The Cass baseball team lost a Region 7AAAAA, one-run decision at Rome Friday evening, 3-2. Rome led 2-0 when the Colonels tied the game 2-2 in the top of the fifth inning. Evan Hinton hit a solo home run to start the inning. That was followed by a double by Nathan Smith. He moved to third base on a Brett Gaddy sacrifice bunt and scored on a ground ball error off the bat of Clay Means. The Wolves scored their winning run in the bottom of the fifth. Alden Astin walked, moved around to third on a sacrifice and a ground out, then scored on an infield error by the Colonels. Rome’s two, third inning runs came via a walk, a single, an error, and another ground out. Five different Wolves had one hit each. Jake Collum finished with two hits for Cass. Bailey Campbell, Zach Yancey, and Hinton (HR) had hits. Nathan Smith added a double. Rome improved to 10-11 overall and 3-4 in Region 7AAAAA. Cass is now 11-11 overall and 4-5 in the region. The two teams play again Monday at Cass at 5:55pm to conclude their two-game series. The Colonels then have a two-game series with Kell Wednesday and Friday with Wednesday’s game at home.

The Adairsville Tigers baseball team fell 3-1 Thursday evening at Region 6AAA rival Calhoun. The Yellow Jackets took a 3-0 lead through four innings and Calhoun pitcher Davis Allen limited the Tigers to only a single run on four hits and a pair of walks. He fanned eleven Adairsville batters. The Tigers scored their run in the top of the fifth, but could manage no further damage. Kyler Pelfrey had a pair of hits for Adairsville. Hunter Hice and Dylan Hightower had the only other Tigers' hits. John Atkinson had the Adairsville RBI. Garrett Mishoe was tagged with the pitching loss. Chase Powell took the mound for the final four frames. The pair allowed only four hits and one earned run each. Tanner Gallman had two hits for Calhoun. Allen drove in a run with one hit. Nate Bonner added a hit and Brett Potts contributed an RBI. Calhoun improved to 9-9 overall and 4-4 in region play. Adairsville (5-12, 2-6) hosts Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe Friday and travels to Armuchee Saturday.

Excerpts of an interview with Adairsville's Vic Beasley, Jr. of the NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons. Beasley visited the Joe Tilley Show Thursday, March 30 on WBHF Radio in Cartersville (100.3FM / am1450) and was interviewed by Joe Tilley and Alan Sanders. The link below includes highlights from that visit. Beasley, the 2016 NFL leader in sacks, helped lead the Falcons to this past season's Super Bowl. LINK to INTERVIEW: https://soundcloud.com/seeedubya/vic-beasley-interview-march-30-2017

The Adairsville girls soccer team defeated East Paulding Thursday evening in a home, non-region game, 4-0. Emily Collum scored all four Adairsville goals as the Lady Tigers improved to 9-3 on the season. East Paulding of Region 7AAAAA is now 4-9 for the year. Adairsville plays at Trion April 7 and will host Ringgold in a Region 6AAA contest April 11.

The Cass girls soccer team lost to Region 7AAAAA rival Kell Thursday night on penalty kicks. The Lady Longhorns scored in the first half to take a 1-0 lead to the intermission, but Cass' Stephanie Robledo tied the game in the second half off a corner fro Kelsey Rivera to send the two teams to overtime. After a scoreless overtime, Kell outscored Cass 5-3 on PKs for the region victory. The Lady Longhorns improved to 6-5 overall and 5-2 in region play. Cass wrapped up their Region 7AAAAA schedule with a 3-5 mark. The Lady Colonels are 5-8 overall and return to non-region play April 11 at Coahulla Creek.

The Georgia Highlands College softball team split a doubleheader with conference co-leader Georgia Military College Thursday to remain tied with GMC for the GCAA lead. Rebecca Meade picked up the game one 7-3 win throwing a complete game allowing three runs (two earned), on five hits, five walks, and one strikeout. Micayla McCoy suffered the 6-0 loss in game two allowing five runs (three earned), on nine hits with three strikeouts. Two unearned runs came in the third inning on defensive miscues and McCoy had an uncharacteristic fourth inning where she allowed three runs. Meade entered in the fourth but allowed another earned run before McCoy re-entered in the circle. McCoy closed the inning out, and improve as the game progressed. She kept GMC scoreless for the remaining three and 2/3 innings. Offensively the Shays led the way as both Shayla Smith and Shay Wooten were 2-for-5 on the day. Brianna Fickes also added her 13th home run of the season in the first game, extending her school record for home runs to 26. The win today marks the first time a Georgia Highlands team has secured 30 wins in a season. Every win moving forward sets a new single-season record. The Chargers (30-9, 12-6 Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association) are back in action Saturday in non-conference action against Brenton-Parker's JV team in Mount Vernon, Georgia.

