Adairsville volleyball defeated Pepperell in a tough three set match Thursday evening at Cass High School and downed Cass in straight sets The Lady Tigers topped Pepperell 25-16, 18-25, 25-20 and defeated Cass 25-16, 25-2. In the finale', Cass bounced back to beat Pepperell in straight sets, 25-15 and 26-24. Cass (2-1) plays at Model Tuesday at 5:30pm. Adairsville (3-1) travels to Murray County Tuesday to challenge the host Lady Indians and Pickens.

The Cass Lady Colonels’ softball team dropped their regular season opener Thursday night at Kell, 4-0. Kell broke open a scoreless game in the third inning with a single run, then added another run in the fourth inning and two more in the sixth. The Lady Longhorns out hit the Lady Colonels six to four and both teams committed a pair of errors. Despite the shutout, Cass coach Greg Hight saw some positives in the loss. Cass had runners at second and third in the top of the first with only one out. They also left a runner stranded at third base in the top of the third after Hope Elrod tripled with only one out. “We had some scoring chances,” said Hight. “We just have to get the key hits at the right time. We’re going to be okay. We played pretty well in spots.” In addition to the triple by Elrod, Sierrah Gani, Arianna Mustin, and Alexia Najarro collected hits for the Lady Colonels. Elrod (6IP, 4R, 2ER, 6H, 2BB, 1K) suffered the pitching loss. “Hope (Elrod) pitched well,” added Hight. “She kept us in the ball game and gave us a chance.” Cass (0-1) plays a pair of games Saturday at East Carroll Park. The Lady Colonels play Pierce County and Decatur Saturday and they return to Region 7-AAAAA play next Tuesday at Woodland. CEDARTOWN 3, CARTERSVILLE 2 Cartersville softball battled with the Cedartown Lady Bulldogs to the wire, but fell in their regular season opener Thursday night, 3-2. Hannah Todd pitched a complete game gem for the Lady Canes, but was saddled with the loss in the circle. Todd allowed only two earned runs on three hits and four walks. She struck out eight. Ava Tillmann did not allow an earned run and yielded only two hits and one walk to pick up the pitching win for the Lady Bulldogs. She struck out 13. Todd and Colbi Ballard had Cartersville’s hits. The Lady Canes return to action Saturday when they host Adairsville at 12 noon.

The Cartersville Lady Canes’ volleyball team defeated Woodland Thursday night at Marietta High School, but dropped a tightly contested match to the hold Lady Devils in three sets. Cartersville took care of business against Woodland, 25-12 and 25-11. Catie Heilman and Rebekah Stevens led the Canes offense with five kills each. Heilman also served up four aces. For Woodland, Madilyn Tuplin had two kills, three digs, and a pair of blocks. Ansley Flowers recorded two aces and one dig. In the loss to Marietta, Cartersville took the opening set, 25-15. The Lady Blue Devils rallied, however, to win the next two sets by scores of 25-21 and 25-23. Stevens had six kills and one block for the Canes. Kameron Hendrix added three aces in the match. Woodland also lost in straight sets to Marietta, 25-12 and 25-23. Tuplin of Woodland had five kills, five blocks, two digs, and an ace against Marietta. Kalia Henry added four assists and four digs. Flowers finished with three digs. Cartersville (1-1) plays in the Sequoyah Classic Tournament Friday and Saturday. Woodland (1-3) plays at Wheeler High School next Tuesday where they will face the host Wildcats and Meadowcreek.

