On a day that began with sunny skies and game time temperatures in the lower 40s, the temperatures eventually dipped near the freezing mark and Woodland split a Region 7-AAAAA doubleheader at Paulding County. Woodland won the opener 4-1, but Paulding County outlasted the Wildcats in the nightcap 6-5 in extra innings. PHOTO: Zach Wilson had three hits and three RBIs in Woodland's doubleheader Wednesday at Paulding County. In addition, as of Tuesday, Colby Coursey is no longer the head coach of the Wildcats. Assistant Matt Montgomery has replaced Coursey as the interim head coach. A reason for the change was not provided by the school. Bartow County School System spokesperson Alisha Evans wrote in an emailed statement Wednesday to The Daily Tribune News, "As customary with personnel matters and out of respect for Bartow County School System employees and their privacy, the District respectfully declines to comment on the recent Woodland High School baseball coaching change." Woodland Athletic Director John Howard confirmed Coursey is still a Bartow County employee but no longer the head baseball coach. Baseball continues, however, and Woodland scored a single run in the fourth inning of the opener without benefit of a hit. J.T. Hampton entered as a courtesy runner after catcher Bailey Ward wangled a base on balls. Hampton advanced to third on a wild pitch and defensive indifference and eventually scored on another wild pitch. The Wildcats added a run in the fifth when Zach Wilson singled to open the frame and Peyton Posey doubled him home. Wilson smacked a two-run home run to left field to add on in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Patriots threatened in the top of the seventh scoring a run and had the potential go-ahead run to the plate, but the rally was thwarted when the final out was recorded in a rundown between home and third after a Marco Lopez RBI single. Koby Stansel (6 IP, 0R, 2H, 5BB, 4K) started on the mound for Woodland and earned the win. Peyton Posey (1 IP, 1R, 0ER, 2H, 1BB, 2K) worked the final frame for the Wildcats. Wilson and Scotty Smith finished with two hits. Posey and Ben Ammons had the other Woodland base hits. Four Patriots finished with one hit each. In Game 2, Woodland out hit the Patriots ten to five but Paulding County came away with the victory. Paulding County took a 3-1 lead through three innings before Woodland gained a 4-3 lead in the top of the fifth. The Patriots went ahead 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth, but the Wildcats sent the game to an extra inning with a run in the seventh. After Woodland failed to score in the top of the eighth, Paulding County took advantage of two walks, a wild pitch, and an error to plate the game-winning run. Woodland’s Bailey Ward (2.1 IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 5K) was saddled with the pitching loss in relief of starter Ben Ammons (5 IP, 5ER, 4H, 5BB, 7K). Toby Queen had two hits for the Wildcats with one RBI. Carter Heath and Koby Stansel both doubled and had one RBI apiece. Fisher Davis (RBI), Zach Wilson (RBI), Carter Heath (RBI), Phoenix Cramer, and Scotty Smith added one hit each for the Wildcats. Paulding utilized four pitchers in their win with Robbie Reeves (2.2 IP, 1ER, 3H, 2B, 3K) earning the decision. Karson Cofer homered for the Patriots. Jacob Harper had a three RBI game for Paulding County. Paulding County is now 2-4 overall and 1-1 in Region 7-AAAAA. Woodland (3-5, 1-1) hosts Rome Friday at 5:55 p.m.

The Woodland girls tennis team defeated Hiram 3-2 Wednesday evening in a Region 7-AAAAA match at Woodland. The Lady Cats earned wins at both doubles lines and Breanna Shook won 6-2, 6-4 at Line 2 singles. Emma Savage and Eryn Gentry won at Line 1 doubles, 6-2, 6-7, 6-2. Monterya Morrow and Abby Spaulding took Line 2 doubles for the Lady Cats, 6-4, 6-3. The boys were not in action. The next match for Woodland is Tuesday against Cass at Hamilton Crossing Park.

