January 31, 2024 The Georgia Highlands College Chargers started their 2024 season Wednesday at their new athletic complex in Cartersville with a pair of solid wins over Bryan College. The Chargers won the opening game of Wednesday’s doubleheader 19-3 and blanked the visiting Lions in the second game, 9-0. In Game 1 Bryan College scored twice in the top of the first inning on a two-run home run to grab an early lead but it was short-lived. The Chargers put together five hits with five walks and a pair of hit batsmen in the bottom of the frame to take a 9-2 lead. The hosts were never really threatened from there in a five-inning win. Declan Dun (4 IP, 7H, 3ER, 1BB, 5K) collected the Chargers’ pitching win. Kyle Stephenson (1 IP, 0R, 1H, 2K) closed out the final inning on the mound. Luke Orfi (RBI), Ryan Wideman (two RBIs), and Gray Wilson (two RBIs) had two hits each for Georgia Highlands. Ryan Martin (double, two RBIs), Will Cawthon (sac fly, two RBIs), Ali Banks (two RBIs), Barrett Eldridge, and Clay Wiesen (two RBIs) added one hit each. In Game 2, six GHC pitchers combined to shutout the Lions. Andrew Arnold (2 IP, 1H, 3K) was credited with the pitching win. Brodie Chestnutt (3Ks), Hunter Ward (1K), Logan Spivey (1BB, 2K), Barrett Eldridge (1H, 1BB, 3K), and Jake Willis pitched one inning each for the Chargers. Davis Newman led the Georgia Highlands offense with three hits and two RBIs. Luke Orfi (solo HR), Grayson Godbee (RBI), and Ryan Martin (two RBIs) had two hits each. Barrett Eldridge, Ali Banks, and Will Cawthon added one hit apiece. The Chargers (2-0) have a four game home series this Friday and Saturday with Central Alabama CC. Friday’s games begin at 1 p.m. Saturday’s games start at 2 p.m.

All local high school basketball teams were in action Tuesday night with mixed results. The Cass girls and boys swept visiting Calhoun in Region 7-5A games. The Adairsville teams earned valuable Region 6-AAA road wins at LaFayette. The Cartersville teams lost home contests with Dalton. The Woodland girls lost to Hiram and The Excel Christian Academy teams split their two home games. CASS GIRLS 52, CALHOUN 42 The Lady Colonels pulled out a tough contest with visiting Calhoun Tuesday night, 52-42. Cass led narrowly through the first three quarters: 15-13 after one quarter, 22-20 at halftime, and 40-36 through three quarters before fending off the Lady Jackets in the final period for a 10-point win. Kiana McDaniel led the Lady Colonels in scoring with 19 points. She added seven steals and four assists. Zion Hayes finished with a double-double that included 13 points and 15 rebounds. Dariana Sosa scored six points. Cadie Paez chipped in with five points. Tamira Feanny had seven steals to go with her five points and four rebounds. KK Evans added seven rebounds and one point. Sa’Niah Dorsey led Calhoun (14-8, 5-2) with 17 points. Cass (14-8, 3-4) entertains region-leading Dalton on Friday. ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS 44, LAFAYETTE 41 The Lady Tigers earned a tough road victory Tuesday night at LaFayette, 44-41. Adairsville led 20-12 after one quarter and 24-22 at the intermission but LaFayette grabbed a 34-28 lead heading into the fourth quarter.  The Lady Tigers won the final period 16-7 to escape with a three-point win. Alissa Winters and Darby Adams paced Adairsville with 12 points each. NaXyria Roberts followed with eight and Samantha Gough added five points for the Tigers. Tamara Yaney led LaFayette (9-10, 4-7) with 12 points. The Adairsville girls (15-8, 9-3) host region co-leader Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe on Friday. HIRAM 50, WOODLAND GIRLS 33 Hadiya Kennerly poured in 29 points and Taylor Crawford added 17 for Hiram Tuesday night as the Lady Hornets won 50-33 at Woodland. Hiram led 15-3 after one quarter; 27-17 at halftime; and 37-25 after three periods en route to a 17-point Region 7-5A victory. Megan Schultz led the Woodland scoring column with 15 points. Libby Morgan followed with six and Morgan Echols added five for the Lady Cats. Hiram improved to 9-12 on the season and 2-5 in region play. Woodland (7-12, 0-7) visits Cartersville on Friday. DALTON 65, CARTERSVILLE GIRLS 52 The Dalton girls took over the lead in the Region 7-5A standings Tuesday night with a 65-52 win at the Cartersville Storm Center. The Lady Cats improved to 14-8 on the season and 6-1 in region play. KK Arnold led Cartersville with 18 points. Taff Bradley followed with eight points and five rebounds. Zoie Shiflett chipped in six points with five rebounds. Lakiaya Banks also scored six for the Lady Canes. CASS BOYS 60, CALHOUN 57 The Colonels won a back-and-forth tussle with visiting Calhoun Tuesday night, 60-57. The Yellow Jackets held a 19-17 lead after one period and were ahead 27-26 at the intermission before Cass battled back into the lead.  Cass outscored Calhoun 15-10 in the third quarter to grab a 41-37 advantage and then held on down the stretch for a three-point Region 7-5A victory. Landon Chattam and Emaree Watson were the leading scorers for Calhoun (8-12, 3-4) with 17 and 14 points, respectively. Parnel Gamble and Jakai Baldwin shared scoring honors for Cass with 15 points each. Dylan Miller finished with 10 and Kevin Henderson added nine points for the Colonels. Cass (6-12, 2-5) hosts Dalton on Friday. DALTON 66, CARTERSVILLE BOYS 51 Drew Snyder scored 21 points and CJ Weaver added 19 as visiting Dalton won 66-51 Tuesday night at the Cartersville Storm Center. The Catamounts led at each quarter stop.  Dalton was up 15-14 at the end of the first quarter; 24-21 at halftime; and 49-35 at the end of the third quarter en route to their 15-point win. Reed Ezell and Nas Bennett led Cartersville with 11 points each. Kaden Baldwin finished with 10 points. DJ Cain added eight for the Hurricanes. Dalton improved to 10-12 on the season and 4-3 in region play. Cartersville (9-12, 5-2) hosts Woodland on Friday. ADAIRSVILLE BOYS 56, LAFAYETTE 33 The Adairsville boys made their claim on first place in Region 6-AAA Tuesday night with a dominant win at LaFayette, 56-33. The Tigers led 19-10 after the opening eight minutes and held a 29-14 advantage at halftime. The Ramblers narrowed the margin slightly to 37-29 by the end of the third quarter but the Tigers ran away in the fourth quarter by outscoring LaFayette 19-4. Tayshaun Jackson paced the Tigers with 17 points. Zachary Postell finished with 11 and Xavious Nalls scored nine points in the win. Dawson Pendergrass led the Ramblers (15-4, 8-3) with 12 points. Adairsville (14-9, 10-2) has a ½-game lead on Coahulla Creek heading into Friday night’s home game with Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe. HIRAM 81, WOODLAND BOYS 63 The Hiram boys improved to 13-8 on the season and 6-1 in Region 7-5A with an 81-63 win Tuesday night at Woodland. The loss leaves the Wildcats 7-14 for the season and 1-6 in the region. Woodland plays at Cartersville on Friday night. EXCEL CHRISTIAN BOYS 75, LYNDON ACADEMY 16 The Eagles improved to 7-16 on the season and 4-1 in GAPPS Region 1-IA. Excel plays at Unity Christian on Thursday night. VALOR CHRISTIAN 83, EXCEL CHRISTIAN GIRLS 25 The ECA girls fell to 4-9 on the season and 2-4 in GAPPS Region 1-IA. The Lady Eagles play at Unity Christian on Thursday night.

