The installation of a new playing surface continues at Cass High School. Thursday morning, the 'Cass Colonels Football' Facebook page released the video below showing the new synthetic playing surface in place at Doug Cochran Stadium. A similar upgrade is taking place at Adairsville and Woodland High Schools along with new track surfaces at Cass and Adairsville. All three schools -- Adairsville, Cass, and Woodland -- will also be upgrading to video scoreboards which will include play clocks at each end of the field.

The Cartersville Little League 8-10 age division tournament team captured the Georgia Little League District 1 championship Tuesday night at Rudy York Field in Cartersville with a 13-2 victory over Rockmart in five innings. Cartersville 10U won the three team, double-elimination tournament with three straight wins that included a win over Bartow County and two over Rockmart. Tuesday night, Cartersville took a 3-0 lead with one run in the first inning and two more in the third before Rockmart tightened the gap with a two-run top of the fourth. Cartersville responded with an eight-run fourth inning of their own to take control of the contest and then rolled to the district title. Clint Hosea (3 IP, 0R, 2H, 4BB, 4K) and Blake Lutjens (2 IP, 2R, 1ER, 3H) combined on the mound for Cartersville to limit Rockmart to a single earned run. The duo scattered five hits. Cartersville 10U banged out 13 total hits in the championship game. Dallen Fuqua led the way with a 4-for-4 performance that included four RBI. Carter Callen also drove in four runs with a double and a triple. Cole Henson had two hits while Cash Priest (RBI), Zachary Stiles, Zack Parker, Lutjens, and Hosea contributed one hit apiece. Drake Bailey and Hosea stole two bases each in the contest. Cartersville advances to represent District 1 in the Georgia Little League state tournament beginning July 6 in Athens. The Cartersville Little League 8-10 age division tournament team roster includes: Drake Bailey, Devon Beavers, Carter Callen, Dallen Fuqua, Cole Henson, Clint Hosea, Dixon Lindsey, Blake Lutjens, Zack Parker, Cash Priest, Zach Stiles, and Matthew Wilson. Manager: Chad Parker. Assistant coaches: Taylor Wilson and Dave Henson Little League results are provided to Bartow Sports Zone by Bartow County Little League and Cartersville Little League. The game data is shared by the leagues via GameChanger reports from the respective teams and/or leagues. GRPA tournament team results are also provided by the Cartersville Parks and Recreation Department and the Bartow County Parks and Recreation Department or the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association. Results and capsules are sponsored on Bartow Sports Zone by Play It Again Sports and CiCi's - Beyond Pizza, both located in the Cartersville Main Street - Cherokee Place Shopping Center.

The Cartersville Little League baseball 8-10 age division tournament team has advanced to the finals of the Georgia Little League District 1 tournament while the Bartow County senior division team (13-16 year olds) lost its District 1 championship series with Rockmart. CARTERSVILLE LITTLE LEAGUE 10U IN DISTRICT FINALS Cartersville Little League age 8-10 tournament team has reached the championship round of the double-elimination Georgia Little League District 1 tournament being hosted by Cartersville Little League. Cartersville 8-10 defeated Rockmart Saturday 11-7 and blanked Bartow County 15-0 Sunday to reach the finals. In Monday’s elimination game, Rockmart shutout Bartow County 12-0. Against Rockmart on Saturday, Cartersville took a 10-1 lead by scoring in four of their first five offensive frames. Rockmart challenged late, however, by taking advantage of five walks, a hit batsman, and a pair of hits to narrow the margin to 10-7. Cartersville added a run in the top of the sixth inning and held on for a four-run win. Clint Hosea and Zachary Parker led the Cartersville offense with two hits and one RBI each. Hosea added a walk, stolen base, and scored three runs. Parker was also hit by a pitch, stole three bases, and scored a run. Cash Priest contributed a double, two RBI, and scored one run. Cole Henson, Blake Lutjens, and Carter Callan added one hit each. Henson also walked, stole a base, and scored a run. Callan stole a base and scored one run while Lutjens added a walk. Dixon Lindsey drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and also scored a run. Cartersville utilized six pitchers. Dallen Fuqua, Devon Beavers, Priest, Lutjens, and Hosea combined for eight strikeouts. In Sunday’s 15-0 win Cartersville’s Callan and Priest combined on the mound to limit Bartow County to a single hit in the three inning contest. Callan fanned two. Priest had one strikeout. Cartersville scored a single run in the first inning, but put the game away in the second by sending 19 batters to the plate to score 14 runs. Cartersville took advantage of eight walks, a hit batsman, six hits, and one error for the big inning. Hosea and Callan had two hits each for Cartersville. Hosea finished with four RBI and scored two runs. Callan had a double, two RBI, and scored a run. Priest and Zach Stiles had the other Cartersville base hits. Priest drove in three runs, stole a base and scored one run. Stiles scored two runs. Dallan Fuqua walked three times, stole two bases and scored a run. Dixon Lindsey, Parker, Lutjens, and Matthew Wilson each walked and scored a run. Devon Beavers reached on an error and also scored one run. Huck Garlin had the lone Bartow base hit. Cartersville 8-10 is scheduled to play Rockmart Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at Rudy York Field for the District 1 championship. Cartersville secures the title with a win. Rockmart can force a second championship game in the double-elimination tournament with a win. BARTOW SENIOR LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL FALLS The Bartow County Senior Little League baseball team lost its best-of-three Georgia Little League District 1 championship series with Rockmart in a pair of one-run games Monday. Rockmart won the first game 3-2 and closed out the series with a 4-3 win in the nightcap. Bartow took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning in the opening game on a two-run home run by Jacob Ray, but Rockmart came-from-behind with single runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to take a one-run victory. Both teams finished Game 1 with six hits. Cody Williams (6.1 IP, 2ER, 5H, 2BB, 6K) picked up the pitching win for Rockmart. Jonathan Moore (0.2 IP, 1H, 1BB) retired the final two outs for a save. Harrison Benton (6 IP, 3ER, 6H, 3BB, 8K) suffered the pitching loss for Bartow with a complete game performance. Trevor Caldwell