The Woodland High basketball teams lost their opening games last Friday night at East Paulding with the Lady Cats falling 37-30 and the Wildcats losing 57-42. The Lady Cats trailed 11-1 at the end of the first quarter and were behind by 15 points at halftime. Woodland trailed by as many as 20 in the third quarter before limiting the host Lady Raiders to just three points over the final 11 minutes of the game. Reagan Weightman led the Lady Cats with nine points. Megan Schultz and Kasidee Wall followed with seven points apiece. The Woodland boys trailed East Paulding 11-5 after one quarter and were behind 30-15 at halftime before playing the Raiders even in the second half. Zyon Heath led three Woodland players in double figures with 13 points. He added six rebounds. Isaiah Livsey and Brelace Williams followed with 12 points and seven boards each. The Lady Cats (0-1) and Wildcats (0-1) play at Coosa Thursday night with the girls tipping at 6 p.m.

The Cass Colonels built a 27-0 lead through the first 17 minutes Saturday night at Region 8-5A champion Jefferson and held on to slay the Dragons, 27-17, in the first round of the Class AAAAA state playoffs at Jefferson Memorial Stadium. Freshman quarterback Brodie McWhorter tossed three touchdown passes in the first half and the Colonels’ defense came up with several key stops to help secure the victory. Cass also took advantage of four Jefferson turnovers. Cass started at its own 35-yard line after the opening kickoff sailed out of bounds. On the second play from scrimmage, McWhorter hit a streaking Sacovie White for a 61-yard touchdown giving the Colonels a 7-0 lead just 45 seconds into the game. Saul Viella added the PAT kick. On the next Cass possession, the Colonels drove 86 yards for a touchdown. The key play of the drive was a 47-yard pass reception by Devin Henderson. Two plays later, McWhorter found an open Jashaun Brown-Whatley for a 9-yard touchdown. The PAT kick failed, but Cass held a 13-0 lead with 4:02 remaining in the first quarter. The first Jefferson turnover added to the Colonels’ lead. Kevin Henderson, playing with a cast on his broken hand, batted a Jefferson pass into the air, caught it, and returned it 22 yards for a third Cass touchdown. Viella’s kick had Cass up, 20-0 with 2:07 left in the opening quarter. McWhorter’s second touchdown pass to Brown-Whatley enabled the Colonels to again score points off a Dragons’ turnover. Following a Jefferson fumble at their own 26-yard line, it took Cass just three plays to score. An 11-yard pass from McWhorter to Brown-Whatley had Cass up 27-0 with 6:54 remaining in the second quarter. Jefferson finally got on the scoreboard with their next possession. Dragons’ quarterback Max Aldridge marched Jefferson 58-yards on 11 plays. A 7-yard touchdown pass from Aldridge to Talan Childress capped the drive with 2:59 remaining in the first half. Owen Butts made the PAT to make the score 27-7 at halftime. The game evolved into more of a defensive struggle in the second half. The Colonels remained pinned by poor field possession for the bulk of the third quarter. With 4:16 left in the third quarter, Jefferson got on the scoreboard again with a safety. A punt snap got away from Viella and he was forced to fall on the loose ball in the endzone with 4:16 to go in the third quarter. The miscue reduced the Cass lead to 27-9. The Dragons added the game’s final points early in the fourth quarter. Sammy Brown culminated the drive with 10:39 remaining. His 6-yard touchdown run was followed by a Logan Jefferson two-point conversion run that made the score 27-17. Down the stretch of the fourth quarter there were numerous key plays for the Colonels on both sides of the ball. Mac Nelson had a pair of crucial runs to keep a drive alive and allowed Cass to take minutes off the clock before turning the ball back over to the Dragons. Brown-Whatley had a catch for a first down in the fourth quarter and — after Jefferson took over on downs with 2:59 to play — sophomore defensive lineman Kaden Ellis had a sack and wreaked havoc in the middle. The season ends for Jefferson with an 8-3 record. Cass (5-6) advances to play Mays in the second round. The Raiders eliminated Centennial Saturday night, 44-16.

Cartersville senior quarterback Paul Gamble threw four touchdown passes Saturday night as the Purple Hurricanes handled Clarke Central 43-10 in the opening round of the Class 5A state playoffs at Weinman Stadium. Gamble tossed a 66-yard touchdown to Kendrick Price for the Canes first touchdown in the first quarter. Collin Fletcher ran in a two-point conversion that gave Cartersville an 8-0 lead. The Gladiators drove down the field on their next possession, but a fourth down, incomplete pass in the end zone ended the visitors’ chance to score. After exchanges of punts, the Gladiators drove to scoring position again, but settled for a short field goal to make the score 8-3 near the midway point of the second quarter. On the Canes’ ensuing possession, Gamble connected with Richard Houston for a 76-yard touchdown pass and a 15-3 lead after Ryan Johnson’s PAT kick. Three minutes later, Clarke Central narrowed the Canes’ lead to 15-10 with a Kendrick Curry touchdown run. The Glads’ score came with just over four minutes remaining in the first half. Malachi Jeffries scored next for the Canes on a two-yard rushing touchdown. His run extended the Cartersville lead to 22-10 at halftime. The Hurricanes added to their lead early in the third quarter. After stopping Clarke Central on downs, Gamble hit Jamauri Brice with a 60-yard touchdown strike to build a 29-10 Cartersville lead. Late in the third quarter, Romo Pace picked off a Gladiators’ pass and returned it for a touchdown to give the Canes a 36-10 advantage. Khristian Lando broke free for a 46-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the third quarter. His scoring jaunt pushed the Cartersville lead to 43-10 and set up a running clock fourth quarter that yielded no more scoring plays. Clarke Central finished the year with a 5-6 record. Cartersville (10-1), ranked No. 3 in Class 5A, travels to Cambridge next Friday night for the second round of the playoffs. Cambridge (9-2), the Region 6-5A champions, defeated Jackson 27-20 in the first round.

