February 5, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com The Excel Christian Academy boys basketball team won the GAPPS Region 1-IA championship on Thursday night in Powder Springs with an 85-69 victory over Praise Academy. The Eagles led 25-15 after one quarter; 47-35 at halftime; and 67-58 through three quarters en route to a 16-point win. Damir McBride led ECA with 33 points. Mier Bell scored 17, and Jamari Gatson added 13 points. Hunter Ivey paced Praise Academy (17-7) with

February 5, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Thirteen local high school swimmers competed on Thursday in the 2026 finals of the GHSA Swimming Championships at Georgia Tech. The girls’ and boys’ teams from Greater Atlanta Christian won the Class A-AAA team championship. The Adairsville boys tied for 36th place. In Class AAAA, Marist won the girls’ and boys’ team titles. The Woodland girls finished 22nd, and the Cartersville boys placed 18th. Results for local swimmer

February 5, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com A total of thirteen swimmers from local high schools advanced through the Georgia High School Association’s State Championship Preliminaries this week to reach the State Finals on Thursday at Georgia Tech. Adairsville, Cartersville, Cass, and Woodland will be represented across nine events in their respective classifications. In Class A-AAA, Andrew Harris of Adairsville qualified in the 100-yard butterfly with a 59.85 pre

February 4, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Cartersville boys' basketball head coach Mike Tobin (back center) collected his 600th career coaching victory on Tuesday as the Purple Hurricanes routed visiting Southeast Whitfield 72-19. The Cartersville High School basketball teams maintained their leading positions in the Region 7-AAAA standings with home victories on Tuesday night against Southeast Whitfield. The Lady Canes, ranked 8th, are still tied with 6th-ranked

February 4, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com The Adairsville Tigers punched five tickets to the GHSA Class 3A State Sectionals on Tuesday, advancing individual wrestlers from the Region 7-AAA Tournament held at LaFayette High School. Gilmer captured the region team championship, with Heritage-Catoosa taking second and host LaFayette finishing third. Adairsville placed seventh overall but delivered standout performances to secure multiple state sectional berths. Lead

February 3, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Georgia Highlands College baseball split a twinbill with visiting Cleveland State Community College on Tuesday, dropping the opener 13-5 before rallying to take the second game 18-17. The Chargers trailed the Cougars 5-3 in Game 2 heading into the bottom of the third inning, but struck for 15 runs over their next five frames for a walkoff win. GHC scored seven runs in the bottom of the third, four in the fourth, and two i

Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com In conjunction with WBHF and Bartow Sports Zone, Elite Stone Supply presents the ELITE ATHLETES OF THE MONTH. Each month, local high schools select an Elite Athlete of the Month from their varsity programs and share the information about their honoree through Bartow Sports Zone and on 100.3 FM and AM 1450, WBHF in Cartersville. Kaytlin Arnold is the Cartersville High School Elite Athlete of the Month for January 2026. A senior guard on

February 2, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com The Excel Christian Academy boys routed Holy Ground Baptist Academy 96-24 on Monday night at Hearts Academy in Powder Springs in the semifinals of the GAPPS Region 1-IA Tournament. The Eagles built an early lead and were never threatened in their 72-point win. Excel led 26-11 after one quarter; 59-18 at halftime; and 74-19 at the end of the third quarter. Damir McBride led the Eagles with 16 points. Tristan Jenkins follow

February 2, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Jaylee Long from Adairsville High claimed the championship in the 100-pound weight class at the Georgia High School Association Area 7 Girls Tournament held at LaFayette High School on Monday. Long achieved a 4-0 record and progressed to the GHSA State Sectional, which will take place on Friday at the Edwards Park Gym in Dalton. The Cass girls had two wrestlers to go 3-2 in their respective weight divisions. Ryland Piatt

February 2, 2026 Region basketball standings for local high school teams, including their schedules for the week. LOCAL REGION STANDINGS (thru Monday, February 2) BOYS GAPPS Region 1 IA Sub A Region All Games This week Excel Christian Academy 6-0 18-6 Region semifinal v. Holy Ground Bapt. / Finals on Thur. Praise Academy 4-2 16-6 Region semifinal v. Hearts Academy / Finals on Thur Oakwood Christian 1-4 2-19 The Stonehaven School 0-5 0-12 GIRLS GAPPS Region 1 IA Sub-A Region A