and Nic Moon had two hits each to lead Rockmart’s offense. Benton and Hayden Cole added two hits each for the Bartow offense. Charlie Ray had the other Bartow base hit. In Game 2, Rockmart took a 4-0 lead through three innings before Bartow battled back into contention. Bartow County narrowed the lead to 4-2 in the fifth inning and scored a run on two hits and a walk in their final at-bat, but were unable to overcome the early deficit. Caldwell (4 IP, 2ER, 1H, 8BB, 7K) was the winning pitcher for Rockmart in the nightcap. Drake Dean (3 IP, 1ER, 6H, 1BB, 5K) closed out the final three frames. Three Rockmart players — including Moore and Caldwell — combined for six hits and three RBI to pace Rockmart. Bartow got two hits including a double and one RBI from Jacob Ray. Benton also had two hits and one RBI. Wade Dooley, Eli Agnew, and Patrick Shelley had the other Bartow County hits. Rockmart Senior Baseball advances to the Georgia state tournament that begins July 6 which will be hosted by Cartersville Little League. Little League results are provided to Bartow Sports Zone by Bartow County Little League and Cartersville Little League. The game data is shared by the leagues via GameChanger reports from the respective teams and/or leagues. GRPA tournament team results are also provided by the Cartersville Parks and Recreation Department and the Bartow County Parks and Recreation Department or the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association. Results and capsules are sponsored on Bartow Sports Zone by Play It Again Sports and CiCi's - Beyond Pizza, both located in the Cartersville Main Street - Cherokee Place Shopping Center.

Former Cartersville Hurricanes enjoyed outstanding weeks on baseball diamonds as the minor league schedules reach their respective all-star breaks and Division I baseball continues at the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. Pitcher Sam Howard made three scoreless relief appearances last week for the Albuquerque Isotopes. Anthony Seigler wrapped up a successful opening week with his new Charleston RiverDogs team and Connor Justus reached the Southern League all-star break with the Mobile BayBears. Cartersville is also represented at the College World Series by Auburn’s Elliott Anderson and Devin Warner. According to a recent tweet by Canes’ coach Kyle Tucker, those two former Canes join former Cartersville standouts Will Startup (UGA), Josh Morris (UGA), and Lyle Allen (UGA) to participate in the CWS. COLLEGE BASEBALL ELLIOTT ANDERSON — Auburn University (Jr., LHP, Cartersville HS)… Anderson made a brief sixth inning appearance Sunday night in the Tigers’ opening game at the College World Series in Omaha. Anderson entered for starting pitcher Jack Owen with runners on first and second and no outs. He got a ground ball force play at third for the first out of the inning, but allowed a ground ball single through the right side by the next batter to plate Mississippi State’s first run of the game and make the score 3-1. Anderson was then lifted for pitcher Cody Greenhill who is typically the Auburn closer. Auburn (38-27) went on to lose a 4-1 lead in the ninth inning and fall 5-4 dropping them to the elimination portion of the bracket. The Tigers, in the College World Series for the first time since 1997, face Louisville Tuesday at 2 p.m. DEVIN WARNER — Auburn University (Fr., Inf/OF, Cartersville HS)… Warner was not utilized in the Tigers’ Super Regional win over North Carolina the week before nor their first game Sunday at the College World Series in Omaha. Auburn suffered a tough 5-4 loss Sunday night to Mississippi State after leading 4-1. Mississippi State scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth for a come-from-behind victory. Auburn (38-27) plays Louisville Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m. in an elimination game. The Tigers are in the College World Series for the first time since 1997. PRO BASEBALL SAM HOWARD — Albuquerque Isotopes (6th yr. pro; LHP; Triple-A Pacific Coast League; Colorado Rockies’ organization; Georgia Southern; Cartersville HS)… had one of his best weeks of the year with three appearances at the Iowa Cubs and at home against the Oklahoma City Dodgers and New Orleans Baby Cakes. Last Monday at Iowa, Howard struck out the side in a one inning seventh inning appearance, but the Isotopes were on the short-end of a 13-4 loss. Thursday at home against Oklahoma City, he entered with two outs in the seventh with the bases loaded and retired four of the five batters he faced without allowing a run. Howard got a groundout in the seventh to end the Dodgers’ threat and then allowed a single in the eighth before retiring the next three batters. The 26-year-old southpaw also worked a spotless eighth inning at home Saturday against the New Orleans in a 4-1 loss. For the season, Howard has a 1-0 record in 25 relief appearances. The southpaw has a 4.59 ERA in 33.1 innings pitched with 41 strikeouts. Opponents are batting .266 against him. CONNOR JUSTUS — Mobile BayBears (4th yr. pro; Inf.; Double-A Southern League; L.A. Angels’ organization; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS)… Justus was 4-for-22 at the plate last week as the BayBears finished up the Southern League’s first half schedule with eight games over six days. He finished the first half with a .189 batting average that included one home run, 12 RBI, and eight extra base hits in 175 at-bats across 60 games. Defensively, Justus has a .944 fielding percentage in 215 total chances splitting time at three infield positions — shortstop, second base, and third base. Mobile (27-41) finished last in the Southern League’s South Division first half. The standings reset for the schedule’s 70-game second half starting Thursday. ANTHONY SEIGLER — Charleston RiverDogs (2nd yr. pro; C; Class A South Atlantic League; Cartersville HS)… Seigler has now played six games with his new club and is 7-for-19 at the plate typically batting in the No. 2 spot in the order whether catching or contributing as the team’s designated hitter. He has a pair of doubles and one RBI along with six walks for a .368 average, .520 on-base percentage, and .474 slugging percentage. The RiverDogs went 3-3 in those six games but missed securing a post-season playoff berth by one-half game. In three starts at catcher, Seigler has a 1.000 fielding percentage with no passed balls. He has thrown out one of two steal attempts against him. Charleston finished tied for second place with Augusta as Lexington won the first half division title. The standings will be reset Thursday for the second half of the season following the league’s All-Star break. For local fans, the RiverDogs return to Rome for a three game series June 24-26.