The Adairsville Tigers started fast Saturday afternoon and controlled the action most of the day in a 55-20 home, Class AAA first round playoff game over the Douglass Astros. Placekicker Arthur Lefler kicked the Tigers to an opening possession with an onside kick and recovery on his own on the opening kickoff of the game. Ninety-one seconds later, Ethan Blome scored on a six-yard run to cap a five-play drive. Cooper Souders’ PAT gave the Tigers an early 7-0 lead. Douglass came right back down the field. The Astros needed just four plays scoring on a 40-yard touchdown run by Antoine Walker with 9:41 to go in the first quarter. The Douglass PAT kick failed. Chris Roper’s ensuing kickoff return to the Adairsville 40-yard line gave the Tigers great field position. Runs by Blome, Roper, and quarterback Jonathan Gough moved Adairsville into scoring position. Roper scored on a direct snap with 7:04 to go in the opening period to make the score 14-6. Following an Astros’ fumble recovered by Hayden Blalock, Gough connected with Grayson Belcher for a 34-yard scoring strike. The touchdown pass gave Adairsville a 21-6 lead with 6:24 remaining in the first quarter. On the next Douglass possession, the Tigers defense got a stop and blocked a fourth down punt. The Adairsville recovery at the 10-yard line set up Blome’s 10-yard touchdown run on the first play. The Tigers had a 27-6 lead after the kick failed. The Astros drove to the Adairsville 14-yard line on their next possession, but a Tre Winters pass break up on fourth down stopped the scoring threat. Roper then broke off a 71-yard run at the end of the first quarter to set up the next Tigers’ score. Two Kolt McCord runs later, Adairsville led 34-6 two plays into the second period. The final score of the first half was a 1-yard run by Wilson with just under four minutes left in the half to make the score 34-13. Adairsville drove to the 20-yard line with 20 seconds left in the first half, but turned the ball over on downs to lead by 21 points at the intermission. The Tigers marched for a long, methodical scoring drive to start the third quarter. Chris Roper capped the crive with 7:16 to go in the period to give the Tigers a 41-13 lead. A long Douglass pass completion from Demari Wilson to Anthony Harris set up an 11-yard touchdown pass. Wilson connected with Watkins on the scoring play to make the score 41-20. On Adairsville’s next possession, McCord had a long run to the Astros’ four-yard line to set up a 4-yard touchdown pass from Gough to Roper with 8:22 to go in the third quarter. Peyton Bowen added a 6-yard touchdown run for Adairsville to build a 55-20 lead. Wilson then tossed a 48-yard touchdown pass to Kenneth Johnson for a final Douglass touchdown and a 55-26 final score. Adairsville (10-1) will host Oconee County next Friday in the Class AAA second round. Oconee County defeated Lumpkin County in the first round, 49-21.

The Excel Christian Academy girls' basketball program played its first game since the 2016-17 season Friday night and dropped a 72-19 decision at Central Christian School in Sharpsburg. The host Crusaders (1-2) led 22-4 after one quarter and 42-6 at the intermission. Natalie Schneider led five Central players in double-figure scoring with 16 points. Chae Vieira scored 12 points for the Lady Eagles and Amanda Davidson added seven. Excel Christian (0-1) hosts Oakwood Christian of Chickamauga Tuesday night at 6 p.m.

The Excel Christian boys basketball team outscored visiting Cornerstone Prep 18-4 in the third quarter Thursday night to pull away for a 73-36 win in their season opener. Cornerstone led 12-10 after one period and Excel held a narrow 23-21 advantage at the intermission, but the host Eagles distanced themselves from the Cougars in the second half. Jacob Taylor led Excel with 30 points. Jakaden Barkley followed with 15. Camari Nettles and David Jinx chipped in seven each. Christian Viera scored six while Trey Webb and Matthew Viera added four apiece for the Eagles. Carson Hicks led Cornerstone (1-3) with 10 points. Excel Christian (1-0) hosts Oakwood Christian of Chickamauga Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. The Excel girls' basketball team debuts Friday night at Central Christian of Sharpsburg in a 6:30 p.m. tip.

