The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes started the 2018 Class 4A baseball state playoffs in impressive style Friday night with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Pickens to win the first round series and advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The Canes won the opener 5-1 and blanked the Dragons 12-0 in the nightcap. The sweep means Cartersville will now host Marist at Richard Bell Field in the second round. That best-of-three series begins next Thursday (May 3) with a doubleheader. Marist swept Madison County Friday by scores of 16-6 and 4-0. In the opener, Canes’ pitchers Mason Barnett and Gage Morris combined to limit Pickens to only five hits and two walks. Barnett allowed only one hit and an unearned run while striking out five. Morris fanned seven. Anthony Seigler, who reached base in every plate appearance in the doubleheader, had a double, homer, and walked twice in the first game. Jake Gooch also contributed a pair of hits and one RBI. Ian Inaba added two RBI with one hit. Jordan Wilkie, Devin Warner (double), and Barnett had the other Hurricanes’ hits. In Game 2, the Canes struck early and often and Jake Gooch dominated the Dragons from the mound. Playing as the visiting team, Cartersville scored three runs in the top of the first and never looked back. The Hurricanes added two runs in the second, a run in the third, and six runs in the fourth inning. Gooch tossed a five-inning, complete-game, one-hitter without walking a batter. He struck out nine. Gooch hit a two-run homer in the first inning and JP Martin launched a long, solo shot in the second inning as the Canes jumped out to an early 5-0 lead. Devin Warner and Jordan Wilkie both doubled in the third inning to give Cartersville a 6-0 lead and the Canes’ six-run fourth inning included a Barnett triple, a two-run single by Ian Inaba, and RBIs by Wilkie and Martin. Seigler finished the series 3-for-3 with a double, triple, homer, five walks and one RBI to pace the Hurricanes’ offense. Gooch was 3-for-6 with a homer and three RBI. Warner was 3-for-4 with a double. Wilkie was 3-for-5 with two RBI and Inaba drove in three runs with a pair of hits. Cartersville improved to 25-7 for the year. Pickens season ends with a 14-17 record.

The Adairsville baseball team was eliminated from the Class 3A state tournament Friday night after being swept in a doubleheader by Pace Academy 17-1 and 4-0. The Knights won the best-of-three series at Tiger Valley, 2-0. Pace Academy rode a strong pitching performance by Brian Zeldin in Game 1 and struck for runs in every inning as they won 17-1 in four innings. Zeldin tossed a two-hitter, walked two, and fanned five in four innings of work. Tigers’ pitchers walked 15 batters and the Knights cashed in their opportunities with seven hits that included a pair of home runs by Andrew Jenkins and two doubles by Darian Howard. Zeke Diamond and Jaden Steagall had the other Pace hits. Pace led 12-0 before Adairsville scored a run in the bottom of the third inning on back-to-back hits by Trace Still and BJ Roper and an RBI groundout by Corey Nation. Garrett Mishoe started on the mound for Adairsville and suffered the pitching loss. Levi Blackwell and Noah Nation also pitched for the Tigers. In Game 2, Tigers’ ace Kyler Pelfrey kept Adairsville in striking range with a strong six inning performance. The Tigers’ bats, however, were not up to the task against Knights’ pitcher Jaden Steagall who limited Adairsville to three hits and two walks and kept them off the scoreboard in a 4-0 win. Pelfrey allowed only four hits and one walk for a pair of earned runs. He fanned nine but was saddled with the pitching loss. Pace Academy scored the game’s first run in the fourth, added two more in the fifth, and added a final run in the sixth inning. Diamond, Steagall (RBI), Zeldin (double), and Jayden Thomas had the hits for Pace. Noah Dutton, MIshoe, and Landon Ayers had hits for the Tigers. Pace Academy improved to 22-8 for the season and will face the Morgan County/East Hall winner in the second round. Adairsville finished the 2018 season with a 20-10 record and a runner-up finish in Region 6-AAA.

The Cartersville boys golf team won its region title and placed second in the area that combines Regions 5- and 6-AAAA at Nob North Golf Course in Dalton. Canes’ freshman Buck Brumlow won the area medalist title with an even-par 72 in the 18-hole championship. The Hurricanes, who placed second in the area and totaled under the maximum qualifying score, advance to the Achasta Golf Resort in Dahlonega for the state tournament May 21-22. Lafayette, out of Region 6-AAAA, won the area title with a team total of 308. Cartersville was next at 314 with counting scores from Brumlow, Chanc Willis (79), Blane Davis (81), and Dalton Henson (82). The Cartersville girls placed in the top ten at the area tournament. Addie Evans had the low score for the Lady Canes with a 104.

