MOULTRIE — The Colquitt County High girls basketball team will make a rare appearance in a state tournament Elite Eight game tonight after defeating Lovejoy 53-43 on Friday at the Macon Centreplex.

The victory sends the Lady Packers against Redan High at 7 tonight at the Centreplex. Redan eliminated Beach 67-44 on Friday

The winner will advance to a Final Four game at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Gwinnett Arena against the winner of the Mill Creek-Collins Hill game, scheduled for 4 p.m. today at Morehouse College.

Last year, the Colquitt County girls won their first state tournament game 1988 when they defeated Camden County in the first round.

But the Lady Packers were eliminated in the second round by Stephenson.

But the 2005-2006 Lady Packers, after a 59-50 win over Morrow last week and the come-from-behind victory over the Lady Wildcats, have gone a step further.

Colquitt fell behind 9-0 early, getting beat in transition, said Lady Packers coach Joe Parker.

The Lady Packers then rallied to tie the game at the end of the first quarter and led by three, 28-25, at the half. Colquitt continued to extend its advantage, leading by five after three quarters and leading by as many as 14 in the final quarter before winning by 10.

“They just wouldn’t go away,” Parker said of the Lady Wildcats, who took a five-game winning streak into meeting with the Lady Packers.

Lovejoy finishes its season with a 15-14 record.

The Lady Packers got a big game from senior Ashley Stafford, who had 16 points and four rebounds. Jessica Lemus, who injured her knee playing on the Centreplex court last year and later had to undergo surgery, had 10 points and four rebounds.

Laquita Smith came off the bench to score seven points, Nicolle Thomas and Tiffany Troupe each had five, Taquella Coates had three and Nikki Hudson had two.

Parker was impressed with Lovejoy post player Shari Buford, who was playing her final game for the Lady Wildcats.

“She can rebound,” Parker said of Buford, who is being recruited by several schools.

The Lady Packers turned the ball over just four times.