By Kevin Eckleberry

kevin.eckleberry@lagrangenews.com

It’s a first-place showdown.

There are two girls’ teams with unbeaten Region 5-AAAA records, and they will face off on Friday when LaGrange hosts Sandy Creek.

LaGrange improved to 4-0 in the region with Tuesday’s home win over Troup, while Sandy Creek is 3-0 in the region.

That those two teams are atop the region standings isn’t surprising.

LaGrange and Sandy Creek met in the region-championship game last season, and many of those same players have returned.

Central-Carroll is also off to a quick start in region play with a 3-1 record, while Central-Carroll and Cedartown are 1-2.

Chapel Hill (0-3) and Cartersville (0-4) are both looking for their first region wins.

On the boys’ side of the region, it’s Cartersville leading the way with a 4-0 record, and it is coming off a key home win over Sandy Creek on Tuesday.

Cartersville erased a double-digit halftime deficit on Saturday to win at LaGrange.

LaGrange avoided a three-game losing streak against region opponents when it rallied to beat Troup on Tuesday.

The Grangers trailed by 16 points heading into the final quarter, but they stormed back and won 64-63.

Cedartown, which beat LaGrange on Friday, is 2-1 in the region.

Troup would have been in second place in the region if it had beaten LaGrange, but the lost left it with a 1-2 record.

Chapel Hill is also 1-2 in the region, while Central-Carroll is 0-4.

REGION STANDINGS

Overall record first, followed by region record:

BOYS

Cartersville                                        11-2, 4-0

Sandy Creek                                       11-4, 2-1

Cedartown                                            8-6, 2-1

LaGrange                                            12-6, 2-2

Troup                                                      6-7, 1-2

Chapel Hill        4-8, 1-2

Central-Carroll        8-8, 0-4

GIRLS

LaGrange                       6-9, 4-0

Sandy Creek                        9-6, 3-0

Central-Carroll     10-5, 3-1

Troup                       6-5, 1-2

Cedartown                       7-8, 1-2

Chapel Hill                     1-14, 0-3

Cartersville                       5-9, 0-4