January 4, 2025 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Woodland's Dylan Couey in action on Saturday at the Region 7-AAAA Duals Championships at Cartersville High School. PHOTO: RANDY PARKER / DTN Woodland wrestling won a third-consecutive region duals title on Saturday, edging rival Cass in the Region 7-AAAA championship match 38-35. The Wildcats had five wrestlers go 3-0 on the day, leading their charge. Cayden Bagley (106 pounds), Nick Weathersbee (113), Adrian Zapata (125), Joshua Palmore (132), and Noah Cates (138) recorded perfect days for Woodland. The Wildcats topped Hiram 63-15 in the quarterfinals and Southeast Whitfield 62-18 in the semifinals to reach the title match. Cass, the two-time defending state champions, beat Cedartown 62-15 in the opening round, Dalton 51-25 in the semifinals, and Allatoona 50-21 for true second place and a spot in the state tournament. Woodland head coach Brett Shedd looks on as the Wildcats won their third-consecutive region duals title on Saturday at Cartersville High School. PHOTO: Randy Parker / The Daily Tribune News David Jewell (150/157) and Codey Dean (215) were 4-0 in their bouts for the Colonels. Luka Jensen (144), Rowdy Duck (150), and Ethan Harrington (165/175) finished 3-0 on the day. Mason Tompkins (190) won both of his bouts, while Collin Armona (157) and Logan Hicks (165) each won their only bouts for Cass. Cartersville went 1-2 in the tournament and placed sixth. The Canes defeated Hiram but lost to Southeast Whitfield and Dalton. Jair Flores (113) and Peter Cepeda (165) each won all three of their bouts. Fite Casey (106) won his only bout for Cartersville. Cartersville's Cade McFarland (right) grapples during the Region 7-AAAA Duals Championship held at Cartersville High School on January 3. PHOTO: Randy Parker / The Daily Tribune News Woodland and Cass have advanced to the Class AAAA State Duals Championships at Ola High School in McDonough on January 16 and 17.  Cartersville will host Rome on Wednesday and honor the Canes’ 2026 seniors. Photos below (L-R): Cass' Ethan Edwards, Cartersville head coach Sammy Rosario, and Cass head coach D.L. Koontz. PHOTOS: RANDY PARKER / DTN

January 4, 2025 Six local high school basketball teams returned to regular-season action Saturday night, with the Adairsville girls’ and boys’ teams defeating visiting Cass. The Cartersville girls topped Woodstock for their tenth win of the season, but the Canes fell to Rome after rallying from a double-digit deficit in the second half. ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS 53, CASS 34 The Lady Tigers limited visiting Cass to only four points in the first and third quarters Saturday night and beat Cass 53-34. Adairsville led 14-4 after one quarter, but the Lady Colonels narrowed the margin to 22-18 by halftime. The Lady Tigers then outscored Cass 18-4 in the third quarter to take control en route to a 19-point win. Savannah Viktora led three Lady Tigers in double figures with 16 points. Rihanna Crittenden produced 12. Lily Roberts tossed in 10, and Alivia Joslin added six points for Adairsville. Nakayla Evans led the Lady Colonels with 16 points. Yvonne Ellison added five. Adairsville (5-10, 0-3) returns to Region 7-AAA play on Tuesday at Ridgeland before hosting Calhoun on Friday. Cass (3-8, 2-1) has Region 7-AAAA games at Cedartown on Tuesday and Dalton on Friday. ADAIRSVILLE BOYS 56, CASS 47 The Tigers won for the first time this season Saturday, defeating visiting Cass 56-47. The win snapped a 14-game skid to open the slate for Adairsville. Adairsville led 18-10 after one quarter and extended the lead to 32-19 by halftime. Cass fought back in the third period, narrowing the gap to 41-37, but the Tigers held on in the fourth quarter for an eight-point win. “We came out flat in the first half,” said Cass coach Kevin Cunningham. “We fought all the way back and had a two-point lead late, but couldn’t finish. We will get ready and work on some things for Tuesday. It’s hard to win when you shoot 11 for 22 from the free-throw line in a close game.” Eli Pearson scored 19 points to lead the Tigers. Dredyn Bautista finished with 10, and Brooks Rutledge added nine for Adairsville. Isaiah Moreno scored a game-high 23 points for the Colonels. Cam’ron Beauford and Ontario Crenshow each chipped in five. Adairsville (1-14, 0-3) has Region 7-AAA games Tuesday at Ridgeland and Friday at home against Calhoun. Cass (3-8, 2-1) returns to Region 7-AAAA action Tuesday at Cedartown and Friday at Dalton. CARTERSVILLE GIRLS 50, WOODSTOCK 39 The Lady Canes