Elite Stone Supply, in conjunction with WBHF and Bartow Sports Zone, presents the ELITE ATHLETES OF THE MONTH. Each month, local high schools are provided the opportunity to name an Elite Athlete of the Month from their varsity programs and present the information on their honoree through Bartow Sports Zone and on 100.3FM and AM1450, WBHF in Cartersville. Cass High School has chosen to honor its 2024 Wrestling team as the Elite Athlete(s) of the Month following the Colonels Class AAAAA State Duals Championship. The Cass team qualified for the state tournament as the Region 7-5A runner-up and was unseeded in the 16-team tournament. The Colonels had victories over Harris County and Coffee in the first two rounds to set up a semifinal match with top-seeded Jefferson. In a rematch of the 2023 state finals, Cass defeated tournament host Jefferson 36-33 to reach the 2024 state championship match. In the finals, the Colonels defeated third-seed Ola 34-28. The biggest factor in the Cass title run was the ability to earn bonus points in each round. Colonel wrestlers earned bonus points in 26 of their 46 contested bouts during the tournament. The state championship is the fifth overall for the Colonels’ wrestling program and the program's third state duals title. NaXyria Roberts is the January 2024 Elite Athlete of the Month representing Adairsville High School. The daughter of Raylee Roberts, Jr. and Nameschicka Richards, she is a junior on the Lady Tigers basketball team. Roberts was also a member of Adairsville’s softball team. “NaXyria is a leader on the court,” said Adairsville girls basketball coach Melissa Winters. “She has been exceptionally effective on the offensive and defensive ends of the court. She works hard in the classroom and on the court. She is determined to be better each day. NaXyria is coachable and helps others exemplifying what it means to be a Lady Tiger.” Roberts maintains a 3.8 GPA in Honors and Advanced Placement courses. Her future plans include nursing school. Woodland High School’s Elite Athlete of the Month for January 2024 is Megan Schultz. A senior guard on the Lady Cats basketball team, she is the daughter of Karen and Garth Schultz. Schultz is a two-year captain and currently leads the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals per game. “Megan has invested a ton in basketball over the years and has improved greatly. She works hard in practice and is a positive role model for the younger kids in the program. I am very fortunate to have coached her over the last four years,” stated Woodland coach Kyle Morgan. Schultz, who maintains a 3.9 GPA, desires to play basketball in college. Michael Wells is the Elite Athlete of the Month for January 2024 for Cartersville High School. The son of Mireille and Richard Wells, Michael is a Purple Hurricanes swimming team senior. “Michael has shown great talent and ability even though he is a first-year swimmer,” noted Cartersville swim coach Kimberly Rentz. “His strong work ethic and drive are apparent at every practice and meet. He always gives 200 percent in every race. Not only is he a strong swimmer, but he is also the biggest supporter of his teammates. When a select group of swimmers went to the Northwest Georgia Championship meet in Calhoun, he got up at 6 a.m. to drive there and support his team. His positive and hard-working attitude has been a great asset to our team,” Rentz continued. “Michael is a brilliant student and has been accepted into Georgia Tech where he plans to study nuclear engineering,” added Rentz. Editors Note: Photos and bios are supplied to Bartow Sports Zone and WBHF by the respective schools and athletic departments. Elite Stone Supply Co., LLC is the monthly sponsor. Athletes receive a plaque along with recognition during a radio feature on WBHF. #EliteAthletesoftheMonth #Cass #Cartersville #Woodland #Adairsville #highschool

This week’s Athletes Beyond Bartow edition includes updates on 20 athletes with local community connections. NBA G LEAGUE ASHTON HAGANS — Rip City Remix (4th yr. pro; Cartersville native; Kentucky; Newton HS) … the Remix went 3-1 last week by sweeping home games with the G League Ignite and splitting road games at the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Hagans averaged a double-double with 14 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, two steals, and one blocked shot per game. Rip City (8-4) is currently in fifth place in the G League Western Conference. The Remix plays at the Salt Lake City Stars on Tuesday and hosts the South Bay Lakers on Friday. BASKETBALL SUPER LEAGUE A.J. MOSBY, JR. — Sudbury Five (6th-year pro; Alcorn State; Cartersville HS) … scored 38 points with eight rebounds, seven assists, and one blocked shot this past Sunday in a 99-92 home loss to the Windsor Express. Mosby also finished with 19 points, eight assists, and five boards in a 113-106 loss at Windsor this past Friday. The Five (5-4) host the Newfoundland Rogues on Friday night. UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE VIC BEASLEY — Arlington Renegades (9th yr. pro; Clemson; Adairsville HS) … was drafted by Arlington on January 5 during the 2024 UFL dispersal draft. With the merger of five XFL teams and three teams of the USFL, a dispersal draft was held to land non-rostered players. Beasley played last year for the Vegas Vipers. Beasley recorded 15 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and two fumble recoveries in nine games with the Vipers. The linebacker has also played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, and Las Vegas Raiders. The 2024 10-game UFL regular season begins March 30 followed by two weeks of playoffs. COLLEGE BASKETBALL BRAXTON BENHAM — Berry College (Jr., Cass HS) … scored 21 points with four rebounds and three steals last Friday in a 75-55 win at Birmingham-Southern College. On Sunday in an 81-47 win at Millsaps College, Benahm finished with 14 points, four rebounds, four steals, and three assists. The Vikings (11-9, 8-1 Southern Athletic Association) visit Rhodes College in Memphis on Friday and play at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas on Sunday. ZAYLAN CHANEY — Tallahassee CC (So., Cartersville resident, Legacy Academy) … scored 10 points and had two steals with one. rebound last Wednesday in an 88-86 home loss to Gulf Coast State CC. Last Saturday, he scored three points with three boards, one assist, and one blocked shot in an 83-72 loss at Chipola CC. The Eagles (15-7, 1-3 FCSAA) play at Northwest Florida State CC on Saturday. CLAIRE DAVIS — Palm Beach Atlantic University (So., Cass HS) … scored seven points with three steals, two assists, and one rebound in a 77-73 loss last Wednesday at the University of Tampa. She scored nine points with two rebounds and a pair of blocked shots in a 61-56 home win this past Saturday over Florida Southern College. PBAU (10-9, 4-7 Sunshine State Conference) hosts Barry University on Wednesday and visits Rollins College on Saturday. JA’KA’YAH DRAUGHN — Chattanooga State CC (Fr., Cartersville HS) … scored six points with five rebounds, four assists, and one blocked shot this past Saturday in a 93-49 win at Volunteer State CC. Draughn also scored two points with three boards and two assists last Thursday in a 69-36 home victory over Snead State CC. Chatt State (16-1, 7-1 TCCAA) hosts the Milligan University JV on Monday, plays at Cleveland State on Wednesday, and entertains Jackson State CC on Saturday. JUSTICE HAYES — Point University (Jr., Cass HS) … scored 19 points with four rebounds and one assist last Wednesday and scored 11 points with nine rebounds, four assists, and one block this past Saturday in losses to Life University and Dalton State. The Skyhawks (6-15, 0-13 Southern States Athletic Conference) have now dropped 15 of their last 16 games. Point hosts Middle Georgia State on Saturday afternoon. DiANTHONY HEATHCOCK — Columbia International University (Sr., Woodland HS) … scored 13 points this past Saturday with 14 rebounds, two assists, and a pair of blocked shots in the Rams’ 97-74 home win over Kentucky Christian University. He did not participate in the Rams’ 94-93 loss last Wednesday at Bluefield University (Virginia). Columbia International (13-8, 12-5 Appalachian Athletic Conference) hosts Montreat College (North Carolina) on Wednesday night and 12th-ranked Union College (Kentucky) on Saturday