More mixed results for East Jackson

The Eagles now stand at 4-4 in region 8-AAA competition, putting them right in the middle of the pack with the region tournament rapidly approaching.

On Tuesday, Jan. 15, the Eagles traveled to Franklin County, where the Lions romped over East Jackson 61-32.

The Eagles fell behind 15-0 to start the game, but battled back to cut the lead to three points in the third quarter. However, the East Jackson momentum died in the fourth as the Lions pulled away, sealing a Franklin County victory.

“(In the fourth quarter) our offense went stale and our defense went with it,” said Eagle head coach Brian Smith. “When you play a team the caliber of Franklin County you can’t get away with not playing 32 minutes.”

Point guard Nathan Crumley led East Jackson scoring with 14 points.

The Eagles rebounded at home last Friday; when they outlasted North Oconee in the fourth quarter, earning a 70-61 East Jackson win.

The game remained tight through the first three quarters, but the Eagles outscored the Titans 22-8 in the fourth.

Casey Reed led the Eagle scoring effort with 18 points. Jarron Davis added 16, while Crumley racked up 13.

“On Friday, we played much better offensively and defensively at home,” said Smith. “This was a key victory getting us back to .500 in the region. It was a pivotal game for us as we head out on the road for three very tough games.”

The Eagles traveled to Elbert County on Tuesday and were defeated 75-57.

The Eagles (9-10, 4-4) will hit the road to take on region front-runners Morgan County (13-4, 7-0) on Friday, and Elbert County (14-5, 6-2) next Tuesday.

GIRLS

The Lady Eagles fell to 3-16 (0-8) on the season last week as they suffered two region losses.

On Tuesday, Jan. 15, the East Jackson was defeated 51-22 by Franklin County.

Taylor Beatty and Madison Wuertley led scoring for the Eagles, posting six points each.

Last Friday, the Lady Eagles hosted region frontrunner North Oconee, and were knocked off 58-34.

Kayla Thomas and Madison Wuertley were the top East Jackson performers, scoring eight points apiece.

The Lady Eagles fell to Elbert County 64-36 on Tuesday.

Friday, East Jackson will travel to Morgan County for a region 8-AAA contest with the Bulldogs. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.