We have entered the cross-over time of the year for college sports with most Fall sports beginning to wind down as the Winter schedules are getting underway. In this week’s ABB report, former Bartow County athletes at the college and pro levels have contributed in seven different sports with their respective teams and programs. This past week in the NFL, former Cartersville High signal caller Trevor Lawrence helped rally the Jacksonville Jaguars to their third win of the season while college athletes made marks in football, cross country, volleyball, soccer, swimming, wrestling, and basketball. NFL TREVOR LAWRENCE — Jacksonville Jaguars (2nd yr. pro; Clemson; Cartersville HS) … threw a third quarter touchdown pass and was 25-for-31 for 235 yards with no interceptions in a 27-20 home win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The Jaguars trailed 20-7 late in the second quarter but rallied for a second half comeback. Lawrence’s touchdown pass was from 7 yards out to Christian Kirk with 10:15 remaining in the third quarter. The touchdown narrowed the Raiders’ lead to 20-17 at the time and capped a nine-play, 45-yard drive. The 23-year-old quarterback also rushed for 53 yards on six attempts including a 24-yard run. He was 15-of-16 for 133 yards and a touchdown in the second half to help rally the Jags. Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson told the team’s website the NFL draft overall number one pick played solid. ““I thought he played within himself. He really managed the offense, the situations, made some tough throws, got out of some tough throws, got out of some sack situations, ran hard. [He] just took a step in the right direction. That’s all you can ask from your quarterback.” Lawrence did have one turnover, a fumble in the first quarter. Jacksonville (3-6) is in third place in the AFC South and plays at the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday afternoon. COLLEGE FOOTBALL KOLBE BENHAM — Marist College (R-Fr., Cartersville HS) … made one tackle in the Red Foxes 31-21 win last Saturday at Morehead State. Marist (4-5, 4-3 Pioneer Football League) hosts Valparaiso Saturday at noon. BRYCE BURGESS — Reinhardt University (Sr., Adairsville HS) … rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns on 10 attempts in the Eagles’ 48-21 home win over Point University last Saturday. His touchdowns were a 2-yarder in the second quarter and from 20-yards in the third period. Reinhardt (7-1, 4-0 Appalachian Athletic Conference) plays at Union College (Kentucky) Saturday afternoon. HAYDEN CAGLE — Berry College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … as an offensive lineman Cagle was part of a unit that produced 546 total yards (333 rushing / 213 passing) in a 63-14 victory at Sewanee. The Vikings (6-3, 4-2) host Hendrix College Saturday afternoon. CARLOS DEL RIO-WILSON — Syracuse University (R-Fr., Cartersville HS) … started at quarterback going 8-for-23 passing for 120 yards. He also rushed 14 times for a net seven yards in a 19-9 loss last Saturday at Pittsburgh. Syracuse suffered a third straight loss after starting the season 6-0. The Orange (6-3, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) host 25th-ranked Florida State Saturday night. JORDAN FERGUSON — Middle Tennessee State University (R-Sr., Cartersville HS) … made nine total tackles including a pair of sacks in a Blue Raiders’ 40-24 loss last Saturday at Louisiana Tech. MTSU (4-5, 1-4 Conference USA) entertains Charlotte Saturday afternoon. DYLAN FORMAN — Shorter University (R-Jr., Woodland HS) … was a participant but recorded no stats in the Hawks’ home 31-14 win last Saturday over North Greenville University. Shorter (3-7, 1-6 Gulf South Conference) finishes up the regular season Saturday at Valdosta State. JONAH GAMBILL — University of Memphis (So., Cartersville HS) … a starter on the Tigers’ offensive line that produced 433 total yards (284 passing / 149 rushing) in a 35-28 loss to visiting 22nd-ranked UCF last Saturday. The Tigers (4-5, 2-4 American Athletic Conference) host Tulsa Thursday night on ESPN. QUANTE JENNINGS — Presbyterian College (So., Cartersville HS) … saw playing time, but had no stats in a Blue Hose 52-28 home conference loss to Dayton. Presbyterian (1-9, 0-7 Pioneer Football League) finishes the regular season November 19 at Stetson. JaCOREY JOHNS — Wake Forest University (R-Jr., Cartersville HS) … made three tackles including one tackle for loss in the Demon Deacons’ 30-21 loss last Saturday at No. 17 N.C. State. Wake Forest (6-3, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) plays No. 15 North Carolina at home Saturday night. ANDREW NGUYEN — Berry College (Fr., Cass HS) … made one tackle for a loss last Saturday in the Vikings’ 63-14 home win over Sewanee-University of the South. Berry (6-3, 4-2 Southern Athletic Association) hosts Hendrix College Saturday. SAM PHILLIPS — UT-Chattanooga (So., Cartersville HS) … made one catch for seven yards last Saturday in the 12th-ranked Moccasins’ 31-21 win at The Citadel. Chattanooga (7-2, 5-1 Southern Conference) hosts 10th-ranked Samford Saturday. JACOB RAY — Berry College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … made seven tackles (five solo) including credit for 2.5 for loss in Berry’s 63-14 home win over Sewanee. He was also credited with one forced fumble in the first quarter. The Vikings (6-3, 4-2 Southern Athletic Association) host Hendrix College Saturday. COURTNEY SLOCUM — Mars Hill University (Jr., Adairsville HS) … was a participant last Saturday but recorded no stats in the Lions’ 34-27 conference win at home over Tusculum University. Mars Hill (7-2, 7-1 South Atlantic Conference) plays for the conference championship Saturday at Newberry College (South Carolina). EVAN SLOCUM — Wake Forest University (So., Cartersville HS) … made five tackles (four solo) in the Deacons’ 30-21 road loss at 17th-ranked N.C. State. Wake Forest (6-3, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) entertains 15th-ranked North Carolina Saturday. BRANDON WADE — University of West Florida (Grad Student, Cartersville