afternoon. HALEY JOHNSON — Central Georgia Tech CC (So., Cass HS) … finished with two points, three steals, one assist, and one rebound this past Saturday in a 63-55 loss at South Georgia Tech CC. The Titans (8-10, 5-2 GCAA) play at East Georgia State on Monday, at Georgia Highlands on Wednesday, and entertain Albany Tech on Saturday. KEARA McDANIEL — Toccoa Falls College (So., Cass HS) … did not score but had one rebound this past Wednesday in a 58-47 home loss to Truett-McConell University. The Screamin’ Eagles (14-3, 4-0 NCCCA D-II South) hosts Johnson University (Tennessee) on Thursday and Trinity Baptist College (Florida) on Saturday. T.J. PRINTUP, JR. — Tusculum University (R-Fr., Adairsville HS) … scored two points with three rebounds, two blocks, and two steals last Wednesday in a 72-59 home loss to Lincoln Memorial University. He also saw action this past Saturday but had no stat line in a 72-65 loss at Lenoir-Rhyne. The Pioneers (7-10, 5-6 South Atlantic Conference) visit Mars Hill University on Wednesday and host Newberry College on Saturday. LONDAISHA SMITH — Salem University (Jr., Cass HS) … scored five points with four rebounds and one steal this past Saturday in a 65-58 home loss to Notre Dame College (Ohio). She also had one rebound last Wednesday in a 97-73 loss at West Liberty University (West Virginia). Salem (3-15) will try to snap a seven-game skid Wednesday at Davis & Elkins College. The Tigers then host West Virginia Wesleyan College on Saturday. WRESTLING CALEB HENSON — Virginia Tech (So., Woodland HS) … earned a 19-3 tech fall victory in 5:24 this past Friday over his UNC opponent as the Hokies beat the Tar Heels, 33-3. He racked up five takedowns and three near-falls for his eighth tech fall of the season. Henson, the NCAA No. 2-ranked 149-pounder, improved to 21-1 on the season. Virginia Tech wrestles at Virginia on Friday in the annual Commonwealth Clash. TYLER McKNIGHT — Davidson College (Fr., Cass HS) … placed third and was 4-1 in the 149-pound weight division this past weekend at the Appalachian Open in Boone, North Carolina. His only loss came in the championship bracket quarterfinals after receiving a first-round bye and a win by fall in the second round. The pin was the first of his collegiate career. In the consolation bracket, McKnight won three straight including an overtime win over the same opponent who defeated him in the quarterfinals. McKnight is now 18-10 on the season. The Wildcats host Bellarmine University on Friday night. JAXON SMITH — University of Maryland (R-So., Woodland HS) … lost a 13-4 major decision in his 197-pound bout Sunday against Penn State’s Aaron Brooks who is ranked No. 1 in the nation in the weight class. The top-ranked Nittany Lions also won the team match, 42-6. Maryland travels to 9th-ranked Minnesota for a match on Friday night. ELORA WATERMAN — Brewton Parker College (So., Cartersville HS) … was 0-2 in her bouts but picked up three forfeits on the day in the 101-pound weight class as BPC finished 3-2 at the Warrior Duals last Friday in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Barons had wins over Rochester University, St. Andrews University, and Lourdes University. Waterman also competed in the Warrior Open this past Saturday but earned no points. Next for BPC is a tri-match at Life University that will include Indiana Tech on February 10. TENNIS EMILY SURCEY — Samford University (Jr., Cass HS) … won her Line 2 singles match 6-2, 7-6 but lost 6-5 with doubles partner Ally Haduk in a 5-2 team win this past Saturday over Alabama State. On Sunday in a 5-2 team win over North Alabama, Surcey won her Line 2 singles match 6-2, 6-2. Her Line 1 doubles match with partner Hayduk was unfinished with the Bulldogs’ duo up 5-2 when the match was halted. Samford (2-1) will return to action on February 10 in a home match with Belmont University. TRACK AND FIELD STEPHEN SMITH — Kennesaw State University (Sr., Cass HS) … finished third in the pole vault at the Clemson Invitational this past weekend by clearing 15 feet, five inches. The Owls will send split squads next Friday and Saturday to the Virginia Tech Elite Meet in Blacksburg, Virginia, and the South Carolina Invitational in Columbia, South Carolina. SWIMMING HARPER POWELL — Florida Tech (Jr., Adairsville HS) … was a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay team that placed third in 1:41.48. She was also on the fifth-place 200-yard medley relay team that placed fifth (1:54.93). Powell added a seventh-place finish (26.19) in the 50-yard freestyle as the Panthers dropped a 131-130 decision at home to 5th-ranked Lynn University. Florida Tech competes in the Sunshine State Conference Championships in Ocala on February 14-18.

January 27, 2024 The Cartersville basketball teams completed a season sweep of visiting Cass Friday night with a pair of region wins at The Storm Center. At Adairsville on Friday night, the Tigers avenged a mid-December loss at Coahulla Creek with a nine-point win over the Colts but the Lady Tigers fell to the visiting Lady Colts. At Calhoun on Friday, the hosts swept visiting Woodland. CARTERSVILLE GIRLS 56, CASS 31 The Lady Canes grabbed a 13-5 first-quarter lead Friday night over visiting Cass and maintained that advantage with a 21-13 lead at halftime. Cartersville then outscored the Lady Colonels 22-6 in the third quarter to put the game away in a 56-31 win. KK Arnold led Cartersville with 22 points. Zoie Shiflett scored nine points. Ansley Griffin finished with eight. Nayel Camper posted seven points and Taff Bradley added six for the Lady Canes. KK Evans, Kaitlyn Godwin, and Kiana McDaniel finished with six points each for Cass. Cartersville (12-9, 5-1) hosts Dalton on Tuesday. Cass (13-8, 2-4) hosts Calhoun on Tuesday. CARTERSVILLE BOYS 47, CASS 39 The Hurricanes won a low-scoring tussle with visiting Cass on Friday night at The Storm Center, 47-39. The Canes’ win completed a two-game, regular season sweep over the rival Colonels. Cartersville led 17-11 at halftime. The Canes were up 31-22 at the end of the third quarter and held that lead through the fourth quarter for an eight-point win. Nas Bennett and Ced McClinic led Cartersville with 12 points each. Dylan Miller paced Cass with 19 points. Jakai Baldwin added eight points for the Colonels. Cartersville (9-11, 5-1) entertains Dalton on Tuesday. Cass (5-12, 1-5) hosts Calhoun on Tuesday. ADAIRSVILLE BOYS 55, COAHULLA CREEK 46 Tayshaun Jackson scored 22 points and Xavious Nalls finished with 19 as the Tigers rallied in the second half to beat the visiting Coahulla Creek Colts, 55-46. Coahulla Creek led 12-9 at the end of the first quarter but Adairsville pulled even by halftime, 18-18. The Tigers led 39-36 heading into the final eight minutes. Chase Ward led the Colts (14-7, 8-2) with 16 points. Carter Quarles followed with 14. Adairsville (13-9, 9-2) travels to LaFayette on Tuesday for another key region game with the Ramblers (15-3, 9-2) as the Region 6-AAA regular season race heads into the home stretch. Adairsville, LaFayette, and Coahulla Creek have two losses in region play. The boys' region leader at the end of the regular season will host the Region 6-AAA girls' and boys' tournaments. COAHULLA CREEK GIRLS 50, ADAIRSVILLE 40 The visiting Lady Colts raced out of the gate Friday night at Adairsville building an early 16-0 lead and ultimately held off the host Lady Tigers, 50-40. Coahulla Creek led 18-4 after one quarter; 28-15 at halftime; and 37-29 through three quarters en route to a 10-point Region 6-AAA win. Lilah Brooker led the Lady Colts (15-5, 9-1) with 14 points. Aubree Langley and Shea Poe followed with 12 points each. Alissa Winters led Adairsville with 15 points. NaXyria Roberts finished with 10 points for the Lady Tigers. Adairsville (14-8, 8-3) visits LaFayette on Tuesday. CALHOUN 56, WOODLAND BOYS 46 Emaree Winston and Landon Chattam scored 17 and 16 points, respectively as the Yellow Jackets beat visiting Woodland, 56-46. Calhoun improved to 8-10 on the season and 3-3 in Region 7-5A. Woodland (7-13, 1-5) hosts Hiram on Tuesday. CALHOUN 49, WOODLAND GIRLS 12 Sa’Niah Dorsey scored 16 points and Jaylan Moore finished with 14 points on Friday night as Calhoun defeated visiting Woodland, 49-12. Grace Shipp led the Lady Cats with seven points. Calhoun improved to 14-7 on the season and 5-1 in Region 7-5A. Woodland (7-11, 0-6) hosts Hiram on Tuesday.