The Cartersville Lady Canes’ soccer team went on the road Thursday to defeat Heritage-Catoosa 4-1 in Ringgold and advanced to the second round of the Class AAAA state tournament. The Lady Canes will now meet St. Pius X (11-6-2) in the Sweet Sixteen in Atlanta. The 3rd-ranked Golden Lions, champions of Region 8-AAAA, edged Chestatee in the opening round of the playoffs, 2-1. Cartersville scored in the first ten minutes Thursday to take a lead it would not relinquish. Courtney Rhea scored off a cross from Micah Vance for the opening tally. Vance then added a second goal on a breakaway that put the Lady Canes ahead, 2-0. Heritage narrowed the margin to 2-1, but a goal by Claire Choate (photo wearing No. 11) off another Vance assist put Cartersville ahead 3-1 at the intermission. Kalyn Donegan added a final Canes goal in the opening minutes of the second half and Cartersville fended off the Lady Generals for the remainder of the half for a 4-1 win. Keeper Kalli Scheff was credited with one of her best games of the year at the back end of the Lady Canes’ defense. She had at least ten high quality saves. Cartersville improved to 11-7 on the year.

The Adairsville girls soccer team was eliminated from the Class 3A state playoffs Thursday with a 5-0 loss at Lovett. 2nd-ranked Lovett scored twice in the opening minutes and led 3-0 at halftime on their way to the shutout victory. The Lady Lions improved to 11-3-4 on the season and advances to play Greater Atlanta Christian in the second round next Tuesday. The Lady Tigers season ends with an 11-3-2 mark.

Both local high school baseball first round playoff series doubleheaders have been postponed. Cartersville vs. Pickens in Class 4A will now be Friday at 4pm DH. “If” game would be Saturday at 1pm. All games at Richard Bell Field. Adairsville vs. Pace Academy in Class 3A will now be Friday at 4pm DH. “If” game would be Saturday at 5pm. All games in Tiger Valley.

The Cartersville High School girls tennis team advanced to the Class AAAA quarterfinals Wednesday with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Blessed Trinity while the Cartersville boys were eliminated by Blessed Trinity. Emma McCary was a straight sets winner at Line 2 singles, while Ashley Popham won a three set match at Line 1 singles. Jordan Ross and Lydia Wiedetz also captured a three set match for the Lady Canes victory. The Cartersville girls advance to the state quarterfinals to face the winner of the second round match between Columbus and Druid Hills. State quarterfinal matches are scheduled to be completed no later than next Wednesday, May 2. The Blessed Trinity boys advance to meet the Burke County / Columbus winner in the state quarterfinals. The Woodland boys team also lost Wednesday in the Class 5A second round. The Wildcats, fell 4-1 to Chamblee at the Dekalb Tennis Center with Blake Bottegal picking up the only Woodland victory at Line 2 singles. Chamblee advances to meet McIntosh in the state quarterfinals.

Cass High School boys basketball coach David Brock will be leaving the Colonels' program to take over the reins at Dalton High School. Brock, who became the head coach at Cass in the 2015-16 season, guided the Colonels to a 45-26 mark across three seasons. That record includes a 24-20 mark in region play and a state tournament appearance this past season. Brock takes over a Dalton team that was 19-8 this past year and missed the state tournament in Region 6-AAAAAA. The Catamounts last made the state tournament in 2015-16, but have compiled a 56-22 record over the past three seasons under Mike Duffie who departs Dalton for Pickens.

