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The Rockdale and Heritage volleyball teams are both just one win away from playing in the state tournament.

However, the two currently stand in each other's way for at least a third seed in the AAAA playoffs.

The Bulldogs defeated Habersham Central 2-0 (25-16, 25-14) and Heritage defeated Apalachee 2-0 (25-23, 25-15) in the first round of the Region 8-AAAA tournament at Cedar Shoals. Both teams will face off at 10 a.m. Saturday with the winner moving on to within one game of the championship and the loser dropping to the loser's bracket of the double-elimination tournament.

The two Rockdale area teams met one previous time this season, with the Bulldogs coming out on top 2-0 (25-11, 25-12) on Aug. 24.

Heritage came into Thursday's game as the No. 3 seed earning a slight upset, but there was a bigger one in the first round. Fourth-seeded Cedar Shoals beat the No. 1 seed Flowery Branch, causing Rockdale and its coach Stephen Sansing some concern.

"It was definitely an eventful first round of the tournament so we're definitely glad we got our win and advance to Saturday," Sansing said.

Sansing said his team came out a little nervous, but settled down and handled fourth-seeded Habersham Central for the straight-sets win.

"We played pretty good," Sansing said. It wasn't our best effort of the season but we played good enough to win. "

Lauren Aikens led the Bulldogs with 10 kills, Kenra Lackey had seven and Rachel Simmons six. Libby Bradford set up her teammates with 15 assists.

"The important thing was we got a win," Sansing said. "In tournament play, I told the girls before we started playing that this is where everybody comes to play."