improved to 10-1 on the season Saturday night with a 50-39 win over host Woodstock at the Wood Elite Showcase. Bayley Stanley scored 14 points and added four rebounds and three assists in the Lady Canes' win Saturday at Woodstock. Bayley Stanley paced Cartersville with 14 points. Kaytlin Arnold followed with 11, and Zoe McCurry added eight points for the Lady Canes. Stanley added four rebounds and three assists. Arnold had three boards and three assists, and McCurry collected five rebounds and four assists. Cartersville led 16-4 after the first eight minutes and held a 27-20 lead at the break. The Lady Canes carried a 39-31 advantage into the fourth quarter. Emily Jacobs led the Lady Wolverines (5-9) with 10 points. Cartersville travels to Hiram on Tuesday, hosts Holy Innocents on Thursday, and visits Southeast Whitfield on Friday. . ROME 59, CARTERSVILLE BOYS 58 The Canes rallied from an eleven-point deficit in the second half Saturday night, but fell one point short in a 59-58 loss to Rome at the Wood Elite Showcase held at Woodstock High School. The two teams traded baskets in a tight first half and went to the intermission knotted at 26. The Wolves led 43-37 at the end of the third quarter and held on down the stretch for a one-point win. It was Rome’s third win in their last four outings. Cartersville has now dropped three of four. Elijah Heath led the Wolves (6-3) with 19 points. Malakhi Glover and Braxton Anderson each added 15 points. Kyron McClendon scored 16 points and added four assists for the Hurricanes. Nas Bennett finished with 14 points and five boards. Xavier Lowe notched 13 points with four rebounds. Wyatt Thomason produced 11 points with 11 rebounds, and Shakai Taylor grabbed six boards. The Canes (9-3, 3-0) visit Hiram on Tuesday in a return to region play and travel to Southeast Whitfield on Friday.

January 1, 2026 Bishop Moore Catholic of Orlando used a balanced scoring attack to overcome the Excel Christian Academy boys 75-61 in the championship game of the Green Bracket at the KSA Holiday Tournament on Wednesday. The Hornets (7-5) built a 10-point lead in the first quarter and maintained that advantage at the intermission, 35-25. Bishop Moore led the Eagles 54-43 at the end of the third quarter. Senior Jisiah White led Bishop Moore with a game-high 18 points, while Ryder DeVoe added 12, Tre Mathis contributed 11, and Cam Sykes rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points. Excel Christian kept pace through three quarters behind 17 points from Jamari Gatson and 13 from Damir McBride. Jaydon Jinks chipped in nine points for the Eagles who couldn’t overcome the early deficit. ECA (13-4) will return to action on Friday, Jan. 9, when they travel to face The Stonehaven School in Marietta.

January 1, 2026 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently released its selections for Georgia All-State Teams in all classifications. Six offensive players -- three from Cartersville and three from Cass -- received All-State recognition. Class 4A Offensive player of the year: Cayden Benson, Creekside Defensive player of the year: Brayden Rouse, Kell Coach of the year: Maurice Dixon, Creekside Offense QB - Cayden Benson, Creekside, 5-11, 172, Sr. RB - Quinterrius “Moonie” Gipson, Kell, 5-10, 200, Jr. RB - Jonaz Walton, Central-Carrollton, 5-10, 205, Sr. WR - Jordan Christie, Southwest DeKalb, 5-11, 190, Jr. WR - Craig Dandridge, Cambridge, 6-1, 180, Sr. WR - Brady Marchese, Cartersville, 6-1, 183, Sr. OL - Jaylon Moore, Creekside, 6-4, 290, Jr. OL - Chase Lewandowski, Kell, 6-2, 305, Sr. OL - Jared Smith, Stockbridge, 6-5, 335, Sr. OL - Bear McWhorter, Cass, 6-4, 300, Sr. OL - Langston Hogg, Cartersville, 6-2, 275, Sr. ATH - Chris “Bubba” Frazier, Benedictine, 5-11, 180, Sr. PK - Leo Attard, Cambridge, 6-0, 180, Sr. Defense DL - Bryce Robinson, Locust Grove, 6-3, 270, Sr. DL - Kameron Cody, Benedictine, 6-2, 285, Sr. DL - LaDamion Guyton, Benedictine, 6-3, 225, Sr. DL - Xavier Joseph, Eastside, 6-2, 240, Sr. LB - Decari Farley, Creekside, 6-0, 185, Sr. LB - Tavarre Terrell, Creekside, 5-11, 240, Jr. LB - Owen Hare, Marist, 5-10, 170, Jr. LB - David “DJ” Jacobs, Blessed Trinity, 6-5, 235, Jr. DB - Jontavius Wyman, Jonesboro, 6-0, 180, Sr. DB - Cortez Redding, Jonesboro, 6-0, 180, Sr. DB - Kamarui Dorsey, Hampton, 6-3, 200, Jr. DB - Micah Williams, Benedictine, 6-0, 200, Sr. P - Jackson Andrews, Walnut Grove, 6-0, 180, Sr. 2W - Brayden Rouse, Kell, 6-3, 215, Sr. AJC Varsity Next 25 ATH - Xavier “Deuce” Butler, Lithonia, 5-10, 185, Sr. DL - Malik Glass, Mays, 6-1, 