The Cass Lady Colonels outlasted the visiting Hiram Lady Hornets 56-48 Thursday night at home for their second region win of the week. Hiram led 10-4 at the end of the first quarter but Cass outdueled the Hornets 22-11 in the second quarter to take a 26-21 lead at the intermission. The Lady Colonels maintained a 39-36 advantage through three quarters and then held on down the stretch for an eight-point win. Kiana McDaniel led the Lady Colonels in scoring with 20 points. She also grabbed seven rebounds. Zion Hayes contributed a double-double performance scoring 12 points and collecting 10 rebounds. Tamira Feanny scored 12 points and added eight boards. Nevaeh Woods and Kaitlyn Godwin rounded out the scoring with seven and five points, respectively. Hadiya Kennerly and Taylor Crawford tied for scoring honors for the Lady Hornets with 11 points each. Aniyah White chipped in with eight points for Hiram (8-11, 1-4). The Cass girls (13-7, 2-3 Region 7-5A) play at Cartersville on Friday night. HIRAM 66, CASS BOYS 49 The Colonels fell behind Hiram in the early going Thursday night at home. Cass battled from behind to only trail 28-22 at halftime but the Hornets went on a run in the third quarter to pull away and the Colonels could not keep up in a 66-49 decision. Four Hornets reached double figures in scoring with Chase Tyler’s 21 points leading the way. Ryan Williams scored 16 points. Mason McKinney produced 13 and Jaiden Moore totaled 12 points for Hiram (12-7, 5-0) “Hiram is really long and really good,” said Cass coach Kevin Cunningham. “They went on a run in the third quarter and we couldn’t recover. All we can do is get ready for Cartersville tomorrow night.” Kyron McClendon scored all 13 of his points for Cass in the second half. Comari Nettles, Jayden Foster, and Dylan Miller finished with eight points each. Jakai Baldwin added seven. Cass (5-11, 1-4) plays at Cartersville on Friday night. EXCEL CHRISTIAN GIRLS 47, PRAISE ACADEMY 27 The Lady Eagles improved to 4-8 on the season and 2-4 in GAPPS Region 1-IA with a 20-point win on Thursday night. The loss dropped Praise to 1-15 on the season and 0-5 in region play. The Excel girls (4-8, 2-4) play at Unity Christian on Thursday, February 1. EXCEL CHRISTIAN BOYS (6-16, 4-1) defeated PRAISE ACADEMY (1-17, 1-4) Game report to be added. Up next for the Eagles is a home game next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. against Lyndon Academy

January 24, 2024 It was another busy night of action on the hardwood floors Tuesday night with eight local teams in action. The Cass girls and boys swept Woodland in Region 7-5A games on the Colonels’ home floor. The Adairsville girls and boys did the same in Region 6-AAA at Ridgeland. Meanwhile, at Cartersville’s Storm Center, the Lady Canes took down Hiram to move into a three-way tie for first place in Region 7-5A while the Cartersville boys fell to the visiting Hornets. CASS BOYS 61, WOODLAND 58 The Colonels picked up their first Region 7-5A win of the year Tuesday night at home with a 61-58 victory over county-rival Woodland. Cass led at each quarter stop by narrow margins. The Colonels led 11-10 after one quarter; 32-24 at halftime; and 43-42 heading into the final eight minutes. Jason Brown made six three-pointers and finished with 19 points to lead the Cass scoring column. Jakai Baldwin followed with 13 points. Kevin Henderson pitched in nine and Jayden Foster added seven points for the Colonels. Zyon Heath led the Wildcats with 20 points. Brelace Williams contributed 14. Isaiah Livsey and Jayden Metcalf added nine and seven points, respectively. Woodland (7-12, 1-4) travels to Calhoun on Friday. Cass (5-10, 1-3) has a home, make-up game with Hiram on Thursday and plays at Cartersville on Friday. CASS GIRLS 64, WOODLAND 33 The Lady Colonels outscored visiting Woodland 25-5 in the third quarter Tuesday night to take control of the game en route to a 64-33 Region 7-5A win. The Lady Cats stayed close in the first half, trailing Cass 14-11 after one quarter and 22-16 at the intermission. Olivia Woods led a balanced Cass scoring attack with 12 points on four buckets from beyond the arc. KK Evans followed with 10 points. Zion Hayes and Kaitlyn Godwin contributed nine points each. Tamira Feanny pitched in eight and Kiana McDaniel added six in the Lady Colonels win. Evans had seven rebounds, Hayes collected six boards, and McDaniel — who added four steals and three assists — finished with five rebounds for Cass. Megan Schultz led the Lady Cats with eight points. Ella Shipp, Libby Morgan, and Gracie Shipp each scored six points for Woodland. The Lady Cats (7-10, 0-5) play at Calhoun on Friday. Cass (12-7, 1-3) hosts a makeup game with Hiram on Thursday and visits Cartersville on Friday. ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS 37, RIDGELAND 33 The Lady Tigers pulled out a difficult road win Tuesday night in Rossville by outlasting Ridgeland, 37-33. Adairsville led throughout but had a tough time shaking off the pesky Panthers. The Lady Tigers led 13-8 after one quarter; 22-16 at halftime; and 29-26 through three quarters before holding on for a four-point win. NaXyria Roberts paced Adairsville with 19 points. Aliya McBryde scored eight for the Lady Tigers. JaMiah Lewis led the host Lady Panthers (8-12, 2-7) with 16 points. Adairsville (14-7, 8-2) is currently in third place in the Region 6-AAA race and will host region co-leader Coahulla Creek on Friday at 6 p.m. ADAIRSVILLE BOYS 75, RIDGELAND 52 The Tigers led 39-25 at halftime but it was an 18-point run in the third quarter that put the game away Tuesday night as Adairsville won at Ridgeland, 75-52. Xavious Nalls led the Tigers with 23 points. Tayshaun Jackson followed with 20 points. Gabe Gomez, Benjamin Abernathy, and Zach Postell each chipped in with 12 points. Postell added 12 assists for a double-double and Abernathy led Adairsville on the boards with five rebounds. Jackson and Gomez both knocked down four, three-pointers each. Chase Hickman was the top scorer for the Panthers (11-8, 4-5) with 16 points. Adairsville (12-9, 8-2) currently holds second place in Region 6-AAA and hosts region-leading Coahulla Creek on Friday night. CARTERSVILLE GIRLS 58, HIRAM 45 Senai Camper produced a double-double Tuesday night with 20 points and 11 rebounds as the Lady Canes beat visiting Hiram, 58-45. With the win, the Lady Canes moved into a first-place tie in the region standings with Calhoun and Dalton at the midway point