The Cartersville Middle School girls and the Ashworth Middle School boys soccer teams won the 2017 Bartow-Gordon Middle School Athletic Association championships Thursday evening. The Cartersville Middle girls topped Calhoun, 3-2. The Ashworth boys edged Cass on penalty kicks 4-2 after the two teams battled to a 1-1 tie through regulation time. The Cartersville girls had playoff victories over South Central (6-0) and Woodland (2-0) on their way to the championship match. The Calhoun girls defeated Red Bud (4-0) and Cass (6-3) to reach the finals. The Cartersville girls finished their season with an 8-1-1 record. The Calhoun girls finished 7-2-1. The Ashworth boys shutout Woodland (5-0) and Cartersville (3-0) in the playoffs to reach the championship match. Cass had playoff shutout wins over Adairsville (4-0) and Calhoun (1-0). The Ashworth boys finished the year with an 8-0-2 record. Cass was 7-3.

The Georgia Highlands baseball team held an early lead Tuesday evening at Andrew College in Cuthbert, but a five-run fifth by the home-standing Tigers was enough to lead to a 6-1 defeat of the Chargers in a Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association conference game. The game was the first in a four-game GCAA series this week between Andrew and GHC. The win kept the Tigers in first place in the conference with a 4-1 mark. The Tigers are 19-16 overall and have won three straight. Starting pitcher Jaquarious Glover was a difference maker for Andrew College in the series opener. He tossed a complete game, five-hitter with two walks and five strikeouts. The Chargers utilized six pitchers, with Sam Sowerbrower (4.2 IP, 5ER, 6H, 2BB, 3K) suffering the loss. Jake Lovvorn, Kyle Brady, Sean Fitzpatrick, Jeremiah Woods, and Bradley Hood all toed the rubber at some point for GHC without allowing an earned run. Leadoff hitter Bronco O’Brien had a pair of hits for the Chargers. Nick Fink homered for the only Georgia Highlands’ run in the third inning. Caleb McElwaney and Matt Vaccaro had the other Chargers’ hits. Five Tigers had two hits each in their 11-hit attack. Andrew Compton, Josh Peters, Dahlton Cash, Mike Branche, and Chris Schwarzer contributed a pair of hits apiece. The series continues at LakePoint Friday at 6pm with a single game and the two teams will play a doubleheader at LakePoint at 1pm on Saturday. The Chargers are 22-12 overall and 2-3 in conference play.

