The Colonels received a pair of goals from Camden Hillhouse -- one in each half -- Friday night in a 2-1 home win over the Ringgold Tigers at Cochran Stadium. Alex Hernandez assisted on the first goal in the 20th minute and the two teams stalemated for the rest of the first half. In the 55th minute, the Tigers got an equalizing goal sending the game into the final minutes knotted at 1-1. In the 75th minute, Hillhouse booted home the game-winner for the Colonels in an unassisted effort. "The Hernandez-Hillhouse duo has been hot lately," noted Cass coach Justin Fitzgerald, "Camden has nine goals in our last three games and Alex has five assists and four goals in that same stretch." The loss for Ringgold was their first of the season as they slipped to 2-1. The Colonels (4-4) travel to South Paulding on Tuesday for a 5:30 p.m. kickoff. LADY COLONELS SHUTOUT BY TIGERS The Cass girls' soccer team suffered a 3-0 loss to visiting Ringgold Friday night. Ringgold evened its season record at 1-1-1 with their road win. Cass (2-6) plays at South Paulding Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m.

The Adairsville girls and boys soccer teams earned Region 6-AAA wins Friday night at Lafayette with the Lady Tigers defeating the Lady Ramblers 5-3 and the Tigers topping the Ramblers, 3-1. At Woodland, the Lady Cats collected their first win of the season by routing the Osborne Lady Cardinals, 11-2. ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS 5, LAFAYETTE 3 Playing in sloppy pitch conditions, the Lady Tigers trailed 2-1 at halftime Friday night at Lafayette before chasing down the host Ramblers in the second half to send the game to overtime tied at 3-3. In the first of the two, 10-minute overtime periods Lizzie LeMay scored twice to lift Adairsville to a region win. LeMay scored the Lady Tigers’ first goal in the 33rd minute unassisted to keep Adairsville within striking range at the intermission. After falling behind, Gabi Becerra narrowed the Adairsville deficit to 3-2 in the 66th minute off an assist from Jordyn Hartline. Elle Causby then scored the equalizer in the 77th minute to send the game to the extra periods. Hartline assisted on the Causby goal. LeMay’s overtime goals came in the 2nd and 4th minutes of the first overtime. Victoria Loudon assisted on the go-ahead score and Hartline had the assist on the insurance goal. The loss drops Lafayette to 0-4-1 on the season and 0-1 in region play. Adairsville (6-2, 1-0) plays a non-region match at Pickens Tuesday. ADAIRSVILLE BOYS 3, LAFAYETTE 1 Blade Benefield scored twice and JJ Grimaldo had one goal Friday night as the Tigers rallied in the second half to start Region 6-AAA play with a win. In a game played in heavy rain and soggy field conditions, Lafayette (1-4, 0-1) scored the game’s first goal early in the second half off a penalty kick. The Tigers responded with three unanswered goals for their victory. Adairsville (3-5, 1-0) visits Pickens Tuesday and plays at Temple on Friday. WOODLAND GIRLS 11, OSBORNE 2 Libby Morgan scored four goals while Reagan Weightman and Brionna Carver scored three times each as the Lady Cats cruised to an 11-2 win Friday night over the Osborne Cardinals. Woodland took control of the contest in the first half and led 6-1 at the intermission. Morgan’s goals were scored in the 7th, 11th, 53rd, and 72nd minutes. She also had three assists on the night. Weightman scored in the 5th, 15th, and 35th minutes and added a pair of assists. Carver’s goals were in the 67th, 70th, and 77th minutes to go with one assist. Samantha Nycum added a goal for the Lady Cats in the 33rd minute and she also recorded a pair of assists. Regan Gardner and Abbigail Duncan added one assist apiece. The loss dropped the Osborne girls to 1-4 on the season. Woodland (1-3-1) visits Heritage-Catoosa Tuesday for a 5:30 p.m. kickoff prior to opening Region 7-5A play next Friday (March 3) at 5:30 p.m. at Cartersville.

The Cartersville Lady Canes had their post-season run come to a close Friday night with a 44-31 loss at Midtown in Atlanta. Cartersville led through most of the first half and held a 14-5 lead at the end of the first quarter and a 20-18 advantage at the intermission. The Knights of Midtown surged in the second half for a come-from-behind win. Midtown outscored Cartersville 9-4 in the third quarter to take a 27-24 lead and pulled away in the final eight minutes for an eventual 44-31 victory. Cate Barton led Midtown with 16 points. Sinclair Richman followed with ten and Briaiah Lewis added nine. Kaytlin Arnold scored nine points to lead Cartersville. Senai Camper finished with eight. Ansley Griffin finished with six points. Campbell Rogers and Taff Bradley contributed four each and Nayel Camper added two for the Lady Canes. Midtown improved to 22-8 on the season and advanced to the Elite Eight next week. The Lady Knights will travel to Warner Robins for the Class 5A quarterfinals. Cartersville’s season comes to a close with a 17-11 record. DAWSON COUNTY 58, ADAIRSVILLE 37 The host Dawson County Lady Tigers took the lead midway through the second quarter Friday night and pulled away in the second half to eliminate the Lady Tigers of Adairsville in the Sweet Sixteen round of the Class AAA State Tournament. Adairsville held a slim 13-11 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Dawson County outscored Adairsville 17-9 in the second period to lead 28-22 at halftime. Adairsville then went scoreless for over four minutes to start the third quarter and trailed 43-24 by the end of the third quarter. From there, Dawson County held on for a 21-point victory. Dawson County (16-14) advances to the Elite Eight and will visit Calvary Day (Savannah) next week. Adairsville finishes the 2022-23 campaign with a 14-15 record.