HS) … made three tackles last Saturday from his defensive tackle position as the 8th-ranked Argonauts won at Valdosta State, 32-31. UWF (8-1, 6-1 Gulf South Conference) has now won six straight and completes the regular season slate Saturday afternoon at Mississippi College. CROSS COUNTRY BILL ARCHER — University of Montevallo (So., Cartersville HS) … ran fifth for the Falcons as Montevallo placed fourth last Saturday at the 8K Gulf South Conference Championship. Archer finished 53rd of 100 starters in 26:44. Next for the Falcons will be the NCAA DII South Region Championship Saturday, November 19 in Lakeland, Florida. VOLLEYBALL MARIA PILIPOSYANS — Reinhardt University (Fr., Cass HS) … in a straight sets home conference win last Tuesday over Truett McConnell, she recorded four kills and had four block assists. Reinhardt (18-12, 16-4) advances to the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament Thursday through Saturday in Kingsport, Tennessee. The fourth-seeded Eagles play No. 5-seed Milligan Friday at 4 p.m. in the 10-team, single-elimination tournament’s second round. SOCCER ABBIE CRAIG — Reinhardt University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … came off the Eagles’ bench Saturday to play 19 minutes in a 6-0 blanking of Columbia International University. Reinhardt (13-4, 12-1 Appalachian Athletic Conference) will host Tennessee Wesleyan Wednesday night in the conference tournament semifinals. BRADY CRAIG — Reinhardt University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … played all 90 minutes as a defender in the Eagles’ 2-1 conference tournament loss last Friday at Union College (Kentucky). Reinhardt finished the year 9-5-4 overall and 8-1-4 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. RUSSELL SHEALY — Syracuse University (R-Sr., Cartersville resident, Darlington HS) … made four saves as the Orange shutout visiting North Carolina in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. The No. 2-seed Orange, ranked 4th-nationally, host 3-seed and 14th-ranked Virginia Wednesday in the ACC semifinals. SWIMMING MALLORY COOK — University of Montevallo (So., Adairsville HS) … placed third in the 100-yard butterfly (1:04.04); fourth in the 200-yard butterfly (2:26.08); and was a member of the fourth place 800-yard freestyle relay team (8:53.47) as the Falcons beat visiting Birmingham-Southern College 150-111 last Saturday. The next meet for UM will be the Toyota US Open in Greensboro, North Carolina November 30-December 3. WRESTLING ANGEL BANDA — Reinhardt University (Jr., Adairsville HS) ... placed fourth in the 125-pound weight division and scored 14.5 team points for the 13th-ranked Eagles at the UNC-Pembroke Open this past weekend. Reinhardt hosts the Reinhardt Duals Saturday. COLTON BISHOP — Reinhardt University (Fr., Woodland HS) ... lost both of his matches over the weekend at the UNC-Pembroke Open. The Eagles, ranked 13th nationally, host the Reinhardt Duals Saturday. COLE COCHRAN — UT-Chattanooga (Fr., Woodland HS) ... wrestling in the 157-pound division, Cochran lost a dual meet match to his opponent from Little Rock as the Mocs fell to the Trojans 28-5. Chattanooga also had team losses to Buffalo and Wisconsin hosting the Battle at River City. Next for the Mocs is The Citadel Open on Sunday in Charleston, South Carolina. CALEB HENSON — Virginia Tech (Fr., Woodland HS) … went 5-0 on the day en route to his second Open Division title at 149-pounds competing as the Southeast Open in Roanoke, Virginia over the weekend. Henson defended his Open title he first won last year as a high school senior. The 11th-ranked Hokies return to the mats Friday night at 5th-ranked Ohio State. BRYCE KRESHO — Franklin & Marshall College (Fr., Cass HS) … went 2-2 in the 141-pound Freshman/Sophomore Open Division of the Southeast Open in Roanoke, Virginia. His second loss (5-3) came to a teammate, Sam Kotch, with the winner advancing to the placing rounds. The Diplomats host Elizabethtown Wednesday night and wrestle at the Binghamton Bearcat Open Sunday. QUESTAPHA LEWIS — Midway University (So., Woodland HS) … reached the semifinals of the Patriot Open over the weekend as the Eagles competed at University of the Cumberlands (Kentucky). He finished the tournament 3-1 and in fifth place in the 133-pound division. The next event for Midway is the Grand View Open in Des Moines, Iowa this Saturday. JAXON SMITH — University of Maryland (R-Fr., Woodland HS) … wrestling at 197-pounds, Smith won by technical fall as the Terps beat Bloomsburg Saturday, 37-6. He also won by major decision in a 37-0 win over Duke and by major decision in a 29-10 victory over American University also on Saturday. Maryland travels to the University of Missouri Tiger Style Invitational Saturday in Kansas City. BASKETBALL DiANTHONY HEATHCOCK — Columbia International University (Jr., Woodland HS) … scored nine points, had eight rebounds, two blocks, and two assists in the Rams’ 91-78 home conference win last Saturday over Johnson University (Tennessee). Heathcock also scored 11 points with eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals in a 78-65 win at Talladega University October 27. CIU (2-0, 1-0) plays Appalachian Athletic Conference games at Milligan University Tuesday night and at Tennessee Wesleyan Saturday afternoon. HALEY JOHNSON — Central Georgia Tech CC (Fr., Cass HS) … scored two points and collected three rebounds in a 78-62 loss at Tallahassee CC last Tuesday. The Titans (0-1) host Southern Union State CC Monday night; travel to South Georgia Tech CC Wednesday night; play at Chipola CC Friday night; and face Gulf Coast State CC Saturday afternoon in Marianna, Florida. JORDAN THOMPSON — Southwestern CC (Iowa) (So., Woodland HS) … scored 21 points on 6-of-18 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 at the free throw line in a 72-45 win last Friday at Peru State College JV. Thompson also had seven rebounds and a pair of assists. The Spartans (1-0) play at Metropolitan CC (Nebraska) Wednesday night; at Johnson County CC Friday; and will play Fort Scott CC in Overland Park, Kansas Saturday.

