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. The November Elite Athlete of the Month representing Cass High School is Bryant Cullifer. “When I think of Bryant Cullifer, I think of the words resilient and selfless. Bryant has battled through injury the last couple of years because his teammates needed him and because he was determined to be out on the field to play the sport he loves. Bryant is a senior defensive end who has been a big part of our program for the last couple of years. He has never been the biggest or fastest player on the field, but he is everything a coach wants in a player. He works extremely hard, he is coachable, and has a high football IQ.” — Colonels head coach Steve Gates. Cullifer is heavily involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club at Cass and maintains a 3.96 grade point average. He is the son of Scott and Mandi Cullifer. Khristian Lando represents Cartersville High School as the November Elite Athlete of the Month. A senior running back and outside linebacker on the Canes’ football team, Lando is also a member of the track and field team. Lando was selected as a First Team All-Region 7-5A running back. “It's truly heartwarming to have encountered a student like Khristian Lando at Cartersville. His dedication and hard work are truly remarkable, and his selflessness and joy for the success of his teammates are rare qualities to find. As a consistent leader on and off the field, he has played an essential role in our team's success during his three years of varsity football. This year, he finally got his chance to lead the backfield, and he did not disappoint, achieving a breakthrough year with 1,152 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns. His impact on defense with two sacks and 31 total tackles was also impressive. However, what truly stands out about Khristian is his personal growth. Despite facing numerous challenges, he has only become a stronger student-athlete through his perseverance and humility. It's truly a privilege to have had him at Cartersville High School, and being around him has been a pleasure for all that know him.” — Josh Flowers, Cartersville running back coach. The son of Tina Lando, Khristian is on the A/B Honor roll and plans to accept a football scholarship to continue his academic and athletic career. He currently holds several offers. Woodland High School’s November Elite Athlete of the Month is Grayson Moore. A junior member of the Wildcats’ swim team, Moore swims all strokes but has already qualified for the state meet in the 50-yard freestyle. He qualified in this season’s opening meet and broke his school record in the process. “Grayson is hard working whether he is in the water or the classroom. He is a member of the athletic leadership, as well as the food club. He has stepped up as a leader on the swim team and became a captain this year. Grayson has been a role model for the junior wildcats as our program expands,” Woodland swim coach Rebecca Beard. Moore, the son of Jennifer and Aaron Moore, is an Honor Student and has completed the Foods Pathway. He is striving to go to Florida and swim like his parents. Chloe Tomlinson is the November Elite Athlete of the Month for Adairsville High School. A senior and four-year member of the Tigers’ Competition Cheer program, she is the daughter of Kyle and Brittany Tomlinson. “Chloe is a great leader and competitor,” said Adairsville cheer coach Kaylie Smith. “She is a great athlete and an even better teammate. She’s always kind and uplifting while leading by example. Her efforts helped us to a top-six finish at state. We will miss her next season.” Tomlinson carries a 4.0 GPA and plans on attending Kennesaw State University to major in business or marketing. 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

The 2023 Adairsville Tigers football team won a second consecutive Region 6-3A championship this season and this week, several players and head coach Jonathan Cudd were recognized by the region coaches. Coach Cudd was selected as the Region Coach of the Year while quarterback Jonathan Gough was named Player of the Year in the region. Jamarian Pullum was named Athlete of the Year and Lineman of the Year honors went to Bobby Campbell. Tre Winters, Luke Altizer, Seth Sellers, Jett Johnson, Andrew Foster, Hayden Blalock, and Tamarius Wilkey were each named First Team All-Region. Player of the Year: QB Jonathan Gough, Adairsville, Sr. Offensive Player of the Year: QB Chase Ward, Coahulla Creek, Sr. Defensive Player of the Year: LB A.J. Sanders, Bremen, Sr. Athlete of the Year: RB/DB Jamarian Pullum, Adairsville, Jr. Lineman