The Georgia High School Association’s State Sectional Meets for all classifications in Track and Field will be held this weekend at various sites around the state. Each classification has two sectional sites comprised of qualifiers from four regions. The top four finishers from each region advanced to the sectionals. In the sectional running events, there are qualifying heats only. There is not a finals competition at the sectionals. The winners of each heat (two heats per event) plus the next four fastest times from either heat will advance to the state finals May 10-12. In the 1,600 meter and 3,200 meter runs, the top eight finishers in each race will advance to the state finals. In field events, the top eight finishers at each sectional will advance to the state finals. The state finals are May 10-12 at the following sites: Class AAA — Hugh Mills Stadium, Albany Class AAAA — Valhalla Stadium, Berry College, Rome Class AAAAA — Grisham Stadium, Carrollton Local qualifiers for the State Sectional Meets: Adairsville Girls Class 3A-B Sectional at Bremen High School Discus Throw - 1st - Nakiyah Washington Shot Put - 1st - Josie Summerville Shot Put - 2nd - Nakiyah Washington Adairsville Boys Class 3A-B Sectional at Bremen High School 100M - 1st - Daylon Bailey 100M - 3rd - Travon Branch 200M - 3rd - Daylon Bailey 3200M - 4th - Zach Ashley 4x100M Relay Team - 2nd - Travon Branch, Ethan Belcher, Derrick Simmons, Daylon Bailey Cartersville Girls Class 4A-B Sectional at Kinnett Stadium, Columbus 800M - 3rd - Kayla Carpenter 3200M - 3rd - Vanna Beach Discus Throw - 3rd - London Shaw Shot Put - 1st - London Shaw Cartersville Boys Class 4A-B Sectional at Kinett Stadium, Columbus 3200 - 4th - Parker Breedlove Pole Vault - 1st - Nick Bebko Cass Girls Class 5A-A Sectional at Starrs Mill High School 100M Hurdles - 2nd - Hillary McCarver High Jump - 1st - Kyler Trouten Shot Put - 1st - Channelle Clemmons Cass Boys Class 5A-A Sectional at Starrs Mill High School Pole Vault - 1st - Steven Smith High Jump - 2nd - Tavarus Varnum Woodland Girls Class 5A-A Sectional at Starrs Mill High School 400M - 4th - Bella Carnes 800M - 1st - Carli Clymer 800M - 3rd - Baylee Evans 1600M - 1st - Carli Clymer 1600M - 2nd - Tess Cochran 3200M - 1st - McKenna Trapheagen 3200M - 2nd - Lindsay Scifers 4x400M Relay - 4th - Bella Carnes, McKenna Trapheagen, Baylee Evans, Carli Clymer Pole Vault - 2nd - Karson Norris Pole Vault - 3rd - Brooke Cooper Discus Throw - 3rd - Skylar Chappell Woodland Boys Class 5A-A Sectional at Starrs Mill High School 800M - 1st - Jonathan Holloway 4x400M Relay - 2nd - Jeven Reliford, Demarcus Williams, Jonathan Holloway, Markal Brown Pole Vault - 2nd - Tommy Duke Long Jump - 2nd - Markal Brown

The top track and field performances of the 2018 season through Saturday, April 21:

The Cartersville Parks & Recreation Department is offering youth tennis camps and summer camps for kids. YOUTH TENNIS SESSIONS QuickStart Tennis Tots (ages 3-6) Dates: June 4-7, June 18-21, July 9-12, or July 23-26 Time: 9-11am Fee: $80/week Junior Beginner/Intermediate Camps (ages 7-14) Dates: June 4-7, June 11-14, June 18-21, July 9-12, July 16-19, or July 23-26 Time: 9am-1pm Fee: $130/week YOUTH SUMMER CAMPS Summer Camps PreSchool Summer Camps Ages: 3-6 Time: 9am - 12 noon 2018 Dates: May 30- June 1 (mini camp) ($50) June 11-15 June 25-29 July 16-20 Fee: $80 Developmental Summer Camps Ages: 7 & up Time: 9am - 12 noon 2018 Dates: June 4-8 June 18-22 July 9-13 July 23-27 Fee: $80

PHOTO CREDIT: TC Pics, Susan and Travis Cochran Buford controlled the ball and the action most of the evening Tuesday as the Lady Wolves eliminated the Cass girls soccer team 3-0 in the opening round of the Class 5A state playoffs. Cass senior keeper Brianna Bullock was brilliant in net for the Lady Colonels or the final results might have been more one-sided. Buford scored goals in the third minute and the 12th minute to grab an early 2-0 advantage and took that lead to the intermission. In the second half, the Lady Wolves continued to control the ball and limited Cass offensive chances. Striker Logan Vermaas had one of the Lady Colonels’ few opportunities in the 47th minute but the Buford keeper made the stop. Buford added a late goal off a deflection in the 72nd minute for a 3-0 final score. The Lady Wolves (9-8-1) advance to the Round of 16 next week against the survivor of a match between Southwest Dekalb and Decatur. Cass has its season conclude with an 11-8 record.