The Cartersville Little League age 9-11 tournament team won a best-of-three series over Bartow County Little League 9-11 over the weekend at Rudy York Field in Cartersville to win the Georgia District 1 Little League championship. Cartersville won the opening game of the series Saturday 11-1 and took Sunday’s second game 14-4 to earn a trip to the Georgia state tournament July 26-31 in Savannah. Saturday, Cartersville pitcher Brayden Channell limited Bartow to one run on four hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out eight. Cartersville led 1-0 after three innings, pushed their lead to 6-1 in the fourth and scored five more times in the fifth inning. Asa Mitcham had three hits including a pair of doubles. Lyle Woody also had a three hit game for Cartersville. Logan Buchanan had two hits including a double. Channell contributed a pair of hits and Bear McWhorter added one hit. Landon Cassidy, Elisha Moore, Dayson Ward (RBI), and Barrett Fuller had one hit apiece for Bartow County. Sunday, Cartersville broke open a 2-0 game with a six-run third inning to lead 8-0. They added six more runs in the sixth inning. Bartow scored its lone run in the final frame. Cartersville pounded out 14 hits in the contest. McWhorter and Griffin Woodall led the attack with three hits each. McWhorter’s hits included a pair of doubles and he scored a run. Woodall scored twice. Carter Rice, Camdyn Woods, and Woody each tossed in a pair of hits. Rice added a walk and scored two runs. Woods scored twice and Woody walked twice and crossed the plate twice. Matthew Morris had one hit, walked twice, was hit by a pitch and scored three runs. Trenton Harris added a hit and a run. Logan Buchanan was hit by a pitch and later scored while J.P. Gooch coaxed one walk. Fuller, Moore, Ward, and Jacob Jones had the Bartow County hits in Sunday’s contest. Colton O’Neal, Zach Hawkins, and Isaac Burnett each walked once and scored runs for Bartow. The Georgia Little League State Tournament is scheduled for July 26-31 hosted by Chatham County Little League in Savannah. Little League results are provided to Bartow Sports Zone by Bartow County Little League and Cartersville Little League. The game data is shared by the leagues via GameChanger reports from the respective teams and/or leagues. GRPA tournament team results are also provided by the Cartersville Parks and Recreation Department and the Bartow County Parks and Recreation Department or the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association. Results and capsules are sponsored on Bartow Sports Zone by Play It Again Sports and CiCi's - Beyond Pizza, both located in the Cartersville Main Street - Cherokee Place Shopping Center.

The Bartow County Parks and Recreation Department is offering a 3-on-3 basketball league this summer with registration continuing through June 23. The league is for ages 8-17 with a $50 registration fee. Games will begin after July 4. For more information, call 770-387-5149. Registration is also available online at www.bartowga.org.