of the Year: OL/DL Bobby Campbell, Adairsville. Sr. Iron-man award: RB/LB Parr Folsom, Bremen, Sr. QB/DB Dawson Pendergrass, LaFayette, Sr. Coach of the Year: Jonathan Cudd, Adairsville First-team offense QB - Darian Keefe, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, So. RB - Khalas Finley, LaFayette, Jr. RB - Trent McPherson, Bremen, Jr. ATH - Brayden Stoker, Gordon Lee, So. WR - Tre Winters, Adairsville, Jr. WR - Jared Mitchell, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, So. WR - Malachi Hutchinson, Ridgeland, Sr. WR - Justin Faulkner, Bremen, So. TE - Parker Metcalf, Ridgeland, Sr. FB/H - Jonah Hatchett, Bremen, Sr. OL - Luke Altizer, Adairsville, Sr. OL - Evan Brown, Bremen, Sr. OL - Seth Sellers, Adairsville, Sr. OL - Donovan Spivey, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, So. OL - Andrew Muldoon, Bremen, Jr. OL - Zion Fleming, Ridgeland, Sr. PK - Ethan Rainwater, LaFayette, Jr. First-team defense DL - Elijah Bradberry, Ringgold, Sr. DL - Cam O'Neal, Bremen, Sr. DL - Gabe Dougherty, Gordon Lee, Jr. DL - Jett Johnson, Adairsville, Jr. DL - Andrew Foster, Adairsville, Sr. DL - Levi Lowery, Coahulla Creek, Sr. LB - Bryce Hart, Ringgold, Jr. LB - Payton Simpson, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Sr. LB - Hayden Blalock, Adairsville, Sr. LB - Brody Barrow, Bremen, Sr. LB - Nick Whitefield, LaFayette, Jr. LB - Layne Vaughn, Gordon Lee, So. DB - Peyton Groce, Gordon Lee, So. DB - Tamarius Wilkey, Adairsville, Jr. DB - Dylan Huey, Bremen, Jr. DB - Logan Roberts, Ringgold, Jr. DB - Keith Collins, Coahulla Creek, Sr. P - Thatcher Wilbanks, Ringgold, Sr. LS - Kendall Chumley, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Sr. Second-team offense QB - Carson Kimball, Bremen, Jr. RB - Tragontae Lewis, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Jr. RB - Haddon Fries, Ringgold, So. RB - Kaleb Booker, Bremen, Sr. WR - Noah Matthews, Adairsville, Sr. WR - Braxton Holtcamp, Ringgold, Sr. WR - Luke Swinney, Coahulla Creek, Sr. WR - Owen Millians, Bremen, Sr. WR - Grayden Johnson, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Sr. Ath - Kishaun Taylor, Ringgold, So. OL - Jonah Davenport, Gordon Lee, Jr. OL - Jack Mealor, Ringgold, Sr. OL - Nolan Burchfield, Ringgold, Sr. OL - Ryan Smith, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Jr. OL - Michael Hamilton, LaFayette, Jr. OL - Braxton Ryan, Adairsville, Jr. PK - Carter Allen, Bremen, Fr. Second-team defense DL - Bryce Goins, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Sr. DL - Jordan Montgomery, Ridgeland, Sr. DL - Brentlee Raby, Ringgold, Sr. DL - Vaidyn Payne, Adairsville, Sr. DL - Harrison Walker, Gordon Lee, Jr. LB - Nate Tilley, Coahulla Creek, Sr. LB - Cody Davis, LaFayette, Jr. LB - Zach Strawbridge, Ringgold, Jr. LB - Levi Gentry, Gordon Lee, Jr. LB - Kain Brown, Ridgeland, Jr. LB - Heath Gregg Jr., Ridgeland, So. LB - Braylon Pritchett, Ridgeland, Jr. DB - Aiden Haney, Bremen, Sr. DB - Jaydon Horvath, Adairsville, Sr. DB - Cole Runion, Ringgold, Jr. DB - Landon Norton, Gordon Lee, So. DB - Demetree Bates, Ridgeland, Jr. P - Bryan Ojeda, Ridgeland, Jr. LS - Thomas Mann, Bremen, Jr. Honorable mention: QB Garrett Edger, Ringgold, Jr.; RB Ethan Blome, Adairsville, Sr.; RB Peyton Bowen, Adairsville, Jr.; WR Carson Goff, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Jr.; WR Hudson Moss, Ringgold, Sr.; WR Hurley McAllister, Gordon Lee, So.; OL Shephard Hodge, Bremen, Jr.; OL Noah Johnson, LaFayette, Sr.; OL Kason Christian, Bremen, Sr.; OL Aiden Stone, Ridgeland, So.; OL Obed Andres, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Jr.; OL Caden Oliver, Gordon Lee, Jr.; OL Travis Talley, Ringgold, Sr.; OL Isaac McGill, Coahulla Creek, Jr.; OL Alex Goniea, Coahulla Creek, Sr.; OL Griffin Moore, Gordon Lee, So.; OL Jarrett Scott, Adairsville, Jr.; PK Manuel Saladania, Ringgold, Jr.; DL Jackson Lowery, Coahulla Creek, So.; DL Colt Forgey, Ringgold, Jr.; DL Bryce Goins, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Sr.; DL Josh Connor, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, So.; DL Ethan Brown, Adairsville, Jr.; DL Michael Branam, Gordon Lee, Sr.; DL AJ Thomson, LaFayette, Sr.; DL CJ Slocum, Adairsville, Sr.; LB Dalton Russell, Gordon Lee, Jr.; LB Levi Harwell, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Sr.; LB Seth Broadous, Ridgeland, Sr.; LB Cole Pruitt, Bremen, Jr.; LB Easton Yates, Gordon Lee, So.; DB Quanterrius Fleetwood, Ridgeland, Jr.; DB Brisyn Oliver, Gordon Lee, Jr.; DB Tyler Douglass, Coahulla Creek, Fr.; DB Xavious Nalls, Adairsville, Jr.; DB Aiden Price, Bremen, Jr.; LS Isaac Smith, Ridgeland, Jr.