of the league schedule. Hiram led 10-9 after the opening eight minutes but Cartersville carried a 26-20 lead to halftime and added on in the second half. The Lady Canes led 41-32 by the end of the third quarter. KK Arnold finished with 15 points, five steals, and five assists for Cartersville. Nayel Camper was next with 14 points, four assists, and four steals. Hadiya Kennedy led Hiram (8-10, 1-3) with 17 points. T’Nasia Nance chipped in 13 points for the Lady Hornets. The Lady Canes (11-9, 4-1) host Cass on Friday in a 6 p.m. tip. HIRAM 82, CARTERSVILLE BOYS 62 Visting Hiram stayed unbeaten in Region 7-5A play Tuesday night with an 82-62 win at Cartersville’s Storm Center. Hiram led 40-28 by halftime, adding to their advantage in the second half. Ryan Williams scored 29 points and Chase Tyler had 24 points for the Hornets (11-7, 4-0). Nas Bennett was the top scorer for the Canes with 23 points. Jamauri Brice and Monte Tolbert contributed 10 points each. Kaden Baldwin and DJ Cain added seven points apiece for Cartersville. The Hurricanes (8-11, 4-1) host Cass on Friday night. THE KING’S ACADEMY 64, EXCEL CHRISTIAN BOYS 38 The King’s Academy raced to a 27-6 lead in the first quarter Tuesday night at Excel and never looked back in a 64-38 win at The Church at Liberty Square. The visiting Knights (11-7) led 43-20 by halftime and were ahead 52-31 through three quarters. Excel (5-16, 3-1 Region 1, GAPPS I-A) returns to region play on Thursday when the Eagles host Praise Academy of Powder Springs.

The Excel Christian Academy girls and boys basketball teams both lost Monday night to Unity Christian School of Rome. UNITY CHRISTIAN 57, EXCEL CHRISTIAN BOYS 49 The Excel Christian Eagles stood toe-to-toe with visiting Unity Christian Monday night until deep into the fourth quarter before falling to the Lions, 57-49. Unity held slim leads at the end of each of the first three quarters. The Lions led 15-12 after one period; 25-22 at halftime; and 40-37 at the end of the third quarter. Unity was led by Clay Davis with 21 points. Jordan Wilkerson scored 18 and Ondreo Sawyer tossed in 16 points for the Lions. Carlos Cartagena led Excel with 13 points. King Eleazer and David Jinks finished with 10 points each. Jayden Jinks contributed five points. Christian Vieira totaled four. Carter May and Zion Green added three and two points, respectively. Unity (10-9, 4-0) remains atop the GAPPS Region 1, I-A standings. Excel (5-15, 3-1) hosts The King’s Academy on Tuesday in a non-region game and plays another region game on Thursday at home against Praise Academy. UNITY CHRISTIAN 65, EXCEL CHRISTIAN GIRLS 17 The Unity girls improved to 7-6 on the season and 4-0 in GAPPS Region 1, I-A. The Excel girls slipped to 3-8 on the year and 1-4 in their region. The Lady Eagles host Praise Academy on Thursday with a 6 p.m. tip.

January 22, 2024 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com College basketball and collegiate wrestling ease closer to their postseasons while the Canadian-based Basketball Super League, college tennis, and collegiate track and field are in the early portion of their 2024 schedules. This week’s edition of ‘Athletes Beyond Bartow’ includes updates on 20 athletes with Cartersville and Bartow County connections. BASKETBALL SUPER LEAGUE A.J. MOSBY, JR. — Sudbury Five (6th-year pro; Alcorn State; Cartersville HS) … scored 22 points and added seven assists, six rebounds, and three steals in The Five’s 117-86 win this past Friday at home over the Montreal Toundra. Sudbury (5-2) plays a home-and-home series with the Widsor Express this Friday on the road and Sunday at home. COLLEGE BASKETBALL BRAXTON BENHAM — Berry College (Jr., Cass HS) … scored 23 points with seven steals, five rebounds, and four assists last Friday in a 74-63 win over Birmingham-Southern College. Benham scored nine points with three assists, three boards, and two steals this past Sunday in an 86-63 victory over Millsaps College. Berry (9-9, 6-1 Southern Athletic Association) visits Birmingham-Southern on Friday night and Millsaps College on Sunday afternoon. ZAYLAN CHANEY — Tallahassee CC (So., Cartersville resident, Legacy Academy) … scored 15 points with 10 rebounds, three assists, and three steals this past Saturday in a 79-67 win at Pensacola State CC. He also did not score but had two assists, one rebound, and one blocked shot last Wednesday in a 62-53 home loss to Northwest Florida State CC. The Eagles (15-5, 1-1 Florida Collegiate Sports Athletic Association) host Gulf Coast State CC on Wednesday and visit Chipola College on Saturday night. CLAIRE DAVIS — Palm Beach Atlantic University (So., Cass HS) … finished with 18 points, four rebounds, two blocked shots, and two steals this past Saturday in a home 71-70 loss to Eckerd College. The Sailfish also lost last Wednesday to Lynn University but Davis did not participate. PBAU (9-8, 3-6 Sunshine State Conference) visits Tampa University on Wednesday and hosts Florida Southern College on Saturday. JUSTICE HAYES — Point University (Jr., Cass HS) … scored 14 points with five assists and three rebounds last Wednesday in a 69-66 loss at Loyola University (Louisiana). He also scored seven points with seven rebounds and one assist in a 70-48 loss at the University of Mobile this past Saturday. The Skyhawks (6-11, 0-11 Southern States Athletic Conference) host Life University on Wednesday night and Dalton State (Georgia) on Saturday afternoon. DiANTHONY HEATHCOCK — Columbia International University (Sr., Woodland HS) … scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds last Tuesday in an 86-72 home win over St. Andrews University (North Carolina). Heathcock also had one steal in that win. This past Saturday, the Rams won 55-54 at Bryan College (Tennessee) without Heathcock. CIU (12-7, 11-4 Appalachian Athletic Conference) plays at Bluefield University (Virginia) on Wednesday and hosts Kentucky Christian University on Saturday. HALEY JOHNSON — Central Georgia Tech CC (So., Cass HS) … totaled 14 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and five steals as the Lady Titans lost last Wednesday at Albany Tech CC 63-52 and beat South Georgia Tech CC at home last Saturday, 67-63. Central Georgia Tech (8-9, 5-1 Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association) plays at South Georgia Tech CC on Saturday. KEARA McDANIEL — Toccoa Falls College (So., Cass HS) … scored three points with two rebounds, one assist, and one steal last Tuesday