Elite Stone Supply, in conjunction with WBHF and Bartow Sports Zone, presents the ELITE ATHLETES OF THE MONTH. Each month, all five local high schools are provided opportunity to name an Elite Athlete of the Month and present the information on their honoree through Bartow Sports Zone and on 100.3FM and AM1450, WBHF in Cartersville. Recipients for March 2017: Jackson Busch -- Excel Christian Academy Jacob Busek -- Cartersville High School Ashlyn Dougharty -- Cass High School Houston Medlock -- Adairsville High School Jacob Petroski -- Woodland High School. Jackson Busch is the Excel Christian Academy Elite Athlete of the Month for March. Jackson is the son of Bridgett Weiss and Bryan Busch and is a junior at Excel. He has been a student at ECA for the past two years and is a multi-sport athlete. Busch is a member of the basketball team and runs cross country. Mrs. Tammy Griffith, principal at Excel Christian Academy nominated Busch for Elite Athlete of the Month and said, “Jackson epitomizes all the values and ideals on which Excel is based. He is an excellent student that goes above and beyond to help others. He has a positive impact on those around him.” Jackson’s favorite subject is Science. He says he finds it intriguing and interesting. He enjoys doing the experiments and the research that takes place in the class. His hobbies include hanging out with friends, basketball, attending church, and spending time with his family. Busch is a member of Cartersville First Baptist Church, where he is an active participant in the youth activities. His future planning includes attending Louisiana State University, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he plans to major in physics. Jacob Busek is the March Athlete of the Month for Cartersville High School. The Canes’ sophomore runs cross country and runs the 1600M and 3200M for the Cartersville Track and Field team. “Jacob has been one of the most improved, consistent, and outstanding track and field representatives for our 2017 season,” said Canes’ track coach Emerson Bridges. “ His times keep improving with his most recent mile time at 4:57. That makes him our leading sophomore distance runner and our No. 2 runner in both the 1600 and 3200.” Busek, the son of Tim and Ginger Busek, is an outstanding student athlete. He has current grade averages between 96 and 108 in his classes. He excels at his studies and devotes equal amounts of effort toward his athletic prowess on the track. “Jacob is an amazing kid to work with and a leader,” continued Bridges. “He gives his all in anything you ask him to do. I really enjoy his attitude and work ethic.” Ashlyn Dougharty is the Cass High School Elite Athlete of the Month for March 2017. She is a captain and senior member of the Lady Colonels’ soccer team and was also a member of the Cass swim team her freshman and sophomore years where she competed in the 50 and 100 meter freestyle. She was also on the 200 and 400 meter relay teams. The daughter of Dawn and Burt Dougharty, Ashlyn has been the backbone of the soccer team’s fierce defense this season. She has tremendous versatility as a player and can be found anywhere on the pitch between sweeper and striker. Her happy-go-lucky attitude enlivens all her teammates both on and off the field. She is consistently recognized for her leadership, excellence academically, and positive attitude. The March Elite Athlete of the Month from Adairsville High School is Houston Medlock. He is a junior and plays Line 1 singles for the Tigers’ tennis team. The son of Nathan Medlock and Pamela Hubbard, Houston has been the top-line, singles starter for the Adairsville boys since his freshman year. Medlock lost only one match last season and has an 8-1 record so far this season. He is currently ranked 63rd in Georgia and No. 347 in the Southeast. His only loss this season came to a Georgia Top 50-ranked player from Bremen. In recent days, Medlock won three matches in four days over the toughest singles players in the region. He defeated the top players from Murray County, ringgled, and Calhoun — each in straight sets. “Houston is usually reserved with his emotions under control,” noted Adairsville tennis coach Michael Roberson. “He is an intense competitor with a disgust for losing. He plays the game of tennis the right way with high character, honesty, and fairness. For this I am most proud of him.” Medlock was the school’s scholar athlete his sophomore year. He is a Beta Club member with a 3.84 grade point average. He is a member of NorthPointe Church and plan to continue his tennis career by playing collegiately. He plans to major in accounting. Jacob Petroski is the March Elite Athlete of the Month representing Woodland High School. He is a senior member of the Wildcats’ golf team and the team’s top-seeded player. He is the son of Carrie Petroski Ducker and Tommy Petroski. Petroiski shot an even par 35 and a 2-over 37 in Woodland’s first two golf matches this season and continues to lead the team. He is well-known for staying after practices to help other players on his team. He is an athlete that is very determined and a team-member that can always be counted on. Petroski is an all-A’s student in dual enrollment. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and HOSA. He plans to attend Kennesaw State University in the fall. Editors Note: Photos and bios are supplied to Bartow Sports Zone and WBHF by the respective schools and their athletic departments. Elite Stone Supply, LLC is the monthly sponsor. Athletes receive a plaque along with recognition during a radio feature on WBHF.

