The first round of the state baseball playoffs begin for the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes and the Adairsville Tigers this Thursday. Both teams will be hosting a best-of-three first round series. Cartersville, a No. 1-seed in Class AAAA and champions of Region 5-AAAA, will host 4-seed Pickens from Region 6-AAAA. The Dragons (14-14) are led by coach Adam Williams who was previously the head coach at Cass High School. Cartersville (23-7) is ranked No. 2 in Class AAAA by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is No. 3 in the Georgia Dugout Club's final regular season rankings. The Hurricanes and Dragons will play a doubleheader Thursday with the first game starting at 4 p.m. at Richard Bell Field. If a third game is needed, it will be played Friday at Richard Bell Field at 5 p.m. Adairsville, the No. 2-seed from Region 6-AAA, will host a doubleheader with Pace Academy (20-8) Thursday at Tiger Valley. The first game will begin at 4 p.m. If a third game is needed, Adairsville (20-8) will host Friday at 6 p.m.

Distance runner Spencer Fields helped lead Rhodes College to a SAA Championship and tennis standout Peyton Gollhofer helped lead her Ball State team as the Cardinals qualified for the MAC Championship Tournament. SOFTBALL Sierrah Gani (Georgia Highlands Fr., Cass) — Gani went 3-for-3 with an RBI in the opening game of a doubleheader Saturday with South Georgia State College. She went 0-for-2 with a walk in the second game. Georgia Highlands split the two games, winning 7-6 and falling 5-4. Sydney Hodorff (LaGrange Jr., Woodland) — Hodorff has doubled in each of her last three games. She finished the week 4-for-10 with a walk, two runs scored and three RBIs. LaGrange went 2-2 for the week. Cassidy Howren (Reinhardt Sr., Adairsville) — Howren went 0-for-2 in both games of a doubleheader last Wednesday against Milligan College. Reinhardt will face Milligan again in the opening round of the Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament this Wednesday. Hannah Knapp (Coastal Alabama CC So., Adairsville) — Knapp went 2-for-7 with a run and an RBI during Coastal Alabama’s four games this past week. Kailah Rain (Embry-Riddle Sr., Cartersville) — Rain finished 1-for-2 with a walk in her only appearance during Embry-Riddle’s three-game series with Barry over the weekend. Taylor Waits (Brewton-Parker So., Cartersville) — Waits went 2-for-3 with a run in a 6-4 win over Martin Methodist in the opener of a doubleheader Saturday. Annalyn Yantis (Samford Jr., Cartersville) — Yantis started two games this week, finishing with an 0-1 mark as Samford split the two games. In a 4-1 loss to Austin Peay, she went four-plus innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk with one strikeout. She started again against Mercer but lasted just two-plus innings. Yantis gave up three earned runs on four hits and a walk, but Samford came back to earn a 7-3 win. GOLF Lindsey Bonner (York College Fr., Cartersville) — Bonner placed 11th in the Capital Athletic Conference championship at Cape Charles, Virginia. York finished second in the three-team tournament to cap its first varsity season. TENNIS Eric Dunlap (Montreat College So., Cass) — Dunlap landed on the all-Appalachian Athletic Conference academic team. Peyton Gollhofer (Ball State Jr., Cartersville native) — Gollhofer helped the Cardinals qualify for the MAC tournament with a 6-2, 6-2 win against Akron in Line 2 action Sunday. Ball State will host the tourney, opening against No. 3 seed Toledo at 2 p.m. Friday. TRACK AND FIELD Spencer Fields (Rhodes College Jr., Kingston resident) — Fields dominated in the distance events at the Southern Athletic Association Championship at Sewanee, Tennessee. He won the 10k and the 5k, while finishing third in the 1500 meter. His contributions helped the Lynx capture their first conference title since 2014. Anna Hightower (Georgia Tech Jr., Cartersville) — Hightower place sixth in the pole vault during the Georgia Tech Invitational over the weekend. Trevor Knowles (Albion College Fr., Woodland) — Knowles took fifth in the triple jump at the Don Kleinow Invitational in Adrian, Michigan. He also placing 10th in the high jump and 13th in the 100-meter dash at the event this past weekend.