Georgia Highlands baseball bounced back from a one-sided loss to East Georgia CC Saturday afternoon at LakePoint to even the Chargers’ conference record with a 9-5 win Wednesday night at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton. Georgia Highlands started fast to take a 5-0 lead into the fourth inning. ABAC scored three runs across the fourth and fifth innings, but GHC maintained a 6-3 advantage heading to the eighth. The Chargers added three runs in the top of the ninth to secure the win and held on for a four run victory. Georgia Highlands starting pitcher Zach Fordham (3.2 IP, 1ER, 4H, 1BB, 5K) was credited with the win. Skylar McPhee (1.1 IP, 2ER, 1H, 2BB, 2K), Brant Brown (2.2 IP, 1R, 0ER, 2H, 1BB, 6K), Logan Ward (1 IP, 1ER, 0H, 7BB) worked in middle relief. Ryan Smithson was called on to strike out the final ABAC batter and earned a save. McPhee had a 4-for-4 day at the plate with a double, triple, walk and two RBIs. Malik Spratling (photo) hit a pair of solo home runs. Parker Orr homered and had three RBIs. Hunter Moody (double, 2 RBIs), Bryson Horne, and Blake Brady added one hit apiece. Georgia Highlands (13-8, 1-1 Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association) completes a four-game series with ABAC this weekend at LakePoint with a single game Friday at 5 p.m. and a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.

Fresh off their win of the inaugural Battle for Bartow Baseball Classic last weekend at LakePoint, the Cartersville baseball team will take on some of the elite programs in the nation this weekend at the PG High School Showdown at the Hoover Met Sports Complex in Hoover, Alabama. Games begin Thursday evening for the 24-team field with the Purple Hurricanes opening play at 8:30 p.m. CT against the Bob Jones Patriots of Madison, Alabama. Canes’ ace Mason Barnett is the schedule starter and will square off against the Patriots’ Camden Hill, a fellow Auburn commit. On Friday, Cartersville will play the Sumrall High School Bobcats of Sumrall, Mississippi at 3:30 p.m. to complete preliminary pool games. A championship bracket will begin Friday evening and continue Saturday along with consolation games. The teams in the 7th annual PG Showdown are divided into two, 12-team divisions for two pool games prior to a single-elimination championship bracket. All teams are guaranteed four games which may include consolation games. Since the event began in 2013, the PG Showdown has produced 131 MLB drafted players and over 1,100 collegiate commitments. Cartersville (7-1) will play Sonoraville on Saturday, March 16 at State Mutual Stadium in Rome before opening Region 5-AAAA play Monday, March 18 at LaGrange.

The Cartersville girls and boys soccer teams defeated Sandy Creek Tuesday night at home to begin their 2019 Region 5-AAAA slates with victories. Kalyn Donegan scored both goals in the Lady Canes’ 2-0 victory. She was assisted by Kendyl Anderson on the first goal 17 minutes into the game. In a similar amount of time into the second half, Donegan found the net again off a feed from Abbey Craig. Junior keeper Brittany Lewis secured the shutout at the back end of the Lady Canes’ defense. Cartersville (4-2-1, 1-0) plays at Chapel Hill Friday. In the boys match with the Patriots, Pedro Ghanem scored the game-deciding goal in the final two minutes as the Hurricanes escaped with a 2-1 win. Joel Zazueta assisted on the game winner. Cartersville scored first on an Elian Abeja goal from 35 yards out. Ricardo Torres was credited with an assist. Sandy Creek knotted the score at 1-1 before halftime and the score remained that way until the final two minutes. Cartersville (3-3, 1-0) faces another Region 5-AAAA challenge Friday night at Chapel Hill.

The Adairsville High School tennis teams split matches with Region 6-AAA rival Sonoraville Tuesday night with the Lady Tigers winning 5-0 and the Sonoraville boys winning by an identical score. The Adairsville girls improved to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in region action. The Tigers are 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the region. ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS 5, SONORAVILLE 0 SINGLES Line 1 — Alexandra Kanturek won 7-5, 6-2 Line 2 — Madison Camp won 6-2, 6-2 Line 3 — Courtney Fricks won 6-2, 6-2 DOUBLES Line 1 — Olivia Long / Megan Smith won 6-0, 6-3 Line 2 — Kayleigh Collum / Kate Faulk won 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 10-8 SONORAVILLE 5, ADAIRSVILLE BOYS 0 SINGLES Line 1 — Cody Kimbrough lost 3-6, 7-5, 2-6 Line 2 — Cameron O’Neal lost 4-6, 2-6 Line 3 — Oak Hemby lost 3-6, 2-6 DOUBLES Line 1 — Landon Swanson / Zach Ogle lost 4-6, 3-6 Line 2 — Justin Baldwin / Tristin Alford lost 4-6, 3-6 Next: Thursday — Adairsville at Calhoun (both) — Adairsville vs. Ringgold (at Calhoun Rec Center)