290, Sr. DL - Cassius Burch, Creekside, 6-0, 255, Jr. DL - Dawson Jacobs, Blessed Trinity, 6-3, 260, So. LB - Major Levell, Creekside, 5-10, 195, Jr. LB - Braylon Jackson, Lithonia, 6-0, 215, Sr. LB - Khamari Brooks, North Oconee, 6-4, 240, Sr. LB - Luke Burnett, North Oconee, 5-11, 205, Sr. LB - David Parson, Union Grove, 6-2, 225, Jr. OL/DL - Brady Barry, Marist, 6-4, 256, Sr. PK - Aditya Kaul, Westminster, 5-11, 185, Sr. PK - Tyler Baradel, Marist, 6-0, 167, Jr. QB - Braylon Carter, Southwest DeKalb, 6-3, 200, Sr. QB - Brodie McWhorter, Cass, 6-3, 205, Sr. QB - Caine Woods, Dalton, 6-2, 180, So. QB - Harrison Faulkner, North Oconee, 6-1, 190, Sr. QB - Nate Russell, Cartersville, 6-3, 200, Sr. QB - Stephen Cannon, Benedictine, 6-2, 195, Sr. QB - JR Harris, Central-Carrollton, 5-10, 175, Jr. QB - Joshua Scott, Stockbridge, 6-0, 175, Jr. RB - Gary Walker, Creekside, 6-0, 200, Jr. RB - Kalil Charles, Cass, 5-11, 185, So. WR - X’Zavier Cannon, Warner Robins, 5-10, 165, So. WR - Jamario Rice, Ware County, 6-0, 185, Sr. WR/DB - Dawson Batemon, Marist, 6-2, 193, Sr.

December 30, 2025 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Two local boys' basketball teams picked up wins on the road Tuesday. The Excel Christian Academy Eagles won their semifinal game at a tournament in the Orlando, Florida area, and the Woodland Wildcats evened their season mark with a victory at Pepperell. WOODLAND BOYS 72, PEPPERELL 42 The Wildcats utilized a balanced scoring attack, with four players scoring in double digits, Tuesday night for a 72-42 win at Pepperell. Woodland led 16-13 at the end of the first period, and pulled away in the second quarter to lead 41-20 at halftime. “We got off to a slow start,” noted Woodland head coach Kip Dyer following the game, “but we found a rhythm in the second quarter by pushing the basketball.” Canden Davis and Amir Heath led the Wildcats with 13 points. Jonathan Hart contributed 12, and Landon Dougherty added 11 in the non-region win. Eegan Lockwood paced the Dragons (2-12) with 13 points. Brantley Cordle added 10. Woodland (7-7) returns to Region 7-4A action on Tuesday at home against Dalton at 7:30 p.m. EXCEL CHRISTIAN BOYS 84, ST. JOHNS COUNTRY DAY (FL) 44 The Excel Christian Academy boys cruised into the championship game of the KSA Events Tournament at Gaylord Resorts and Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida, with an 84-44 blowout win on Tuesday over St. Johns Country Day from Orange Park, Florida. Excel led 19-10 after one quarter, 47-28 at the intermission, and 70-39 through three quarters on their way to a 40-point victory. The Eagles had four players to score in double-figures, led by Damir McBride with 20 points. Mier Bell posted 17 points. Clay Poe and Kaeden Wingard each scored 13 for ECA. Gabriel Blaubuks led the Spartans (3-7) with 13 points. Excel Christian (13-3) will play Bishop Moore of Orlando in the Green Bracket title game on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. ALLATOONA 67, ADAIRSVILLE BOYS 38 The Adairsville Tigers led 12-6 after one quarter, but fell behind by halftime and did not recover in a 67-38 loss to Allatoona on the final day of the Adairsville Christmas Clash on Tuesday. Andre Dupree led the visiting Buccaneers with 19 points. Carter Turnbow finished with 16 points, and Jordan Little added 12 for Allatoona (8-5). Lucas Poarch scored nine points to lead the Tigers. Brooks Rutledge added seven. Adairsville (0-14) hosts Cass on Saturday in a non-region game at 7:30 p.m. RINGGOLD 48, ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS 41 In a battle of Lady Tigers teams, Ringgold held off Adairsville 48-41 Tuesday afternoon to win the fifth-place game of the Adairsville Christmas Clash. Ringgold led by five points after one quarter and never trailed at any quarter break. The visitors led 27-17 at halftime and 33-28 through three periods. Ava Mariakis led Ringgold (6-5) with 13 points. Jersey Rae Loy followed with 12. Alivia Joslin scored a game-high 15 points to pace Adairsville. Lily Roberts and Savannah Viktora contributed eight, and Jaida Harris scored seven points. The Adairsville girls (3-10) host Cass on Saturday at 6 p.m. EAST PAULDING 71, CARTERSVILLE BOYS 64 Kyron McClendon scored 19 points with seven rebounds and three steals on Tuesday in a 71-64 loss to East Paulding at the Adairsville Christmas Clash. The Canes dropped their second game of the season Tuesday, falling to the East Paulding Raiders 71-64 in the fifth-place game of the Adairsville Christmas Clash at Adairsville High School. Cartersville