By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

The Callaway Lady Cavaliers, hoping to kick off their region schedule with a win, instead fell to visiting Heard County 45-37 on Tuesday night.

Callaway was within four points early in the fourth quarter, but Heard County closed the game on an 11-3 run to win going away.

While Heard County has played nine times, it was the second game for Callaway, which opened its season with a loss to LaGrange on Monday.

“I felt like they played hard, we’re just still just a work in progress,” said Deyano Martin, Callaway’s head coach.

Callaway will get plenty of court time this week with five games in six days, and two of those games are against Region 5-AA opponents.

Callaway visits defending region champion Lamar County on Thursday before hosting non-region foes Greenville on Friday and Newnan on Saturday.

“Coming out here and playing all these games this week, it can do nothing but help us,” Martin said. “It gets you used to it. I just hate that there’s two region games in the middle of it.”

Whatever the outcome of this week’s games, Martin said “you’ve just got to take it and learn from it, and keep your head up.”

Sophomore guard Gabrielle Johnson, who was a key part of last season’s team that finished second in the region before losing a close one to Elbert County in the opening round of the state playoffs, led Callaway with 18 points against Heard County.

Johnson made three 3-pointers and scored 12 points in the first half.

Javonna Bradford was next for Callaway with six points, all in the second half, and Camryn Stargell scored five points.

Heard County led 14-12 after the first quarter, and it was ahead 25-21 at the half.

Heard County started to create some separation in the third quarter, and it took a 34-26 lead into the final quarter.

The Lady Cavaliers scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to get within four, but the Lady Braves went on a 7-0 run to put it away.

OF NOTE: For more photos from Tuesday’s game, check ou