The Woodland tennis teams swept to a pair of 5-0 wins Tuesday evening over Region 7-AAAAA opponent, East Paulding. Bryce VanOrder at Line 1 and Connor Gunnell at Line 2 won their singles matches in straight sets without dropping a game and the remainder of the Raiders’ lines were forfeited as the Wildcats won 5-0. The Lady Cats got singles wins from Becky Wesley at Line 1 (6-2, 7-5); Breanna Shook at Line 2 (6-1, 6-0); and Kayla Gales (6-0, 6-4). Emma Savage and Eryn Gentry won Line 1 doubles for the Lady Cats (7-6, 6-2). Abigail Spaulding and Monterya Morrow won Line 2 doubles 6-0, 6-0. The Woodland girls host Hiram Wednesday and both teams play Cass next Tuesday at Hamilton Crossing Park.

The Cass High School boys' basketball coaching staff will be holding a pair of skills camps on May 30 and June 1 for players in grades 5 through 12. The May 30 event will be a Shooting Academy. On June 1, the staff will host a Ball Handling Boot Camp. For more information, and to download a registration form, visit the Cass Basketball website -- https://www.cassbball.com/blog/cass-bball-summer-skills-camps

Cass baseball scored seven runs over the Colonels’ final three offensive frames and won a back-and-forth Region 7-AAAAA tilt with 7th-ranked Villa Rica Monday night at the Cass Athletic Complex, 10-6. The visiting Wildcats out hit Cass ten to eight, but the Colonels took advantage of more scoring opportunities. Cass took a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but Villa Rica tied the score in the top of the second. The Colonels went back ahead with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to lead 6-3. Photo by TCPics: Blaine Ingram followed up an All-Tournament Team performance at the Toyo Tires Battle for Bartow Baseball Classic with a two-hit game at Villa Rica. Villa Rica answered again in the top of the sixth with three runs to knot the score again at 6-6, but a four-run bottom of the sixth for Cass made the difference in the Colonels’ 10-6 win. Three pitchers kept Cass in the contest. Jayden Smith (5 IP, 3ER, 6H, 3BB, 3K) started and received no decision. Clay Means (1 IP, 3R, 2ER, 3H, 1BB) gave up the lead in the sixth inning, but was credited with the pitching win when the Colonels rallied in the bottom of the frame. Thomas Botts (1 IP, 0R, 1H, 2K) closed out the seventh inning. Logan Nelson (2 RBIs), Blaine Ingram (photo), and Matt Shook (double) paced the Cass offense with two hits each. Bryson Markley, Means, and Botts (RBI) had the other Cass base hits. Sam Melton drove in one run with a first inning groundout and another with a bases loaded walk in the sixth. Smith drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. Villa Rica slipped to 3-6 overall and is now 0-1 in region action. Cass (5-4, 1-0) plays at Villa Rica Wednesday at 5:55 p.m.