Progress is continuing at the three Bartow County high school football stadiums this summer as each facility continues to receive upgrades. Recently, the Bartow County Board of Education approved the conversion of the stadium playing surfaces at Adairsville, Cass, and Woodland from Bermuda turf grass to synthetic turf surfaces. Upgraded track surfaces were also slated for Adairsville and Cass. The BCBOE then included upgrades at each of the three schools to include updated digital scoreboards. Bartow Sports Zone reached out to representatives at all three schools Saturday for an update on the upgrades. “The projected completion date for the playing surfaces and tracks remains August 1,” said Bartow County system athletic director Michael Nelson. “Crews are working daily and we are confident that the playing surface portion of the project will be completed on time.” The Adairsville High School playing surface was fully installed in late May (as seen in the included photo). The Adairsville field was ready for the graduation ceremony in the stadium. Work on the other two schools' playing surfaces is still underway. Construction also continues on the track surfaces at both Adairsville and Cass. Crews were in action Friday at Doug Cochran Stadium on the Cass campus. Grading on the base product for the sports turf installation was continuing. Meanwhile at Woodland High School, crews have been recently absent. “I’m fully optimistic about the installation,” said Woodland head coach Tony Plott. “We were given an August 1 completion date, but I was hoping to be able to practice on it in July. Hopefully they will be able to stay ahead of schedule, but they have not been out here for almost two weeks.” “The players, coaches, and boosters are really excited,” noted Cass head coach Bobby Hughes. ‘We are very appreciative of the upgrades and can’t wait to get on it. It is something new for our kids and they are pumped. I’m excited for them and it will allow us to practice even when there has been a lot of rain. It will save wear and tear on our practice fields and gives us options for practices depending on the surface we will play on during any given week.” As for the scoreboard updates, Nelson said those upgrades will be on going. “The digital boards will be capable of doing video replays with graphics. They will also be able to project advertising for our athletic programs’ sponsors and school promotions. The scoreboards are also connected to on the field play clocks which will be located at each end.” Nelson added that the August 1 completion date does not apply to the scoreboard upgrades. “We know the video boards will not be ready by August 1. Those will take a little longer,” Nelson continued. “The upgrades on the boards will be ongoing.” Adairsville and Woodland open their 2019 regular season schedules August 23, but Woodland is the only Bartow school opening at home. The Wildcats host Southeast Whitfield. Adairsville opens the regular season at Chattooga on August 23 while Cass starts its 2019 regular season campaign at Adairsville August 30.

Pitcher Peyton Bowen struck out thirteen of the seventeen batters faced and allowed only a pair of singles with no walks as Cartersville Gold 12U blanked Whitfield County Friday night 10-0 to win the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association (GRPA) District 5 championship in Calhoun. Cartersville Gold 12U was a perfect 4-0 in the week-long, seven team event with wins over Bartow White, Calhoun, and Whitfield County twice. Cartersville defeated Whitfield County once in the second round and again in the finals. The district win sends Cartersville Gold 12U to the double-elimination GRPA State Tournament June 25-28 at Augusta’s Diamond Lakes Youth Center. According to the published GRPA state tournament schedule, Cartersville is scheduled to face the District 2-B runner up in the first round June 25 at 4 p.m. ​​ In Friday’s title clincher, Cartersville scored two runs in the first inning and added eight more in the second frame to take complete control. Bowen finished with three hits including a first inning, two-run home run and a double in the second inning. Will Camp and Nicolas Wright contributed two hits each and both scored two runs. Traver Groves tossed in a double and scored a run while Talan Nix, Davis Waddell, and Noah Pogue added a hit each and all scored one run. Logan Woody had a base hit and Ben Turcotte scored a run after reaching on a Whitfield error. The 2019 Cartersville Gold 12U team is managed by Jason Wright with Kevin Nix serving as an assistant coach. The team roster includes: Peyton Bowen, Will Camp, Ben Caswell, Traver Groves, Braden Mulkey, Talan Nix, Noah Pogue, Jay Sheldon, Ben Turcotte, Davis Waddell, Logan Woody, and Nicolas Wright. Little League results are provided to Bartow Sports Zone by Bartow County Little League and Cartersville Little League. The game data is shared by the leagues via GameChanger reports from the respective teams and/or leagues. GRPA tournament team results are also provided by the Cartersville Parks and Recreation Department and the Bartow County Parks and Recreation Department or the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association. Results and capsules are sponsored on Bartow Sports Zone by Play It Again Sports and CiCi's - Beyond Pizza, both located in the Cartersville Main Street - Cherokee Place Shopping Center.

