The Georgia Highlands College softball team won three more games Saturday to complete a five game sweep at the Sun Chief Classic in Gulf Shores, AL. The Chargers defeated Wallace State-Dothan 10-9 in 10 innings before topping Faulkner State 7-3 and Jefferson Davis 5-0. GHC won two games Friday in the same event. Pitchers Natalie Pederson, Rebecca Meade, and Micayla McCoy each picked up a win on the day and McCoy also recorded a save. Georgia Highlands (14-3) is scheduled for a doubleheader Sunday at Enterprise CC and opens Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association conference play at home Wednesday against Gordon State College at Stars Field.

The Georgia Highlands College baseball team split a home doubleheader Saturday with Lincoln Trail College. The Chargers won the first game 8-3, but the visiting Statesmen took the second game 6-5. Lincoln Trail won the series opener Friday night to win two of three in the series. GHC pitcher Drew Wilson tossed a complete game three-hitter for the opening game victory. Wilson scattered nine hits and struck out nine with no walks. John White and Caleb McElwaney both drove in two runs for the Chargers. Devin Bilardello had two hits. In the second game 6-5 loss, Georgia Highlands led 3-1 through four innings, but Lincoln Trail struck for five runs in the top of the fifth to do the bulk of their damage. Logan Teague tossed a complete game with five strikeouts for Lincoln Trail. Highlands’ reliever Matthew Norton was tagged with the loss. John White had three hits and drove in a run for the Chargers. Bilardello had two hits. Brandon Bell had a triple and RBI. Grant Bodison contributed a double and RBI. Georgia Highlands (5-6) will host a three-game series with Sinclair CC (OH) next Friday and Saturday.