East Paulding loaded the bases on a one-out single, a walk, and a hit batsman in the bottom of the second inning Monday night. The Raiders then pushed across the game’s only run on a slow groundout RBI to third to defeat Woodland 1-0 in a five-inning, tie-breaker game for Region 7-AAAAA’s final state playoff spot. The game was played at LakePoint in Emerson as a neutral site and was delayed in the second inning by a heavy downpour for just under 20 minutes. One run was all East Paulding pitcher Jackson Phipps needed Monday night. The sophomore southpaw allowed only two hits and one walk in a complete game win. Phipps struck out seven, including five over the last two innings. Koby Stansel started on the mound for Woodland and was tagged with the loss. He allowed one earned run on three hits and a walk. He hit a batter and struck out one. Kenny Jinks entered for the Wildcats after the rain delay with no outs and one base runner on board in the third inning. Jinks picked off the inherited runner and then yielded only one hit and fanned three in a pair of shutout innings. Tyrell Robinson, Jacob Cook, Seth Grenon, and Phipps had one hit each for the Raiders. Dylan Webb and Bailey Ward had the only hits for Woodland. East Paulding improved to 13-16 for the year and advances to the Class 5A playoffs Thursday where the Raiders will start a best-of-three first round series at 2nd-ranked Loganville. Woodland’s season ends with a 16-15 mark. “Congrats to East Paulding,” said Woodland head coach Colby Coursey via Twitter Monday night after the game. “(It was a) tough loss to end the season but I couldn’t be more proud of my guys and the way they fought all season! Thank you Wildcat Nation, parents, administration, staff, coaches and most importantly my players! We will continue to work and get better!”

The 2018 minor league seasons for locals Sam Howard and Connor Justus are hitting full stride in the Pacific Coast League and the Southern League while JUCO, NAIA, and NCAA D2 regular seasons are winding down and getting ready for conference tournaments. The NCAA D-I regular season has over three weeks remaining before conference tournaments begin over a two week stretch. The Adairsville duo of Tristin Smith and Tyler Washington continued hitting streaks for Young Harris College this past week and former Cartersville Hurricanes southpaw Elliott Anderson of Auburn University picked up his fifth pitching victory of 2018. MiLB SAM HOWARD — Albuquerque Isotopes; Colorado Rockies Triple A affiliate; Pacific Coast League (5th-yr. pro; LHP, Georgia Southern University; Cartersville HS)… made his third start of the regular season last Wednesday in a 14-2 loss at Tacoma. Howard (1-2) went four innings and allowed five earned runs on seven hits and a pair of walks. He fanned four. The Isotopes (7-11) are in third place in the PCL Pacific Southern Division and six games behind division-leading El Paso. Albuquerque wraps up a series with Salt Lake Monday and hosts Las Vegas Wednesday through Sunday. CONNOR JUSTUS — Mobile BayBears; L.A. Angels Double-A affiliate; Southern League (3rd-yr. pro; MIF; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS)… Justus went 2-for-16 in five home games this past week — four with Biloxi and Saturday with the Mississippi Braves. He drew one walk and scored one run in the five-game stretch. One of his two hits was a double. Through 14 games this season, Justus has ten hits including four doubles and two RBI for a .217 batting average. The BayBears continue a series with Mississippi through Wednesday and travel to Montgomery Thursday through Monday, April 30. Mobile (7-8) trails South Division leader Biloxi by two games. COLLEGE BASEBALL BRANDON ALLEN — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., OF, Woodland HS)… started one game and made a pinch hitting appearance in another game this past week as the Chargers faced Andrew College in a four game conference series. Allen went 0-for-4 with one walk in five at bats. GHC (28-18, 11-13) travels to East Georgia CC Tuesday and hosts three games with the Bobcats Friday and Saturday at LakePoint. ELLIOTT ANDERSON — Auburn University (Soph., LHP, Cartersville HS)… worked four shutout innings and was credited with the pitching victory in relief last Tuesday as the Tigers defeated visiting UAB 12-2. Anderson, now 5-0 for the season, walked one and struck out seven of the 12 batters he faced. Auburn (29-12, 9-9) went 4-0 for the week with a three-game sweep at rival Alabama. The Tigers host Samford Tuesday before traveling to top-ranked Florida Thursday through Saturday for an SEC series. BAILEY CAMPBELL — Young Harris College (Fr., 1B, Cass HS)… singled and drove in a run in a pinch-hitting appearance last Tuesday during a 7-5 home win over Southern Wesleyan, but was 0-for-2 in a DH start and 11-5 win at Anderson University on Wednesday. YHC (25-22, 15-15) also won one of three games at home over the weekend against 5th-ranked Columbus State. The Mountain Lions close out the regular season Tuesday with a doubleheader at Tusculum and travel to the Peach Belt Conference Championship