Cartersville Purple 14U defeated Bartow County 14U Thursday night to win the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association District 5 tournament in Dalton. The win advances Cartersville Purple 14U to the GRPA state tournament in August June 25-29 at Diamond Lakes Park. Cartersville’s first game will be Wednesday, June 26 at 12:30 p.m. against the winner of a Tuesday game between East Point and the District 1 champion. Thursday, Cartersville pounded out 16 hits and broke open a 3-0 game with seven runs in the sixth inning to take control. Cartersville had scored single runs in the first, fourth, and fifth innings. Down 10-0, Bartow scored a single run in the sixth inning for the 10-1 final score. Cartersville pitchers Ayden Ray (4.2 IP, 0R, 5H, 4BB, 11K) and Geoffrey Gore (1.1 IP, 1R, 0ER, 0H, 1BB, 2K) combined to limit Bartow County to a single unearned run on five hits and five walks. Ten Cartersville players had at least one hit each led by Ray’s three hits that included a double and a triple. Colt Williams and Colin Genrich both had two hits including a double each. Sawyer Wilson also had two hits. Turner Abernathy, Tripp Bradley, Trenton Payne, Justin Peace, and Gore added one hit apiece. Landon O’Neal had two hits for Bartow County. Steven Rivera, Luke Hollis, and Corey Brookshire added one hit each. CARTERSVILLE 12U GOLD 12, CALHOUN 11 Cartersville 12U Gold moved within one win of capturing the GRPA District 5 title with a come-from-behind 12-11 victory over Calhoun Thursday night. Cartersville scored five times in the bottom of the sixth inning Thursday after trailing 11-7 going to their final frame. The win sends Cartersville to the championship round against Whitfield County Friday at 6 p.m. at Calhoun Park. Whitfield needs two wins over Cartersville Friday to win the tournament. If a second game is needed, it will be played at 8 p.m. In Thursday’s win, Peyton Bowen had three hits including a home run. Traver Groves also had three hits including a pair of doubles. Will Camp contributed two hits while Talan Nix, Nic Wright, Logan Woody, Davis Waddell, Ben Turcotte, and Jay Sheldon added one hit each. WHITFIELD COUNTY 12U 7, BARTOW BLUE 5 Bartow Blue 12U lost in an elimination game to Whitfield County Thursday night to end the locals’ tournament run. Bartow scored single runs in the second and fourth innings and added three more runs in the sixth inning. The Bartow Blue roster includes: Josh Griffin, Devyn Brown, Jacob Jones, James Lee, Joseph McGrew, Clifton Michael Parker, Kamden Ray, Aiden Ritchie, Trevon Smith, DJ Swann, Joseph Thome, and Carson Waits. The team is coached by Jon Jones. ROCKMART GOLD 10U 11, BARTOW BLUE 10U 5 The Bartow Blue 10U baseball team was ousted from the GRPA District 5 10U tournament in Calhoun with a pair of losses Thursday night. Bartow Blue 10U fell to Rockmart Gold 11-5 and later lost to Calhoun to finish third in the district. Against Rockmart, Bartow Blue trailed 8-0 before scoring one run in the bottom of the third inning and adding four more in the fourth. Zaylen Cochran had two hits for Bartow. Maddox Raughton, McCayden Hufstetler, and Huck Garlin added hits. Mitchell Roughton walked and scored twice. Jackson Jarrett and Preston Hazelwood also scored runs for the locals. The Bartow Blue roster includes: Jabari Burleson, Tavaris Burleson, Zaylen Cochran, Connor Corbin, Gatlin Fair, Wyatt Garlin, Preston Hazelwood, mcCayden Hufstetler, Kasey Jacobs, Trenton Mealer, Maddox Raughton, and Mitchell Raughton. The team is coached by Coley Fair. SOFTBALL ROME-FLOYD 10U 10, BARTOW 10U 9 The Bartow County 10U machine pitch softball team fell to Rome-Floyd 10-9 Thursday night to finish third in the GRPA District 5 tournament. In a back-and-forth tilt, Bartow scored five runs in the top of the fourth inning to narrow the Rome-Floyd lead to 6-5 before Rome-Floyd pushed their lead to 8-5 in the bottom of the inning. Bartow then took a 9-8 lead in the top of the fifth inning, but Rome-Floyd scored twice in the sixth for the one-run win. Lindsey Chubb had three hits for Bartow and scored two runs. Kaymin Arrants also contributed three hits and scored a run. Bartow got two hits each from Raelyn Walden, Bailey Ryan, and Layla Whitener. Lily Powell, Kylie Gentry, Bria Callahan, and Sariya Ray added one hit each. Little League results are provided to Bartow Sports Zone by Bartow County Little League and Cartersville Little League. The game data is shared by the leagues via GameChanger reports from the respective teams and/or leagues. GRPA tournament team results are also provided by the Cartersville Parks and Recreation Department and the Bartow County Parks and Recreation Department or the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association. Results and capsules are sponsored on Bartow Sports Zone by Play It Again Sports and CiCi's - Beyond Pizza, both located in the Cartersville Main Street - Cherokee Place Shopping Center.

One Bartow County youth softball team staved off elimination twice Wednesday night in Georgia Recreation and Parks Association (GRPA) District 5 tournament action, but another had its tournament run come to a close. Meanwhile on GRPA District 5 baseball tournament diamonds, five local teams remain alive for District titles with tournaments scheduled to conclude Thursday and Friday across Northwest Georgia. SOFTBALL BARTOW COUNTY 10U 14, WHITFIELD COUNTY 6 BARTOW COUNTY 10U 23, ROCKMART 17 Facing elimination in both games Wednesday night at the GRPA District 5 tournament, the Bartow County 10U machine pitch softball girls defeated Whitfield County and Rockmart to advance as one of the final three teams still alive for the championship. Bartow 10U was sent to the loser’s bracket in the double-elimination tournament in their opening game by Summerville Tuesday night. Summerville remains the only unbeaten team remaining in the event and awaits the survivor of Bartow’s 6 p.m. game Thursday night with Rome-Floyd. Summerville needs only one more win to secure the disctrict title while their opponent will need to beat them twice. In Wednesday’s opening win over Whitfield County, Bartow broke open a close game with a six-run third inning. Raelyn Walden homered twice while Bria Callahan, Lindsey Chubb, Bailey Ryan, Kaymin Arrants, Charlee Byrd, Ellisa McDonald, Gracie Korb, and Lily Powell all had hits. In the win over Rockmart, eleven Bartow players reached base and scored at least one run apiece including Kylie Gentry, Sariya