December 2, 2023 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes had their 2023 playoff run come to a close Friday night at Weinman Stadium with a 33-18 loss to the Coffee Trojans. Coffee, who has never won a state title, utilized a run-heavy offense powered by Fred Brown and one of the state’s top scoring defenses to collect a hard-fought win. The Trojans now move on to the Class 5A state championship game on Wednesday, December 13 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta where they will face Creekside. Creekside defeated Jefferson in Friday’s other state semifinal in Class 5A. Following a scoreless first quarter, Coffee scored on four straight possessions in the second and third quarters to build a 24-0 lead. A pair of Cartersville touchdowns in the third quarter sandwiched another Coffee score to leave the Trojans with a 31-12 lead. In the fourth quarter, Cartersville cut the score to 31-18 before a late safety for Coffee ended the scoring for the night. Cartersville had six offensive possessions in the first half. Five possessions ended with punts and the sixth saw the first half come to a close. After punting twice in the first quarter, Coffee’s offense found traction with the Trojans’ third possession. Coffee drove 67 yards on nine plays late in the first quarter and in the first minute of the second to take a 7-0 lead with 11:02 remaining in the half. Brown, who finished the night with 190 yards on 40 carries, punched in a 5-yard run. It would be his first of three touchdowns in the game. The Trojans had an apparent touchdown run by Brown called back for a personal foul penalty at the 5-yard line on their next possession. The drive stalled following the penalty and Coffee settled for a field goal by kicker Jonah Saylor to make the score 10-0. On Coffee’s next possession, the Trojans drove 73 yards on just five plays to go ahead 17-0 with 1:47 left in the first half. Quarterback Maurice Hansley shoveled a pass to Patrick McCall who took it 39 yards for the score. The Trojans made it four consecutive scoring drives at the beginning of the third quarter. Coffee took the second-half kickoff and drove 80 yards on 12 plays to go ahead 24-0 with 8:47 left in the third quarter. The drive was all running plays and included the conversion of a fourth-and-four play deep in Canes’ territory. Cartersville narrowed the margin to 24-6 with their initial possession of the second half. Nate Russell completed a 48-yard scoring strike to his tight end, Connor Brasfield, for the score. Brasfield raced down the seam and outran the Trojans’ secondary to the end zone. A two-point conversion pass attempt failed. Coffee answered immediately. The Trojans started at their 20-yard line with the next possession and drove the distance in 12 plays. Jaquavious Simpkins cashed in an 8-yard touchdown run to put Coffee ahead 31-6 with 3:05 left in the third quarter. The Canes posted the game’s next two touchdowns. Andrew Purdy led a five-play, 61-yard drive and scored on an 8-yard touchdown run. Another two-point conversion pass attempt failed but the Canes had cut their deficit to 31-12 with 1:41 left in the third quarter. The Hurricanes’ next possession started at their 20-yard line following a Coffee punt. In three quick plays, Cartersville scored again. Khristian Lando, who finished the night with 153 yards on 12 carries, had a 58-yard run and Richard Houston completed the drive with a 22-yard touchdown scamper. A two-point conversion run attempt failed leaving the score 31-18. After Coffee pinned the Canes near their goal line in the final seconds, the Trojans added a safety when Purdy was called for intentional grounding from his end zone. Other numbers for Coffee included Maurice Hansley who completed 10-of-12 passes for 157 yards — almost all on short shovel passes with the effect of a speed sweep with McCall. Hansley also had 36 rushing yards. McCall caught six of the described passes for 92 yards and Tyrese Hansley finished with 69 yards rushing on 14 attempts. For Cartersville, Russell was 4-for-8 passing for 54 yards and one touchdown. He also ran six times for 26 yards. Purdy, who also played quarterback, was 1-for-8 for 15 yards and rushed for 28 yards and one touchdown. Brasfield had three receptions for 60 yards and a score while Kendrick Price had a 15-yard reception. Cartersville finishes the 2023 season with a 13-1 record, a semifinal appearance, and a Region 7-5A championship.

