Victoria O’Neal tossed a five-inning, one-hitter and struck out 12 as Adairsville softball blanked visiting Murray County Monday, 8-0. Meanwhile, the Tigers’ offense scored in all four of its offensive frames. Sadye Johnson (solo home run), O’Neal (double, two RBIs), and Makayla Wadel (RBI) led Adairsville with two hits each. Taylor Rhoades (2 RBIs) and Chloe Souders (RBI) added one hit apiece. Murray County falls to 4-14 overall and 3-11 in Region 6-AAA. Adairsville (12-9, 6-8) closes out the home schedule Tuesday against Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe and Thursday against Sonoraville.

Region standings for local high school football teams in Bartow County.

The Cartersville cross country teams both finished in the top three of their respective races Saturday as they hosted the Wire2Wire Invitational at Dellinger Park. The Cartersville boys were runner-up to Chattahoochee High by only two points. Rome, Centennial, and Grady rounded out the top five of eleven competing teams. Cass placed eighth. Barrett McAree of Centennial won the individual race in 16:25. He edged Felipe Barrios of Calhoun by six seconds. The competition included 74 runners. Cartersville’s Bill Archer led the Canes with a sixth place finish in 17:06. Other Cartersville runners were: Colin McCann (9th, 17:28); Levi Booth (10th, 17:38); Carson Gage (11th, 17:46); Banks Wilson (21st, 18:20); Paul Hyman (23rd, 18:23); and Ryan Johnson (28th, 18:32). Andrew Glaze (14th, 18:01) was the top runner for Cass. He was followed by teammates Critton Gearhart (15th, 18:03); Jake Wright (40th, 19:36); Prem Patel (63rd, 21:25); Adam Pierce (66th, 21:39); Ryan Turley (22:08); and Bryson Elrod (23:02). The Cartersville girls placed third of eight teams. Grady won the meet with Centennial finishing second. Cherokee and Rome rounded out the top five. Lexi Pavese of Cherokee won the individual title in 20:38. She edged Jamie Marlowe of Grady by four seconds. Elizabeth Nelson led Cartersville with an eighth place finish in 21:37. Other runners for Cartersville: McKinsey Spinks (10th, 21:45); Trinity Atkins (16th, 22:46); Meredith Gaines (18th, 22:50); Samantha Herrera (25th, 23:22); Grace Smith (32nd, 24:07); and Alice Terry (39th, 25:14). EVANS WINS BIG PEACH MORNING RACE Woodland’s Rylee Evans topped 58 other runners Saturday in Acworth at the Kennesaw Mountain Big Peach Invitational Morning Race, leading the Lady Cats to a sixth place team finish. Evans finished the 5k race in 19:18:03 and won by just over 11 seconds ahead of Hannah Moore of McIntosh. Hillgrove won the eight team event with Marietta, Pace Academy, McIntosh, and Allatoona rounding out the top five teams. Other contributors for Woodland were: Olivia Berry (39th, 22:38); Erin Bollwerk (41st, 22:46); Danielle Thayer (42nd, 22:46); Marlee Bowles (44th, 22:51); Emma Segars (46th, 23:15); and Megan Schultz (47th, 23:22). The Woodland boys finished fourth of eight teams in the Big Peach Morning session. Marietta won the event ahead of Pace Academy and Allatoona. Sophomore Tyler Jones (17:18) led the Wildcats with a 15th place finish out of 59 runners. He was followed by teammates McKinley Chappell (19th, 17:30); Patrick Bollwerk (25th, 18:05); John Forsyth (30th, 18:18); Drew Thayer (34th, 18:22); Kameron Chappell (37th, 18:27); and Kain Tanturri (41st, 18:32). The next race for Cartersville will be the Jesse Owens Classic in Oakville, Alabama October 3. Next for Woodland is the Alexander / Asics Invitational in Fairburn October 3. Cass will compete next in the Cass/Cartersville Invitational October 6.