Three of the four local high school football teams get things started under the Friday night lights this week with official scrimmages. Local coaches are ready to see their players in action against someone other than their own teammates at practices. Although the scrimmages are not official games and will not count in any standings, they provide an additional evaluation of players at game speed prior to opening night. Most scrimmages do not include any “live kicking game” plays and often utilize a format to include at least a quarter or more for the younger or less experienced players to play. In one of the most interesting pre-season matchups in the entire state, Cartersville head coach Joey King and the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes are hosting Westminster at 8pm Friday at Weinman Stadium. Cartersville was 15-0 in 2015 and won the Class AAAA state championship. Westminster was 3-4 to start the 2015 campaign, but closed the year with eight consecutive victories and a Class AAA state title. The Wildcats won each of their first four state playoff games by 18 points or more to reach the finals, including a 51-21 defeat of Adairsville in the state quarterfinals. Cartersville and Westminster took out powerhouse programs in their respective state championship games. Cartersville defeated Buford 10-0, while Westminster rebounded from an October loss to region-foe Blessed Trinity. In the rematch, the Wildcats held off the Titans at the Georgia Dome 38-31 in overtime. “We had a really good off season,” said the Canes' coach King, “but we’re ready to see the guys in action again against another opponent.” “We have several contributors back from last year’s team on defense and we’re looking forward to big things from them,” added King. The Canes return three of their defensive linemen, plus Sean Holton and Nyvan Nelson at linebacker. In the secondary, Cartersville returns Xavier Coaxum and pre-season all-state selection Trey Creamer. King looks to replace three offensive linemen and starters at receiver on the other side of the ball, but has the nation’s top prospect in the Class of 2018 calling the signals. Trevor Lawrence, a junior pre-season all-state selection at quarterback in Class AAAA, has thrown for 6,697 yards and 69 touchdowns in two seasons for the Canes. Creamer will play one of the running back spots for Cartersville along with junior Dominque Williams. “We have a lot of young guys that will get a chance to show what they can do and we are excited to get them out there in game type situations,” King said. Westminster will counter with a pair of Class AAA pre-season all-state selections of their own in defensive lineman Cortez Alston and running back Zay Malcolm. Alston (6-3, 250) is a weak-side defensive end rated by 247Sports as a top-80 player in Georgia. He is leaning toward either the University of California in the Pac 12 or Notre Dame for his play at the next level. Malcome (5-4, 160) is small in stature, but big on yardage and results. The speedy and shifty running back rushed for 1,642 yards last season and has a school-record 3,863 career yards rushing. In the Wildcats’ state title run, he scored 38 touchdowns rushing, caught three touchdown passes, returned five punts for scores, and returned three kickoffs for touchdowns. He has even thrown a touchdown pass. He has multiple collegiate offers, including Ivy League schools Princeton, Harvard, and Penn, plus the service academies. Cartersville and Westminster have played four times before in the regular season and met in the second round of the state playoffs in 2004. The Wildcats hold a 3-2 edge in those matchups. The Canes will face a second consecutive state championship when they open the regular season August 19. Cartersville will host Class AAAAA champ Allatoona. Westminster opens the regular season at home August 19 against Woodward Academy. Also in action with a Friday night scrimmage, Adairsville will travel to Woodland for an intra-county matchup. Woodland, under second year head coach Tony Plott, is looking to continue their rebuild of the program. The Wildcats were 1-9 in 2015 off the heals of an 0-10 season the year before. Woodland was 4-6 in 2013. Plott returns several key individuals with experience, and will look to running back Justice Carter as an offensive weapon and defensive end / tight end Emmanuel Jones (6-3, 230). Adairsville is coming off one of the program’s best seasons. The Tigers were Region 6-AAA runner-up in 2015 and won two state playoff games before succumbing to eventual state champions, Westminster in the quarterfinals. Adairsville, 11-2 last season, graduated 22 seniors but returns three starters on both offense and defense. “We had a great off-season and our spring practices went really well,” said Adairsville head coach Eric Bishop. “Our kids have worked extremely hard this summer and we’re pleased with where we are right now.” Among the returnees, Bishop will rely on senior quarterback Roger Redd in only his second year of football. “Roger led us to 11 wins last year. He’s put on some weight, he is stronger, and a bit quicker. He has worked really hard in the off-season,” said the coach. Third-year starter Jeb Simerly will anchor the Tigers’ offensive line and Denzel Pitt (6-5, 235) will play a key role at both wide receiver and defensive end. “Our defensive line is probably our strength again,” noted Bishop. “We returned several guys in that group, but our offensive line is probably our most improved group.” Adairsville will face familiar competition in Region 6-AAA once the regular season gets underway. “The region is really competitive,” said Bishop. “The key games are usually Calhoun, Sonoraville, and Ringgold, but we make sure the kids understand that no one game defines our season.” Adairsville and Woodland have met four times before in regular season play. Adairsville leads the series 3-1 and handled the Wildcats 35-23 in both teams’ opener last year. The Tigers open their regular season August 19 at Ridgeland. Woodland plays at River Ridge that same evening. The other local team, Cass, does not open its regular season until August 26 at Adairsville, The Colonels will travel to Lindale near Rome for their official pre-season scrimmage August 19 at Pepperell.

The Cass High School volleyball team opened its 2016 season Tuesday evening with a straight set victory at home over visiting Cedartown. The Lady Colonels (1-0) won the best-of-five match with the Lady Bulldogs, 26-24, 25-15, and 25-18. Cass will host Pepperell Thursday at 5pm and will travel to Model August 16.

The Bartow County Recreation Department has extended its deadline for girls, middle school volleyball league signups through August 26. The league is for girls in grades 6-8 and teams are formed based on the school attended. The purpose is to familiarize players with their eventual high school programs. The registration fee is $70 and the league runs August through October. All games are played at the old Cass High School gym on Grassdale Road. Coaches are NYSCA certified. Players receive shorts and jerseys. For more information, contact the BCRD office at 770-387-5149. Online registration is available at the following link: https://secure.rec1.com/GA/bartow-county/catalog