Ray, Callahan, Chubb, Walden, Ryan, Arrants, Byrd, McDonald, Korb, and Powell. ROCKMART 14U 20, BARTOW COUNTY 14U 12 The loss by Bartow County 14U softball knocked the locals out of the GRPA District 5 double-elimination tournament hosted by Rockmart. Bartow lost its opener to Whitfield County 5-2 Tuesday. Gordon County plays Rockmart Thursday at 6 p.m. in an elimination game with the winner squaring off against Whitfield County in the championship round to follow. BASEBALL BARTOW BLUE 10U 3, CARTERSVILLE PURPLE 10U 0 Three Bartow County Blue pitchers combined for a one-hit, shutout as Bartow Blue defeated Cartersville Purple at the GRPA 10U District 5 baseball tournament at Westside Park in Whitfield County. Maddox Raughton (2 IP, 0R, 0H, 3BB, 6K), McCayden Hufstetler (1 IP, 0R, 1H, 1BB, 2K), and Preston Hazelwood (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB, 2K) each worked from the mound for Bartow Blue. ​​ Cartersville, playing in the 10U event with a nine year old team, got its hit from Dawson Ray. Brody Jones (3.1 IP, 3R, 1ER, 3H, 6BB, 3K) took the loss on the mound for Purple allowing only one earned run. Connor Corbin had a double and scored a run for Bartow Blue. Zaylen Cochran (RBI) and Huck Garlin added base hits. Jackson Jarrett walked three times and had one RBI. Bartow Blue 10U remains unbeaten in the double-elimination tournament and plays Rockmart Gold Thursday at 6:15 p.m. at Westside Park with the winner advancing to Friday’s championship round. The Bartow Blue/Rockmart Gold loser must play an elimination game later on Thursday night. WHITFIELD COUNTY 10U 3, CARTERSVILLE PURPLE 10U 0 Whitfield County defeated Cartersville Purple 3-0 Wednesday night in a game that eliminated the locals from the GRPA District 5 tournament. Cartersville, playing with a nine year old roster in the 10U event, suffered a pair of shutouts Wednesday night in the double-elimination tournament. In the loss to Whitfield County, Brant Rutledge and Fisher Nelson managed the only Cartersville base hits while solid pitching performances by Blake Genrich (3 IP, 3R, 1ER, 4H, 2BB, 4K), River Wade (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB), and Avery Slye (1 IP) kept Purple close. CARTERSVILLE GOLD 12U 3, WHITFIELD COUNTY 2 Cartersville Gold 12U defeated Whitfield County 3-2 Wednesday night to advance in the winners’ bracket of the GRPA District 5 tournament at Calhoun Park. Cartersville Gold took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and added a run in the second to hold a 3-1 advantage. Whitfield County scored a single run in the fourth inning, but Cartersville pitching retired the final six outs of the game with strikeouts to secure the win. Nicolas Wright started on the bump for Cartersville with Braden Mulkey and Peyton Bowen working in relief to scatter six hits and three walks as a staff. The trio of Gold pitchers combined for ten strikeouts. Logan Woody had two hits including a double to pace the Cartersville Gold offense. He also scored a run. Ben Turcotte contributed a double. Will Camp had a base hit and scored a run while Talan Nix reached base twice on walks and scored the other Cartersville run. Cartersville Gold 12U plays the host team Calhoun Thursday at 6 p.m. with the winner advancing to Friday’s championship round. The loser must play an elimination game Thursday night at 8 p.m. DALTON 12U 17, BARTOW WHITE 12U 2 Bartow White 12U was knocked out of the GRPA District 5 tournament in Calhoun Wednesday night with a 17-2 loss to Dalton. Dalton posted six runs in the first and second innings, then five more in the third inning to secure the win. Bartow did not have a hit, but managed single runs in the second and third innings of the shortened contest. Seven walks and a pair of hit batsmen led to the Bartow White runs. Dalton finished with ten hits and advanced in the elimination bracket to play Rome-Floyd Thursday. Bartow County Blue and Whitfield County are the other two teams remaining in the loser’s bracket of the 12U tournament while Calhoun and Cartersville Gold play each other Thursday at 7 p.m. as the only two unbeaten teams remaining. BARTOW COUNTY 14U 15, WHITFIELD COUNTY 7 Bartow County 14U reached the championship round of the GRPA District 5 tournament at Heritage Point Park in Dalton with a 15-7 elimination game win over Whitfield County Wednesday night. Bartow will now square off with Cartersville Purple 14U for the district championship Thursday at 6:15 p.m. back at Heritage Point Park. Cartersville needs one win to secure the title. Bartow needs two wins. Cartersville defeated Bartow 6-1 in the opening game of the tournament Monday night and pounded Whitfield County 13-1 Tuesday to reach the finals. Following their loss to Cartersville, Bartow eliminated Dalton (9-0, Tuesday) and Whitfield County. Bartow utilized pitchers Landon O’Neil, David Kelly, and Connor Wright to limit Whitfield County Wednesday as all ten hitters in the Bartow order reached base and scored at least one run apiece. Corey Brookshire had two hits in the Bartow win over Whitfield including a double. Landon O’Neil, PJ Weeks, and Luke Hollis also tossed in a pair of hits each. Caden Goff contributed with a double while Connor Wright, Cadyn Wade, Steven Rivera, Israel Contreras, and David Kelly added one hit apiece. Little League results are provided to Bartow Sports Zone by Bartow County Little League and Cartersville Little League. The game data is shared by the leagues via GameChanger reports from the respective teams and/or leagues. GRPA tournament team results are also provided by the Cartersville Parks and Recreation Department and the Bartow County Parks and Recreation Department or the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association. Results and capsules are sponsored on Bartow Sports Zone by Play It Again Sports and CiCi's - Beyond Pizza, both located in the Cartersville Main Street - Cherokee Place Shopping Center.