Cartersville softball scored five runs in the top of the first inning Saturday at Cedartown and sophomore pitcher McKinley Chada made sure that was enough as the Hurricanes held on to beat the Bulldogs, 5-4. Chada scattered eight hits and a walk while striking out two. Only two of Cedartown’s four runs were earned with the Hurricanes committing three errors. Maggie Pruitt (2 RBIs) and Ava Perkins paced the Cartersville offense with two hits each. Chada (RBI), Amelia Elrod (RBI), AnnaKate McElhaney, and Mikey Lewis contributed one hit apiece. The loss drops Cedartown to 15-9 for the season. Cartersville (7-19) closes out the regular season Tuesday at home against Woodland at 5:30 p.m.

The first four Friday nights of the 2020 high school football season are in the books and the four local teams have the best won-lost record possible. The four teams have combined for 13 wins through the first four weeks and the only loss was when two county teams played each other. Friday night, Adairsville (3-1, 1-0) earned the first region win among the local schools with a 38-7 final over visiting Murray County while the other three teams added non-region wins. Woodland (3-0) routed North Springs 50-9 in Atlanta; Cartersville (4-0) held on for a 21-18 win at Creekside in Fairburn; and Cass (4-0) outlasted Temple 17-14 at Cochran Stadium. JAMES, THOMAS LEAD WILDCATS TO ROUT AT NORTH SPRINGS The Woodland Wildcats traveled to Atlanta Friday night and cruised to a 50-9 win at North Springs. Woodland senior quarterback Johnathan Thomas and junior running back Asa James shared much of the offensive load again as the Wildcats improved to 3-0. The duo connected on a 22-yard touchdown pass in the game’s first three minutes for Woodland’s first score. Then kicker Christopher Sanchez gave the Wildcats a 10-0 lead with a 30-yard field goal. North Spring’s Jordan Duggar returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards for the Spartans’ only touchdown of the night to make the score 10-7. Woodland then put the game away with 34 unanswered points before the intermission. Thomas had touchdown runs of 4- and 82-yards. Zach Good scored a defensive touchdown on a fumble recovery and return and the Thomas to James connection struck two more times on passes of 38- and 27-yards. The scoring flurry gave the Wildcats a 44-7 lead at halftime. With a running clock in the second half, North Springs scored its final points with a safety in the third quarter on a Woodland punting miscue. Alejandro Mays added a 16-yard touchdown run for Woodland late in the period. Woodland will host Chamblee of Region 5-AAAAA Friday at 7:30 p.m. It will be the season opener for the visiting Bulldogs who had their season delayed until October. CANES HOLD ON FOR WIN AT CREEKSIDE On the final play of the game Friday in Fairburn, Creekside was at the Cartersville 13-yard line with only eight second remaining. Canes’ defensive end Jesse Grogan sacked the Seminoles’ quarterback Nyqua Lett as time expired however, to close out the first road victory of the year for Cartersville, 21-18. The thwarted final drive began for Creekside with only 1:41 remaining after the Seminoles’ defense had forced a three-and-out. Lett gave Creekside a 6-0 lead in the first quarter when he scored on a quarterback keeper. The Seminoles’ two-point conversion attempt failed. Cartersville signal caller Stratton Tripp then connected on the first of his three touchdown passes in the game with 1:32 left in the half. The five-yard connection with Devonte Ross put the Hurricanes ahead 7-6 following the Jesus Gutierrez PAT kick. In the third quarter, Tripp found Evan Slocum for a 36-yard touchdown pass to culminate the Canes’ opening possession of the second half. On the next Cartersville possession, Kolbe Benham caught a 24-yard scoring strike from Tripp that extended the lead to 21-6. Creekside narrowed the margin with a pair of touchdown passes of their own. Lett connected with Wesley Campbell in the third and Jared Lawrence in the fourth quarter to make the score 21-18. Both extra point attempts failed. Quante Jennings rushed for 63 yards for Cartersville on 11 attempts. Tripp was 14-for-23 through the air for 191 yards and the three scores. Benham