Tournament in St. Augustine, FL May 11-13 at Flagler College. NOAH DANIEL — Reinhardt University (Fr. Inf., Cartersville HS)… had a plate appearance as a pinch hitter last Tuesday in the Eagles’ 14-3 win at Toccoa Falls College. RU (35-13, 19-5 Appalachian Athletic Conference) was 4-0 last week. The Eagles are currently tied for first in the AAC standings and conclude regular season play with a three-game series Friday and Saturday at Bryan College (TN). The conference tournament is May 2-5 in Kingsport, TN. BRANDON ETHERIDGE — Limestone College (Sr., OF, Cass HS)… In six games last week Etheridge was 7-for-17 at the plate with a double, triple walk, hit by pitch, two stolen bases, and four RBI. The Saints’ starter in centerfield for 47 games and 145 at bats is hitting .262 this season. He also made a pair of pitching appearances during the week. He started on the mound, went 4.1 innings, and suffered the pitching loss last Monday at Anderson University. He allowed six earned runs on seven hits and four walks. He struck out seven. Saturday, in an 11-inning loss to conference co-leader Mount Olive, Etheridge faced four batters in a shutout frame with one walk, a pair of fly outs and a ground out. Limestone (20-27, 10-14) qualified as the 6-seed for the Conference Carolinas Championship Tournament and plays 1-seed North Greenville Thursday to begin the double-elimination event that runs through Sunday. SEAN McDERMOTT — Mercer University (Jr., 1B, Adairsville HS)… appeared in four games last week with a pair of starts. He was 1-for-6 with two walks and three RBI as the Bears went 2-2 with a loss at Georgia State and two wins in three games at Western Carolina. His hit was a second inning two-RBI double Saturday to give the Bears a 2-0 lead in an eventual 4-1 win. He also added a sacrifice bunt in games Saturday and Sunday and had a sac fly Sunday for a run. Mercer (28-14, 8-7 Southern Conference) plays at top-ranked Florida Tuesday and hosts VMI Friday through Sunday in conference action. HARRISON OSBORN — Point University (Fr., RHP, Cartersville HS)… started and went two innings last Tuesday in a 20-3 win at Tuskegee University. He was credited with the pitching win allowing a run on a solo homer and two walks. He fanned one and improved his season mark to 4-2 in 42.2 innings across 11 appearances with a 4.43 ERA. Point (26-21, 13-11) hosts NAIA top-ranked Faulkner for a doubleheader Tuesday before traveling to Montreat College (NC) for a three-game conference series Friday and Saturday. HUNTER REAID — Shorter University (Fr., C, Woodland HS)… started at DH and was 0-for-2 with a walk Saturday in a 13-2 loss at Valdosta State. Shorter had a 2-2 week with a win at Emmanuel College and one win in three games at Valdosta State. The Hawks (22-23, 10-17 Gulf South Conference) host Miles College Tuesday before entertaining Lee University for a three-game series Saturday and Sunday to conclude the conference regular season. GRANT ROBINSON — Central Alabama CC (Soph., RHP, Woodland HS)… has made nine relief appearances on the mound this season for the Trojans with five strikeouts and a 7.20 ERA in ten innings. Central Alabama (17-28, 7-16) plays at Coastal Alabama North Tuesday, hosts a doubleheader with Snead State CC Thursday and travels to Snead State for a Saturday doubleheader. MASON ROBINSON — Louisiana Tech University (R-Jr., OF, Woodland HS)… hit for the cycle last Wednesday in a 15-2 win at Louisiana-Lafayette finishing 4-for-6 with five RBI and three runs scored. He also went 3-for-12 with a walk, two runs scored, and two RBI in a three-game weekend sweep at Marshall. Robinson has appeared in 42 games with 40 starts this season. He has a .285 batting average in 151 at bats with 43 hits, four doubles, two triples, four homers, and 27 RBI. The Bulldogs (29-13, 13-6 C-USA) host Louisiana-Lafayette Tuesday night and travel to Western Kentucky for a three-game Conference USA series Friday through Sunday. TRISTIN SMITH — Young Harris College (Jr., Inf., Adairsville HS)… has now hit safely in nine straight games and was 7-for-21 with two doubles and two RBI in five games this past week. The Mountain Lions won non-conference games with Southern Wesleyan and at Anderson University before winning one of three against visiting 5th-ranked Columbus State. YHC (25-22, 15-15) closes out the regular season Tuesday with a doubleheader at Tusculum and travel to the Peach Belt Conference Championship Tournament in St. Augustine, FL May 11-13 at Flagler College. Tristin Smith Tyler Washington TYLER WASHINGTON — Young Harris College (Sr., OF, Adairsville HS)… In the past two weeks, Washington has improved his season batting average from .277 to .324 with a ten game hitting streak that includes a 17-for-39 stretch. He has also collected five walks, three doubles, a triple, four homers, and 13 RBI over the last ten games. The Mountain Lions (25-22, 15-15) conclude their regular season Tuesday with a doubleheader at Tusculum College and have qualified for the Peach Belt Conference Championship Tournament May 11-13 at Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL.