Cartersville resident Christina Surcey fired a 10-under-par, two-day total of 136 this past Saturday and Sunday to win the 2022 Golfweek International Junior Invitational played at Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando, Florida (par 73, 5,882 yards). Surcey, a student at North Cobb Christian School and a member of Cartersville Country Club, shot an opening round 66 and followed it up with a 70 on Sunday to reach a playoff with Jessica Guiser of Wisconsin. Surcey won the playoff on the second hole of sudden death. Sabrina Kim of Brazil finished third, just two shots back, while Hsin Tai Lin and Logan Hale tied for fourth at 6-under-par. The tournament field included 55 players from across the U.S. and around the world. CARTERSVILLE DUO WINS ROBERTS CUP MID-AM The Cartersville duo of Chad Branton and R.B. Clyburn teamed to win the 6th annual Roberts Cup - Mid-Am Friday through Sunday at the Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club in Ocala, Florida (par 72, 7,063-yards). Branton/Clyburn, both members at Cartersville Country Club, shot rounds of 65-63-66 for a 194 total (22-under) to win the tournament by four shots over Jake Shaw and Dan Renfro of Melbourne, Florida.

The Woodland girls placed eighth and the Woodland boys were ninth in Class AAAAA to lead all local teams at the GHSA Cross Country State Championships Saturday at Carrollton High School. The Cartersville girls placed 19th and Cartersville boys were 24th in Class AAAAA. The Adairsville boys finished 15th in Class AAA. CLASS 5A The Woodland girls finished eighth of 31 teams in the Class AAAAA State Championship race Saturday. The Cartersville girls placed 19th. Danielle Thayer (32nd, 22:20) was the top runner for the Lady Cats. Emma Segars (43rd, 22:54), Olivia Berry (47th, 23:02), Miranda Pelow (58th, 23:24), Autumn Lottner (90th, 24:46), Abby George (95th, 24:58), and Addison Brown (96th, 24:58) followed for Woodland. The Lady Canes were paced by Anna Grace Boone (44th, 22:56). Next for Cartersville were Leyla Booth (77th, 24:19), Samantha Herrera (112th, 25:30), Meredith Gaines (136th, 26:30), Vivi Vest (173rd, 28:48), and Rileigh Worthan (190th, 30:51). Decatur won the girls Class 5A championship ahead of runner-up Midtown and third place McIntosh. The Class 5A girls race included 211 runners. The Woodland boys finished ninth of 32 teams in the Class AAAAA Championship Saturday. Cartersville was 24th. Tyler Jones (17:25) led the way for the Wildcats with a tenth place finish. Juan Mendoza (37th, 18:20), and Drew Thayer (50th, 18:35) followed by placing in the top 50. Landon McSwain (60th, 18:48), Andy Forsyth (123rd, 19:55), Kameron Chappell (129th, 19:58), and Rowan Lee (181st, 21:17) rounded out the Woodland runners. Hayden Mitchell (69th, 18:56) was the top finisher for Cartersville. Omar Pina (135th, 20:05), Barrett Stepp (141st, 20:09), Micah Sanders (150th, 20:19), Daniel Pina (156th, 20:41), and Kaleb Lanier (189th, 21:38) were the other Canes’ runners. The boys Class 5A race included 221 participants was won by Decatur. Clarke Central and Chattahoochee finished runner-up and third, respectively. CLASS 3A The Adairsville boys placed 15th of 27 teams in the Class AAA State Championship race Saturday. Oconee County won the AAA title, followed by Wesleyan and Pike County in second and third. Griffin Bozeman led the Tigers with a 34th place finish (18:43) of 187 runners. He was followed by teammates Eli Pearson (40th,19:02), Dutch Hernandez (110th, 20:32), Fletcher Silvers (122nd, 20:54), Michael Spinks (136th, 21:13), Johnathan Parrral (138th, 21:19), and Cody Teer (175th, 23:49).

The Adairsville Tigers secured home field advantage for at least two rounds of the GHSA Class 3A state playoffs and won their first region title since 2001 Friday night with a 48-33 home win over Coahulla Creek. The Tigers did the bulk of the damage with offensive line dominance and a rushing attack that amassed 514 yards on the ground — including six rushing touchdowns. The two teams went scoreless through most of the first quarter before Adairsville put together a scoring drive late in the period. A 79-yard drive took five plays with Chris Roper finishing the possession with a 35-yard touchdown run. Cooper Souders tacked on the PAT and the Tigers led 7-0 with 0:14 remaining in the quarter. Coahulla Creek used their possession passing game to march down the field early in the second quarter. The Colts drove to the Adairsville red zone but settled for a 26-yard Logan Fowler field goal. The eight-play, 65-yard drive made the score 7-3 with 7:47 left in the first half. The Tigers answered quickly. Key runs by Ethan Blome and Roper helped Adairsville drive to the Colts’ 11-yard line. That is where quarterback Jonathan Gough connected with Tre Winters for an 11-yard touchdown pass to build a 14-3 lead with 6:15 to go in the half. Souders’ second PAT kick finished a 70-yard drive that took six plays. Adairsville then surprised the Colts with an onside kick. Arthur Leffler dribbled the kickoff straight down the middle of the field and picked it up himself with little resistance. The play caught Coahulla Creek off guard and set up the Tigers for another quick score. Ethan Blome scored five plays later on a 15-yard touchdown run that gave Adairsville a 21-3 lead with 4:42 to go in the second quarter. The Colts didn’t fade, however, scoring on their ensuing possession. Quarterback Kace Kinnamon hooked up with receiver Tyson King on a 10-yard pass play to finish a 42-yard drive. Fowler’s PAT kick made the score 21-10 with 1:43 remaining in the half. Adairsville fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half and it set up Coahulla Creek for a quick score. The Colts cashed in the turnover four plays later with a 3-yard