The Adairsville boys' swim team won the 15-team Tiger Plunge Saturday at Adairsville High School and combined with the Lady Tigers to capture the combined score title. In the boys' competition, the Tigers earned 371 points to finish ahead of Union Grove (233), Whitewater (205), Woodland (203), and Notre Dame (148). Cartersville (119) was seventh. The Cartersville girls' team placed third with 221 points, finishing behind Union Grove (325) and Whitewater (234). The Adairsville girls finished fourth with 199 and Woodland was fifth with 191. Local event winners: ★ Boys 200-yard Medley Relay - Adairsville - (Gabriel Greenway, Brayden Rizer, Eli Burke, and Luke Altizer. ★ Boys 200-yard Freestyle - Adairsville - Gabriel Greenway ★ Girls 200-yard Individual Medley - Cartersville - Margherita Miniati ★ Boys 50-yard Freestyle - Woodland - Grayson Moore ★ Girls 100-yard Butterfly - Cartersville - Margherita Miniati ★ Boys 200-yard Freestyle Relay - Adairsville - (Brayden Rizer, Dylan Barrett, Luke Altizer, Gabriel Greenway ★ Boys 100-yard Breaststroke - Adairsville - Brayden Rizer ★ Boys 400-yard Freestyle Relay - Woodland - (Isaac Muriel, Kadin Keith, Nicholas Lumpkin, Isaiah Muriel Full individual results:

December 2, 2023 All four local high school wrestling teams were in action Saturday at two separate events. Cartersville competed at the Atlanta Invitational hosted by North Atlanta High School. The Adairsville, Cass, and Woodland teams took to the mats at the Carpet Capital Classic hosted by Dalton High School. _________ Results for Cartersville wrestling at the Atlanta Invitational on Saturday: VARSITY 106: Jair Flores 3rd 4-1 120: Grant Adams 2nd 3-1 126: Eaiden Neal CHAMPION 4-0 138: Grey Williams 4th 3-2 144: Talan Nix CHAMPION 4-0 JV 120: Will Benson CHAMPION 4-0 126: Wyatt Earwood 2nd 3-1 132: Riley Earwood CHAMPION 3-0 Girls 190: Anetra Witherspoon CHAMPION (Outstanding Wrestler) ________ Round robin results for Adairsville, Cass, and Woodland at the Dalton Carpet Classic on Saturday: Adairsville 106: Madden Boyce, 2-1 144: Victor Singer, 1-2 150: Jay Chancey, 2-1 157: Howard Bailey, 2-1 165: Jacob Pasley, 2-1 175: David Coon, 1-2 190: Jaimen Long, 3-0 Cass 106: Nathaniel Johnson, 1-2 113: Angel Castenado, 2-1 120: Lee Camp, 3-0 126: Luka Jensen, 2-1 144: AJ Piatt, 3-0 150: Austin McArthur, 1-2 157: Richard Martin, 2-1 165: Mason Tompkins, 3-0 175: Kriecg Roe, 3-0 Woodland 106: Amari Kinnamore, 3-0 113: Aiden Buchanan, 2-1 120: Dylan Couey, 1-2 126: Griffin Firth, 2-1 132: Nathan Cates, 3-0 138: Briggs Taff, 1-2 144: Zachary Wallace, 3-0 150: Hayden Santora, 2-1 157: Christian Cothran, 3-0 190: Owen Jones, 2-1 215: John Gill, 3-0 285: Kwadrus Wilson, 3-0

The Adairsville boys dropped a 64-47 decision Saturday evening to Class 4A 8th-ranked Central-Carroll in a game played at Darlington as part of the Kyle Sandy Invitational. Khaven Cochran led the Lions with 20 points, four rebounds, and four steals. Max Young scored 13 points. Gabe Gomez made seven threes and finished with 23 points for the Tigers. Tay Jackson added seven points for Adairsville. Central improved to 3-0 on the season. Adairsville (2-3, 1-0) returns to Region 6-AAA play Tuesday night at Ringgold.

December 2, 2023 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com The Adairsville girls' and boys' teams plus the Cass girls picked up high school basketball victories on Friday night. The Adairsville wins opened the Tigers’ region slate and the Lady Colonels won for the third time in four starts. CASS GIRLS 67, LITHIA SPRINGS 51 The Lady Colonels bounced back from a Tuesday night loss on Friday night with a 67-51 win at Lithia Springs. Tamira Feanny led Cass with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Olivia Woods scored 12. Cadie Paez followed with 11. Kiana McDaniel totaled seven points, eight steals, and five assists. KK Evans also scored seven. Zion Hayes contributed five points and 15 rebounds. Reese Howard also scored five. Kaitlyn Godwin chipped in with three points and Navaeh Woods added two. Cass led 24-19 at halftime and led 47-38 at the end of the third quarter on their way to a 16-point win. Amaya Richmond led Lithia Springs (2-2) with 23 points. Cass (3-1) hosts Sonoraville on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS 53, GORDON LEE 30 The Lady Tigers grabbed an 18-9 lead by the end of the first quarter and never trailed Friday night in a 23-point Region 6-AAA win at Gordon Lee. NaXyria Roberts led Adairsville with 14 points. Aliya McBryde followed with nine. Abby Logan led Gordon Lee (1-4, 0-1) with 12 points. Adairsville (3-2, 1-0) returns to action on Tuesday at Ringgold. ADAIRSVILLE BOYS 56, GORDON LEE 41 The Tigers won their Region 6-AAA opener at Gordon Lee Friday night 56-41. Adairsville rushed to a 14-3 lead by the end of the first quarter and led 34-11 at the half. The Trojans rallied in the third quarter to outscore the Tigers 21-4 in the period and narrow the margin to 38-32. In the fourth quarter, Gordon Lee cut the Adairsville lead to four points before the Tigers pulled away down the stretch. Tay Jackson led Adairsville with 26 points and Gabriel Gomez contributed 10. Luke Sikes led Gordon Lee (2-3, 0-1) with 14 points. Adairsville (2-2, 1-0) plays Central-Carroll Saturday in the Kyle Sandy Invitational at Darlington and plays at Ringgold on Tuesday night. LITHIA SPRINGS 64, CASS BOYS 43 The host Lions led 19-8 after one quarter and 31-15 at the intermission as they defeated visiting Cass Friday night, 64-43. Damerius Putman led Lithia Springs (1-3) with 20 points. Jayden Foster scored 15 points and Jakai Baldwin had 10 to pace the Colonels. Cass (0-4) hosts Sonoraville on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. NORTH MURRAY 50, WOODLAND GIRLS 42 The Lady Cats suffered a narrow defeat at North Murray Friday night, falling to the Lady Mountaineers 50-42. Woodland led 8-5 after the opening eight minutes but North Murray carried a 24-23 advantage to the halftime break. North Murray led 40-36 through three quarters and held off the Lady Cats in the final period for an eight-point win. Ava Robinette led North Murray (5-2) with 21 points. Gracie Shipp and Megan Schultz paced Woodland with 15 and 10 points, respectively. Woodland (2-3) hosts Unity Christian on Tuesday at 6 p.m. NORTH MURRAY 54, WOODLAND BOYS 40 The Wildcats led 22-20 at halftime before the Mountaineers outscored them 34-18 in the second half for a 14-point win. North Murray stayed unbeaten at 6-0 with the victory. Woodland (1-5) hosts Unity Christian on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. CHRISTIAN HERITAGE 85, EXCEL CHRISTIAN BOYS 46 Christian Heritage built a 52-29 lead by halftime and cruised to an 85-46 win over the Excel Christian Eagles in Dalton Friday night. Isaac Plavich led the Lions (3-0) with 26 points. Carter May scored 15 and Carlos Cartagena had 11 points for Excel Christian. The Eagles (2-4) visit Grace Christian Academy on Monday.