trailed 25-8 early in the second quarter, but overcame a 17-point deficit to take as much as a three-point lead in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for the Hurricanes, they went scoreless in the final 3:49 and suffered a seven-point loss. East Paulding led 39-27 at halftime, but the Canes rallied to take a 53-51 edge into the final eight minutes. Dane Diomonde made six three-pointers and led the Raiders (7-3) with 27 points. Jonah Hess tossed in 11 points, and Evan Doherty added 10 for East Paulding. Kyron McClendon led the Canes with 19 points, seven rebounds, and three steals. Xavier Lowe finished with 16, and Wyatt Thomason contributed 15 points and five rebounds. Cartersville (9-2) faces Rome on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. at Woodstock High School in the Wood Elite Showcase. ADAIRSVILLE CHRISTMAS CLASH TITLE GAMES The McEachern girls (7-3) won the Adairsville Christmas Clash championship over Paulding County (8-5). The Calhoun boys defeated Ringgold in the boys' finals, 60-53, and improved to 7-1 on the season. Ringgold slipped to 7-4. PEPPERELL 64, WOODLAND GIRLS 31 The host Lady Dragons improved to 13-2 on the season with a 64-31 win over the Woodland Lady Cats on Tuesday night in Lindale. Kaitlyn House poured in 26 points in the first half for the Lady Dragons as they built a 48-12 lead. Sanaa Evans added 14 for Pepperell. Bailey Gerstner led the Lady Cats with eight points. Reign West scored seven, and Nevaeh Smith-Ferman chipped in six. Woodland (3-11) returns to action on Tuesday at home against Dalton in a 6 p.m. tip.

December 30, 2025 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com This week’s Athletes Beyond Bartow report on local athletes and their contributions at the professional and collegiate levels is abbreviated due to the holiday break. Most collegiate programs across the country have limited schedules. The week did include another win for former Canes quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He showcased his dual-threat ability with a pair of rushing touchdowns and another 100+ passer rating game in eliminating the Indianapolis Colts from playoff contention. Cartersville native Ashton Hagans made three starts with his team in China, while Myles Forristall and Devonte Ross appeared in bowl games for Georgia Tech and Penn State. NFL TREVOR LAWRENCE — Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL, 5th-year pro; Clemson; Cartersville HS)  … completed 23 of 37 pass attempts for 263 yards and rushed for 26 yards and two touchdowns as the Jaguars won at the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, 23-17. Lawrence did throw his first interception in five weeks, but still had a passer rating over 100. With a win this week, Jacksonville (12-4) has now won seven straight games and can clinch the AFC South title for the first time since 2022 when the Jags host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. CHINESE BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION ASHTON HAGANS — Shanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons (5th-yr. pro; Chinese Basketball Association; Cartersville native; University of Kentucky; Newton HS) … made three starts last week as his team went 1-2. He totaled three rebounds with three assists, and one steal in a win over Naniing Tongxi and losses to Qingdao and Guangdong Dongguan. The Brave Dragons (4-3) have games this week against Shandong and Guangzhou. FOOTBALL MYLES FORRISTALL — Georgia Tech (R-So., Cartersville HS) … saw action with the Yellow Jackets’ special teams but did not record a stat line in a 25-21 loss to Brigham Young last Saturday against Brigham Young University at the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando. Forristall appeared in nine games in 2025 and made two tackles. Georgia Tech finished the season with a 9-4 record. DEVONTE ROSS — Penn State University (Sr., Cartersville HS) … caught eight passes for 84 yards and added 11 yards on two rushing attempts last Saturday in the Nittany Lions’ 22-10 victory over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in New York. Penn State completed the year with four straight wins to finish with a 7-6 mark. Ross appeared in all 13 games this season and scored five touchdowns. He finished with 36 receptions for 501 yards, along with his two rushing plays in the bowl game. In three seasons at Troy University and one at Penn State, Ross had 2,119 receiving yards and over 2800 all-purpose yards, including kick and punt returns, with 20 total touchdowns.

