Former Excel Christian Academy standout and Columbus State University men's basketball player Rudy Winters has signed a professional contract with San Salvador, a member of Liga Superior, located in El Salvador. Winters, who played two seasons for the Cougars from 2016-18, will report immediately as San Salvador is in the midst of the 2019 Liga Superior schedule. "Rudy deserves this," said CSU men's basketball coach Robert Moore on csucougars.com. ”He never quit on his dream of becoming a professional basketball player and he now gets that chance to show his talents. I know for a fact that Rudy will continue to have that hunger to accomplish more and to make the Columbus State community proud wherever he goes,” Moore concluded. Current Excel coach Shannon Boatfield, who was a teacher at the school during Winters' time there, said it's great to see former Eagles be able to compete professionally. He also hopes it serves as a source of inspiration for his current and future players. “I do think that his success shows the current and future Eagles that players at Excel can move to the next levels,’” Boatfield said. “Excel can still be the right foundation in your sport to help you accomplish dreams.” With Winters’ signing, 12 former Columbus State University Cougars have inked pro deals over the last six seasons while 14 former CSU student-athletes making it to pro teams since the summer of 2010. Winters' time at CSU was cut short after appearing in just five games in his junior season due to injury, but the wing showed his skills over 23 games in 2017-18 averaging 13.7 points on a 45.5 percent shooting clip from the floor for the Cougars. He showed his ability to knock down the three making twenty from beyond the arch while also chipping in 4.8 rebounds per game.

Kyle Gollhofer, a 2019 graduate of Woodland High School, was named the 2018-19 Atlanta-Journal Constitution High School Player of the Year for wrestling across all classifications this week. Gollhofer went undefeated his senior season (52-0) and won his fourth individual state title, becoming the first wrestler in Bartow County history to accomplish the feat. The University of Northern Iowa signee also helped lead the Wildcats to team state championships in both the team duals and traditional formats in 2018-19. Gollhofer won the Class AAAAA individual championship in the 120-pound weight class as a senior. He was also a 120-pound state champion as a junior. His sophomore season state title came in the 113-pound division and was a 106-pound champion his freshman year. Gollhofer is ranked the No. 4 senior prospect nationally in the 120 division, according to IntermatWrestle.com.

Coach Mike Tobin of Cartersville High School boys basketball will host the Take It To The Hoop Basketball Camp of Champions June 17-19 at the CHS Storm Center. The Camp is for Grades 1-9 and will run from 8 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. each day. The cost is $65 and includes a camp t-shirt. Please see the additional information below which includes contact information for Coach Tobin.

Adairsville boys basketball coach Alex Disbrow and Woodland boys basketball coach Jacob Selman are hosting youth boys basketball camps June 3-6 at their respective schools. Woodland also has a second week June 24-27 available. Camp information and contact information available on the flyer attachments below:

Cartersville High School won Region 5-AAAA and placed eighth overall in Class AAAA in the 2018-19 Georgia Athletic Directors Association Directors’ Cup standings to lead all the local schools in Bartow County. The GADA Directors Cup, in existence since the 1999-2000 school year, recognizes athletic departments in all GHSA classifications who have excelled and show superior performance. Twenty-five GHSA sports are counted in the standings with each school’s eight highest scoring sports counting toward the final standings. Schools receive points for each of their athletic teams reaching the state playoffs. State champions earn 100 points with a runner-up assigned 90 points, semifinalists 83 points, etc. through 32nd place. The overall award combines genders of the highest scoring sports with separate awards for each gender. Coed sports are categorized based on majority number of participants. Cartersville finished the year with 957 GADA Cup points, a state championship in cheerleading, and earned points in a total of fifteen sports. St. Pius X won the Class AAAA overall Cup title with 1,272 points. The Golden Lions athletic department collected state titles in six sports, including boys swimming, boys track, boys cross country, boys golf, girls volleyball, and girls soccer. St. Pius X also won the male standings in Class 4A with the Marist girls’ program winning that gender title. Cartersville was sixth (558 points) in the male rankings and eleventh in the female sports (399 points) with 54 schools in the 4A classification. In addition to the 100 points earned by the Purple Hurricanes for their cheerleading state title, Cartersville picked up points for football (90), volleyball (83), girls tennis (83), boys cross country (72), baseball (70), wrestling (70), boys basketball (70), boys tennis (53), boys soccer (53), girls cross country (48), girls track and field (40), girls soccer (25), and girls swimming (25). Among Region 5-AAAA schools, Cartersville led the way followed by LaGrange (534 points), Sandy Creek (534), and Chapel Hill (526). In male sports, Sandy Creek was second with LaGrange third. The Chapel Hill female program was runner-up in the region followed by LaGrange. Woodland finished 25th overall of 56 schools in Class AAAAA with 489 points and two state championships. The Wildcats won a wrestling state championship and the girls cross country title. The Lady Cats scored 349 of Woodland’s points (cross country 100 points, track and field 60, golf 57, coed cheer 54, softball 53, tennis 25 for a 13th place finish among female sports. Woodland’s male sports were 41st in the classification. The boys cross country team earned 40 points to go with the 100 for wrestling. Cass was 43rd in Class 5A with 226 total points. Lady Colonels’ sports picked up 116 points (63 cheer, 53 basketball) for a 38th place finish. The Colonels added 110 points (72 wrestling, 38 track and field). Starr’s Mill High School won the 2019 Directors Cup in Class AAAAA by edging Buford. McIntosh placed third with Carrollton and Riverwood rounding out the top five in the classification. Buford won the male sports title and Starr’s Mill won the female ranking. Carrollton finished first overall and in both genders in Region 7-AAAAA. The Woodland girls were runner-up among female sports with Rome second in male sports. Kell was the third place school overall and in both genders. Cass was fifth in boys sports with the girls placing seventh. In Class AAA, Adairsville finished 31st of 57 schools with 357 points. The Lady Tigers earned 278 points in female sports (cheer 72 points, golf 60, swim 51, track 45, soccer 25, volleyball 25) to finish 17th statewide. Adairsville collected 79 points in male sports (wrestling 54, tennis 25) and was 50th in the classification. Westminster made it a clean sweep in Class AAA. The Wildcats won the overall, male sports, and female sports titles in the classification and won eight state championships including girls and boys swimming, girls and boys cross country, girls and boys soccer, boys lacrosse, and boys golf. Calhoun won the Region 6-AAA Cup title followed by Coahulla Creek and Sonoraville. Ringgold was fourth and Adairsville fifth, but the Lady Tigers’ teams were second in the region in female sports. The Adairsville male sports placed eighth. Other classifications (top 3): Class A Overall Wesleyan Commerce Gordon Lee Class A Male Wesleyan Commerce Athens Academy Class A Female Wesleyan Mt. Paran Christian Gordon Lee Class AA Overall Bremen Rockmart Jeff Davis Class AA Male Bremen Rockmart Vidalia Class AA Female Bleckley County Bremen Jeff Davis Class AAAAAA Overall Cambridge Harrison Pope Class AAAAAA Male Harrison Pope Cambridge Class AAAAAA Female Cambridge Harrison Creekview Class AAAAAAA Overall Walton Lambert North Gwinnett Class AAAAAAA Male Hillgrove Walton Brookwood Class AAAAAAA Female Walton Lambert North Gwinnett

Cartersville High School sophomore golfer, Buck Brumlow, was named to the 2019 Georgia High School Golf Coaches Association All-State Team earlier this week. The University of Georgia commit was low medalist in several tournaments this season, had a second consecutive top five finish in the GHSA Class AAAA State Tournament, and led the Hurricanes to a fourth place team finish.