touchdown run by Payton Gordon. Suddenly, Coahulla Creek had cut the Tigers’ lead to 21-17 less than two minutes into the third quarter. Almost as quickly, Adairsville responded. The Tigers needed only four plays to drive 58 yards to extend their lead. Most of the yardage came on a 41-yard touchdown scamper by Gough and Adairsville led 28-17 with 9:10 to go in the third after Souders’ fourth PAT kick. On the Colts’ next possession, they utilized their short passing game and the legs of their quarterback Kinnamon to get deep into the Adairsville red zone. Penalties and the Tigers’ defense stiffened, however, and forced Coahulla Creek to settle for a second 26-yard field goal by Fowler with 5:53 to go in the third period. The Colts’ 12-play possession made it a one-score game at 28-20. The Adairsville rushing attack continued its dominance on the ensuing possession. Ethan Blome finished off a six-play, 72-yard drive with a 35-yard scoring sprint just over a minute later. The PAT kick failed when it hit the left upright but Adairsville held a 34-20 lead with 4:22 left in the third quarter. Kinnamon and the Colts marched back down the field to once again make it a one-score game. Coahulla Creek’s 63-yard, eight-play scoring drive culminated with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Kinnamon to Manny Dominguez with 0:59 remaining in the third quarter. That narrowed the Tigers’ lead to 34-27. The back-and-forth battle continued with Adairsville driving their next possession 73-yards on seven plays. This time it was Roper scoring on a 24-yard sweep to build a 41-27 Tigers’ lead. After stopping the Colts on their next possession, Adairsville finally created some separation on the scoreboard with another scoring drive. Gough capped off a 60-yard, eight-play drive for the Tigers with a 7-yard run to give Adairsville a more comfortable 48-27 lead with 3:48 left in the game. Coahulla Creek managed to score one more time. A 68-yard drive that took seven plays was completed with a nine-yard touchdown run by Payton Gordon. A two-point possession pass attempt failed to leave the Adairsville lead 48-33 with 2:00 to go. An onside kick attempt by Coahulla Creek failed and the Tigers were able to run out the clock for a 15-point victory and the Region 6-AAA championship. Kinnamon finished the night 28-for-46 passing for 253 yards and two touchdowns, but the Tigers’ defense kept the Colts’ rushing game checked with only 92 rushing yards. Most of those yards came on scramble plays by Kinnamon who finished with 57 yards on nine attempts. Gordon added 35 yards on 12 carries. Blome led the Adairsville rushing attack with 211 yards on 21 carries with two touchdowns. He was followed by Roper with 161 yards on 12 attempts and two scores. Gough added 106 yards on 11 carries with a pair of touchdowns and the Tigers’ quarterback also finished 6-for-7 passing for 70 yards and another score. The loss drops Coahulla Creek to 7-3 on the season and 5-1 in Region 6-AAA. The Colts will be the No. 3-seed from the region and will play at Sandy Creek next Saturday in the first round of the Class AAA state playoffs. Adairsville (9-1, 7-0) completes an unbeaten region slate to win its first region championship since 2001. The Tigers will now host the Region 5-AAA No. 4-seed Douglass-Atlanta Astros (3-7) next Saturday, Nov. 12 in the opening round.

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. Devin Henderson is the October 2022 Elite Athlete of the Month representing Cass High School. Henderson is a multi-position athlete on the Colonels’ football team having played quarterback, slot receiver, and defensive back. “When describing Devin you can include words like relentless, fearless, unbreakable, driven, and determined,” noted Cass High Athletic Director Dr. Nicky Moore. “He has a warrior mentality.” A junior, Henderson has started over 30 consecutive games and has helped lead Cass to a second-straight state playoff appearance. Henderson was named to the 2022 pre-season First Team All State Team in Class AAAAA and has backed up that honor with spectacular performances week after week. Meanwhile in the classroom, he has maintained a 3.4 grade point average taking Honors level classes. He is the son of Annette Milam Henderson and Kevin Henderson. Cartersville High School’s October 2022 Elite Athlete of the Month is Sarah Krause. The daughter of Erik and Jill Krause, she is a senior on the Canes’ varsity competition cheerleading team, the varsity football cheerleading team, and the varsity game day cheerleading unit. Her versatility has enabled her coaches to utilize her skills as a flyer, a base, and as a back spot. “Sarah has cheered for four years on the varsity football and competition cheerleading teams and one year on the varsity game day team. The Canes have won region each of the past three seasons. Sarah leads by example and is committed to being the best. She continues to set the standard for others to emulate.” said Cartersville coach Breanna Johnson. Krause is a member of the Beta Club, National Honor Society, and Alpha Mu Theta. She has also completed five Advanced Placement classes while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. After high school graduation, she intends to attend Georgia College and pursue a degree in excercise science. The Elite Athlete of the Month for October 2022 at Adairsville High School is Chris Roper. A three-sport athlete at Adairsville in football, baseball, and track, Roper is the son of Billy and Tamara Roper. A slot receiver and defensive safety for the Tigers, Roper recently scored six touchdowns in a win over Gordon Lee and eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in Adairsville’s win at Bremen. Through nine games he has 17 touchdowns, three receiving