The Cartersville High School baseball team found the runs they needed late in a pair of games Saturday at Richard Bell Field in Atco as the Canes edged Mill Creek 4-3 and Marist 2-1. In the win over Mill Creek, Cartersville scored three times in the bottom of the fifth to come-from-behind. In the win over Marist, the Canes got their go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth. Canes’ coach Stuart Chester also got the type of pitching performances needed to win a pair of close games. Four Cartersville hurlers — Levi Ayers, Harrison Osborn, Jake Norris, and Spencer Dickey — combined to scatter five hits and two walks for only two earned runs in the win over Mill Creek. Norris was the pitcher of record to receive the win. Dickey earned a two inning save and did not allow a run or a hit. The four pitchers combined for eight strikeouts. The Hawks also utilized four pitchers with Justin Parish tagged for the loss. Trailing 3-1 going to the bottom of the fifth inning, Dickey singled with one out. Preston Welchel followed with a hit and then Anthony Seigler singled to drive home Dickey. Devin Warner drew a walk to load the bases and Jacob Fowler lined a single into left field that drove in two runs. Brant Smith had the only other Cartersville hit against the Hawks — an RBI single to score Fowler in the bottom of the second inning. Mill Creek’s season record falls to 1-1 with the loss. In the win over Marist, Noah Daniel lined a single to centerfield to score Warner in the bottom of the sixth for the 2-1 difference. Warner had doubled to open the inning and Fowler had bunted him over to third base. Earlier in the fourth inning, Jake Gooch tied the game 1-1 with an RBI single to score Daniel. Seigler allowed only two hits and one unearned run to earn the pitching victory over the War Eagles. He struck out three and did not issue a walk. Dickey struck out four and did not allow a hit or walk over the final two frames for a save. Gooch and J.P Martin had two hits each against Marist. Warner, Fowler, Daniel, and Smith had the other Canes’ hits. Cartersville (3-0) plays at Walton Wednesday at 5:55pm and will face both Parkview and Collins Hill next Saturday in games at Parkview High School that begin at 3pm. WOODLAND COMPLETES SEASON SWEEP OF ADAIRSVILLE The Woodland baseball team took control early with a seven-run second inning Saturday on their way to a 9-3 win over Adairsville. The game was played at Cass High School due to poor field conditions at Adairsville following some morning rain and the result gives Woodland a two-game sweep of the Tigers this week. The Wildcats won 11-1 at home last Monday. Hunter Reaid drove in three runs Saturday. Trenton Harrison and Cauy Williams hit home runs for the Wildcats. Jacob Frye, Noah Ludy (RBI), Emmanuel Jones, and Toby Queen all had one hit apiece. Grayson Bagwell (4 IP, 2R, 1ER, 6H, 0BB, 3K) worked the first four innings on the mound for Woodland to earn the pitching win. Tommy Peed (1.1 IP, 0R, 0H, 0BB, 2K), Bryce Evans (0.2 IP, 0R, 0H, 0BB), and Williams (1 IP, 1R, 0ER, 1BB, 3K) also saw time on the bump for the Wildcats. Rhett Burgess (1.2 IP, 7ER, 4H, 1BB, 1K) started on the mound for Adairsville and suffered the pitching loss. Chase Powell (1.1 IP, 1ER, 2H, 1BB, 1K) worked in relief and Taylor Whitley (4 IP, 0ER, 2H, 3BB, 7K) also pitched for the Tigers. Kyler Pelfrey, Caden Gibbs (double), Justin Green, Corey Nation (double), Noah Dutton, and Dylan Hightower had hits for Adairsville. Sam Seaman drove in a run. Woodland (3-0) plays at Cedartown Monday at 5pm and will host Armuchee Tuesday with first pitch set for 5pm. COLONELS REMAIN UNBEATEN WITH EXTRA INNINGS WIN OVER ADAIRSVILLE In the second game of the day played at Cass High School, Adairsville and Cass went nine innings before the Colonels won it with a four-run ninth. The game went to extra innings tied 2-2. In the top of the ninth, Cass’ Bailey Campbell was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Two wild pitches move Campbell’s courtesy runner, Gavin Young, to third before Cody Johnson drove him in with a double into left field that made the score 3-2. Tyler Hendon then walked and he and Johnson scored on a sacrifice bunt by Jake Collum that was mishandled with an infield error by the Tigers. That made the score 5-2 before Collum scored on a wild pitch for a 6-2 Cass advantage. Zach Yancey (3 IP, 0R, 1H, 2BB, 4K), who pitched the final three innings for Cass, tossed a scoreless ninth to earn the pitching win. Collum (3 IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 4K) and Johnson (3 IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 5K) also went three innings each for the Colonels. Sam Seaman (5 IP, 2ER, 2H, 1BB, 8K) started on the mound for the Tigers. Garrett Mishoe (4 IP, 4R, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 11K) was saddled with the pitching decision loss. Campbell and Hendon each homered for the Colonels’ first two runs. Corey Nation had a home run for Adairsville. Sam Seaman had a triple. Pelfrey, Gibbs, and Dutton had the other Tigers’ hits. Adairsville (0-3) plays a doubleheader at Jones County next Saturday with an 11am start. Cass (3-0) plays at Sonoraville Tuesday (5:55pm), at Sequoyah Thursday (5:55pm), and will host Rockmart and Alexander next Saturday.

The Cartersville boys basketball team was eliminated from the Class AAAA State Tournament Saturday evening with a narrow 50-46 loss at Marist in Atlanta. The Canes led 12-11 after one quarter, were tied at halftime 19-19, and led 35-33 heading to the final eight minutes, but the host War Eagles were able to take the contest by edging Cartersville 17-11 in the fourth quarter. Joey O’Connor led three Marist players in double figures with 16 points. Kyle Hamilton and Whid Childs scored 10 points each. David Sever followed with nine points. Alex Spiegel and Colin McAluney added three points each for the War Eagles. Zach Roberts and Jake Mauldin rounded out the Marist total with two points apiece. Jaylon Pugh dealt with early foul trouble in the first half, but scored 14 points to lead Cartersville before he fouled out in the fourth quarter. Perignon Dyer scored 10 points for the Canes. Trase Fezzia followed with nine points. T.J. Horton and JaCorey Johns added seven and six points, respectively. Marist (16-11) -- the No. 3 seed from Region 7AAAA -- advances to the second round next Wednesday or Thursday where they will likely travel to Carver-Columbus. Carver is the region champion from 1AAAA, but must defeat Burke County — 4-seed from Region 3AAAA — to advance. A win by Burke County would mean a home game in the second round for Marist. The Hurricanes season ends with a 20-7 record.