Kingston native Spencer Fields concluded his collegiate career with a final 10,000 meter run performance at the NCAA Division III National Championships and former Cartersville High School baseball standouts Elliott Anderson and Devin Warner will join their Auburn Tigers in the Atlanta Regional of the 2019 NCAA Baseball Tournament to highlight this week's edition of the 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' update. Photos (L-R): Fields, Anderson, Warner TRACK AND FIELD TERRY BERDIN — Reinhardt University (Fr., Cartersville HS)… along with his 4x100-meter relay teammates placed ninth in prelims at the NAIA track and field outdoor championships on Thursday in Gulf Shores, Alabama. That finish left them out of the top-eight positions which qualified for the finals. The Eagles’ 4x100-meter team did, however, set a new school record with a 41.35 finish. SPENCER FIELDS — Rhodes College (Sr., Kingston, GA, Darlington HS)… capped his senior campaign with a 13th place finish in the 10K race Thursday at the NCAA D-III National Championships in Geneva, Ohio. His time was 31:26.45. Fields completed his career with the Lynx as the school record-holder in the 10K, 5K, and 3K. COLLEGE BASEBALL ELLIOTT ANDERSON — Auburn University (Jr., LHP, Cartersville HS)… started last Tuesday’s game against Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. The southpaw went four innings in a no-decision, allowing two earned runs on three hits and four walks. He fanned six. Anderson left the game with his team up 2-1 and the Tigers went on to top the Vols 5-3. Auburn (33-25) was selected for an at-large berth in this week’s NCAA Division I Tournament and will be a No. 2 seed in the Atlanta Regional at Georgia Tech. The Tigers and top-seeded Yellow Jackets will be joined by 3-seed Coastal Carolina and No. 4 seeded Florida A&M. The double-elimination regional begins Friday. CLIFTON DEMPSEY — Toccoa Falls College (Jr., Inf., Cartersville HS)… went 4-for-14 as his team went 2-2 at the National Christian College Athletic Association National Championship Tournament in Easley, South Carolina last Wednesday through Friday. He also had a walk and scored three runs. His best game in the tournament was a 3-for-4 performance including a double in a 6-4 win over Hiawassee College. The Screaming Eagles finished the 2019 season with a 26-25 mark. MASON ROBINSON — Louisiana Tech (R-Sr., OF, Woodland HS)… hit safely in both of the Bulldogs’ Conference USA Tournament games last week and was 3-for-7 with a double, one RBI, and two runs scored. Louisiana Tech lost both games, however, falling to Marshall and Rice to end the Bulldogs’ season and Robinson’s career. He finished his senior season with a .287 batting average that included three home runs and 24 RBI. Robinson hit .275 across his final two seasons with nine home runs and 60 RBI. DEVIN WARNER — Auburn University (Fr., Inf., Cartersville HS)… made one start and appeared in two of the Tigers’ three games last week at the Southeastern Conference Tournament. He flied out to center field in a seventh inning, pinch hitting appearance during an 11-1 loss Wednesday to 2nd-ranked Vanderbilt. Warner was then 1-for-3 Thursday in a start in right field. The Tigers were eliminated in the tournament by LSU 4-3. Auburn (33-25) was selected for an at-large berth in this week’s NCAA Tournament and will be a No. 2 seed in the Atlanta Regional at Georgia Tech. The Tigers and top-seeded Yellow Jackets will be joined by 3-seed Coastal Carolina and No. 4 seeded Florida A&M. The double-elimination regional begins Friday. PRO BASEBALL SAM HOWARD — Albuquerque Isotopes (6th yr. pro; LHP; Triple-A Pacific Coast League; Colorado Rockies’ organization; Georgia Southern; Cartersville HS)… entered to retire the final two outs of the sixth inning and faced four batters in the seventh last Tuesday in a 9-2 loss at Las Vegas. Howard was charged with four earned runs on four hits and a pair of walks. Sunday night, he entered in the sixth inning with two outs and retired three of the five batters he faced working into the seventh. He allowed one earned run on one hit and one walk and struck out one in an eventual 16-8 home loss to Sacramento. In a Memorial Day home loss to Sacramento, Howard retired the final out in the ninth inning and allowed a hit in the two batters he faced. Howard has appeared in 18 games this season — all in relief — with a 6.04 ERA and 30 strikeouts. Albuquerque (24-28) is currently in third place in the PCL’s Pacific Southern Division and trails first place El Paso by 8 and 1/2 games. CONNOR JUSTUS — Mobile BayBears (4th yr. pro; SS; Double-A Southern League; L.A. Angels organization; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS)… in a five-game home series with Biloxi last week Justus was 2-for-16 with a walk, a stolen base, one RBI, and two runs scored. In 42 games this season, he has a .215 batting average with one home run and eight RBI. Defensively, he has made 25 starts at shortstop, eight at second base, and seven at third base and carries a .951 fielding percentage in 144 total chances. Justus has been part of 19 of the BayBears’ double plays. Mobile (19-30) is currently tied for fourth place in the five-team Southern League South Division. The BayBears trail division-leading Pensacola by 10 and 1/2 games.