The Cartersville Lady Canes dropped a 73-51 non-region decision at Harrison on Thursday night. The Class 7A Lady Hoyas led 44-23 at halftime and improved to a 4-1 record. Sloane Vick scored 19 points to lead Harrison. Hope Mitchell followed with 16. Harper Smith and Alex McElroy added 13 and 11, respectively. KK Arnold led Cartersville with 11 points. She added four assists and three steals. Senai Camper contributed 10 points and six rebounds. Taff Bradley followed with eight points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Ansley Griffin scored seven and Zoie Shiflett added six points. The Lady Canes (2-2) play at Northwest Whitfield on Monday at 6 p.m. and visit North Paulding on Tuesday at 6 p.m. HARRISON 77, CARTERSVILLE BOYS 45 Chase Watkins scored 16 points and Jaylen Sanders added 15 as the host Hoyas (4-2) defeated Cartersville. The Canes are competing in the early portion of the season with several younger players while the football team continues in the state playoffs. Cartersville (0-2) is scheduled to play at North Paulding next Tuesday (Dec. 5) in a 7:30 p.m. tip. NORTHWEST WHITFIELD 56. WOODLAND BOYS 43 The visiting Bruins improved to 4-0 on the season Thursday night with a 56-43 win at Woodland. Woodland, now 1-4, hosts North Murray on Friday night.

The Adairsville girls and boys basketball teams swept visiting Woodland in action Tuesday night at Adairsville.  Other local winners Tuesday night included the Cartersville girls and the Excel Christian Academy boys. ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS 53, WOODLAND 39 NaXyria Roberts led the Lady Tigers with 14 points while Aliya McBryde and Darby Adams added 10 each as the Adairsville girls defeated Woodland Tuesday night at AHS, 53-39. Adairsville led 17-7 at halftime and maintained a 34-24 margin by the end of the third quarter. Reagan Weightman led Woodland with 16 points. Megan Schultz followed with 13 for the Lady Cats. Adairsville improved to 2-2 and will visit Gordon Lee for a Region 6-AAA matchup on Friday night at 7 p.m. in Chickamauga. Woodland (2-2) hosts North Murray in a non-region tilt on Friday at 6 p.m. ADAIRSVILLE BOYS 50, WOODLAND 40 The host Tigers led at each quarter stop Tuesday night on their way to a 50-40 non-region win over Woodland. Adairsville led 16-4 after the first eight minutes; 30-16 at halftime; and 41-29 at the end of the third period. Gabe Gomez led the Tigers with 18 points. Xavious Nalls and Tay Jackson finished with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Brelace Williams posted 18 points for the Wildcats followed by Isaiah Livsey with nine. Woodland (1-3) hosts Northwest Whitfield on Thursday in a 7:30 p.m. tip and will host North Murray on Friday. Adairsville (1-2) begins region play on Friday night at Gordon Lee in a 7:30 p.m. start. CARTERSVILLE GIRLS 67, EAST PAULDING 29 The Lady Canes raced to a 26-6 lead by the end of the first quarter at the Storm Center Tuesday night and were never threatened in a 67-29 victory. Cartersville led 45-16 by halftime on their way to a 38-point win. KK Arnold and Ansley Griffin shared scoring honors for the Lady Canes with 12 points each. Zoie Shiflett added 11 points and five rebounds. Arnold added four steals and three assists while Griffin chipped in three assists and three steals. Senai Camper posted eight points for Cartersville followed by LaKiaya Banks with seven; Jayda Cothran and Alana Williams with five each; Nayel Camper had four points and Taff Bradley added three. East Paulding (0-3) was led by Janiya White with 12 points. The Lady Canes (2-1) visit Harrison on Thursday for a 6 p.m. tip. EXCEL CHRISTIAN BOYS 70, PRAISE ACADEMY 49 The Excel Christian Academy boys won their region opener Tuesday night at Praise Academy in Powder Springs, 70-49. The Eagles led 10-4 after one quarter and were up 22-12 at halftime before pulling away in the third quarter for a 49-27 advantage. Kingston Eleazer paced Excel with 16 points. Carter May followed with 13 points. Carlos Cartagena added 11 for the Eagles. Brandon Ivey and Daniel Foote led Praise (0-5, 0-1) with 14 and 13 points, respectively. Excel (2-3, 1-0 GAPPS I-AA, Region 1) visits Christian Heritage on Friday for a 7:30 p.m. start. EAST PAULDING 64, CARTERSVILLE BOYS 55 Brayden Westbrooks scored 18 points while Nate Simmons and Jonah Hess added 12 each as East Paulding improved to 2-1 with a 64-55 win at Cartersville. Cartersville (0-1) plays on Thursday at Harrison with the tip scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ROME 49, CASS GIRLS 42 Breana Griffin led the visiting Lady Wolves with 21 points. Lilly Blanchard added 12 for Rome. Rome improved to 3-1. The Lady Colonels led 14-11 after one quarter before Rome carried a 22-19 lead to the intermission. The Lady Wolves maintained their second-half lead and were up 40-33 after three quarters. Zion Hayes paced Cass with 13 points. Kiana McDaniel scored 10 and Darianna Sosa finished with seven