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The last home game of the year can be an important way to provide closure for a high school sports team. That is, unless it might be the beginning of the biggest stage of the season.

In the case of the Heritage volleyball team, they’re looking forward to a new beginning away from home.

That’s because the Lady Patriots’ final home game on Tuesday night (5 p.m.) doubles as the second round of the Georgia High School State Tournament. Should they win or lose, it will definitely be their last home game either way. But, a win would put them into the Elite Eight section of the tourney, which moves to Marist High School for its conclusion on Saturday in an all day affair to crown a winner.

But first things first, and the immediate threat to Heritage’s advancement comes from one county over in the form of Lakeside-DeKalb.

The Lady Vikings are the third seed to Heritage’s number one area slot, and are a bit more on par talent-wise than the Lady Pats first round foe North Clayton – who they crushed last Thursday at home.

Lakeside was pounded in its final regular season game against top-seed and Finals host Marist, but bounced back in the opening round of the state tourney with an upset win over second-seeded Evans last Thursday.

Heritage, on the other hand, has been unconscious lately – rolling through the competition since late in the regular season. The Lady Pats haven’t lost a match in nearly a month, as their last loss came against the third-ranked team on the other side of the bracket, Northgate on Sept. 26. Since then, coach David Buddenbaum’s Heritage squad won three straight to close out the regular season, went 4-0 to win the 8-AAAA Regional Tournament and pounded its first round foe in the state tourney.

Should the Lady Pats win, they’ll take on the winner of tomorrow’s Whitewater vs. Hardaway match on Saturday morning up at Marist.

It’s up to Heriatge if Tuesday’s second round match will be the beginning of the end or an altogether new beginning.