The Cartersville Little League 8U all-stars and 9U all-stars won their respective Georgia Little League District 1 championships this weekend. The Rookie League (8U) team swept a best-of-three series with Rockmart Little League to take that title. Cartersville won the opener Saturday 16-0 and took the second game 14-8 on Sunday. The Sandlot League (9U) team swept Bartow County Little League in their best-of-three series. Cartersville won the first game of the series 7-3 and completed the sweep Saturday, 20-3, in Game 2. Both teams will advance to Georgia Little League Sectional Tournaments. Photos courtesy Cartersville Little League Baseball. Click on image to enlarge. Cartersville Little League Rookie Division Team: Blake Forstie, Will Groce, Bowen Hardy, Parker Huth, Noah Leffew, Cade McFarland, Cash Meadows, Christopher Parker, Walker Phillips, Colt Priest, Kolston Privett, Price Startup, and Easton Stephens. Manager: Drew Startup. Assistant Coaches: Chris Huth and T.J. Leffew. Cartersville Little League Sandlot Division Team: Mason Davis, Ramsey Dunn, Drake Bailey, John Brady Nichols, Avery Slye, River Wade, Dawson Ray, Asher Phillips, Brant Rutledge, Brody Jones, Braden Slocumb, Blake Genrich. Manager: Nick Wade. Assistants: Sam Bailey, Clint Rutledge. 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. 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 High School placekicker, Jonathan Cruz, is one of eight members of the 2019 Charlotte 49ers football squad named to the Athlon Sports all-Conference USA team. At the end of last season, Cruz was a second team all-C-USA selection and a member of the 2018 all-Freshman team. He set school records for field goals made from 40-plus yards and 50 or more yards. He also added a 56-yard field goal against Florida Atlantic that was the longest in Conference USA and the second-longest in the FBS last season. Cruz is joined on the all-C-USA First Team pre-season by four teammates including running back Benny LeMay, offensive lineman Cameron Clark, defensive end Alex Highsmith, and safety Ben DeLuca. Linebacker Jeff Gemmell was selected to the Second Team while wide receiver Victor Tucker and defensive end Tyrig Harris were Third Team selections. The 49ers open the 2019 season at home August 29 against Gardner-Webb. Charlotte was 5-7 last season and 4-4 in Conference USA. For more, visit — https://charlotte49ers.com/news/2019/5/23/football-eight-niners-on-athlons-preseason-all-c-usa-teams.aspx

The Region 7-AAAAA coaches have released their selections for the 2019 All-Region Tennis Team. Woodland High School's Bryce VanOrder was named to the All-Region First Team, while Emily Surcey of Cass High School and Connor Gunnell of Woodland were named All-Region Second Team. Photos (L-R): VanOrder, Gunnell, and Surcey. Photos by Randy Parker, The Daily Tribune News. GIRLS ALL REGION FIRST TEAM Caitlan Arant, Carrollton Nicole Able, Kell Emily Dearing, Kell Nixon/Arant, Carrollton Rapplean/Katsoudas, Kell SECOND TEAM Emily Surcey, Cass Goss/Johnson, Kell BOYS ALL REGION FIRST TEAM Aidan Coleman, Carrollton M.J. Lambert, Kell Bryce VanOder Woodland Kamishlian/Rakestraw, Carrollton Brown/Hawkins, Carrollton SECOND TEAM Connor Gunnell, Woodland Jack Murphy, Kell Aring/Gates, Kell