for the Lady Colonels. Cass is now 2-1 and plays Friday night at Lithia Springs with tip scheduled for 6 p.m. Editor's note: No local report was received but will be added when it becomes available. ROME 88, CASS BOYS 48 The Wolves built a 48-21 lead by halftime and added to their advantage in the second half Tuesday night at Cass. JJ Winston scored 23 and Braxton Wade finished with 17 points for the Wolves (1-0). Jakai Baldwin scored 15 points for the Colonels followed by Parnell Gamble with 13. Jayden Foster added eight points, “Their press really bothered us,” said Cass boys’ coach Kevin Cunningham. “We knew with limited practices that execution might be a problem. We will really work on playing under control at full speed this week at practice.” Cass (0-3) visits Lithia Springs on Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

November 25, 2023 The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes and the Coffee Trojans will go head-to-head next week at Weinman Stadium following their state quarterfinal wins on Friday night. The Canes cruised to a 35-0 home win over Jenkins of Savannah while the host Trojans shut out Cass in Douglas. CARTERSVILLE 35, JENKINS 0 ~~ Kevin Pate / WBHF Sports contributed to this report. The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes reached the Final Four of the Class 5A GHSA football playoffs on Friday night, securing a 35-0 victory over the visiting Jenkins Warriors. Cartersville started the scoring on its opening possession. The Canes marched 65 yards to the end zone with Khristian Lando finishing off the drive with a touchdown run. In the early moments of the second quarter, Lando culminated another Cartersville drive with a 2-yard touchdown plunge. Then late in the second quarter, Andrew Purdy contributed a 43-yard touchdown run, building the Canes a 21-0 lead at halftime. The Cartersville defense performed admirably throughout forcing Jenkins to punt on every first-half possession. In contrast, the Cartersville offense effectively ran the football from the beginning. (L-R) Nate Russell and Malichi Toliver; Luke McBride; Andrew Purdy; and Cole Crawford.) Cartersville continued their scoring momentum in the third quarter. Richard Houston added a 1-yard scoring run and Nate Russell connected with Kendrick Price for a 30-yard touchdown strike. Those two touchdowns, along with the Ryan Johnson PAT kicks, extended the Hurricanes’ advantage to 35-0 and completed the scoring. With a running clock in the fourth quarter, Cartersville comfortably advanced to the state semifinals. The Canes will host the top-ranked Coffee Trojans next Friday night at Weinman Stadium. The other Class 5A semifinal will feature No. 3 Jefferson at No. 2 Creekside. COFFEE 30, CASS 0 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com The Cass Colonels had their 2023 playoff run come to a close on the road Friday night with a 30-0 loss at top-ranked Coffee. The Trojans’ defense, which has not allowed more than 14 points in a game all season, earned its sixth shutout with a “bend-but-don’t break” effort.  The Colonels had some offensive success between the 20s, but Coffee kept Cass off the scoreboard for the night. A frustrating night for the Cass offense saw the Colonels drive into plus territory (across the 50-yard line) on five of eight possessions. Of those five drives, Cass reached inside the Coffee 35-yard line four times with two drives reaching the red zone. Yet the Colonels were shut out for the first time since their season-opener at Rome in the Corky Kell Classic. Coffee star runningback Fred Brown (the state's leading rusher in Class 5A, now at 2,099 yards) collected the bulk of the Trojans’ yardage with multiple power runs. He added an occasional chunk play including a 51-yard rumble late in the third quarter and finished with 173 yards and a touchdown. Each time the Trojans scored, Brown yielded the touchdown run to teammate Tyrese Hansley who scored three times on runs of 2-, 3-, and 13 yards. A Cass defensive stop on a 4th-and-goal play at the 1-yard line ultimately turned into the first points of the night for the Trojans. On the Colonels’ first down, a direct snap play to Devin Henderson from their own 1-yard line, the Cass senior was tackled before he could escape his own end zone and the safety gave Coffee a 2-0 lead with 6:33 remaining in the first quarter. Following the ensuing free kick by Cass, the Trojans started with a short field at the Cass 38-yard line. Coffee struck quickly with quarterback Maurice Hansley connecting with Pat McCall for a 32-yard touchdown that gave Coffee a 9-0 lead with 4:26 left in the first period. Cass stormed back down the field with their next possession but a Brodie McWhorter pass was picked off by Coffee’s Tyno Edwards inside the 10-yard line. His electric interception return to the Cass 9-yard line set up the Trojans’ next score. Three plays later, Tyrese Hansley punched in a 2-yard run for a 16-0 