The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes dropped one spot to No. 3 in Class AAAA and the Adairsville Tigers remain one of the teams considered in the latest release of the Georgia Dugout Club's Top Ten rankings. Both Cartersville and Adairsville will host opening round state playoff series starting Thursday. CLASS 7A Mill Creek (26-4) Parkview (25-5) Woodstock (25-5) South Forsyth (24-6) Hillgrove (23-7) North Gwinnett (22-8) Brookwood (22-8) Mountain View (21-9) Walton (18-11) Newnan (22-8) Considered: Grayson (19-11), Kennesaw Mountain (19-11), Lowndes (20-10), Lassiter (17-13, Peachtree Ridge (21-9), Forsyth Central (12-17),Milton (19-13), North Paulding (18-11), Colquitt County (19-10), South Gwinnett (20-10), Norcross (19-12), North Forsyth (20-10) CLASS 6A Pope (24-5) Allatoona (25-5) River Ridge (25-5) Lee County (22-7) Alexander (20-8) Winder-Barrow (19-10) Effingham County (21-9) Heritage-Conyers (19-9) Glynn Academy (24-5) Houston County (23-7) Considered: Greenbrier (20-7), Harrison (17-11), South Paulding (22-8), Gainesville (20-8), Valdosta (19-10), Northgate (23-7), Brunswick (17-13), Richmond Hill (19-9), Tucker (17-11), Mundy's Mill (16-9), Stephenson (15-11-1) CLASS 5A Wayne County (26-4) Loganville (24-6) Veterans (23-7) Decatur (24-5) Buford (19-10) Starr’s Mill (20-8) Locust Grove (19-10) Ola (23-7) Arabia Mountain (20-6) Carrollton (24-6) Considered: Villa Rica (18-11), Harris County (16-13), Jones County (19-9), Union Grove (17-8), Whitewater (19-11), McIntosh (19-10), South Effingham (15-12), Whitewater (15-11), Flowery Branch (16-14), Chamblee (20-8) CLASS 4A Blessed Trinity (28-2) Heritage-Catoosa (23-6) Cartersville (23-7) Woodward Academy (23-4) Troup (23-7) Jefferson (18-9) North Oconee (20-7-1) Northside-Columbus (19-8) Eastside (24-4) Columbus (24-5) Considered: Madison County (16-12), Burke County (18-3), West Laurens(20-7), Stephens County (21-9), Marist (12-16), Cross Creek (15-8) CLASS 3A Ringgold (26-4) Appling County (23-7) Cook (24-6) Pike County (22-5) Morgan County (20-10) Lovett (18-8) North Hall (21-5) Redan (21-7) Jackson (23-3) Westminster (16-11) Considered: Pace Academy (20-8), Greater Atlanta Christian (19-9), Adairsville (20-8), Calhoun (19-9), Fannin County (17-11), Rutland (15-5), Franklin County (17-13), Southeast Bulloch (17-7), Worth County (18-8), Islands (17-11) CLASS 2A Thomasville (25-4) Callaway (20-9) Westside-Augusta (24-4) Dodge County (23-4) Benedictine (21-6) Dade County (18-6) Elbert County (19-10) Social Circle (18-9) Rockmart (20-8) Jeff Davis (17-13) Considered: Berrien (19-11), Vidalia (14-14), Heard County (13-14), Screven County (13-13), Harlem (21-9), Fitzgerald (14-13), Lamar County (14-10), Bleckley County (15-14), Bacon County (14-15), South Atlanta (11-6) CLASS 1A PUBLIC Schley County (22-2) Charlton County (22-6) Irwin County (21-4) Gordon Lee (20-8) Telfair County (18-8) Bowdon (21-7) Johnson County (21-5) Commerce (17-11) ECI (15-9) Taylor County (14-6) Considered: Baconton Charter (18-5), Clinch County (18-10), Manchester (13-9), GMC (16-12), Hawkinsville (12-10), Seminole County (16-11), Miller County (14-10), Pelham (14-8), Lanier County (11-9) CLASS 1A PRIVATE Tattnall Square (25-4) Savannah Christian (23-2) Holy Innocents' (18-8) Aquinas (22-2) Wesleyan (22-3) First Presbyterian Day (20-6) Stratford (19-8) Mount Paran Christian (21-3) Strong Rock Christian (21-8) Hebron Christian (14-13) Considered: Brookstone (24-5), Kings Ridge Christian (17-9), North Cobb Christian (17-9), Fellowship Christian (19-9), Pinecrest Academy (17-12), Prince Avenue Christian (18-8), Mount Vernon Presbyterian (14-5), Savannah Country Day (16-8), Calvary Day (18-6), Athens Academy (18-6), Providence Christian (17-13), George Walton (16-12)