in a 65-59 victory at Bob Jones University (South Carolina). In limited minutes this past Saturday, McDaniel had one rebound in a 70-63 overtime win at home over Pensacola Christian. The Screamin’ Eagles (14-2, 1-0 NCCCA Region) host Truett-MCConnell on Wednesday. T.J. PRINTUP, JR. — Tusculum University (R-Fr., Adairsville HS) … in a pair of home wins last week over Emory & Henry College and Catawba College, Printup totaled 13 points, eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. The Pioneers (7-8, 5-4 South Atlantic College) play at Lincoln Memorial University on Wednesday and at Lenoir-Rhyne University on Saturday. WRESTLING ANGEL BANDA — Reinhardt University (Sr., Adairsville HS) … was one of eleven seniors on the Eagles’ wrestling team who were recognized for their contributions to the program this past Friday. Reinhardt defeated Montevallo in the final home dual match of the season, 30-12. The Eagles will be back in action this weekend at the AAC Duals which will take place on the campus of Truett-McConnell. COLTON BISHOP — Reinhardt University (Jr., Woodland HS) … lost a 13-10 decision in the 125-pound weight class to his University of Montevallo opponent this past Friday. The Eagles did win the team match, however, 30-12. Up next for the Eagles is the Appalachian Athletic Conference Duals this weekend at Truett-McConnell. EASTON BISHOP — Reinhardt University (Jr., Woodland HS) … picked up a 133-pound win by forfeit in the Eagles’ win over the University of Montevallo last Friday. Reinhardt travels to Truett-McConnell University this weekend for the AAC Duals Championship. TYLER McKNIGHT — Davidson College (Fr., Cass HS) … was one of the bright spots for the Wildcats this past Sunday in a 31-9 home loss to 30th-ranked Campbell University. Wrestling in the 149-pound weight class, McKnight won a hard-fought 4-1 decision. He is now ranked nationally as the No. 90 wrestler in his weight division. Davidson visits UT-Chattanooga for a dual match this Sunday. JAXON SMITH — University of Maryland (R-So., Woodland HS) … picked up his team’s only bout victory last Friday in a 38-4 team loss at 7th-ranked Ohio State. Smith, the No. 5 ranked 197-pounder in the nation, won a 16-4 major decision. This past Sunday in Bloomington, Smith won a 4-1 decision over his opponent at Indiana University but the Terrapins lost again, 21-15. Maryland hosts No. 1 Penn State this Sunday. ELORA WATERMAN — Brewton Parker College (So., Cartersville HS) … finished 4-1 and placed fourth in the 101-pound division on Sunday, January 14 at the Bristol, Tennessee Tornado Open. On the weekend of January 6-7 at the Huntingdon Open, Waterman went 3-1 and placed third in the 109-pound weight class. Including forfeits this season, she is 8-4 in dual and tournament bouts. Next for BPC (5-2) is the Warrior Duals on Friday and Saturday in Fort Wayne, Indiana. JABRIL WILLIAMS — Midway University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … went 1-2 last weekend in the 165-pound bracket as the Eagles participated in the Missouri Valley Invitational in Marshall, Missouri. The next event for Midway is a tri-match with the University of the Cumberlands (Kentucky) and Rio Grande University (Ohio). TENNIS EMILY SURCEY — Samford University (Jr., Cass HS) … won her Line 2 singles match with a 10-7 third set tiebreaker but the Bulldogs lost the team match to Mississippi State, 5-2, this past Saturday in Starkville. Surcey also teamed with Ally Hayduk in a 6-2 Line 1 doubles loss. Samford (0-1) hosts Alabama State this Saturday. TRACK AND FIELD BILL ARCHER — University of Montevallo (Jr., Cartersville HS) … placed 13th with a 4:39.23 mile at the KMS Invitational this past Sunday in Birmingham. Next on the schedule for the Falcons is the Gulf South Conference Indoor Championship on February 15-16 again in Birmingham. NOAH BAER — Baldwin Wallace University (Fr., Woodland HS) … placed 11th in the pole vault clearing 12 feet, 11.5 inches this past weekend at the Midwest Collegiate Invitational in Geneva, Ohio. The next meet for the Yellow Jackets is Saturday when they host the Dr. Taraschke Team Challenge. DREW THAYER — University of Montevallo (Fr., Woodland HS) .. placed 10th with a 2:03.04 time in the 800-meter run at the KMS Invitational this past Sunday in Birmingham. Next on the schedule for the Falcons is the Gulf South Conference Indoor Championship on February 15-16 again in Birmingham.

January 20, 2024 Cass wrestling won its third overall GHSA State Duals title on Saturday at Jefferson High School with a 34-28 victory over the Ola Mustangs in the championship match. The title is the fifth all-time for the Cass wrestling program. The 2024 state duals championship banner will now hang with the Colonels’ state duals titles in 2022 and 2008 plus their traditional state championships in 2022 and 2006. Cass reached the 16-team Class 5A field as runner-up from Region 7-5A behind Woodland. Woodland was pegged as the No. 2 seed and won handily on Friday with a 70-6 defeat of McIntosh and a 65-3 win over Villa Rica. Cass had to face No. 4 seed Harris County in the opening round on Friday and advanced with a 39-36 win. The Colonels then defeated Coffee in the quarterfinal round, 40-30, to reach Saturday’s semifinals. In the semifinals, Woodland fell 36-30 to Ola while Cass beat No. 1 seed Jefferson, 36-33. Cass then outdueled Ola in the championship match. Woodland finished third with a 49-18 consolation semifinal win over Jones County and then beat Jefferson 38-36 in the Class 5A Third Place Match. At the Class 3A State Duals Championship in Dahlonega, the Adairsville Tigers lost their first-round match to Franklin County, 52-27, on Friday. Adairsville then earned a 49-23 win on Saturday over Long County in the consolation bracket but then lost to Upson-Lee in the next round, 37-33, to finish in a tie for ninth place. Individual bout results for Friday’s matches may be found HERE. Saturday’s bout results: Class 5A State Championship Cass defeated Ola 34-28 285 - John Abernathy (Cass) over Landon McKee (Ola) Inj 2:08 106 - Gabriel Easey (Ola) over Angel Castenado (Cass) Fall 5:13 113 - Hunter Barrett (Cass) over Max Meredith (Ola) Dec 2-0 120 - Lee Camp (Cass) over Tye Daniel (Ola) Fall 2:58 126 - Luka Jensen (Cass) over Lincoln Durden (Ola) Maj 12-4 132 - Rowdy Duck (Cass) over Jobi Colbert (Ola) Dec 5-1 138 - Landen Moss (Ola) over Ethan Harrington (Cass) Dec 9-8 144 - AJ Piatt (Cass) over J`Veion Redmon (Ola) SV-1 8-6 150 - Brian Papcun (Ola) over Richard Martin (Cass) Fall 4:48 157 - Jared Walker (Ola) over Mason Tompkins (Cass) Maj 18-4 165 - Kirecg Roe (Cass) over Talon Cole (Ola) Fall 0:46 175 - Xander Dossett (Ola) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf 190 - Jeremy Reagin (Ola) over Jayce Bradford (Cass) Dec 13-9 215 - Wyatt Harris (Cass) over Joseph Martin (Ola) SV-1 5-3 Class 5A Semifinals Cass defeated Jefferson 36-33 106 - Angel Castenado (Cass) over Barrett Clayton (Jefferson) Dec 9-3 113 - Hunter Barrett (Cass) over Wyatt Clayton (Jefferson) Fall 1:26 120 - Roman Belardo (Jefferson) over Lee Camp (Cass) Dec 8-5 126 - Draike McDonald (Jefferson) over Luka Jensen (Cass) Dec 13-12 132 - Rowdy Duck (Cass) over Tucker Kazienko (Jefferson) Dec 4-3 138 - Ethan Harrington (Cass) over Davis Linhart (Jefferson) Fall 3:22 144 - Dallas Russell (Jefferson) over Austin McArthur (Cass) Fall 2:57 150 - AJ Piatt (Cass) over Dominic Haines (Jefferson) Fall 4:54 157 - Mason Tompkins (Cass) over Jackson Barnes (Jefferson) Fall 0:27 165 - Davis Dendy (Jefferson) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf 175 - Cap Benson (Jefferson) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf 190 - Creed Thomas (Jefferson) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf 215 - Reese Ferm (Jefferson) over Wyatt Harris (Cass) Dec 5-3 285 - John Abernathy (Cass) over David Bennett (Jefferson) Fall 2:56 Class 5A Semifinals Ola defeated Woodland 36-30 215 - John Gill (Woodland) over Landon McKee (Ola) Fall 1:53 285 - Kwadrus Wilson (Woodland) over Joseph Martin (Ola) Fall 1:34 106 - Gabriel Easey (Ola) over Amari Kinnamore (Woodland) TF 21-2 113 - Max Meredith (Ola) over Noah Cates (Woodland,) Maj 16-5 120 - Dylan Couey (Woodland) over Tye Daniel (Ola) Fall 4:22 126 - Lincoln Durden (Ola) over Adrian Zapata (Woodland) Fall 0:49 132 - Landen Moss (Ola) over Paul Lanier (Woodland) Dec 6-2 138 - Nathan Cates (Woodland) over Jobi Colbert (Ola) Dec 9-4 144 - J`Veion Redmon (Ola) over Zachary Wallace (Woodland) Dec 8-4 150 - Brian Papcun (Ola) over Hayden Santora (Woodland) Fall 1:21 157 - Jared Walker (Ola) over Christian Cothran (Woodland) Dec 5-1 165 - Heath Tatum (Woodland) over Talon Cole (Ola) Dec 5-4 175 - Xander Dossett (Ola) over Melvin Ramos (Woodland) Fall 0:24 190 - Owen Jones (Woodland) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf Class 5A Consolation Semifinals Woodland defeated Jones County 49-18 106 - Amari Kinnamore (Woodland) over Landon Lewis (Jones County) Dec 5-1 113 - Hunter McCleskey (Jones County) over Noah Cates (Woodland) Dec 8-4 120 - Dylan Couey (Woodland) over Aiden Lipford (Jones County) Dec 7-0 126 - Adrian Zapata (Woodland) over Peyton Thompson (Jones County) Dec 9-8 132 - Jackson Brown (Jones County) over Nathan Cates (Woodland) Fall 0:46 138 - Arrie Martin (Jones County) over Briggs Taff (Woodland) Fall 4:49 144 - Hayden Santora (Woodland) over Conner Lipford (Jones County) Fall 0:17 150 - Zachary Wallace (Woodland) over Robert Scott (Jones County) Maj 11-3 157 - Christian Cothran (Woodland) over Gavin Veal (Jones County) Fall 1:12 165 - Heath Tatum (Woodland) over Jack Carr (Jones County) Fall 1:27 175 - Jacob Skinner (Jones County) over Melvin Ramos (Woodland) Dec 7-6 190 - Owen Jones (Woodland) over Hunter Hardwick (Jones County) Fall 1:36 215 - John Gill (Woodland) over Garrett Green (Jones County) Fall 2:28 285 - Kwadrus Wilson (Woodland) over Will Agudelo (Jones County) Fall 2:19 Class 5A 3rd Place Match Woodland defeated Jefferson 38-36 113 - Noah Cates (Woodland) over Austin Trott (Jefferson) TF 16-1 120 - Roman Belardo (Jefferson) over Aiden Buchan (Woodland) Fall 2:39 126 - Draike McDonald (Jefferson) over Dylan Couey (Woodland) TF 20-5 132 - Tucker Kazienko (Jefferson) over Nathan Cates (Woodland) Dec 3-1 138 - Paul Lanier (Woodland) over Jay Ekard (Jefferson) Maj 12-4 144 - Zachary Wallace (Woodland) over Davis Linhart (Jefferson) Fall 1:03 150 - Dallas Russell (Jefferson) over Hayden Santora (Woodland) Fall 5:36 157 - Christian Cothran (Woodland) over Jackson Barnes (Jefferson) Fall 0:20 165 - Davis Dendy (Jefferson) over Heath Tatum (Woodland) Fall 1:24 175 - Cap Benson (Jefferson) over Melvin Ramos (Woodland) Fall 4:12 190 - Owen Jones (Woodland) over Kyrice Chandler (Jefferson) Fall 0:36 215 - John Gill (Woodland) over Reese Ferm (Jefferson) Fall 1:19 285 - Kwadrus Wilson (Woodland) over David Bennett (Jefferson) Fall 2:07 106 - Barrett Clayton (Jefferson) over Amari Kinnamore (Woodland) Maj 14-5 Woodland’s team score was adjusted by -1.0 for Unsportsmanlike conduct. Class 3A Consolation Round 1 Adairsville defeated Long County 49-23 106 - Sam Bailey (Adairsville) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf 113 - Madden Boyce (Adairsville) over Casey Dean (Long County) Fall 5:06 120 - Yasir Saenz (Long County) over Riley Pope (Adairsville) Maj 16-5 126 - Andre Mills (Long County) over Braxton Elrod (Adairsville) Maj 14-5 132 - Michael Midgordon (Long County) over John Hagan Balfour (Adairsville) Fall 1:16 138 - TJayden Vaughn (Long County) over Victor Singer (Adairsville) Dec 8-5 144 - Kolton Brown (Long County) over Ethan Cummins (Adairsville) Fall 1:21 150 - PJ Richards (Adairsville) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf 157 - Howard Bailey (Adairsville) over Sandejago Wilson (Long County) Fall 2:58 165 - David Coon (Adairsville) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf 175 - Jacob Pasley (Adairsville) over Mareon Montgomery (Long County) Dec 17-14 190 - Jaimon Long (Adairsville) over Raheem Wiliams (Long County) Fall 0:40 215 - Seth Sellers (Adairsville) over Ronald Gallups (Long County) Maj 18-7 285 - Jett Johnson (Adairsville) over Jerome Brown III (Long County) Fall 1:04 Class 3A Consolation Round 2 Upson Lee defeated Adairsville 37-33 113 - John Adams (Upson Lee) over Madden Boyce (Adairsville) Fall 4:58 120 - Russell Kaczmarek (Upson Lee) over Riley Pope (Adairsville) Fall 0:46 126 - Avery Gomez (Upson Lee) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf 132 - Cason Waddell (Upson Lee) over Braxton Elrod (Adairsville) Fall 0:41 138 - Victor Singer (Adairsville) over Jordan Little (Upson Lee) TB-1 5-2 144 - Trever Young (Upson Lee) over Ethan Cummins (Adairsville) Fall 0:17 150 - Chestin Howard (Upson Lee) over PJ Richards (Adairsville) Maj 14-4 157 - Howard Bailey (Adairsville) over Cooper White (Upson Lee) Fall 1:25 165 - Jacob Pasley (Adairsville) over Cleveland Nicholas (Upson Lee) Fall 1:09 175 - David Coon (Adairsville) over Austin Besse (Upson Lee) Dec 5-3 190 - Jaimon Long (Adairsville) over Jacori Walker (Upson Lee) Fall 1:16 215 - Damari Kenan (Upson Lee) over Seth Sellers (Adairsville) SV-1 6-4 285 - Jett Johnson (Adairsville) over Jacob King (Upson Lee) Dec 3-0 106 - Jackson Willis (Adairsville) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf

January 20, 2024 The Woodland Swim Team won a tri-meet on Thursday night as the team celebrated their senior members. Woodland finished with 224 points followed by Cartersville (189) and Dawson County (141). Local event winners included: Boys 200 Medley Relay:  Woodland (Jack Webb, Isaiah Muriel, Grayson Moore, Isaac Muriel) Boys 200 Free: Luke Gibson, Cartersville Girls 200 Free: Kylie Ham, Cartersville Boys 200 IM: Isaiah Muriel, Woodland Boys 50 Free: Jack Webb, Woodland Girls 50 Free: Margherita Miniati, Cartersville Boys 100 Butterfly: Isaac Muriel, Woodland Boys 100 Free: Grayson Moore, Woodland Boys 500 Free: Tripp Chitwood, Cartersville Boys 200 Free Relay: Woodland (Isaiah Muriel, Jack Webb, Isaac Muriel, Grayson Moore) Girls 200 Free Relay: Cartersville (Margherita Miniati, Cameron Larkin, Layne Callan, Margot Walker Boys 100 Backstroke: Barrett Stepp, Cartersville Girls 100 Backstroke: Karynne McKenney, Woodland Boys 100 Breaststroke: Alex Mendoza, Woodland Girls 100 Breaststroke: Margherita Miniati, Cartersville Boys 400 Free Relay: Woodland (Isaiah Muriel, Kadin Keith, Isaac Muriel, Grayson Moore)

January 20, 2024 It was a busy Friday night on the hardwoods for local high school basketball teams with all teams in action. The Cartersville girls and boys picked up region wins at Woodland while the Adairsville girls and boys won at home against region rival Ringgold. The Excel Christian Academy boys won their annual homecoming game over visiting Oakwood Christian but both Cass teams suffered region losses at Dalton. CARTERSVILLE BOYS 54, WOODLAND 53 The Hurricanes have made a habit during the first half of the Region 7-5A race of winning close games and Friday night was no exception at local rival Woodland. The Wildcats held leads of 24-11 after one quarter; 35-22 at halftime; and 46-37 heading into the final eight minutes before Cartersville won the final period 17-7 to squeak out a 54-53 win. Nas Bennett and Ced McClinic paced the Canes with 15 points each. DJ Cain added 10 points for Cartersville. Woodland got 19 points from Isaiah Livsey and 11 from Jayden Metcalf in the loss. Cartersville (8-10, 4-0) will host Hiram on Tuesday at the Storm Center. Woodland (7-11, 1-3) visits Cass on Tuesday. CARTERSVILLE GIRLS 58, WOODLAND 25 The Lady Canes built a 29-12 lead by halftime and eased to a 58-25 win on Friday at Woodland. KK Arnold led the Lady Canes with 15 points and added five assists. Nayel Camper finished with 13 points and six rebounds while Senai Camper followed with 12 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Megan Schultz led the Lady Cats with nine points. Cartersville (10-9, 3-1) has a key region game at home Tuesday with Hiram. Woodland (7-9, 0-4) travels to Cass on Tuesday for another Region 7-5A game. EXCEL CHRISTIAN BOYS 78, OAKWOOD CHRISTIAN 51 The Eagles pulled away in the second half Friday night to win their 2023-24 Homecoming Game 78-51 over visiting Oakwood Christian. The game was also a Region 1A game for the two GAPPS 1-A schools. Oakwood led 18-16 after one quarter but Excel took control in the next period and led 35-24 at halftime. The local Eagles extended their lead to 57-41 by the end of the third quarter en route to a 27-point victory. Jayden Jinks led ECA with 20 points. Carter May followed with 19 and Gavin Dyson added 14 points in the win. Graham Myer led the visiting Eagles with 19 points. The loss dropped Oakwood to 4-14 on the season and 0-4 in region play. The Excel boys (5-14, 3-0) host an important region matchup with Unity Christian of Rome on Monday at 7:30 p.m. OAKWOOD CHRISTIAN 43, EXCEL CHRISTIAN GIRLS 9 Visiting Oakwood Christian (12-5, 3-1) defeated the Lady Eagles of Excel Christian on Friday night. The loss drops Excel to 3-7 on the season and 1-3 in region play. The Lady Eagles will host Unity Christian on Monday at 6 p.m. ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS 48, RINGGOLD 38 After leading 24-21 at halftime, the Adairsville girls added to their lead in the third quarter and held off visiting Ringgold down the stretch for a 48-38 Region 6-AAA win Friday night. Adairsville led 35-24 after three quarters on their way to the 10-point win. Alissa Winters led the local Lady Tigers with 15 points. Aliya McBryde contributed 12 points. Savannah Viktora and NaXyria Roberts chipped in six points apiece in the win. Cady Helton led Ringgold (9-8, 4-3) with nine points. The Adairsville girls (13-7, 7-2) travel to Ridgeland for a 6 p.m. tip on Tuesday. ADAIRSVILLE BOYS 67, RINGGOLD 47 In a battle of two teams called Tigers, Adairsville started the game up 17-5 and never trailed in a 67-47 win. The local Tigers led 30-20 at halftime and doubled their advantage in the second half. Benjamin Abernathy led the scoring for Adairsville with 22 points. Tayshaun Jackson followed with 11 points. Gabriel Gomez contributed nine points on a trio of shots from behind the arc. Zach Postell finished with eight points. and Xavious Nalls added six points and eight rebounds. Gavin Lakin and Bryce Harris led Ringgold (9-8, 4-3) with 13 points each. Adairsville (11-9, 7-2) heads to Ridgeland on Tuesday for another Region 6-AAA game. DALTON 51, CASS BOYS 41 The Catamounts and Colonels traded the lead during the night but it was host Dalton that gained control in the second half to finish off a 51-41 Region 7-5A win over Cass. Dalton led 28-27 at halftime and was up 42-35 after three quarters. Kobi Cooper and Drew Snyder led the Catamounts (6-11, 2-2) with 14 and 13 points, respectively. Cass was led by Jayden Foster with 11 points. Parnel Gamble contributed eight points and Comari Nettle added seven for the Colonels. Cass (4-10, 0-3) hosts Woodland on Tuesday and will make up a game with Hiram on Thursday at home. DALTON 55, CASS GIRLS 24 The Cass girls dropped a 55-24 decision at Dalton on Friday night remaining winless in Region 7-5A. Dalton stayed undefeated in league play (4-0) and improved to 11-6 on the season. Cass (11-7, 0-3) will host Woodland on Tuesday night and make up a game with Hiram at home on Thursday.