December 29, 2025 In Monday’s high school basketball tournament action, the Excel Christian Academy boys won their first-round game in Florida. The Adairsville girls topped East Paulding, and the Cartersville boys won a head-to-head matchup with the Adairsville Tigers. EXCEL CHRISTIAN BOYS 89, LAKE BUENA VISTA (FL) 50 The Eagles took control in the first half and overpowered the Lake Buena Vista Vipers 89-50 on Monday at the KSA Events Holiday Tournament at Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida. Excel led 29-15 by halftime and padded their lead to 59-32 by the end of the third quarter en route to a 39-point win in the first round. Damir McBride paced the Eagles with 20 points. Aston Chappell scored 19, and Mier Bell finished with 13 points in the victory. Wheslander Mendez led Lake Buena Vista (2-9) with 16 points. Excel Christian (12-3) will play St. Johns Country Day of Orange Park, Florida, at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday in the Green Bracket semifinals. ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS 46, EAST PAULDING 35 Savannah Viktora takes a shot in the Lady Tigers' win over East Paulding on Monday. Lily Roberts scored 19 points, while Alivia Joslin and Savannah Viktora added eight and six, respectively, as the Lady Tigers defeated East Paulding 46-35 in a consolation game on Monday at the Adairsville Christmas Clash. The Lady Tigers led 22-20 at the intermission and held a 33-29 advantage through three quarters. Janaya White led East Paulding (3-7) with 18 points. Adairsville (4-9) will play Ringgold in the fifth-place game on Tuesday at 1 p.m.  CARTERSVILLE BOYS 74, ADAIRSVILLE 41 Xavier Lowe and Kyron McClendon each contributed 15 points, with Nas Bennett and Wyatt Thomason adding nine points apiece, to guide the Purple Hurricanes to a 74-41 victory over host Adairsville in a consolation game on Monday at the Tigers’ Christmas Clash. Eli Pearson scored 12 points for Adairsville. Brooks Rutledge and Lucas Poarch contributed nine points each for the Tigers. Adairsville (0-13) will face Allatoona on Tuesday in another consolation game at 11:30 a.m. Cartersville (9-1) will play East Paulding in the tournament’s fifth-place game on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE AT ADAIRSVILLE 10 a.m. — East Paulding girls vs. Calhoun 11:30 a.m. — Adairsville boys vs. Allatoona 1 p.m. — Adairsville girls vs. Ringgold 2:30 p.m. — Cartersville boys vs. East Paulding Third Place Games 4 p.m. — Blessed Trinity girls vs. Sonoraville 5:30 p.m. — Paulding County boys vs. Sonoraville Championship Games 7 p.m. — Paulding County girls vs. McEachern 8:30 p.m. — Ringgold boys vs. Calhoun

December 28, 2025 Results from the opening round of the 2025 Adairsville Christmas Clash. CALHOUN 77, CARTERSVILLE BOYS 76 The Purple Hurricanes' season-opening eight-game winning streak came to an end on Saturday with a 77-76 loss to Calhoun in the first round of the Adairsville Christmas Clash at Adairsville High School. The Canes were ahead 24-23 after a quick-paced first quarter, but by halftime, they fell behind 41-35. Calhoun led 61-52 at the end of the third quarter and built an 11-point lead at one point in the final period. Cartersville surged to take a one-point lead with 20 seconds remaining, but ultimately fell short by one point after missing a last-second shot at the buzzer. Trace Hawkins led the Yellow Jackets with 28 points. Jaden Perkins knocked down five from behind the arc and finished with 16 points. Blake Hammett scored 13 points, while Parks Layson grabbed 10 rebounds and chipped in six points. Nas Bennett scored a game-high 33 points to lead the Hurricanes. He added three rebounds and one steal. Wyatt Thomason scored 20 points with eight boards, and Kyron McClendon contributed 11 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Calhoun (5-1) advanced to the semifinals on Monday at 8:30 p.m. against Sonoraville. Cartersville (8-1) will play in the consolation semifinals Monday at 2:30 p.m. against Adairsville. SONORAVILLE 57, ADAIRSVILLE BOYS 44 The Adairsville boys had an early lead on Saturday, hosting Sonoraville in the first round of the Adairsville Christmas Clash, but the Phoenix chipped away and eventually overcame the Tigers in the fourth quarter