The Bartow County Recreation Department’s 12U boys basketball team defeated South Cobb 51-30 Saturday afternoon in the first round of the Georgia Parks and Recreation Association District 5 Tournament at Eastbook Middle School in Dalton. Kymoni Pullum led Bartow in scoring with 14 points. J.T. Forsyth contributed eight points, Christian Gough six, and Connor Ray five points for the locals. Mason Pharos, Tripp Bradley, and Devin Henderson each scored four points for Bartow. Collin Fletcher, Tre Mitchell, and Nick Kennedy added two points each. With the win, Bartow 12U advances to the District 5 semifinals Tuesday — again at Eastbrook Middle School — to play Whitfield County at 7:45pm. Whitfield County defeated Rome in the opening round 69-66. In the other 12U boys game of the day, Dalton defeated Cartersville 51-26 and will now face Powder Springs in the other semifinal Tuesday at 6:15pm. 10U WHITFIELD COUNTY GIRLS 29, BARTOW COUNTY 2 The 10U Whitfield County girls defeated Bartow County in a first round District 5 GRPA Tournament game Saturday at the Whitfield County Recreation Department. Whitfield County advances to play Rome #1 Monday. Rome #2 defeated Cartersville 10U girls 34-1 and will play Dalton Monday in the other District 5 semifinal.

The 10U Bartow Blue boys team defeated Powder Springs Saturday at the Houston Suggs Youth Recreation Facility in the opening round of the Georgia Parks and Recreation Association District 5 Tournament 49-19. Kaden Baldiwn led Bartow Blue 10U with 19 points. He was followed by Jayden Foster and Zantavian Brown with nine points each. Jamarian Pullum scored six points. Ja’Kavien Harris added four points and Joseph Boatman two. Bartow Blue 10U advances to the District 5 semifinals Monday night at the Houston Suggs Youth Facility at Hamilton Crossing Park where they will play Rome/Floyd County at 8pm. Rome/Floyd County defeated Cartersville Saturday 37-33 to advance to the semifinals. BARTOW 8U GIRLS 20, DALTON 15 The Bartow County 8U girls all-star team defeated Dalton Saturday at the Whitfield County Recreation Department gym, 20-15, to advance to the GRPA District 5 championship game. Bartow 8U was led in scoring by Samantha Gough with eight points. Haley Collum scored four points. Lily Roberts contributed three points. Savannah Viktora and Ansley Tilley both added two points and Rhianna Crittenden scored one. Bartow will play Whitfield County in the championship game Tuesday at Whitfield County at 6:15pm. Whitfield County defeated Rome 25-3 in the other district semifinal.

The Bartow County Recreation Department's 8U Bartow Blue basketball team defeated Powder Springs 28-8 Saturday morning in the opening round of the Georgia Parks and Recreation Association (GRPA) District 5 tournament. The tournament is being hosted by Bartow County at the Houston Suggs Recreation Facility at Hamilton Crossing Park. Jakez Baldwin led the Bartow Blue offense with nine points. Jaden Daise followed with six. Jabari Burleson scored five. Kyron McClendon contributed four points. Nasier Bennett and Tavares Burleson added two points each for Bartow. Bartow Blue 8U advances to the GRPA District 5 semifinals Tuesday where they will play Dalton at the Houston Suggs Youth Facility at 6:30pm.

Brianna Fickes set the career record for home runs by a Georgia Highlands’ softball player Friday as the Chargers won two games at the Gulf Shores Classic. Fickes blasted her fourth home run of the season and the 17th of her career in an 8-7 win over Gulf Coast College. The career record was previously held by current University of Georgia player, Kayleigh Medlin. Pitchers Micayla McCoy and Rebecca Meade combined for seven strikeouts in the win. Hannah Willis drove in a walk off run with a sacrifice hit. Freshman Shay Wooten, who scored the final run in the opener, homered in the second game as the Chargers shutout Marion Military Institute 6-0. McCoy earned the pitching win for Georgia Highlands and yielded only one hit in the five inning shutout. With the two wins Friday, the Chargers improved to 11-3 on the season and are scheduled to play three games Saturday (1:30/3:45/6:00pm CT) against Faulkner State (AL), Jeff Davis (AL), and Wallace State-Dothan (AL). The weather forecast, however, calls for inclement weather for the area.

