HAHIRA — Will the fourth time be the charm? That’s what the Valwood Valiants are hoping for Saturday night when they get another crack at Brookwood.

The Valiants won their way to a fourth meeting against No. 1 Brookwood courtesy of a 54-51 victory over Dominion Christian in the first round of the state tournament Wednesday in Marietta.

Brookwood, who is in GIAA District 3-3A with Valwood, has won all three games this year. The score has been as close as 13 points, but as far as 24. The big stage for round four is First Presbyterian Day in Macon. Game time is 8 p.m. Saturday. The winner will face Deerfield-Windsor or Frederica Academy in the semifinals.

Valwood, a No. 10 seed, was down by eight Wednesday and led by as many as ten, but saw the Knights rally to tie the game with 1:01 remaining on the clock.

The go-ahead field goal came after Chase Helfer was blocked, picked up the ball and put it in with 41 seconds to go on a game streamed by NFHS Network.

Helfer corralled a big defensive rebound on the other end and Jack Morris made one of two free throws to up 54-51. After a timeout, Cort Kurrie picked off the inbounds pass. The Valiants could not get either insurance free shot to go, but Dominion had the full court in front of them and five seconds to play. A three-point attempt glanced off the rim at the horn.

Nearly half the first quarter passed before Morris got a three-pointer to fall for Valwood’s first field. They were down 8-1 prior to that shot, but another from Morris in the closing seconds of the first made it much closer, 14-11.

Morris had three more treys in the second and a Helfer offensive rebound kept Dominion’s lead a small 28-26.

Valwood had all the momentum in the world in the third period, going on a 17-5 run. Helfer became omnipresent, scoring inside and out and accumulating 14 points by himself in the eight minutes.

Up 45-37 at the start of the fourth, Wren Woodall boosted it to 47-37 on an assist from Max Helfer. It was still a nine-point game when Chase Helfer added another basket at 4:02.

But points game quickly for the Knights, who squared it 51 during a 9-0 streak. Chase Helfer then came to the rescue and Valwood is now one of the final eight teams in GIAA Class 3A.

Chase Helfer scored 25 points and Morris bucketed 16.

Four of the elite eight belong to District 3. Besides Deerfield and Brookwood, Tiftarea won its game to advance.