touchdowns, more than 40 tackles, four sacks, and a pair of interceptions. “Chris is making an impact in all three phases of the game for us,” commented Tigers’ head football coach Jon Cudd. “He is explosive on offense and is playing defense at a high level. Chris works extremely hard and leads by example.” Roper is in the Governors Honors Program and on the school’s Student Council. He has a 4.0 grade point average in Honors and Advanced Placement courses and plans to play college football and earn a degree. He recently made an official visit to Dartmouth College. The Woodland High School Elite Athlete of the Month for October 2022 is Danielle Thayer. A senior member of the Lady Cats’ cross country, swimming, and track teams, she is the daughter of Dennis and Karen Thayer. Danielle has been a four-year letterman in all her varsity sports,” noted Woodland cross country coach Robert Forbes. “She has been a great team player and leader. She leads by example and has been essential to helping the newer runners and teammates get acclimated to the team expectations. We can always rely on her to do her best. She led the cross country team to a region championship.” Thayer has been a Woodland High School Student of the Month four times. She is the senior editor of the school’s yearbook, and is a member of the Beta Club and Athletic Leadership. She plans to continue running in college and plans to major in forensics and criminal justice. Editors Note: Photos and bios are supplied to Bartow Sports Zone and WBHF by the respective schools and their 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

Athletes Beyond Bartow is a weekly report on the pro and college athletes from Cartersville and Bartow County contributing to their respective programs across the nation. This past week, Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence struggled to a 52.2 quarterback rating and threw a pair of interceptions in the Jaguars’ 21-17 loss to the Denver Broncos in London, England. In college football, Jordan Ferguson had six tackles including one sack, one pass break up, and one quarterback hurry to help lead Middle Tennessee to a win at UTEP. Ferguson prepped and played football at Norcross and St. Francis Academy before transferring and graduating from Cartersville High School after his senior football season. A defensive lineman, Ferguson was on the preseason watch list for the Lombardi and Bednarik Awards. He is a permanent team captain at MTSU. Also in college football, former Hurricane placekicker Jonathan Cruz made all his kicks — including a 46-yard field goal — as Ole Miss won at Texas A&M. In Hawaii, UGA golfer Buck Brumlow finished 1-over-par at the 54-hole Ka’anapali Classic Collegiate helping the Bulldogs to a ninth place finish. PRO FOOTBALL TREVOR LAWRENCE — — Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL, 2nd-yr. pro; Clemson; Cartersville HS … playing this past Sunday at Wembley Stadium in London, Lawrence and the Jaguars lost to the Denver Broncos, 21-17. The 23-year-old quarterback finished 18-for-31 for 133 yards and one touchdown. Lawrence’s touchdown throw was 22-yards to tight end Evan Engram to cap a 37-yard drive with 7:40 remaining in the first quarter. The scoring strike gave the Jaguars a 7-0 lead. He was intercepted twice including once at the goal line ending a Jags’ scoring opportunity. Jacksonville was leading 7-0 early in the second quarter. The second interception was on Jacksonville’s final possession with 1:43 remaining. Lawrence also rushed three times in the game for 15 yards. For the season, he now has ten touchdown passes and six interceptions. Jacksonville (2-6) hosts the 2-5 Las Vegas Raiders Sunday afternoon. COLLEGE FOOTBALL KOLBE BENHAM — Marist College (R-Fr., Cartersville HS) … assisted on two tackles and picked off a fourth quarter pass as the Red Foxes beat Presbyterian College last Saturday, 37-7. Marist (3-5, 3-3 Pioneer Football League) heads to Kentucky to play at Morehead State Saturday afternoon. BRYCE BURGESS — Reinhardt University (Sr., Adairsville HS) … carried three times last Saturday for 26 yards in a home 43-14 win over St. Andrews (North Carolina). Most of the yardage came on a 24-yard carry in the second quarter. Burgess also had a 14-yard pass reception for a first down on the final play of the first quarter. Reinhardt (6-1, 3-0), who is ranked 11th in the nation, hosts Point University Saturday afternoon. HAYDEN CAGLE — Berry College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … started on the offensive line for a Vikings’ offense that totaled 609 yards (243 passing / 366 rushing) in a 56-0 home win over Millsaps College. Berry (5-3, 3-2 Southern Athletic Association) plays at Sewanee Saturday afternoon. JONATHAN CRUZ — University of Mississippi (Sr., Cartersville HS) … made a 46-yard field goal and each of his four PAT kick attempts as Ole Miss won at Texas A&M, 31-28. The 11th-ranked Rebels (8-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) have a bye week before hosting 6th-ranked Alabama November 12. CARLOS DEL RIO-WILSON — Syracuse University (R-Fr., Cartersville HS) … entered in the third quarter and finished 11-for-22 passing for 190 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 41-24 home loss to Notre Dame. He also rushed six times for a net total of five yards. 