Coffee lead. The two teams traded possessions for the remainder of the half giving the Trojans a two-score lead at the intermission. In the second half, the Colonels were again able to move the ball between the 20-yard lines, but were repeatedly stopped once they neared scoring position. Meanwhile, the Trojans leaned heavily on their rushing attack led by Brown, the state’s leading rusher in Class 5A. He was occasionally relieved by Hansley including a pair of touchdown runs with 4:10 and 0:16 left in the third quarter. With Coffee up 30-0 to begin the fourth quarter, the game became a “running clock” for the fourth quarter. Cass had one final long drive in the fourth quarter that included a fake punt and pass from McWhorter to Sacovie White, but turned the ball over on downs in the final minute inside the red zone. Coffee remained unbeaten on the season at 13-0 and will make the trip to Weinman Stadium next Friday to take on the Cartersville Hurricanes (13-0) in the state semifinals. Cass had its season come to an end with a 7-6 mark and its first return trip to the state quarterfinals in 40 years.

November 27, 2023 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Former Cartersville High quarterback Trevor Lawrence scored his third rushing touchdown in the past two weeks and helped lead the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 24-21 win at the Houston Texans on Sunday. The victory improved Jacksonville's AFC South lead to two games. NFL TREVOR LAWRENCE — Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL; 3rd-yr. pro; QB; Clemson; Cartersville HS) … was 23-for-38 passing for 364 yards and one touchdown Sunday in a 24-21 win at the Houston Texans. He added a one-yard touchdown keeper in the second quarter. His TD pass was also a one-yarder to Calvin Ridley in the third quarter. The same duo connected for a two-point conversion that made the score 21-14 at the time. Jacksonville (8-3) continues to lead the AFC South and will host the Cincinnati Bengals next Monday night. NBA G-LEAGUE ASHTON HAGANS — — Rip City Remix (4th yr. pro; Cartersville native; Kentucky; Newton HS) … started both games this past Friday and Sunday at home against the Salt Lake City Stars. In the first game of the pair, he scored 18 points with four rebounds, four assists, and four steals in a 113-110 win. On Sunday, he finished with 10 points, five rebounds, six assists, and two steals in a 102-89 loss. Rip City (4-4) plays at the West Division-leading Santa Cruz Warriors on Friday and Saturday night. COLLEGE FOOTBALL JONAH GAMBILL — University of Memphis (R-Jr., Cartersville HS) … an offensive line starter and contributor to an offense that produced 440 yards in a 45-21 win over Temple in Philadelphia. The Tigers (9-3, 6-2 American Athletic Conference) now await their bowl fate, which will be announced on Sunday, Dec. 3 SHADRE HURST — Tulane University (R-Fr., Cartersville HS) … a starter on the Green Wave’s offensive line which produced 352 yards of total offense this past Saturday in a 29-16 home win over UTSA. 17th-ranked Tulane (11-1, 8-0 American Athletic Conference) plays SMU in the AAC Championship Game this Saturday afternoon in New Orleans. SAM PHILLIPS — UT-Chattanooga (R-So., Cartersville HS) … made six catches for 74 yards in the Mocs’ 24-21 FCS playoff win this past Saturday at 13th-ranked Austin Peay. UTC advances to play at 7th-ranked Furman on Saturday at 1 p.m. DEVONTE ROSS — Troy University (So., Cartersville HS) … caught three passes for 52 yards including a 24-yarder this past Saturday as the Trojans won at Southern Miss, 35-17. Ross now has 36 receptions for 405 yards and three touchdowns this season. Troy (10-2, 7-1) will host Appalachian State on Saturday afternoon in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game. EVAN SLOCUM — Wake Forest University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … as a starting defensive back, Slocum made five tackles including four solo this past Saturday in a 35-31 loss at Syracuse. He finished the 2023 season with 29 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception, one pass breakup, and one fumble recovery playing in 11 games. He now has 94 tackles in his career with the Demon Deacons who finished 4-8 this season and 1-7 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. BEACH VOLLEYBALL LAUREN LAWSON — Grand Canyon University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … participating in the 7s & 8s bracket with partner Annabella Howerton, the duo went 2-2 at the Lopes Invitational in Phoenix on November 4-5 and finished tied for third with a duo from Boise State. GCU’s 2024 beach volleyball season will begin in February with the Lopes participating in the newly formed Mountain Pacific Sports Federation that will include departing members of the Pac 12. In addition to Grand Canyon, the MPSF will include California, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, USC, and Washington. WRESTLING