Tyler Sellers tossed a complete game and the Georgia Highlands’ offense produced just enough Saturday to escape the week with one win in a four-game series with Andrew College, 6-5. Andrew took the first three games in the series, including the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader in Cuthbert. The Tigers also had wins over Georgia Highlands Tuesday at LakePoint and Friday at home. The win Saturday by the Chargers also snapped a six-game losing skid in conference play. In the GHC victory, Sellers scattered six hits and four walks over seven innings and allowed three earned runs. He fanned two. The Chargers took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a two-run homer by Cameron Hearn. Andrew then scored three runs in the Tigers’ half of the first inning to lead 3-2. Georgia Highlands tied the game 3-3 with a run in the third on an RBI single by Blake Brady. The Chargers then grabbed a 5-3 lead in the fifth on a two-run double by Zach Miller. Andrew cut the lead to 5-4 in the sixth inning on a walk, double, and passed ball, but Brady pushed the Chargers’ lead to 6-4 with another RBI single. The Tigers scored one run in their final frame, but Sellers got three fly outs in the inning to hold on for the win. Three different GHC starters had two RBIs each — Brady, Miller, and Hearn. Brady was the only Charger with two hits. ANDREW 14, GEORGIA HIGHLANDS 3 In Saturday’s first game of a doubleheader, the host Tigers rapped out 17 hits in support of a complete game pitching effort by Darrell Woodall for a 14-3 Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association win. Woodall went the complete seven innings and gave up three earned runs on two hits and seven walks. Andrew scored ten runs over their final three offensive frames to put the game out of reach. Brenton Phillips and Clint Sellers paced the Tigers’ offense by combining for nine hits and six RBI. Jordan Holt and Brent Todys added two hits and two RBI each. Willis Kemp and Skylar McPhee had one hit and one RBI each for GHC who utilized five pitchers. Starter Drew Wilson suffered the loss. ANDREW 4, GEORGIA HIGHLANDS 3 Georgia Highlands led 1-0 going to the bottom of the eighth inning Friday night, when Andrew’s Clint Sellers hit a grand slam in an eventual 4-3 win. The Chargers scored twice in the top of the ninth to threaten, but finished a run short in their fifth-straight conference loss. Bryson Horne had three hits including a double and two RBI to pace the Chargers. Nick Piccapietra also added three hits including a double with one RBI. Cameron Hearn and Willis Kemp had the only other GHC hits. Georgia Highlands (28-18, 11-13) opens a four-game GCAA series Tuesday against East Georgia CC at Statesboro. The Chargers will then host the final three games Friday and Saturday at LakePoint in Emerson. Saturday will be a doubleheader.

