(Villa Rica, GA) — The Heard County Middle School basketball season is officially underway after both teams earned decisive wins on the road versus the Villa Rica Middle School Wildcats.

The defending small school champion Lady Braves won handily 44-7 and were never challenged in a rematch from last year’s title game.

The girls were especially dominant in the first half leading 23-0 after the first quarter and 32-2 at the half. Picking up right where she left off a year ago, standout guard Jayden Boykin led the way with 30 points including 24 in the first half. She had two 3-point baskets in the game.

Jayden Boykin had 30 points to lead the HCMS Lady Braves Monday at VR

Samaia Reid also had a nice game with six points. Rounding out the scoring were Natalie Schneider with four, Carmaya Swint with two, and Jakira Luke with two.

Boykin, Swint, Schneider, Samantha Williams, and Callie Senn started the game for new head coach Holley McCullough.

The juggernaut HCMS Lady Braves have not lost a game since the 2017-2018 season.

In boys action, Coach Zerick Green’s squad came out blazing to open the 2019-2020 season as they took down the defending champion Wildcats by a final score of 66-22.

The Braves led 14-7 after the first quarter before going on a 26-6 run in the second quarter to break the game open.

Remarkably, all 12 players on the roster scored at least two points in a total team effort.

Leading the way was Jonathan Echols with 15, Landon McLendon with 12, and L.J. Green with seven. The younger Braves played stellar defense in the fourth quarter holding the Wildcats to just two points.

Nathan Allen, Sammy Holliday, and Cameron Latimer each scored five points, while Cameron Wilkins and Ian Goodman each scored four. Gray Hester had three while Bradford Hadley, Jeremiah Eubanks, and Antwan Carter all scored two apiece.

Starters for the first game of the regular season were Echols, McLendon, Green, Latimer, and Eubanks.

The middle teams will both return to action on Thursday when they travel to Temple to take on the TMS Tigers. The girls will tip off at 5:00 PM followed immediately by the boys at 6:30 PM.

The teams will travel again next week to Carrollton on Monday and Mt. Zion on Thursday before finally returning home on Monday, December 16 to face rival Bowdon in the home openers.