22nd-ranked Syracuse (6-2, 3-1) plays at Pittsburgh Saturday afternoon. JORDAN FERGUSON — Middle Tennessee State University (R-Sr., Cartersville HS grad) … made six tackles including one sack, one pass break up, and one quarterback hurry in the Blue Raiders’ 24-13 win last Saturday at UTEP. MTSU (4-4, 1-3) plays at Louisiana Tech Saturday afternoon. JaCOREY JOHNS — Wake Forest University (R-Jr., Cartersville HS) … started at defensive end but had no stats this past Saturday in a 48-21 loss at Louisville. The 20th-ranked Demon Deacons (6-2, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) make the short trip to Raleigh Saturday night to take on 21st-ranked N.C. State. TYLER MARTIN — Berry College (Fr., Cass HS) … saw action on the Vikings’ offensive line in a 56-0 win last Saturday at home over Millsaps College. Berry (5-3, 2-2 Southern Athletic Association) travels to Sewanee for another conference game Saturday afternoon. ANDREW NGUYEN — Berry College (Fr., Cass HS) … made three tackles in the Vikings’ 56-0 win last Saturday over visiting Millsaps College. Berry (5-3, 3-2 Southern Athletic Association) plays at Sewanee Saturday afternoon. JAKE PARKER — Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … was listed as a participant but recorded no stats in the Blue Dragons’ home win last Saturday, 31-7, over Highland Community College. NJCCA No. 1-ranked Hutchinson (8-0, 5-0 Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference) hosts Independence Community College Saturday afternoon. J. P. PERRY — Berry College (Fr., Cass HS) … had one sack for a nine-yard loss in last Saturday’s 56-0 home win over Millsaps College. The Vikings (5-3, 2-2 Southern Athletic Association) play at Sewane Saturday afternoon. SAM PHILLIPS — UT-Chattanooga (So., Cartersville HS) … caught a touchdown pass for the second consecutive game and had four receptions for 49 yards, but 6th-ranked Chattanooga lost at Furman 24-20. His 13-yard scoring catch came early in the second quarter to give the Mocs a 10-7 lead at the time. Phillips’ longest reception was for 18 yards in the third period. Chattanooga (6-2, 4-1) plays at The Citadel Saturday afternoon. JACOB RAY — Berry College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … made one tackle in the fourth quarter of the Vikings’ 56-0 conference win last Saturday over visiting Millsaps College. Berry (5-3, 2-2 Southern Athletic Association) travels to Sewanee Saturday afternoon. COURTNEY SLOCUM — Mars Hill University (Jr., Adairsville HS) … was a participant for the Lions but did not record any stats in a Mars Hill 20-16 conference win last Saturday at Virginia-Wise. The Lions (6-2, 6-1 South Atlantic Conference) host Tusculum University Saturday. EVAN SLOCUM — Wake Forest University (So., Cartersville HS) … made a pair of tackles last Saturday in the 20th-ranked Demon Deacons’ 48-21 loss at Louisville. Wake Forest (6-2, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) plays at 21st-ranked N.C. State Saturday night. DREW WILSON — Illinois College (So., Adairsville HS) … saw his first game action of the season this past Saturday in the Blueboys’ 28-14 win over visiting Cornell College (Iowa). Illinois College (4-4, 3-4 Midwest Conference) plays at Grinnell College (Iowa) Saturday. SWIMMING MALLORY COOK — University of Montevallo (So., Adairsville HS) … did not earn team points, but placed 12th in the 200-yard butterfly, 12th in the 100-yard freestyle, 13th in the 100-yard butterfly, 23rd in the 50-yard butterfly, and 29th in the 50-yard backstroke this past Friday and Saturday as the Falcons finished second of eight teams at the 21st annual Sewanee Invitational. Cook also swam a leg for the Falcons’ 8th place 200-yard freestyle relay team and their 13th place 100-yard medley relay team. Montevallo will face Birmingham-Southern College Saturday morning in a home meet. GOLF BUCK BRUMLOW — University of Georgia (So., Cartersville HS) … helped the 20th-ranked Bulldogs to a 9th place finish last Friday through Sunday at the Ka’anapali Classic Collegiate. The 20-team tournament took place on the par-71, 6,700-yard Ka’anapali Golf Course in Lahaina, Hawaii. 11th-ranked Oklahoma shot 41-under par to win the 54-hole event. The Sooners finished 12 shots ahead of Clemson and 15 shots ahead of 49th-ranked Liberty. Brumlow’s rounds of 71-74-67 (1-over par, 212) were good for a tie for 40th individually in a field of 123 players. The next tournament for Georgia is the Southwestern Collegiate in California January 30-February 1. JAKE WEHUNT — Young Harris College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … tied for 47th with rounds of 79-77-73 (229) as the Mountain Lions finished 14th of 15 teams at the McCoy-Wright Currahee Invitational October 24-25 in Toccoa. Anderson University won the event ahead of Lincoln Memorial and North Georgia. The event was played on the par-72, 7,500-yard Currahee Club course. It was the final fall event for YHC. SOCCER BRADY CRAIG — Reinhardt University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … played all 90 minutes in the Eagles’ wins over Montreat (2-0) last Wednesday and over Kentucky Christian (8-0) last Saturday. He also had one assist in the win at Kentucky Christian. Reinhardt improved to 9-4-4 overall and 8-1-4 in conference play. The Appalachian Athletic Conference playoffs begin at school sites Friday, November 4. HAVYN ISAAC — Young Harris College (Jr., Adairsville HS) … made 13 saves last Thursday in a 2-1 (2 OT) Peach Belt Conference tournament loss at Flagler College. YHC’s season ends with a 4-11 mark. RUSSELL SHEALY — Syracuse University (R-Sr., Cartersville resident; Darlington HS) … made one save and allowed a single goal in a 1-1 draw with Boston College last Friday night moving his season goalkeeping record to 11-2-3. The Orange (12-2-3) will host the Boston College/North Carolina winner Sunday night in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament quarterfinals. MORGAN TOMPKINS — Bluefield State College (Fr., Cass HS) … saw limited action as a reserve in a pair of wins by the Big Blue last week. BSC won 12-1 at Allen University and 4-0 in a home match with Edward Waters University. The Big Blue finished the regular season with a 7-7-3 record.