MEADVILLE: In his first season as head coach of the Franklin High Lady Bulldogs, Rickey O’Quinn Jr. has his team in playoff mode.

Monday night inside Bulldog Arena, the FC girls’ beat West Marion 61-54 in the first round of the 3A State Playoffs.

The victory puts the Lady Bulldogs in the 3A South State Tournament on Thursday in Crystal Springs.

FC will play Morton at 4 on Thursday. The three-day tournament is a 8-team single elimination field. The top two teams will advance to the State Tournament in Jackson next week.

“I’m proud of these girls,” said O’Quinn after the game. “TaDayla Hunt had a big night for us.”

Hunt scored a game high 29-points. Her barrage of points helped FC build a 19-16 first quarter lead that quickly stretched to 36-25 in the Lady Bulldogs favor heading into halftime.

West Marion, who finished third in highly powered Region 8-3A, went on a scoring spree in the second half behind fast break buckets from Sharell Singleton and Mylesha Hammond.

The West Marion rally didn’t rattle Hunt, as she added key baskets in the fourth quarter to keep the Lady Trojans at bay.

“West Marion is a good team,” said O’Quinn. “They had four players score in double figures and we only had one, and still won.”

In what has been an up and down season record wise for the Lady Bulldogs, the team has jelled in the post season, making a state tournament trip a now reachable goal.

“We are 16-12 overall, but we’ve been playing good team ball,” said O’Quinn.

Jamecia Starks and Jada Hunt finished with nine points apiece in the win. Danielle Washington added six points and three assists.

For West Marion, Hammond had a team high 17 points. Sharell Singleton added 15 points.