caught three passes for 60 yards. Ross hauled in four receptions for 51 yards. Slocum had three receptions for 46 yards. Sam Phillips had 34 yards on three catches, and Brynen Wilkins added a 10 yard reception. Cartersville (4-0) travels to Canton Friday to take on the Class 6A Cherokee Warriors (4-0) at 7:30 p.m. CASS DEFENSE SECURES WIN OVER TEMPLE For the second straight week, the Cass defense dialed up a second half shutout and the Colonels escaped with a 17-14 win Friday night over Temple at Cochran Stadium. The defense stopped the visiting Tigers in a final series of downs at the end of the fourth quarter to preserve the non-region win. Temple running back Phillip Johnson provided much of the offense for the Tigers including four runs during a five-play, opening drive that covered 80 yards. The 6-2, 210 senior scored on a 13-yard run less that two minutes into the game as Temple took a 7-0 lead. After exchanging possessions twice, Cass began its first scoring drive late in the first quarter and it extended into the second period. Senior kicker Kaleb Speights made a 47-yard field goal to cut the Temple lead to 7-3. On the next possession for Cass, freshman quarterback Devin Henderson scrambled for a 14-yard touchdown and a 10-7 lead. The Colonels’ defense stopped Temple on their next possession and quickly drove back down the field. Henderson had a key run that was abetted by a tacked on facemask penalty and Josh Varnum powered his way to the five yard line on a fourth-and-two play. Zay Jackson then scored on a five-yard run extending the Cass advantage to 17-7. Temple drove right back down the field before the half, however. Johnson escaped the Colonel defense for a 55-yard touchdown run that made the score 17-14 at halftime. The second half went scoreless with both defenses coming up with key plays. Temple had a drive stopped at the Cass 39-yard line in the third quarter on a fourth-and-two situation and early in the fourth quarter had a scoring opportunity following a Cass fumble. Cass punt returner Tanayce Calhoun fumbled at the end of an otherwise nice return and the ball popped directly into the hands of Johnson. His scoop and run was chased down at the Cass 35-yard line. The Tigers (2-2) drove to the Cass 17-yard line, but a costly delay of game penalty forced Temple to attempt a 39-yard field goal on a fourth-and-eight. The kick missed and Cass took over at their own 20-yard line with just over two minutes remaining. Varnum, who finished with 80 yards rushing, picked up a game-preserving first down with a 22-yard run and the Colonels were able to run out the clock from victory formation. Henderson finished with 140 total yards — 67 passing, 73 rushing — and C.J. Pipkin contributed 40 yards in receptions. Cass (4-0) has one final, non-region game Friday (Oct. 2) at Ridgeland before a bye week and five consecutive region games starting with a home matchup against Cartersville. The Colonels’ kickoff Friday in Rossville is set for 7:30 p.m. Cass will be seeking its first five-win start to a season since 2004. TIGERS OPEN REGION PLAY WITH WIN OVER MURRAY The Adairsville Tigers got back in the win column with a 38-7 win over region foe Murray County on Friday night. Adairsville was led by Courtney Slocum, who had three rushing scores in the contest. The Tiger defense allowed one touchdown. Slocum got into the scoring column early with a 49-yard touchdown run with 8:49 left in the first quarter. About two minutes later, Conner Crunkelton pitched the ball to Slocum for a 13-yard score and a 14-0 Adairsville lead. Chris Roper was the next Tiger to score with 2:48 left in the first period finding the end zone on a 9-yard pass from Crunkelton. Murray County cut the Adairsville lead with a score early in the second period, but the 14-point deficit was about to get bigger for the Indians. Emanuel Lopez kicked a 46-yard field goal before Slocum found pay dirt for the trifecta: a 4-yard touchdown run. At the half, the Tigers led 31-7. In the third quarter, Roper juked his way 38 yards for a score to extend the Adairsville lead and put the game away comfortably. Adairsville has a second bye week next week but will be back in Region 6-AAA action at Lafayette on October 9th.

