The time has finally come.

With all high school region hoops business settled over the weekend, Henry County’s last standing squads were set to square off with the Peach State’s best in the GHSA state tournament.

While perennial powers partly make up the field, this time of year is typically owned by the hot team who seizes the moment and takes advantage of favorable matchups.

Underdogs and Cinderella teams only exist on paper here … in reality, regardless of classification, it’s anybody’s ball game.

Here is a rundown of the area teams who earned GHSA state playoff berths.

(Note: Scores from this week’s first round games were not available by press time.)

 Boys’ tournament

Class AAAA

Newly crowned Region 4-AAAA champ Eagle’s Landing appears to enter the state tourney firing on all cylinders.

The Golden Eagles were set to begin their quest for ultimate state glory in Wednesday’s home date with Albany.

Eagle’s Landing ran through the Region 4 field last week before outlasting Jonesboro in overtime in that tournament’s championship tilt.

Coach Clay Crump’s club certainly has the talent to win it all, featuring the likes of point guard/forward Eric Wortham, mercurial guard Isaiah Dennis and 6 foot 10 post Desmond Ringer.

Dutchtown, the No. 3 seed out of Region 4, will begin play at Monroe in the opposite bracket.

Guard play will likely define the Bulldogs’ run. Kalvin Hobbs will be key — in terms of both his own scoring output and setting up teammates.

Other games

Luella, the No. 4 seed out of Region 2, was set to travel to Tri Cities in first round Class 6-A play this week.

Meanwhile, Henry County was set to begin play as the No. 2 seed out of Region 2 at home against Dodge County in the Class AAA tourney.

 Girls’ tournament

The Contenders

Woodland is likely still smarting from its Region 4-AAAA finals loss to nemesis Jonesboro over the weekend.

Alas, the Lady Wolfpack didn’t have long to stew over that loss — thanks to this week’s first round GHSA home game against Americus-Sumter.

Provided Woodland, with its uber talented starting five, can get past its first couple opponents, another matchup with Jonesboro could be in the cards.

As foretold by this newspaper, Luella had a puncher’s chance of making the Class 6-A big dance … the Lady Lions — led in part by the solid play of senior Carrington Johnson — connected, earning the No. 4 seed out of Region 2 and the right to play at No. 1 seed Langston Hughes this week.