The Woodland baseball team kept its 2018 season alive Friday night with a 5-2 win at Hiram. The Wildcats’ win, combined with an East Paulding sweep of Kell, means Woodland will play a 5-inning, mini-game Monday at LakePoint at 5:55 p.m. to determine the final playoff qualifier from Region 7-AAAAA. Woodland, East Paulding, and Kell all tied for the final playoff position with 9-7 region marks, but Kell was eliminated due to being swept by the other two teams. Carrollton won the region title and No. 1 seed, followed by Villa Rica and Rome in the top three spots. Friday night, Woodland out hit HIram ten to four and led 3-0 through three innings before building their lead to 5-0 in the top of the sixth. Hiram scored single runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh but came up three runs short. Dylan Webb, Toby Queen (RBI), Koby Stansel (RBI), and Jordan Lee led the Woodland bats with two hits each. Bailey Ward (RBI) and Garrett Cornett (RBI) also had base hits. Kenny Jinks (6 IP, 1ER, 3H, 1BB, 8K) earned the pitching win for Woodland. Seth McGill (0.2 IP, 1ER, 2BB, 1K) and Jakob Foss (0.1 IP, 0R, 1K) combined to close out the seventh. Hiram finished the year 6-20 overall and 3-13 in region action. Woodland improved to 16-14 overall. The winner of Monday’s mini-game will advance to the Class 5A state playoffs Thursday in a doubleheader. That will start a best-of-three series at Region 8-5A champion and 2nd-ranked Loganville. ADAIRSVILLE 19, LAKEVIEW-FT. OGLETHORPE 12 In an explosive offensive evening for both teams, Adairsville captured a back-and-forth battle over Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 19-12 in Tiger Valley Friday night. Adairsville bats pounded out 18 hits and four Tigers’ pitchers combined to hold off the visiting Warriors. Caden Gibbs picked up the pitching win with a four-inning start. He allowed three earned runs on four hits. Three of the hits were homers. Noah Nation, Elijah Padgett, and J Smith also pitched for the Tigers. Halen Huskins and Garrett Mishoe both homered and had three hits for the Adairsville offense. They both also drove in four runs. Gibbs had a three-hit game with one RBI. BJ Roper (2 RBI) and Chase Horn (RBI) had two hits apiece. Hunter Hice (RBI), Trace Still (RBI), Corey Nation, and Gavin Crunkleton added one hit each. LFO finished the year 17-10 overall and 10-8 in Region 6-AAA. Adairsville (20-8, 13-5) advances to the Class AAA state playoffs Thursday as the 2-seed. The Tigers will host the 3-seed from Region 5-AAA, Pace Academy, in a doubleheader to open the best-of-three series.

The Cartersville High School track and field teams wrapped up the 2018 Region 5-AAAA Championship Meet Thursday at Central-Carroll High School with the Lady Canes placing sixth and the Canes seventh. Chapel Hill won the girls region championship with 223 points. They were followed by LaGrange (128) and Sandy Creek (75.50). The boys title was also claimed by Chapel Hill with 172 points. Sandy Creek (149.33) was second and Cedartown (97.33) finished third. Leading Performances for Cartersville athletes (top six region finish): Girls 800M — 3rd — Kayla Carpenter (2:35.11) Girls 3200M — 3rd — Vanna Beach (13:20.50) Girls 3200M — 5th — Alex Machado (14:00.62) Girls Shot Put — 1st — London Shaw (37-07) Girls Discus — 3rd — London Shaw (111-09) Boys 3200M — 4th — Parker Breedlove (11:11.56) Boys 110M Hurdles — 6th — Daniel Ejieke (27.77) Boys Pole Vault — 1st — Nick Bebko (12-06) Boys Pole Vault — 4th — Jack Merritt (10-06)