Adairsville volleyball split a pair of matches on the road Thursday in Chatsworth. The Tigers fell to region foe Murray County 25-20, 25-12 but topped Gordon Central in straight sets, 25-6 and 25-18. In the loss to Murray County, Annie McCormick finished with six aces, two kills and an assist. Lexie Childers had five aces, three kills and three digs. Kaylee Jordon contributed four digs, two kills, and an ace. Richlyn Blair added three kills. In the victory over Gordon Central, Childers finished with five assists, three digs, one kill and one ace. Grace Collins had four aces, a kill and a dig. Blair totaled four aces, two digs, and one kill. Brentley Durham contributed four kills and two assists. Autumn Henderson added four kills. Murray County improved to 14-8 overall and 6-3 in Region 6-AAA. Gordon Central fell to 0-15 for the season. Adairsville (12-16, 3-6) plays in the Southeast Whitfield Raider Rally tournament Saturday.

The Tigers were down 3-0 in the fifth inning Wednesday night to visiting LaFayette, but rallied to tie the game and eventually win in extra innings. The Ramblers first inning run came on an RBI single by Heather Tucker. Railee Lynn and Madi Ashley hit back-to-back home runs for LaFayette in the fourth inning. Adairsville scored two runs in the fifth inning and tied the contest in the bottom of the sixth. The game-winning run scored on an infield error after Makayla Wade and Megan Gregory had singled to begin the frame. Victoria O’Neal (8 IP, 3ER, 7H, 2BB, 9K) picked up the pitching win for Adairsville with a complete-game effort. Gregory led the Tigers’ offense with two hits. Wade, Alissa Winters (2 RBIs), Taylor Rhoades (RBI), and Sadye Johnson added one hit each. LaFayette falls to 6-12 overall and 5-9 in Region 6-AAA. Adairsville (11-9, 5-8) will host Murray County Monday at 5:30 p.m.

Blessed Trinity swept a doubleheader at Cartersville Tuesday night to clinch the final state playoff spot from Region 7-AAAAA and Adairsville lost at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe in Region 6-AAA action. BLESSED TRINITY 10, CARTERSVILLE 5 Blessed Trinity took Game One of an important Region 7-AAAAA series at Cartersville Tuesday night, 10-5. The win secured the final state playoff berth for Blessed Trinity. The visiting Titans posted six runs in the first two innings and added on runs in the fourth, fifth, and seventh innings while out hitting the Canes 13 to eight. Cartersville scored two runs in the second inning to narrow the Blessed Trinity lead to 6-2. The Canes then added two more runs in the fifth to make the score 8-4 and got as close as 8-5 with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ally Fleck (7 IP, 5R, 2ER, 8H, 1BB, 7K) tossed a complete-game to earn the pitching win for Blessed Trinity. McKinley Chada (1.1 IP, 6R, 4ER, 5H, 2BB, 1K) and Ava Perkins (5.2 IP, 4ER, 8H, 5BB, 1K) split the pitching duties for Cartersville. Fleck also led the Titans’ offense with three hits, including a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Andie Sheahan, Victoria Spencer, Katelin Lanier, and Sydney Lancaster all added two hits each for the visitors. Mikey Lewis had two hits including a double and two RBIs to lead the Cartersville attack. Amelia Elrod had a double and one RBI. Campbell Rogers, AnnaKate McElhaney, Kiley Arnold (RBI), Maggie Pruitt (RBI), and Chada added one hit apiece. BLESSED TRINITY 11, CARTERSVILLE 7 In Game Two, Cartersville led 1-0 through three innings before the Titans scored eleven runs over the next four frames. The Canes threatened with five runs in the bottom of the seventh, but came up four runs short. Ava Perkins had two hits and an RBI in the loss. AnnaKate McElhaney doubled and drove in a run. Amelia Elrod contributed a hit and two RBIs. McKinley Chada (RBI), Taff Bradley, Erin McCrary, and Mikey Lewis added one hit apiece. Blessed Trinity improved to 7-9 overall and 6-8 in region play. Cartersville (6-19, 4-10) plays non-region games Thursday at home against Denmark and on the road Saturday at Cedartown. LAKEVIEW-FORT OGLETHORPE 4, ADAIRSVILLE 0 Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe pitcher Haley Stahl tossed a complete-game, three hit shutout Tuesday night as the Warriors blanked Adairsville 4-0 in Region 6-AAA action. Stahl struck out six. She walked two. Tigers’ pitcher Victoria O’Neal battled pitch-for-pitch and shutout LFO for the first five innings, but the Warriors struck for all their runs in the sixth. Auna Rolfe paced the LFO offense with two hits including a triple and one RBI. Chelsea Batea had a double for Adairsville. Alissa Winters and Taylor Rhoades had the other Tigers’ base hits. The win keeps LFO (12-7, 8-3) in contention — along with Sonoraville, Coahulla Creek, Rockmart, and Ringgold — for one of the region’s four state playoff spots. Adairsville (10-9, 4-8) hosts LaFayette Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Cartersville volleyball swept all three sets with Rockmart in a best-of-five match Tuesday night in the Storm Center. Cartersville won 25-9, 25-9, and 25-18. London Moultrie totaled 13 kills. Macey Vaughn had 15 assists, four aces, two digs, and one kill. Lily Gochee contributed seven assists, three digs, and a pair of aces. Abby Allen had six digs, three kills, and two aces. Ailee England finished with six digs, four kills, and a block. Mia Nicklaus tossed in six digs and four kills while Vanessa Johnson added four kills and a block. The loss dropped Rockmart to 4-21-2 on the season. The Canes (18-11-1) play another non-region match Thursday at Armuchee at 6 p.m.