Woodland pitcher Hunter Shirley scattered a pair of hits and three walks while striking out seven in a seven-inning, complete-game shutout of Union County Friday afternoon at the Pickens Mountain Classic in Jasper. Shirley (7 IP, 0R, 2H, 3BB, 7K) faced just 26 batters and had only one baserunner to reach third base in the shutout. Ayden Ray had three hits for the Wildcats including a double and two RBIs. Jakiyon Porter contributed two hits and two RBIs. Mason Williams finished with a hit and two RBIs. Conner Lujan had a hit and one RBI. Brett Good (triple), Chase Carson (double), and Julian Wright added one hit apiece in the win. Union County remained winless at 0-7 on the season. Woodland (4-2) returns to action next Thursday (Mar. 2) at home against Pepperell at 5:55 p.m.

The Colonels fell behind early and did not recover in a 9-4 home loss to Rome played at LakePoint in Emerson. The win by the Wolves gave them a split in the two-game, home-and-home series with Cass. The Colonels won 7-3 at Rome on February 17. Rome built a 5-0 lead through the first four innings and added four more insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Cass scored a single run in the fifth and posted three runs in the bottom of the seventh but their late rally came up short. Bryson Thacker (5.1 IP, 4ER, 4H, 2BB, 14K) fanned fourteen Colonels while earning the pitching win. Cass starter Trenton Payne (3 IP, 3R, 1ER, 4H, 2K) suffered the pitching loss. Chase Tatum (0.2 IP, 2ER, 2H, 3BB), Hunter Lovett (2.1 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB, 3K), and Devan Hutchinson (1 IP, 4R, 2ER, 2H, 1BB, 3K) also pitched for the Colonels. Jesiel Moctezuma had two hits including a double and three RBIs. Carson Hill, Connor Jenkins, and Wesley Collins added one hit each. Nic Wright was credited with one RBI. Rome improved to 4-2. Cass (2-1) hosts Heritage-Conyers Friday at 5:55 p.m. and will play at Pickens Saturday at 10 a.m. in the Mountain Classic.

The Woodland High School tennis teams lost matches at Rockmart Thursday evening with the Wildcats falling 3-2 in a closely contested contest. The Lady Cats dropped a 5-0 decision to the Lady Jackets. ROCKMART 3, WOODLAND BOYS 2 Woodland Singles Line 1 — Peter Heins lost 7-5, 4-6, 9-11 Line 2 — Domenic Ciavarro won 6-1, 6-0 Line 3 — Cadyn Wade won 6-0, 6-0 Woodland Doubles Line 1 — Jathan Camp / Titus Bagley lost 7-5, 3-6, 8-10 Line 2 — Jack Gore / Mason Williams lost 6-7, 1-6 ROCKMART 5, WOODLAND GIRLS 0 Woodland Singles Line 1 — Jalyn Womack lost 1-6, 2-6 Line 2 — Abby Cates lost 1-6, 0-6 Line 3 — Ally Schmanski lost 3-6, 2-6 Woodland Doubles Line 1 — Jolie Fannin / Kathryn Kovacic lost 0-6, 3-6 Line 2 — Faith Owens / Diana Librado lost 3-6, 4-6 The Woodland teams will host Adairsville next Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

The Excel Christian Academy boys basketball team pulled away from Central Christian (Sharpsburg) Thursday evening in the second half to defeat the Crusaders 75-54 and earn a spot in the Georgia Association of Private and Parochial Schools (GAPPS) Class AA state championship game. Thursday’s state semifinal action took place at Rock Springs Christian in Milner, Georgia. Excel led 21-15 after one quarter and 35-25 at halftime. The Eagles then continued to extend their advantage in the second half leading 59-43 by the end of the third quarter in an eventual 21-point state semifinal win. Kyron McClendon led Excel with 36 points which included making 15 of 16 free throw attempts. In total, the Eagles made 24 of 29 free throws as a team. Jacob Taylor scored 11 points for ECA. Jakaden Barkley followed with 10. Comari Nettles finished with seven points. David Jinks contributed six and KP Profit added five points. Rudy Steidinger led Central Christian with 18 points. Anthony Otero scored 15 for the Crusaders (17-8). Excel Christian (20-8) advances to the GAPPS AA State Championship game Saturday at 2 p.m. at Ace Academy in Macon. The Eagles will face Trinity Prep (Loganville) in the state championship game. The Lions (21-6) beat Unity Christian School (Rome) 84-63 in the semifinals.