It was a tough night on the road for three local high school soccer teams Friday night. Both Cass teams and the Woodland girls team suffered shutout losses. Southeast Whitfield girls 8, Cass 0 The Lady Raiders had two players score hat tricks Friday night in an 8-0 win over Cass. Bryannie Camacho and Ester Paniagua scored three goals each to lead the Lady Raiders who are now 2-0. The Lady Colonels are now 2-2 on the season and play next at home against Sprayberry on Friday, February 24. Southeast Whitfield boys 2, Cass 0 The Raiders dominated play with more than 30 shots Friday night, but only found the net twice. The Raiders scored in the 14th minute of the first half and added another goal in the second half. The loss dropped the Colonels' season mark to 0-4. Cass will host Sprayberry on Friday, February 24. Cherokee girls 2, Woodland 0 Class 7A Cherokee scored twice in the first half and kept Woodland off the scoreboard for a shutout win in non-region action. Woodland's Lady Cats are now 0-2-1 on the season and play next at Chapel Hill Friday, February 24.

The Georgia Highlands baseball team fell behind 6-0 in the top of the third Friday night at LakePoint in the opening game of their weekend series with visiting Lincoln Trail College (IL) and could not come back in a 6-1 loss. Coby Taylor hit a two-run homer in the top of the second and a three-run blast in the top of the third for five of the Statesmen’s early runs. The sixth run was scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Corey Chambliss in the third inning. The Chargers posted their only run of the night on a two-out double by Bronco O’Brien that scored Nick Fink in the bottom of the fifth inning. O’Brien finished with two hits. John White, Brandon Bell, Evan Mask, and Fink had the other Chargers’ hits. Brad Busaid (7 IP, 1ER, 6H, 2BB, 9K) was the complete-game pitching winner for Lincoln Trail. The Statesmen improved to 4-2 on the young season. Colby Taylor (4.2 IP, 6ER, 6H, 2BB, 5K) was saddled with the pitching loss for the Chargers. Sean Fitzpatrick (2.1 IP, 0R, 1BB, 3K) entered in the fifth inning and finished on the mound for GHC. Georgia Highlands (4-5) plays a doubleheader with Lincoln Trail Saturday beginning at 1pm at LakePoint in Emerson.

The Cass girls basketball team struggled with its three-point shooting and was outrebounded 45-22 Friday night in a 60-41 loss to visiting Columbia in the first round of the Class AAAAA State Tournament at Cass High School Cass led 12-11 after one period and 24-21 at halftime, but the second half belonged to the Lady Eagles. Columbia outscored Cass 13-6 in the third quarter and 16-9 in the fourth to pull away for a 19-point decision. Deidra Harris led Columbia with a strong inside presence. The 6-2 senior had a huge night rebounding with 15 boards and led all scorers in the game with 23 points. Chanel Clemmons, Payton Stoddard, and Esmeralda Thomas scored eight points each for Cass. Columbia (17-7) advances to the second round to play at Region 1AAAAA champion Warner Robins next Wednesday. The Lady Colonels’ year concludes with a 20-8 mark.

The Cass High School tennis teams opened their 2017 seasons Thursday at Hamilton Crossing Park, hosting Cedartown. The Colonels delivered a 3-2 win, but the girls fell to the Lady Bulldogs 3-2. In the boys match, the Colonels’ top two singles lines — Avery Cornett and Dalton Jackson — each won in straight sets. The third Cass win came at the No. 2 doubles line where Cade Foster and Noah Arnold teamed for a 7-5, 7-5 victory. Winners for the Lady Colonels were Ryleigh Lanham at No. 1 singles (6-0, 6-0) and Morgan Hughes at No. 2 singles (6-1, 6-2). The Colonels play next at Rome February 28. CARTERSVILLE TEAMS FALL TO CLASS 7A KENNESAW MOUNTAIN The Cartersville High School tennis teams fell in non-region matches at Dellinger Park Thursday to visiting Kennesaw Mountain. The girls team lost 3-2, while the boys team was shutout. Kenly King won at No. 2 singles (6-4, 2-6, 10-8) and the No. 2 doubles pair of Allyson Ireland and Lydia Wiedetz also pulled out a victory (6-7, 7-5, 10-6). Cartersville’s next match is also at Dellinger Park. The Hurricanes will face LaGrange February 28.