There will be plenty of hoops action Friday and Saturday at Cass High School as 15 different schools will be represented in an annual boys basketball team camp. Varsity and junior varsity boys teams will compete in two days of games on three courts at Cass utilizing the main and auxiliary gymnasiums. The team camp doubles as a Georgia High School Association training camp for basketball officials. Seventy current GHSA referees representing nine different officials associations from across the state will work the games under the tutelage of GHSA assignors and college officials. Cass head coach Sean Glaze noted there will be plenty of top competition in the camp format games. “Of the fifteen teams participating, nine were state tournament teams last season,” said Glaze. “Two teams made the Sweet 16 and two were in the Final Four of their classifications.” Games are schedule hourly starting at 9 a.m. both days. Teams will play a pair of 20-minute running clock halves with normal clock stoppage in the final two minutes of each half. Players fouled will shoot one free throw for two points during the running clock to increase the action. Teams from Adairsville, Allatoona, Calhoun, Cass, Christian Heritage, Coosa, Cornerstone Prep Academy, Darlington, Excel Christian Academy, Kings Academy, Model, North Paulding, Rockmart, Sonoraville, and Southeast Whitfield will be in attendance. There is no admission charge to watch the games and a concession stand will be available on both days. “It’s a great chance for coaches to work in new players, give them some experience, and see how they compete,” added Glaze. “Some teams are working on new offenses or defenses. It gives coaches and players a chance to get ready for next season’s competition.” As for the referees, top level college officials are assigned to each floor to help with the training of the high school officials. Led by long-time GHSA and college basketball referee and assignor Dock Sisk, a group of NCAA officials contribute to the camp to help train the high school officials. Sisk and his wife Nan have been Atlanta Tip-Off Club Naismith National Officials of the Year. They have officiated in the WNBA, Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, and several other conferences. They have also worked multiple NCAA tournaments and Nan has officiated in the Olympic Games. “The Sisks bring their expertise and provide a solid learning experience for the attending high school officials,” noted Clarissa Bagwell of the local Cherokee Basketball Officials Association. “They always bring us a strong collection of clinicians to help with the training of our newer and veteran officials alike.” The high school officials also have the opportunity to earn post-season eligibility by participating in the Cass camp or one of 23 other similar camps offered throughout the summer months across the state. "Just like players and coaches, the camp gives us an opportunity to improve and learn more," added Charles Wilson of Cherokee Basketball Officials Association. "We get a look at some of the newer officials and find out the latest techniques and mechanics from the visiting clinicians. The officials are paying a fee to be here, so they are striving to improve." The officials will work in three-person mechanics for one half per session and then do immediate video analysis with their clinician to focus on strengths and weaknesses. Officials will normally work about four halves over the course of each day. GHSA requires post-season eligible officials to participate in a sanctioned, summer "on-court" camp each year and requires varsity level officials to attend a sanctioned camp at least every other year.

Four local teams representing the Cartersville and Bartow County Recreation Departments at the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association (GRPA) District 5 tournaments across northwest Georgia picked up wins Tuesday night. In the 14U baseball tournament in Dalton, Tripp Bradley tossed a no-hitter as Cartersville reached the championship round with a 13-1 win over Whitfield County. Bartow County 14U also stayed alive in that same tournament with a 9-0 blanking of host Dalton. Cartersville’s Will Camp also tossed a no-hitter in a 21-0 defeat of Bartow County at the 12U tournament in Calhoun. In other action, Cartersville Gold 10U was eliminated in their tournament in Whitfield County but split a pair of elimination games Tuesday night while two Bartow County 12U baseball teams and a pair of softball teams dropped their opening tournament games. CARTERSVILLE 14U 13, WHITFIELD COUNTY 1 Tripp Bradley tossed a three-inning no-hitter and went 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBI as Cartersville 14U cruised past Whitfield County Tuesday night at the GRPA District 5 tournament at Heritage Point Park in Dalton. The victory advances Cartersville to Thursday’s championship round where they will face one of the two teams they have already beaten once — Whitfield County or Bartow County — in the double-elimination tournament. Cartersville topped Bartow 6-1 in Monday’s opening round. Whitfield County and Bartow County will square off Wednesday evening in an elimination game. Tuesday night, Cartersville 14U started fast with seven runs in the top of the first inning and were never threatened as they banged out 13 hits. In addition to Bradley’s performance, a trio of Cartersville hitters added two hit each including Ayden Ray (3 RBI), Geoffrey Gore (2 RBI), and Sawyer Wilson (2 RBI). Gavin Shrewsbury (2 RBI), Luke Altizer (RBI), Justin Peace, and Colt Williams contributed the other Cartersville hits. BARTOW BLUE 14U 9, DALTON 0 Bartow County 14U stayed alive in the GRPA District 5 Tournament at Heritage Point Park Tuesday night with a 9-0 elimination game win