Three local high school softball teams qualified for their respective 2026 state playoffs, with Cartersville preparing to host a best-of-three series in the Class 5A first round starting Wednesday. Cass will start the Class 5A state playoffs on the road, and Adairsville will do the same in Class 4A.

Cartersville softball outdueled Cass on Thursday to finish the season unbeaten in region play. Woodland dropped its season finale.

Presley Crabbe tossed a complete-game shutout and Zoie Shiflett smacked a two-run homer Oct. 7 in Cartersville's 3-0 win over Kell.

Cartersville volleyball split two matches in Atlanta on Tuesday night, defeating Midtown (25-10, 25-15), but falling to host Westminster in a best-of-five contest (20-25, 25-22, 23-25, 19-25). Adairsville volleyball defeated Ridgeland 25-16, 27-25 on Tuesday evening in a Region 7-4A match and now awaits the final GHSA Postseason Rankings to see if they qualify for the Class 4A state playoffs.

LaKiaya Banks and Taryn Bradley both homered and drove in three runs on three hits, and Zoie Shiflett tossed a four-inning, two-hit shutout, lifting No. 1-ranked Cartersville to a 12-0 win Tuesday evening over Woodland at Dellinger Park. Across town, pitcher Lily Powell struck out six, and Cass out-hit visiting Dalton nine to one, but the Lady Colonels had to battle from behind to scratch out a 3-2 home win over the Catamounts Tuesday night.

Woodland made a late rally on Monday night to send the game into extra innings, but Whitefield Academy scored five runs in the top of the eighth, resulting in a 10-5 loss for the Lady Cats.

October 5, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Local athletes continued to make their mark at the professional and collegiate levels this past weekend, with former Bartow County standouts competing across the country in football, golf, rifle, cross country, volleyball, and soccer. Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and PGA TOUR Champions veterans Joe Durant and Boo Weekley highlighted the professional ranks, while athletes from Cartersville, Cass, Woodlan

The Cartersville High School competition cheer team maintained its impressive streak on Saturday, winning first place for the third consecutive time at the Allatoona Invitational. Cartersville previously won the Class 5A division at Buford on September 26 and at Roswell on September 19.

The Woodland girls cross country team placed third, and the Woodland boys team placed 12th at the Alexander Invitational on Saturday at Foxhall Sporting Club in Douglasville.

Adairsville’s offense missed some red zone opportunities Friday night at Bruins Stadium and committed late, costly turnovers in a 28-14 loss to Northwest Whitfield.