The Woodland Wildcats lost a lead late Wednesday night in a 5-4 Region 7AAAAA loss at Rome. Woodland scored three runs in the second inning and added another in the top of the sixth to take a 4-0 lead, but the Wolves answered with four runs in the bottom of the sixth and a walk-off, game-winning run that scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh with two outs. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for Rome in the bottom of the seventh and Wildcats’ pitcher Tommy Peed had recorded two outs when the decisive pitch got away for Rome’s Kade Garrard to score. Woodland out hit Rome five to three and the Wildcats’ pitchers did not yield an earned run, but the locals came up short on the scoreboard. Hunter Reaid had two hits with one RBI for the Cats. Garrett Cornett (2 RBIs, photo right), Cauy Williams, and Koby Stansel had the other Woodland hits. JaKolbi Griffin had one hit and two RBIs for Rome. Harrison Pyle and Knox Kadum had the other Wolves’ hits. Grayson Bagwell (5 IP, 3R, 0ER, 2H, 4BB, 6K) started on the mound for the Wildcats. Peed (1.2 IP, 2R, 0ER, 1H, 2BB, 2K) suffered the difficult loss. Rome improved to 9-11 overall and 2-4 in Region 7AAAAA. Woodland (10-8, 1-5) will host Villa Rica Friday at 5:55pm and travel to the Widcats’ home field Monday at 5:55pm in their next region two-game series. Photo credit: TC Pics Photography, Susan and Travis Cochran

The Cartersville girls defeated Dalton Wednesday evening 5-0 in a non-region match, winning each line in straight sets. The Cartersville boys were edged by Dalton, 3-2, and the Woodland girls lost to Carrollton in Region 7AAAAA action. CARTERSVILLE GIRLS 5, DALTON 0 The Lady Canes improved to 12-2 overall Wednesday with a 5-0 sweep of the visiting Lady Catamounts from Dalton. Emma McCary, Kenly King, and Ansley Thompson swept the three singles lines. Taylor Riddle and Jordan Ross won at Line 1 doubles, 6-2, 6-2. Allyson Ireland and Lydia Wiedetz won Line 2 doubles, 6-1, 7-5. The Lady Canes have an opening round bye in the Region 5AAAA Tournament April 11. Cartersville will play the Cedartown/Troup County winner at Sunset Hills Country Club in Carrollton. DALTON BOYS 3, CARTERSVILLE 2 The Hurricanes won Line 1 singles and doubles, but fell 3-2 to the Catamounts in a non-region tennis match Wednesday. Will Allen won his first set 6-0 and was leading 3-0 when his Line 1 opponent defaulted by injury. The Canes’ Line 1 doubles team of Juan Zazueta and Ivy Nelson won a tough, three-setter 5-7, 6-2, 7-6. Cartersville slipped to 8-6 overall with the loss of their final regular season match. The Canes play Sandy Creek in the opening round of the Region 5AAAA tournament at 9am on April 11. The tournament is scheduled for Sunset Hills Country Club in Carrollton. CARROLLTON GIRLS 4, WOODLAND 1 The Woodland girls tennis team lost to Carrollton Wednesday evening, 4-1. Breanna Shook and Kayla Gales were 7-5, 6-4 winners for the Lady Cats at Line 2 doubles.

A four-run first inning and a three-run third was enough to lift the Region 7AAAAA-leading Carrollton Trojans past the Cass Colonels 7-4 Wednesday night at the Cass Athletic Complex. Cass scored a run in the second inning and two more in the third to remain within striking range, but managed only one more run in the sixth inning in a three-run loss. Jared Soliz (5 IP, 4ER, 9H, 2BB, 7K) earned the pitching win for Carrollton. Brock Britton (2 IP, 0R, 1H, 0BB) picked up a save. Zach Yancey (3 IP, 7R, 6ER, 9H, 2BB, 3K) suffered the pitching loss for the Colonels. Evan Hinton (4 IP, 0R, 2H,1BB, 1K) worked the final four frames on the mound for Cass. Mike Wright, Brandon Prince, and Destine Udombon had two hits and one RBI each. Joe Skinner homered for the Trojans. Yancey had two hits and two RBIs for Cass. Jake Collum (photo right) contributed a pair of doubles. Hinton had two hits, including a triple and Nathan Smith drove in a run with two hits. Bailey Campbell and Steven Spell added one hit each. Carrollton improved to 18-3 overall and 8-0 in Region 7AAAAA and holds a two-game lead in the region standings over Kell at the mid-way point of the region race. The Longhorns’ two losses came to Carrollton. Cass (11-10, 4-4) travels to Rome Friday at 5:55pm and will host the Wolves Monday, also at 5:55pm in their next 7AAAAA two-game series. At 4-4 in region play, Cass is currently in fifth place behind Carrollton, Kell, Villa Rica, and East Paulding.