The Cartersville boys soccer team won the Region 5-AAAA championship Thursday evening with a 5-1 victory over visiting LaGrange at Weinman Stadium. LaGrange scored first, but failed to get anything else past Canes keeper Ethan Eckert as Cartersville scored five unanswered goals. The Canes went unbeaten in region play and will enter the Class AAAA state tournament next week as a No. 1 seed. Jair Ramos, Pedro Ghanem (two goals, two assists), and Leo Sanchez scored for Cartersville Grant Farmer added a pair of assists. LAGRANGE GIRLS 1, CARTERSVILLE 0 The Lady Canes dropped a 1-0 decision to LaGrange Thursday night at Weinman Stadium and due to region tie-breakers will fall to a 3-seed in next week’s state playoffs. A win Thursday would have given Cartersville the region title. Cartersville will play at Heritage-Catoosa next Thursday to open the Class 4A state tournament. ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS 2, CALHOUN 1 The Lady Tigers clinched the No. 3 seed from Region 6-AAA for next week’s state playoffs with a 2-1 victory over Calhoun at Adairsville. Adairsville will open the state tournament against one of the top two teams in Class AAA. They will play a road match at either Westminster or Lovett out of Region 5-AAA. Those two teams are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the classification. Chloe Cochran and Emily Collum scored the Adairsville goals — one in each half. Lauren Stephenson and Gillian Johnson had the assists while keeper Havyn Isaac recorded 13 saves in the win. Adairsville (11-2 overall and 7-2 in region action) host Trion Friday to wrap up the regular season. CALHOUN BOYS 8, ADAIRSVILLE 2 Dani Carillo scored both goals for the Tigers. Tyrek Bryant and Nic Jackson combined for 23 saves. Adairsville concludes the season Friday against Trion at home. CASS GIRLS 2, HERITAGE-CATOOSA 0 The Cass girls got second half goals from Leidi Toribio and Briana Ochoa — both off feeds from Region 7-AAAAA player of the year Logan Vermaas — as the Lady Colonels won a non-region game over Heritage-Catoosa. Emily Tracy and Macy Wright were credited for outstanding defense in front of senior keeper Brianna Bullock who earned her seventh shutout of the season. Cass will open the state playoffs on the road next week. WOODLAND GIRLS 7, HARALSON COUNTY 0 Woodland finished the year 7-8-1 with a win in their season finale Thursday. Kaitlin Winnenberg and Jordan Evans each scored three goals and Grace Webb added a goal for the Lady Cats.

The Woodland girls placed third and the Woodland boys fifth Thursday in the Region 7-AAAAA Track & Field Championships at Barron Stadium in Rome. Carrollton girls and boys won the team titles. Rome girls and boys were second. Cass placed eighth among the girls teams and ninth in the boys event. Top local performers (placed top six): Woodland Girls 200M — 6th — Bella Carnes (27.19) Girls 400M — 4th — Bella Carnes (1:00.82) Girls 800M — 1st — Carli Clymer (2:25.22) Girls 800M — 3rd — Baylee Evans (2:28.99) Girls 1600M — 1st — Carli Clymer (5:20.28) Girls 1600M — 2nd — Angela Cochran (5:23.75) Girls 3200M — 1st — McKenna Trapheagen (11:19.59) Girls 3200M — 2nd — Lindsay Scifers (11:57.08) Girls 4x400 Relay — 4th — Carnes, Evans, Trapheagen, Clymer (4:17.02) Girls Pole Vault — 2nd — Karson Norris (10-00) Girls Pole Vault — 3rd — Brooke Cooper (9-00) Girls Triple Jump — 6th — Morgan Cooper (32-01) Girls Discus Throw — 3rd — Skylar Chappell (123-01) Boys 400M — 5th — Markal Brown (51.57) Boys 400M — 6th — Jeven Reliford (51.85) Boys 800M — 1st — Jonathan Holloway (2:03.42) Boys 1600M — 5th — John Shropshire (4:54.73) Boys 3200M — 6th — Dylan Stermer (10:52.11) Boys 4x400M Relay — 2nd — Reliford, Demarcus Williams, Holloway, Brown (3:27.69) Boys Pole Vault — 2nd — Tommy Duke (13-00) Boys Pole Vault — 5th — Jimmy Davis (12-06) Boys Long Jump — 2nd — Markal Brown (21-08) Cass Girls 100M Hurdles — 2nd — Hillary McCarver (17.33) Girls High Jump — 1st — Kyler Trouten (5-02) Girls Shot Put — 1st — Chanelle Clemmons (40-01.5) Boys High Jump — 2nd — Tavarus Varnum (6-04) Boys Pole Vault — 1st — Stephen Smith (14-00) Boys Pole Vault — 6th — Griffin Howard (10-06) At the Region 6-AAA Track & Field Championships hosted by Calhoun, the Adairsville boys finished fifth and the Lady Tigers were seventh. Bremen won the girls region title with Calhoun taking the boys championship. Top Adairsville performers (top six finish): Girls 100M — 6th — Ji’Leyah Mitchell (14.21) Girls 200M — 5th — Ji’Leyah Mitchell (29.06) Girls Shot Put — 1st — Josie Summerville (38-00.25) Girls Shot Put — 2nd — Nakiyah Washington (32-09) Girls Discus — 1st — Nakiyah Washington (110-00) Girls Discus — 5th — Anyia Bailey (86-02) Boys 100M — 1st — Daylon Bailey (11.54) Boys 100M — 3rd — Travon Branch (11.86) Boys 200M — 3rd — Daylon Bailey (24.32) Boys 3200M — 4th — Zack Ashley (11:20.98) Boys 4x100M Relay — 2nd — Branch, Bailey, Ethan Belcher, Derrick Simmons (45.03) Boys Long Jump — 6th — Daylon Bailey (20-05.50) Boys Triple Jump — 5th — Chance Jones (39-00)

