By Kevin Eckleberry

kevin.eckleberry@lagrangenews.com

It was a difficult three-game stretch for the LaGrange Grangers, who dropped consecutive road games to Cartersville, Troup and Sandy Creek last week.

Those losses left the Grangers with a 5-5 record against Region 5-AAAA opponents, and they’ll look to turn things around this week as they close the regular season with home games against Chapel Hill today and Central-Carroll on Wednesday.

It’s an important week for the Grangers, who can finish anywhere from third to fifth heading into next week’s region tournament.

LaGrange closes the regular season against

the two teams at the bottom of the region standings.

Chapel Hill and Central-Carroll, who both lost to LaGrange earlier in the season, are each 1-8 in the region.

If LaGrange wins both of its games this week, it will be seeded no lower than fourth for the region tournament, and it could end up as high as third depending on what Troup does.

While it was a tough week for the Grangers, everything they’d hoped to achieve coming into the season is still in front of them.

LaGrange has won three consecutive region championships, and it has advanced to the state quarterfinals in two of the past three years.

For the LaGrange girls’ team, it will be the number one seed for the region tournament no matter what happens this week against Chapel Hill and Central-Carroll.

With Saturday’s win over Sandy Creek, LaGrange improved to 10-0 in the region, and it secured the top seed.

After beating Troup 61-46 on Friday, LaGrange pulled away in the fourth quarter to get past Sandy Creek 43-36 on Saturday.

Senior guard Aryan Dozier scored a combined 57 points in the two games.

Dozier scored 32 points against Troup, and she followed that up with a 25-point effort against Sandy Creek.

“She’s a special player,” LaGrange head coach Stephen Tuck said after the Troup game. “She’s one of those truly once-in-a-lifetime players that you’re going to have. The ability to say Fruit go get me a bucket. We need a bucket right here. It’s amazing to be able to coach a player like that.”

CALLAWAY: The Cavaliers are in the midst of their first winning streak of the season, and they’ll look to keep it going this week.

Callaway, which beat Heard County and Lamar County last week, will try to make it three in a row when it hosts Temple today in a Region 5-AA game.

It’s been a difficult season for the Cavaliers (3-13 overall), who lost their first nine games of the season, but they’re starting to hit their stride at just the right time, and they have improved to 3-5 in the region.

Callaway will close the regular season with home games against Temple and Spencer this week before the region tournament next week.

If the Cavaliers win both games this week, they’ll finish the regular season with a 5-5 region record after opening their region schedule with three straight losses.

The Cavaliers are in fourth place right now, but they could possibly rise as high as second if things break their way this week.

It is also a big week for Callaway’s girls’ team, which is in a three-way tie for second place in the region.

Callaway, Spencer and Heard County are all 5-3 in the region, while Lamar County is in first place at 7-1.

If Callaway beats Temple and Spencer this week, it will be seeded no lower than second for the region tournament.

If Callaway loses one or both games, it could fall to fourth.

TROUP: Troup’s teams will be road warriors this week.

Troup will close the regular season with three straight road games this week, beginning with today’s games against Central-Carroll.

Troup plays Cartersville before finishing the regular season against Chapel Hill on Saturday.

Both teams have a lot to play for.

The Tigers will finish no lower than third in the region if they win out this week, and they could finish as high as second.

Troup won’t be any lower than the number five seed for the region tournament.

Troup will look to bounce back from Saturday’s 53-40 loss to Cedartown.

Montez Crowe led the Tigers with 11 points, and King Mwikuta scored eight points.

Troup’s girls’ team brings a 4-5 region record into its final three games. Troup, which is in a tie for fourth place in the region, can finish as high as third with a winning week.

LAGRANGE ACADEMY: There are two weeks remaining in the regular season as LaGrange Academy’s teams look to climb the ladder in GISA Region 1-AA.

LaGrange Academy’s only games this week are today at Solid Rock, and they close the regular season next week against Solid Rock and Oak Mountain.