for a 57-44 victory. Adairsville led 17-8 after the opening eight minutes and held a 24-20 advantage at the intermission. Sonoraville grabbed a 41-39 lead by the end of the third period and advanced with a 13-point win. Beaty Terrett led the Phoenix with 20 points. Clay Worley and Owen Shipley contributed 12 and eight points, respectively. Elijah Pearson paced the Tigers with 18 points. Brooks Rutledge scored 10 and Barrett Fuller added seven points. Sonoraville (4-7) will play Calhoun in the semifinals on Monday at 8:30 p.m. Adairsville (0-12) will face Cartersville in the consolation semifinals at 2:30 p.m. McEACHERN 60, ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS 37 The McEachern Lady Indians led 32-16 by halftime and defeated host Adairsville 60-37 on Saturday night in the first round of the Adairsville Christmas Clash. Paris Wilson poured in 20 points, and Ava Couzens added 10 in the McEachern victory. Lily Roberts scored eight points for the Lady Tigers. Samantha Gough and Rihanna Crittenden each added seven. McEachern (6-3) will play Sonoraville (8-3) in the tournament semifinals on Monday at 7 p.m. Adairsville (3-9) will square off with East Paulding (3-6) in a consolation semifinal on Monday at 1 p.m. OTHER CHRISTMAS CLASH RESULTS Sonoraville girls 50, East Paulding 37 Callhoun girls 70, Paulding County 27 Blessed Trinity girls 62, Ringgold 45 Paulding County boys 60, East Paulding 59 Ringgold boys 53, Allatoona 49 MONDAY’S TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE GIRLS 10 a.m. — Ringgold v. Paulding County 1 p.m. — Adairsville v. East Paulding 4 p.m. — Blessed Trinity v. Calhoun 7 p.m. — Sonoraville v. McEachern BOYS 11:30 a.m. — Allatoona v. East Paulding 2:30 p.m. — Adairsville v. Cartersville 5:30 p.m. — Ringgold v. Paulding County 8:30 p.m. — Calhoun v. Sonoraville

Catch up with all your local high school sports teams heading into the Christmas break. Listen to the Bartow Sports Zone Podcast https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/bartowsportszone/episodes/2025-12-23T11_59_14-08_00 This episode includes: -- a final wrap on the 2025 high school football season -- updates on wrestling, swimming, and basketball -- PLUS the BSZ Benchwarmers reflect on the College Football Playoffs First Round with commentary on the games and look forward to the quarterfinals.

December 22, 2025 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Woodland placed third, and Adairsville was fourth of eight teams in combined scores this past Saturday at the Whoville Invitational Swim Meet at Adairsville High School. Starr’s Mill won the meet with a score of 796. Jackson County followed at 720 with Woodland (542), Adairsville (504), and Newnan (414) rounding out the top five combined scores. Rome (360), Union Grove (302), and Northwest Whitfield (168) also competed at the annual meet. The Woodland girls earned 322 points to place third among girls’ teams. Adairsville was fifth at 186. Meanwhile, the Adairsville boys’ team was third, and the Woodland boys were fourth. The local highlight of the meet came from the Adairsville boys’ 200-yard freestyle relay team. That group qualified for the GHSA state meet with a time of 1:39.90. Top three finishers for Adairsville and Woodland by event included: Second Place Joel McSwain, Woodland, 500-yard freestyle — 5:59.73 Isaiah Muriel, Woodland, 100-yard breaststroke — 1:14.04 Adairsville boys 200-yard medley relay — Dylan Barrett, Brian Grist, Andrew Harris, Eli Burke — 1:53.27 Woodland girls 200-yard freestyle relay — Kailyn Black, Peighton Young, Madysen Grano, Emily Guin — 1:58.01 Third Place Joel McSwain, Woodland, 200-yard individual medley — 2:34.85 Calvin Konen, Adairsville, 500-yard freestyle — 6:23.14 Eli Burke, Adairsville, 100-yard backstroke — 1:03.32 Woodland girls 200-yard medley relay — Emily Guin, Peighton Young, Kailyn Black, Madysen Grano — 2:14.44 Adairsville boys 200-yard freestyle relay — Andrew Harris, Brian Grist, Eli Burke, Dylan Barrett — 1:39.90 (GHSA state meet qualifying time) Adairsville boys 400-yard freestyle relay — Nathaniel Fortier, Stevie Flores, Wyatt Mauldin, Calvin Konen — 4:24.22 Both teams, along with Cass and Cartersville, will participate in the Bartow County Championships on January 10 at Adairsville.