JAXON SMITH — University of Maryland (So., Woodland HS) … ranked 10th in the nation in the 197-pound division, Smith won an 8-2 decision last Monday (Nov. 20) over 18th-ranked Mac Stout but the Terps lost to Pittsburgh, 21-16. Maryland (1-1 in duals) heads to the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Friday and Saturday. BASKETBALL BRAXTON BENHAM — Berry College (Jr., Cass HS) … scored 14 points and collected five rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one steal last Tuesday night in a 91-69 win at LaGrange College. Benham added 11 points with eight rebounds, six assists, two steals, and one blocked shot in a 90-72 home loss Sunday to Emory University. The Vikings (2-3) host Maryville College (Tennessee) on Wednesday and travel to Atlanta to take on Oglethorpe University on Saturday. ZAYLAN CHANEY — Tallahassee CC (So., Cartersville resident; Legacy Prep) … in three wins last week, the 6-7 forward totaled 24 points, 21 rebounds, five assists, six steals, and two blocked shots as the Eagles topped South Georgia Tech, Miami-Dade, and Hinds CC. Tallahassee (7-1) plays at Gordon State on Tuesday night and will play Daytona State CC on Sunday at the Santa Fe Shootout. CLAIRE DAVIS — Palm Beach Atlantic University (So., Cass HS) … in two games this past weekend at the Nova Southeastern Thanksgiving Classic, she scored eight points with six rebounds, one assist, and three steals in a 63-52 win over Daemen University. Davis then posted 10 points, six boards, one assist, and one steal in a 73-58 loss to Purdue Northwest. PBAU begins Sunshine State Conference play at Barry University on Wednesday night and hosts Rollins University on Saturday. JA’KA’YAH DRAUGHN — Chattanooga State CC (Fr., Cartersville HS) … came off the bench last Tuesday to score two points, grab one rebound, and added one assist in a 79-53 Tigers’ home win over Georgia Highlands CC. Chattanooga State (5-0, 2-0 TCCAA) hosts Motlow State on Wednesday night. JUSTICE HAYES — Point University (Jr., Cass HS) … scored three points and had one rebound in an 86-66 exhibition loss last Monday at West Georgia. The Skyhawks (5-3, 0-2 Appalachian Athletic Conference) host Loyola-New Orleans on Thursday and the University of Mobile on Saturday afternoon. DiANTHONY HEATHCOCK — Columbia International University (Sr., Woodland HS) … in an 89-53 home conference win over Bluefield University last Tuesday he scored six points and grabbed six rebounds with one blocked shot and one steal. In a pair of Thanksgiving Tournament losses in Kingsport, Tennessee, Heathcock totaled 23 points, 17 rebounds, two steals, and one blocked shot in an 86-54 loss to Indiana-Kokomo and a 72-70 loss to Cumberland University (Tennessee). CIU (6-3, 5-0 Appalachian Athletic Conference) visits Knoxville to play at Johnson University on Wednesday and travels to Kentucky Christian University on Saturday. HALEY JOHNSON — Central Georgia Tech CC (So., Cass HS) … made a start and did not score but had five rebounds, two assists, and two steals in a 79-58 loss last Tuesday at Spartanburg Methodist. CGTCC (1-7) hosts Southern Union State CC on Wednesday night. KEARA McDANIEL — Toccoa Falls College (So., Cass HS) … had one rebound but did not score in limited action during a 59-49 exhibition loss this past Saturday at Young Harris College. Toccoa Falls (7-1) hosts Carolina University on Wednesday and plays at Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon. T.J. PRINTUP — Tusculum University (R-Fr., Adairsville HS) … scored eight points and gathered four rebounds with one blocked shot last Tuesday in an 84-73 home loss to 7th-ranked University of North Georgia. The Pioneers (2-2) visit Lees-McRae on Monday night before hosting Anderson University on Saturday afternoon. LONDAISHA SMITH — Salem University (Jr., Cass HS) … scored two points and had one rebound last Tuesday in an 85-65 loss at Wheeling University. Salem (1-5) hosts Concord University on Wednesday night and visits Glenville State on Saturday afternoon.

The Adairsville boys basketball team fell in double overtime Wednesday evening at the Ridgeland Thanksgiving Classic in Rossville. East Hamilton (TN) made a free throw with 1.1 remaining in the second overtime to score the deciding point in a 64-63 win. The Tigers, who trailed 22-16, 35-29, and 43-35 at the end of the first three periods, rallied in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime.  After the teams matched scoring in the first extra session, the teams battled in a second four-minute overtime period. Ashton Munson scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Hurricanes. Adairsville was led by Tay Jackson who scored 11 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter to help force the overtime. Ben Abernathy contributed 13 points and Zach Postell had 12 for the Tigers. East Hamilton improved to 1-3 on the season. Adairsville (0-2) will host Woodland on Tuesday, November 28 at 7:30 p.m.