karlie and Kacie Bearden had five points each, Kenna Seitz, Ashley Parker and Hannah Porter had two points each and Madison Shope scored a single point.

Parker pulled down six rebounds in the winning effort.

The win put Dawson County in the championship game against No. 1-ranked in Class AAA Buford on Saturday night.

The Lady Wolves jumped out to a commanding 22-13 first quarter lead and looked like they would run away with the game.

However, Dawson County rebounded in the second quarter and outscored Buford 14-8 and trailed only 30-27 at the intermission.

Sweat's team continued to turn up the defense in the third quarter.

Dawson County tied Buford, but after a missed shot, a rebound put back from Buford's Kristina Nelson as time expired, gave the Lady Wolves a 39-37 lead to begin the fourth quarter.

Nelson started the fourth quarter the same way she finished the third quarter. She scored the team's first five points to extend Buford‘s lead to 44-37. The Lady Tigers just couldn‘t catch up. Nelson ended the game with 20 points.

Lady Tiger Porter had the offensive game of her season as she connected on five three-pointers to lead Dawson County with 15 points.

Buford made four of five free throws in the last minute to pull off the 60-52 win.

Parker scored in double figures for the Tigers with 10 points followed by teammate Gilreath with 13 points.

Parker also recorded seven rebounds.

"It was a great game to watch and be a part of," said Sweat. "It was a two point game until we started fouling to stop the clock. The girls played their hearts out against the top ranked team in the state. "

Also getting in the scoring column was Seabolt with seven points, Costley with three, Karlie Bearden and Seitz added two points each.

The Lady Tigers are currently ranked No. 9 in Class AAA with an impressive 23-5 record.