The 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' update for basketball and spring sports for the week ending March 3. NOTE: The update for baseball and softball was published separately this week and may be viewed HERE. Note: Nicholas Sullivan of The Daily Tribune News contributed to this report. PRO BASKETBALL Elijah Robinson (Villa San Martin, Argentina, Excel) — Robinson had a double-double in a losing effort, but his 21 points were enough to help Villa San Martin salvage a split of its two games this past week. He scored 16 points and added 10 rebounds in a 104-101 loss to Olimpico Ceres. Robinson went off for 21 points, six rebounds and four assists in an 87-74 win over Independiente. COLLEGE BASKETBALL Ryan Davis (Francis Marion Sr., Cartersville) — Davis racked up a combined 34 points in helping Francis Marion finish 1-1 in the final week of the regular season. His 15 points were key in an 80-72 triumph over UNC-Pembroke, but Davis' 19 points weren't enough in an 86-63 defeat to Georgia College. He added four total assists and the same number of rebounds across the two games. Francis Marion will open the Peach Belt Conference tournament against Young Harris on Wednesday in what should be a high-scoring affair after the teams piled up 435 total points in two regular-season meetings. Ashton Hagans (Kentucky Fr., Cartersville native) — Hagans continues to see a huge number of minutes for the Wildcats, playing 36 of a possible 40 in each of Kentucky's two games this past week. He had seven points, four assists and two rebounds in a comeback win over Arkansas. Hagans finished with five points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal in a blowout loss to Tennessee. Kimora McClinic (Middle Georgia State So., Cartersville) — McClinic scored two points in six minutes during a first-round win over Faulkner (Alabama) in the Southern States Athletic Conference tournament Wednesday. Middle Georgia State's season ended the next day in a loss to No. 1 seed Bethel (Tennessee). Jonathan Pritchett (Vermont Tech So., Woodland) — Pritchett played 15 total minutes, as Vermont Tech won its first two games during the United States Collegiate Athletic Association national championship tournament. He finished with no points but did have three rebounds and two assists across the two games. The Knights earned an 89-73 win over Penn State Mont Alto in the first rebound Sunday before rallying to a 70-66 victory against Villa Maria Monday. Vermont Tech will face Penn State Wilkes-Barre in the semifinals Tuesday. Jaylon Pugh (Furman Fr., Cartersville) — Pugh saw two minutes of action, but he didn't record any stats in a 71-50 win over Chattanooga on Saturday. Carrod Watson (North Georgia Jr., Woodland) — Watson played an eventful minute in a midweek loss to Lander University, missing a shot, grabbing a rebound and dishing out an assist. He didn't feature in a season-ending overtime loss to Georgia Southwestern State on Saturday. TENNIS Peyton Gollhofer (Ball State Sr., Cartersville native) — Gollhofer continued her remarkable senior season with another perfect showing in Ball State's 6-1 win over Oakland. She eased to a 6-2, 6-2 victory on Line 3 singles and teamed with Isabelle Dohanics for a 6-2 triumph in doubles action. Gollhofer has started the year with a combined 16-1 record, including an 8-0 mark in singles play. TRACK AND FIELD Spencer Fields (Rhodes Sr., Kingston native) — Fields placed fourth in the 1500-meter run in the Mississippi College Season Opener to kick off outdoor track and field season over the weekend in Clinton, Mississippi. He completed the event in 4 minutes, 4.59 seconds — just 0.11 seconds behind his teammate Adam Hearn. Fields and Hearn also competed on the Rhodes "B" team in the 4x400 relay event, finishing ninth.

On a cold evening for tennis, both Cartersville teams won at Woodland Monday by final scores of 3-2. The Lady Canes took Line 1 singles and both doubles lines for their victory while the Canes captured Line 3 singles and both doubles lines. CARTERSVILLE GIRLS 3, WOODLAND 2 Singles Line 1 — Emily Bush (C) d. Becky Wesley, 6-0, 6-0 Line 2 — Breanna Shook (W) d. Chloe Satterfield (C), 6-3, 6-1 Line 3 — Kayla Gales (W) d. Madison Ferdon (C), 6-0, 6-0 Doubles Line 1 — Lydia Wiedetz/Alice Terry (C) d. Emma Savage/Eryn Gentry (W), 6-4, 7-5 Line 2 — Mason Cline/Mia Shaw (C) d. Abigail Spaulding/Monterya Morrow, 6-1, 6-1 CARTERSVILLE BOYS 3, WOODLAND 2 Singles Line 1 — Bryce VanOrder (W) d. Will Allen (C), 7-5, 6-4 Line 2 — Connor Gunnell (W) d. Luke Kotteman (C), 6-3, 6-2 Line 3 — Griffin Shaw (C) d. Adam Pirkle (W), 6-0, 6-3 Doubles Line 1 — Nate McDonald/Luke Gambill (C) d. Keegan Gallagher/Garrett Wesley (W), 6-0, 7-6 (9-4) Line 2 — Jackson Cline/John Blackhall (C) d. Ian VanOrder/Mason Tucker (W), 6-2, 6-0 NEXT: Woodland hosts East Paulding Tuesday evening.

The current best performances of the 2019 season for local high school track and field athletes. SP= Shot Put DT = Discus Throw LJ = Lone Jump TJ = Triple Jump HJ = High Jump PV = Pole Vault