December 22, 2025 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com A weekly update on the professional and collegiate athletes from Cartersville and Bartow County for the week ending December 21. NFL TREVOR LAWRENCE — Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL, 5th-year pro; Clemson; Cartersville HS)  …threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score this past Sunday, leading the Jaguars to an impressive 34-20 win that snapped the Denver Broncos’ 11-game winning streak. Lawrence has been hot in recent weeks as Jacksonville has taken over first place in the AFC South and outscored its last five opponents 171-72. The Jags have now won six straight. Lawrence scored on a 1-yard keeper and had touchdown throws to Parker Washington, Brenton Strange, and Travis Etienne in the win over the Broncos. The 26-year-old finished the day completing 23 of 36 passes for 279 yards and rushing for 20 more. Jacksonville (11-4) holds a one-game lead in their division and has regular-season games remaining against Indianapolis on Sunday and Tennessee at home on January 4. CHINESE BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION ASHTON HAGANS — Shanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons (6th year pro; Cartersville native; University of Kentucky; Newton HS) … the 26-year-old is currently playing for the Brave Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association, although he was initially listed on the opening day roster for the Portland Trail Blazers’ NBA G-League team, the Rip City Remix. Hagans spent a brief stint with the Portland NBA franchise in 2024 and played in the CBA last season. He signed with the Cairns Taipans of Australia’s NBL earlier this year before being released from that contract in September. He is averaging two points, two rebounds, and three assists through the first four games of the season with the Brave Dragons (3-1). FOOTBALL KHRISTIAN LANDO — Jacksonville State University (R-Fr., Cartersville HS) … made his first start for the Gamecocks, rushing for 44 yards on 11 carries with a long run of 17 yards as JSU beat Troy University 17-13 in the Salute to Veterans Bowl in Montgomery on December 16. Lando finished the season with 201 rushing yards on 51 attempts with one touchdown. He also caught one pass for 11 yards as the Gamecocks finished a 9-5 season. IAN WILLIAMS — University of Memphis (Fr., Cass HS) … saw action on special teams last Friday in the Tigers’ 31-7 loss to N.C. State at the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa. Williams completed his true-freshman season with six tackles as Memphis finished an 8-5 campaign. WRESTLING WILLIAM BISHOP — Reinhardt University (Fr., Woodland HS) … lost his bout at 125 pounds during the Eagles’ 39-9 loss to Life University on December 17. Reinhardt returns to action January 2-3 at the Huntingdon College Duals. LEE CAMP — Reinhardt University (So., Cass HS) … won his 133-pound bout by pinfall at the 6:53 mark, but the Eagles fell at Life University on December 17, 39-9. Reinhardt returns to action January 2-3 at the Huntingdon College Duals. BRYCE KRESHO — Franklin & Marshall College (Sr., Cass HS) … lost his 141-pound bout, but the Diplomats defeated Presbyterian College 31-10 last Thursday in Clinton, South Carolina. Franklin & Morris also had a team win over Davidson College, but lost to Air Force during the quad-meet. Next on the Diplomats’ schedule is the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships on Monday and Tuesday. CADEN McCRARY — Reinhardt University (Jr., Woodland HS) … lost his 141-pound bout in the Eagles’ loss at Life University on December 17. Reinhardt returns to action January 2-3 at the Huntingdon College Duals. AIDAN PIATT — Reinhardt University (Fr., Cass HS) … lost his bout at 174 pounds in the Eagles’ loss on December 17 at Life University. Reinhardt returns to action January 2-3 at the Huntingdon College Duals. KRIECG ROE — Lindsey Wilson College (Fr., Cass HS) … won by pinfall in the first minute of his 174-pound bout against Rochester Christian University and pinned his Midway University (KY) opponent at the 1:41 mark as the Blue Raiders won 31-17 and 34-15. Lindsey Wilson returns to action on January 3-4 at the Huntingdon College Duals and Open in Montgomery, Alabama. HAYDEN SANTORA — Reinhardt University … lost in a 165-pound bout December 17 as the Eagles fell at Life University. Reinhardt returns to action January 2-3 at the Huntingdon College Duals. BASKETBALL TAFF BRADLEY — Huntingdon College (So., Cartersville HS) … scored