Cartersville hurlers Ryan Johnson and Phillip Schiltz combined to strikeout 13 and gave up just four hits Thursday evening as the visiting Purple Hurricanes blanked Kennesaw Mountain 6-0. Johnson (5.2 IP, 0R, 0BB, 10K) fanned ten while working into the sixth inning. Schiltz (1.1 IP, 0R, 2H, 0BB, 3K) recorded the final four outs for the Canes. Meanwhile, the Cartersville offense produced a pair of runs in the top of the first inning and the score remained 2-0 until they added a run in the fifth. Three more Hurricane runs in the top of the seventh sealed the win. Cartersville banged out a dozen hits in the win. Landon Cole was 3-for-3 at the plate. Caleb Daniel had a pair of doubles with one RBI. Harrison Childers also doubled with two hits and one RBI. Isaac McNair-Seigler (double), Miles Owen (RBI), Pearse Mullinax, and Paul Gamble (RBI) had the other Canes’ hits. The four Mustangs hits were all singles. Their loss dropped their record to 6-2 on the year. Cartersville (4-0) visits Forsyth Central Saturday at 1 p.m.

The top-seeded Adairsville Tigers won their fourth straight game and kept visiting Carver-Atlanta winless on the season Wednesday night by eliminating the Panthers 80-56 in the opening round of the Class AAA State Tournament. The win for the Adairsville boys is their tenth in their last eleven games. Following a close first quarter where the Tigers led by just one point, the hosts began to separate in the second period and carried a 35-20 lead to the intermission. Adairsville extended the lead in the third quarter to hold a 58-36 advantage heading into the final period. Xavious Nalls poured in 28 points to lead the Tigers. Tre Winters also reached double figures with 17 points. Zach Postell followed with nine. Ben Abernathy contributed eight. Tay Jackson scored seven. Jamarian Pullum tossed in four. Chase Hilburn chipped in three with Barrett Fuller and Austin White adding two points each in the 24-point win. Adonis Winbush led Carver-Atlanta (0-26) with 23 points,. As a No. 1-seed, Adairsville advances to the Sweet Sixteen round and will host Hart County (16-12) Saturday. The Bulldogs beat Gilmer Wednesday night in the first round, 83-77.

The Woodland Wildcats pushed ahead with a three-run fifth inning Wednesday night and held on to defeat Fannin County 5-2 in a game played at the Mountain Classic at Pickens High School. Both teams scored single runs in the third inning and the Rebels took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. The Wildcats then grabbed the lead in the fifth inning and added an insurance run in the sixth. Rowan Billings (7 IP, 2R, 1ER, 4H, 4BB, 2HBP, 5K) tossed a complete-game four hitter to earn the Wildcats’ win. Billings needed 97 pitches and threw 65 percent of his pitches for strikes. Conner Stermer had two hits including a double for the Woodland offense. Ayden Ray contributed a double and one RBI. Carson Waits and Conner Lujan had the other Wildcats’ hits. The loss drops Fannin County to 2-1 on the season, Woodland (3-2) will play Union County Friday at 2 p.m. also at the Pickens Mountain Classic.

The Cass boys basketball team raced to a 20-7 lead in the first quarter Wednesday night at Jefferson and maintained a nice lead throughout in a 68-49 first round win in the Class 5A State Tournament. The Colonels led 40-20 at halftime and led 56-32 at the end of the third quarter on their way to a 19-point victory. Sacovie White led five Cass starters in double figures with 17 points. Jakai Baldwin followed with 13. Jayden Foster scored 12 points. Devin Henderson finished with 11 and Jelani Hames tossed in 10 points. Jason Brown Harmon and Tayvion McKibbons added three and two points, respectively. Jaden Butts and Micah Hooper led the Dragons (10-18) with 12 and 10 points. Cass (15-13) advances to the Class 5A Sweet Sixteen round and will visit Region 5-5A champion Chapel Hill Saturday. The Panthers (21-8) beat Chattahoochee 60-51 in Wednesday’s opening round.

The Cartersville boys basketball team had its 2022-23 season come to an end Wednesday night with a 53-41 loss at Region 8-5A champion Winder-Barrow in the first round of the Class 5A State Tournament. The host Bulldoggs led 16-5 at the end of the opening quarter; 27-18 at the intermission; and 42-27 by the end of the third quarter before holding off the Canes for a 12-point win. Jeremiah Holloway led Winder-Barrow with 13 points. Jerrin Samuel finished with 10 points for the Bulldoggs. Romo Pace led Cartersville with 12 points. Jaylen Scott scored nine and Tyren Milner added seven points for the Purple Hurricanes. Winder-Barrow (20-8) advances to the Sweet Sixteen round of the Class 5A State Tournament and will host Mays on Saturday. Cartersville has its season end with a 12-16 mark.