over Dalton. Bartow pitchers Connor Wright, Cadyn Wade, and Landon O’Neil combined for the shutout. O’Neil and Israel Contreras paced the Bartow offense with a pair of hits each. O’Neil scored a pair of runs and Contreras drove in a run. Steven Rivera doubled and scored a run. Wade contributed a hit and one RBI while PJ Weeks and Wright both scored two runs apiece. Bartow County 14U advances to play an elimination game Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. at Heritage Point Park with Cartersville awaiting the survivor in the finals starting Thursday at 6:15 p.m. The Bartow/Whitfield winner will need two wins in the finals of the double-elimination tournament. CARTERSVILLE GOLD 12U 21, BARTOW WHITE 12U 0 Will Camp allowed only one baserunner on a hit batsman and fanned four in two innings of work as Cartersville Gold 12U rolled past Bartow White 12U, 21-0. Nicolas Wright, Peyton Bowen, and Logan Woody had three hits each for Cartersville Gold. Bowen’s hits included a home run. Woody’s work at the plate included a double and two runs scored while Wright crossed the plate three times. Will Camp, Talan Nix, and Traver Groves added two hits and scored three runs apiece for Cartersville. Ben Turcotte contributed a base hit and scored twice. Braden Mulkey and Noah Pogue both had one hit and scored a run each. Cartersville Gold 12U advances to the second round to face Tuesday’s Dalton/Whitfield winner Wednesday night at 6 p.m. at Calhoun Park. Bartow White falls to the elimination bracket and will need two wins Wednesday evening to stay alive. They play Dalton at 6 p.m. at Calhoun Park with the winner to face Rome-Floyd at 8 p.m. CALHOUN 14, BARTOW BLUE 12U 0 Bartow Blue 12U was shutout 14-0 by host Calhoun Tuesday night in the first round of the GRPA District 5 tournament. Calhoun pitching allowed only a pair of walks and two hit batsmen while the offense scored in each of the first three frames including a seven-run third. Bartow Blue 12U drops to the loser’s bracket and will play the Cartersville Gold/Whitfield County loser at 8 p.m. Wednesday night at Calhoun Park. CARTERSVILLE GOLD 10U SPLITS DOUBLEHEADER The Cartersville Gold 10U team split a pair of elimination games Tuesday at the GRPA District 5 Tournament at Westside Park in Whitfield County. A 12-2 win over Rockmart Black advanced Cartersville Gold in the loser’s bracket early in the evening, but a 12-2 loss to Rome-Floyd Red in the nightcap bumped Gold from the double-elimination tournament. ​​ In the win over Rockmart, Matthew Cook led Gold with two hits, stole five bases, and scored a pair of runs. Peyton Duren doubled and swiped three bases. Declan Asay and Emory Weaver had the other Cartersville base hits. Asay also contributed seven bases and scored three times while Weaver stole three bases and crossed the plate twice. Hudson Amos, who walked twice, added six stolen bases and scored a pair of runs. Brooks Fulton, Kaden Owenby, and Andy Holstein scored the other Cartersville runs and combined for seven stolen bases. Cook picked up the pitching win for Gold allowing only two runs on two hits and two walks. He fanned eight. In the nightcap loss, Rome-Floyd Red 12U broke open a 3-2 game in the third inning with six runs before closing out the contest in the fourth inning with three more. Cartersville Gold scored single runs in the first two innings. Weaver had two of Cartersville’s five hits and scored one of the runs. Amos added a hit and one RBI. Fulton contributed one hit and scored the other Gold run. Owenby had the other Cartersville base hit. A quartet of pitchers worked in the loss. Cook (1 IP, 3ER, 5H, 1BB, 2K), Luke Thompson (1.2 IP, 6ER, 7H, 3BB, 4K), Max O’Bryant (1 IP, 3ER, 3H, 1BB, 1K), and Asay (0.1 IP, 0R, 1H) each took the mound for Cartersville. Rome-Floyd Red advances in the loser’s bracket to play the Rockmart Gold/Calhoun loser Wednesday night at 7:45 p.m. at Westside Park. Cartersville Purple 10U and Bartow Blue 10U square off in a winner’s bracket game Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. in that same tournament. SOFTBALL SUMMERVILLE 10U 14, BARTOW COUNTY 2 Bartow County 10U machine pitch softball dropped its opening round game at the GRPA District 5 tournament at Westside Park in Whitfield County. Summerville scored runs in every inning, including six in the final frame to top Bartow 14-2. Bailey Ryan, Kaymin Arrants, Layla Whitener, and Lily Powell had hits for the locals. Bartow plays an elimination game in the double-elimination tournament Wednesday night at 6:15 p.m. against host Whitfield County at Westside Park. WHITFIELD COUNTY 14U 5, BARTOW COUNTY 2 At the 14U GRPA District 5 fast pitch softball tournament in Rockmart, Whitfield County scored three runs over the final two innings to defeat Bartow County 5-2. Piper Spivey, Taff Bradley, Hailey Story (RBI), Tennessee Abernathy, and Olivia Cochran had one hit each for Bartow County. Heather Gilbert (3.2 IP, 3ER, 5H, 0BB, 2K) suffered the pitching loss. Hayley Dillow (1 IP, 2ER, 2H, 4BB, 2K) also pitched for the locals. Bartow County plays in an elimination game Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. in Rockmart. Little League results are provided to Bartow Sports Zone by Bartow County Little League and Cartersville Little League. The game data is shared by the leagues via GameChanger reports from the respective teams and/or leagues. GRPA tournament team results are also provided by the Cartersville Parks and Recreation Department and the Bartow County Parks and Recreation Department or the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association. Results and capsules are sponsored on Bartow Sports Zone by Play It Again Sports and CiCi's - Beyond Pizza, both located in the Cartersville Main Street - Cherokee Place Shopping Center.