four points and collected three rebounds last Friday in a 78-43 home win over Agnes Scott College. The Hawks (4-6, 1-0 Collegiate Conerence of the South) return to action on January 2 against visiting Maryville College (TN). NA’YEL CAMPER — Reinhardt University (So., Cartersville HS) … totaled three points, three rebounds, and two assists in two one-sided wins by the Lady Eagles last week over Columbia International University and Point University. Reinhardt (9-5, 6-1 Appalachian Athletic Conference) returns to action January 7 at Tennessee Wesleyan. SE’NAI CAMPER — Montreat College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … totaled five points, seven rebounds, and one blocked shot in Lady Cavaliers’ losses last week at home against Milligan University and at Georgia Gwinnett College. Montreat (5-8, 3-4 Appalachian Athletic Conference) has an exhibition game at Western Carolina University on December 30 and returns to conference action at home on January 3 against Union Commonwealth University. JA’KA’YAH DRAUGHN — Brewton Parker Christian University (So., Cartersville HS) … scored 18 points last Monday in an 87-73 loss to 18th-ranked University of the Cumberlands in Lakeland, Florida, and scored 13 points in an 84-53 loss at 23rd-ranked Southeastern University (FL) on Tuesday. Draughn totaled eight rebounds, five assists, and one steal in the two games. The Barons (2-11, 1-1 Southern States Athletic Conference) visit the University of West Georgia on Sunday. ANSLEY GRIFFIN — North Carolina Wesleyan University (So., Cartersville HS) … totaled nine points, two rebounds, two steals, and two assists in losses on December 15 and 16 at Southern Virginia University and Mary Baldwin University. Griffin has started all ten games for the Battlin’ Bishops (3-7, 1-3 USA South Athletic Conference), who return to action December 30 with an exhibition at D-I Elon. ZION HAYES — Vincennes University (So., Cass HS) … scored 17 points with six rebounds and one assist December 17 in a 76-58 home loss to Mineral Area College. The Trailblazers (8-5) host Schoolcraft College (MI) on Tuesday, December 30. HALEY JOHNSON — Reinhardt University (Sr., Cass HS) … scored nine points with seven rebounds and two assists on December 17 in an 87-52 victory at Point University. The Lady Eagles (9-5, 6-1 Appalachian Athletic Conference)  return to the court on January 7 at Tennessee Wesleyan University. T.J. PRINTUP — Tusculum University (Jr., Adairsville HS) … scored 14 points with eight rebounds, four assists, three blocked shots, and two steals in a 77-60 conference win on December 17 at Mars Hill University. The Pioneers (6-5, 3-3 South Atlantic Conference) host Bluefield State University (VA) on January 3. MEGAN SCHULTZ — Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (So., Woodland HS) … scored two points and had one rebound on December 15 in an 88-64 home win over Trinity College-Jacksonville. The Fillies (4-7, 1-2 Southern States Athletic Conference) visit Brewton Parker Christian University (GA) on January 8. LONDAISHA SMITH — Reinhardt University (Sr., Cass HS) … scored eight points with two rebounds, two steals, and one assist as the Eagles won at Point University on December 17. The Eagles (9-5, 6-1 Appalachian Athletic Conference) travel to Tennessee Wesleyan University on January 7, ALISSA WINTERS — Truett McConnell University (So., Adairsville HS) … totaled five points, and added six rebounds and three assists in the Bears’ three losses during a Florida swing last week. TMU lost at Warner University (FL) and Southeastern University (FL). Truett McConnell also dropped a decision to Culver-Stockton College (MO) in Lake Wales. Winters has started all 14 games for TMU this season. The Bears (3-11, 2-5 Appalachian Athletic Conference) host the University of Pikeville (KY) on January 3.

December 22, 2025 Woodland wrestling participated in the Knockout Classic in Kissimmee, Florida, last weekend, with athletes in 11 out of 14 weight categories. The Wildcats secured 42nd place out of 68 teams in this event, which typically features one of the most formidable lineups in the southeastern U.S. Although none of the Wildcats earned podium spots at the event, Adrian Zapata (126 pounds) went 4-2 to lead at least six Woodland wrestlers with at least two bout wins. That group included Cayden Bagley (106, 2-2), Joshua Palmore (132, 2-2), Noah Cates (138, 2-2), Owen Jones (190, 2-2), and John Gill (215, 2-2). Woodland returns to action on January 3 at the Region 7-AAAA Duals Championship hosted by Cartersville High School.