Region standings for local high school football teams in Bartow County.

The best high school and middle school cross country times for the 2020 season. All time best: McKenna Trapheagen (WHS) 17:32.69 Joseph Stegall (CV) 15:41

Friday evening, Woodland softball routed two-time, Class AAAA defending state champion Heritage-Catoosa 10-1 at the annual Chattanooga SCORE International tournament. The Wildcats then split a pair of games on Saturday, blanking Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 2-0 before falling to Northwest Whitfield, 3-2. Junior pitcher Lainey Baker struck out 11 and allowed only one, unearned run on four hits and a walk in the Wildcats’ victory over Heritage Friday night. Kailey Baker (2 RBIs) and Michiah Hicks (two doubles, one RBI) paced the Woodland offense with three hits each. Morgan Cooper doubled and homered, driving in four runs in the win. Ansley Evans (double) and Cassie Jones also had two hits apiece. Hannah Miller doubled home a run, Cambrie Carrington added a hit, and Dylynn Motes drove in one run. Lainey Baker (7 IP, 0R, 3H, 1BB, 9K) fanned nine in a complete-game, shutout of Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe Saturday and worked an inning and two-thirds of relief with five more strikeouts in the loss to Northwest Whitfield. Cassie Jones (4 IP, 2R, 1ER, 6H, 1K) started in the circle against the Bruins. Across the two Saturday games, Kailey Baker posted three more hits. Jones had two more hits including a double and three RBIs. Hicks contributed a pair of hits. Cooper tripled and drove in one run. Evans and Carrington added one hit each. Woodland (16-7, 8-3) hosts region-leading Calhoun (9-0 in 7-AAAAA) Tuesday. The Wildcats — who have already clinched a state playoff berth — also have a region doubleheader remaining October 1 at Hiram and non-region games with Lassiter October October 7 and 8. COLONELS LOSE THREE STRAIGHT, BUT TAKE DOWN HERITAGE-CATOOSA Cass (14-9, 8-4) dropped three straight tightly contested games at the SCORE Tournament, but salvaged their tournament appearance by knocking off Heritage-Catoosa in their final game, 12-10. The Colonels lost to Gordon Lee 2-0 and Villa Rica 7-6 Friday before losing to Haralson County Saturday, 3-2. Cass — currently third in Region 7-AAAAA — has a home, non-region doubleheader with Gordon Central next Saturday and has three region games remaining. The Colonels travel to Hiram September 29 and will host region-leading Calhoun in a doubleheader October 6.