A pair of Cartersville Little League baseball teams completed undefeated seasons Tuesday night to capture 2019 CLL regular season and city playoff titles in separate age divisions. The Major League Tigers wrapped up a perfect 21-0 season by edging the Dodgers in the league’s championship game while the Minor League A’s outlasted the White Sox 8-6 to finish the year with a 17-0 mark. ​​​​ MAJOR LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TIGERS 4, DODGERS 2 TIGERS: Bodie Brumlow double, two RBI; Noah Pogue double; Casen Cochran, Cam Williams, and Logan Woody one hit each. Brayden Channell (5 IP, 2R, 0ER, 4H, 3BB, 6K); Brumlow (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 2K). DODGERS: Peyton Bowen two hits, two RBI; Talan Nix triple; Carter Rice one hit. Landen Heath (3.2 IP, 3ER, 4H, 6BB, 6K); Rice (1.1 IP, 1R, 0ER, 1H). (L-R top): Major League champion Tigers, Major League runner-up Dodgers (L-R bottom): Minor League champion A's, Minor League runner-up White Sox (click on image to enlarge) ​​ 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. 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 High School boys golf team shot a second round, team total 301 Tuesday to finish fourth at the GHSA Class AAAA State Championship Tournament at Country Club of Columbus. The Hurricanes, who shot 297 in Monday’s opening round, moved up one position in the final round. Cartersville was tied for fifth prior to the final eighteen holes on the par-71 CCC course. First round leader, St. Pius X, held off North Oconee to win the state title. Columbus was third with Richmond Academy and Woodward Academy finishing in a tie for fifth. Sophomore and UGA commit Buck Brumlow paced Cartersville with a 1-over-par 143 total (70-73) and tied for fifth individually in the championship. Camden Meadows (79-74) and Carson Harris (78-75) followed with 11-over-par 153 totals and tied for 25th individualy. Jake Lawson contributed to the Canes’ best four scores Monday with a 75, but slipped to a non-counting 82 on Tuesday and tied for 42nd. Dalton Henson stepped up with a 74 Tuesday after firing an 81 on Monday for a 39th place tie. Blane Davis shot 87-80 for the Canes to tie for 68th in the 97-player field. Jonathan Parker of Columbus High School won the individual title with a 4-under-par 138 (66-72). Carter Loflin (65-74) of St. Pius X was the individual runner-up at 3-under-par 139. Aren Patel (72-68) of Woodward Academy was the only other player under par at 2-under-par 140. Cole Kirkland of Northside-Columbus and Matthew Larkin of Marist tied with Brumlow for fifth at 1-over-par 143. LADY CATS PLACE 11TH The Woodland High School girls golf team improved its second round score by a dozen shots Tuesday and finished eleventh at the GHSA Class AAAAA State Championship Tournament at Sunset Hills Country Club in Carrollton. In Tuesday’s final round, Elizabeth Nycum and Erin Evans both shot 104 on the par-72 course. Emily Nycum contributed the team’s third counting score with a 110. The team’s fourth member, Kaylee Jones, shot 123. Starr’s Mill won the state championship by 30 shots over Veterans with McIntosh a distant third place. Starr’s Mill shot 482, +56, Veterans came in at +86, 512, and McIntosh was third at +132, 558. South Effingham (566) and Carrollton (567) rounded out the top five. Mailey Buzzell of Veterans won the individual state title with an 8-over-par 150 total (74-76). She defeated Liza Eubanks of Starr’s Mill by three shots and Ashleigh Mead of Union Grove by five. Eubanks shot 75-78—153 and Mead fired a 77-78—155 total in the 36-hole event. ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS AT AAA STATE TOURNEY The Adairsville High School girls team was tied for tenth heading into Tuesday’s final round of the GHSA Class AAA State Championship Tournament at the Arrowhead Pointe Golf Course at Lake Richard B. Russell in Elberton. Adairsville, who shot 331 in Monday's opening round, slipped to 350 Tuesday to finish in 12th place. Cortni Jacobs had the low score for the Lady Tigers Tuesday with a 106 after firing a 93 on Monday. She tied for 22nd overall in the classification. Maycee Gwinn shot 112 Tuesday to go with her 111 round on Monday for a tie for 36th and Lindsey Angland finished with a 132 Tuesday after an opening round 127 to place 46th overall. Pierce County (500) fought off North Hall (503) to win the team title by three shots. Rutland (563), Hart County (570), and Morgan County (591) rounded out the Class AAA top five. Tori Owens of Murray County, who has signed with Kennesaw State, was medalist with a 36-hole tournament 145 (72-73). Mikayla Dubnik (77-75) of North Hall and Pierce County’s Sloan Lanier (76-76) tied for second.