The Adairsville Tigers took matters into their own hands Thursday night at Calhoun and clinched a home state playoff series next week and the No. 2 seed from Region 6-AAA with a 6-0 shutout of the Yellow Jackets. Kyler Pelfrey was brilliant again on the mound for the Tigers. The senior tossed a complete game, scattering three hits with no walks and seven strikeouts. The Georgia College and State University signee has four wins and a save over Adairsville’s last 14 games with 33 strikeouts and a 1.05 ERA over 25.2 innings in that stretch. The Tigers scored single runs in the third inning and fifth inning for a 2-0 lead. Hunter Hice reached on an error and later scored on a wild pitch in the third inning. Garrett Mishoe doubled home Pelfrey in the fifth. Adairsville then put the game out of reach with four runs in the sixth inning. After two walks and two outs in the sixth, two runs scored on a single by Hice. Mishoe doubled again for the Tigers’ fifth run and eventually scored on another Calhoun wild pitch. Hice and Mishoe paced Adairsville with two hits and two RBI each. Pelfrey and Landon Ayers had the other Tigers’ hits. Calhoun (20-9, 11-6) will need a win at Haralson County Friday to clinch a state playoff berth. Adairsville (19-8, 12-5) will host Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe Friday in their regular season finale’. The Tigers will then prepare for a home Class AAA state playoff series against the No. 3-seed from Region 5-AAA. With all of that region's leaders playing league games Friday except Redan, the seeding race will come down to the final day of the regular season. Westminster and Lovett (both 11-2 in region games) lead Pace Academy (10-3) by one game in the 5-AAA standings. Redan (10-4) is currently fourth. Lovett and Pace Academy go head-to-head Friday. Westminster is playing Cedar Grove who is out of playoff contention. Pace Academy, Lovett, and Redan are all ranked in the Top Ten of the latest Georgia Dugout Club Class AAA poll. Westminster, like Adairsville, was one of the teams also considered.

The Cartersville baseball team closed out the 2018 regular season Thursday night at Central-Carroll with a 13-2, five-inning victory that clinched the Region 5-AAAA championship and a No. 1-seed in next week’s Class AAAA state playoffs. Cartersville captured their 25th region baseball championship will host a best-of-three opening round series with Pickens — the No. 4 seed from Region 6-AAAA. The Dragons (13-14, 8-9) are led by former Cass head coach Adam Williams. Pickens concludes the regular season Friday at home against Southeast Whitfield. The Canes bats went to work early Thursday and took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Cartersville extended that lead to 7-2 through three innings and scored six more times over the next two frames to close out the game. Canes pitchers Kolby Adams (3 IP, 2ER, 4H, 0BB, 2K) and Gage Morris (2 IP, 0R, 1H, 1BB, 1K) limited the Lions to only five hits. Jake Gooch doubled home two runs in the first inning for the Hurricanes and later hit a home run in the fifth. His 3-for-3 night that included a walk and three RBI. Anthony Seigler and Preston Welchel also had home runs for Cartersville and both added doubles. Seigler was 3-for-3. Welchel accounted for three RBI. Mason Barnett doubled twice with one RBI and Devin Warner also doubled. The 2nd-ranked Canes move into the state playoffs with a 23-7 record and would also host a second round series if they can advance. Although occasional adjustments occur in the playoff schedule, the GHSA website calls for the first round series to begin with a doubleheader next Thursday, April 26 at Richard Bell Field (time TBA). If a third game is needed, it would be on Friday, April 27.