With two Region 8-AA wins last week, the Union Co. girls basketball team kept pace in the region standings and set up two big showdowns in the coming week that should all but determine the seedings heading into the region tournament.

Sophomore Riley Allison puts the offense in motion against Moticello on Friday, Jan. 17, in Blairsville. Allison finished with five points in the win.

The Lady Panthers (16-4, 7-2) went on the road to take down Elbert Co. (13-7, 5-4) on Tuesday, Jan. 14, by a narrow, four-point margin, 49-45.

Union Co. opened that game on a 25-12 run to get to halftime, and maintained that 13-point lead through the end of the third. The Lady Blue Devils proved why they have moved into fourth in the region standings this season after finishing near the bottom last season by putting on a late run to close the gap before finally falling by four.

Sophomore Ava Hunter led the Lady Panthers with 22 points in the win.

Union Co. followed the victory with their most well-rounded game of the season in a 62-38 rout of Monticello (3-15, 2-7) on Friday, Jan. 17, in Blairsville, that wasn’t as close as the final score.

Senior Brooke Dockrey looks for options against Monticello on Friday, Jan. 17, in Blairsville. Dockrey scored six points in the win.

The Lady Panthers opened that game on a 25-0 run, allowing first-year head coach Crystal Beach to go to her bench early and often.

Nine players scored in the game for Union Co., with only Hunter in double-figures with 10.

Freshman Ellie Cook scored nine, junior Kyla Locklear scored eight, senior Andelin Hill scored seven, and fellow senior Brooke Dockrey scored six.

Freshman Corinne Hill put up five, along with sophomore Riley Allison, who also had five.

Senior Kait McCarter and sophomore Rebekah Chambers each added four.

The starters – Hunter, Andelin Hill, Dockrey, McCarter, and Cook – played sparingly after the 25-0 start, allowing Beach to get her younger players a lot of time of the floor.

Union Co. stumbled to end the week, losing 61-45 to Putnam Co. (17-2, 8-1) on Saturday, Jan. 18, in Eatonton.

Sophomore Caley Davis takes a shot against Moticello on Friday, Jan. 17, in Blairsvlle.

The Lady War Eagles currently sit atop the region standings, along with Rabun Co. (18-1, 8-1).

Rabun Co.’s only loss of the season came to Putnam Co. 58-54 on Jan. 10.

Putnam Co’s only region loss came to Banks Co. (8-12, 4-5) on Dec. 13 by a 37-30 margin.

Union Co. currently sits in third place in the region. The Lady Panthers’ two region losses have come to Rabun Co. (50-46 on Jan. 3 in Blairsville) and Saturday’s loss to Putnam Co.

The Lady Panthers will have plenty of opportunity to make a move into first place in the region this week.

Union Co. starts the week at home against Social Circle (5-13, 2-7) on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in Blairsville. The Lady Panthers defeated the Lady Redskins 56-24 on Dec. 17 on the road.

Union Co. then takes on Rabun Co. on Friday, Jan. 24, in Tiger, before hosting Putnam Co. on Saturday, Jan. 25, in Blairsville.