Rabun County never trailed and got off to a blistering pace in a 71-45 win at home against Bryan County in the Elite 8, securing a Final Four trip in the process. The #3 Lady Wildcats (24-6) won their seventh game in a row, and it took overcoming foul trouble and several young players stepping up to get the win.

#7 Bryan County (26-4) hadn’t lost in the past 11 games, but that streak ended in Tiger on Tuesday evening. Rabun got out to a quick 6-0 lead on layups by Jacie McCall, Mili Watts, and Lucy Hood to spark a timeout by the Redskins. It didn’t help much, as Hood drained a couple of shots from downtown to give the home team a comfy 20-10 lead after one.

Bryan County leaned heavily on Kayley Wedlow, show had 14 points in the first half alone. She had her team within single digits, but McCall’s 3-pointer and a pair of 3-point plays by freshman Addybeth Owens opened the game up and set the gym in a frenzy. Ellie Southards and McCall both had early foul trouble and sat much of the first half and a good chunk of the second as well. Nevertheless, freshmen Owens and Adelyn Thompson, junior Chloe Erlewine, sophomore Madison Houck, and Hood and Watts kept Rabun on track.

Hood had 15 points and 3 3-pointers by the break, and the Lady Wildcats had a 44-27 lead heading into the locker room. Watts had a shot from deep early in the third, and Hood’s 3-point play advanced the lead to 61-30. Rabun County had a 33-point lead late in the quarter, which triggered a 6-minute clock for the fourth.

Bryan County reeled off a 9-0 run, but it was still so far out of reach. Hood closed with a game-high 22 points, Watts had 13, Owens 12, and McCall 9. Erlewine and Houck had 4 apiece, Southards had 3, and Thompson and Isia Wilmont had 2 points each. The Lady Redskins were guided by 17 points from Wedlow and 14 by Ashanti Brown. Rabun County moves on to the Final Four.