Ware County’s Lady Gators made history Friday night reaching their first Elite 8 in the postconsolidation era.
The Lady Gators (25-4), winners of eight straight games, ended a six-game losing streak in the second round of the state tournament beating visiting Region 8 runner-up East Forsyth (12-18) 57-46. Ware County hosted Region 4 champion and topranked Creekside (29-0) Tuesday night.
Region 1 runner-up Warner Robins fell 73-61 Saturday, February 22 at Region 8 champion North Oconee.
WCHS, which consolidated with Waycross High with the start of the 1994-95 school year, made second round appearances in 2006, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2024.
The last Lady Gator squad to reach the quarterfinals came in 1990 when the field consisted of 16 teams — the region champion and runner-up. Old Ware County High School beat Albany 65-56 before falling 58-41 to Washington County.
Creekside, which had not posted a winning record since before 2005 before breaking through with a 20-9 record in 2024, has pounded Region 3 fourth-seed Griffin 65-24 and Region 7 third seed Cass 73-29 in the first two rounds.
The 40-plus point victories follow a trend by the Lady Seminoles, who have recorded 27 wins by dou-ble digits. Creekside’s average margin of victory for the season is 38.5 points.
The Lady Seminoles have eight wins by 57-plus points (57, 64, 65, 73 (3), 86 and 98). They had a three-game stretch of holding opponents to six points or less (6, 5 and 4) winning by an average score of 91-5.
Creekside’s closest victory was a 57-52 decision January 20 against Southridge High School of Miami, Fla., in the MLK Classic. Since the fivepoint win, the Lady Seminoles have won their last nine games by 42 points.
Sweet 16 No. 8 Lady Gators ..57 East Forsyth ..........46 Ware County built a 10point halftime advantage holding the Lady Broncos at bay over the final 16 minutes to notch the hard-fought victory.
The Lady Gators opened up a 16-point advantage early in the second half only to have East Forsyth whittle the deficit to seven points with 1:12 to play.
The Lady Broncos scored the five points of the game as Ware County struggled from the floor. The Lady Gators broke through just past the midway point of the opening stanza with a 9-0 run to take a 9-5 lead. A basket just before the horn sounded by the visitors cut the deficit to 9-7.
Ware County slowly opened some breathing room in the first 4:14 of the second period outscoring the Lady Broncos 13-4 for its first double-figure advantage at 22-11. Five points by East Forsyth closed the deficit to 22-16 2:20 before intermission. The Lady Gators scored the last four points of the half to take a 26-16 lead to the locker room.
Alexis McNeal (teamhigh 15 points, three treys) opened the third period with back-to-back threes pushing Ware County’s advantage to 32-16, the biggest of the game, with 6:42 on the clock. East Forsyth went on to double up the Lady Gators 14-7 the rest of the quarter to cut the deficit to 39-30 with eight minutes to play. The nine-point margin was the closest the Lady Broncos had trailed since 20-11 with 4:29 remaining in the first half.
Ware County pushed the margin to 12 at 46-34 with 4:49 remaining and 49-36 with four minutes on the clock. East Forsyth charged back to 51-44 with 1:12 to play as the Lady Gators struggled to put the game away at the free throw line (9-of-16 in fourth, 16-of-25 overall).
Ware County closed the game scoring six of the final eight points for the victory.
Rhianna Mateyka (trey) and Shardell Vickers followed the lead of McNeal scoring nine points apiece. Kyla McKelvin and Charlacia Jones contributed eight points each.
Lydia Munford (trey) and Bailey Denton followed with four points and three points respectively. Bre’yonna Hill chipped in a free throw.
East Forsyth’s Ayla Heard posted a game-high 18 points. Hollyn Hicks finished with 17 points.
The Lady Broncos were able to keep Ware County within striking distance going 12-of-14 from the free throw line including 10-of-10 over the final two quarters.