The Adairsville Lady Tigers softball team dropped its region opener Tuesday at Coahulla Creek, 5-3, although pitcher Loren Harris tossed a one-hitter. In a matchup marred with some defensive miscues by both teams, Harris allowed only one earned run on a single hit and three walks. The Lady Tigers committed three errors and Coahulla Creek made four errors. The homestanding Lady Colts grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second, but Adairsville (1-1) scored three times in the top of the third. Breeana Wilson was hit by a pitch and moved to second base on a sacrifice by Macy Hufstetler. After Emily Collum reached on an error, Cortni Jacobs reached safely on another bunt. Bailey Robinson then doubled home two runs and Harris followed with an RBI single to give the Lady Tigers a 3-2 advantage. Coahulla Creek responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the third to close out the game’s scoring. The Lady Colts managed their three runs without benefit of a hit, scoring off a pair of errors, two walks, a wild pitch, a passed ball, and a ground out RBI. Tessa Hawkins had the lone hit for the Lady Colts. She also drew a walk. Robinson led Adairsville at the plate with three hits and a pair of RBI. Her three hits included two doubles. Harris added one RBI on a hit and Jacobs was 1-for-4. Harris and Collum both stole a base. Up next, Adairsville travels to Ringgold on Thursday for another region matchup. The Lady Tigers then play at Cartersville on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 12 noon.

Woodland volleyball came away with a split of two matches as the Lady Cats opened their 2016 campaign at home Tuesday against South Cobb and Hiram. The hosts defeated South Cobb 25-10, 25-19 in the opener, but later fell to Hiram, 25-19, 25-14. Statistical leaders for Woodland vs. South Cobb: Kalia Henry — 6 assists, 2 kills, 1 block Madilyn Tuplin — 3 kills, 4 digs, 3 blocks Kera Lawhon — 5 aces, 2 digs Ansley Flowers — 2 kills, 6 digs vs. Hiram: Kalia Henry —10 assists, 2 digs, 1 block Madilyn Tuplin — 4 kills, 7 digs, 2 blocks Grace Ryan — 4 kills, 2 digs Kera Lawhon — 1 ace, 2 kills, 7 digs Ansley Flowers- — 5 kills Woodland (1-1) plays again Thursday at Marietta High School, where the Lady Cats will face Marietta and Cartersville. Adairsville tops Chattooga, falls to Coosa The Adairsville Lady Tigers volleyball team split season opening matches Tuesday with Chattooga and Coosa in Summerville. Adairsville edged Chattooga in a three-set opener, 25-18, 24-26, and 25-22, but fell to Coosa in the finale’, 25-14, 25-10. Adairsville leaders vs. Chattooga: Sierra Matthews — 8 kills, 2 blocks, 3 aces Chloe Powell — 2 kills, 2 aces Nakiyah Washington — 2 kills, 2 aces Chloe Cochran — 2 kills Josie Summerville — 2 blocks, 1 ace Virginia Worthington — 1 ace vs. Coosa: Sierra Matthews — 3 kills Chloe Powell — 2 aces Chloe Cochran — 1 kill Virginia Worthington — 1 ace Adairsville (1-1) travels to Cass on Thursday to face the Lady Colonels and Pepperell.

Excel Christian Academy softball bounced back from Monday’s loss to county rival Adairsville with a resounding 10-4 win Tuesday at Gordon Central. Hannah Lee picked up the pitching victory in the circle for the Lady Eagles. She scattered ten hits and a walk in seven innings of work. All four runs were earned and she struck out six. Gordon Central took a 2-0 lead early with single runs in each of the first two innings, but Excel scored four runs in the third, a single run in the fifth, and five more in the seventh inning to put the game away. Gordon Central (0-1) scored twice in the bottom of the seventh. The Lady Eagles out hit the Lady Warriors 14-10 in the win. Rachel Parrott (3 RBI) and Brighton McCollum (2 RBI) led the ECA offense with three hits each. One of Parrott’s hits was a homerun in the top of the third inning. McCollum had a double among her three safeties. Kami Cooper (2 RBI) and Lindsey Mauldin (RBI) chipped in a pair of hits each. Whitney Harris, Aliza Baker, Lee, and Kalli Beth Scheff (RBI) had the other Excel Christian hits. The Lady Eagles also took advantage of Gordon Central on the base paths. McCollum, Mauldin, Harris, Lee, and Cooper each stole a base. Excel (2-3) hosts Model next Monday and will host Gordon Central in a rematch August 22. Both games are set for 4:30pm.

The Adairsville Lady Tigers put nine runs on the board through the first three innings Monday night and then held on for a high-scoring 12-10 victory at Excel Christian Academy. Emily Collum, Morgan Deboard, Bailey Robinson, and Breeana Wilson combined for 10 hits and six RBIs to lead the Adairsville offense. Collum and Wilson (3 RBI) had three hits each. Robinson (2 RBI) and Deboard (RBI) both added a pair of hits. Natalie Burrow (RBI), Havyn Isaac (RBI), and Cortni Jacobs (RBI) added one hit apiece. Loren Harris, who earned the pitching win for the Lady Tigers with a complete game perfornance, contributed one RBI on offense. Harris yielded 16 hits and four walks while striking out seven. Whitney Harris, Brighton McCollum (2 RBI), and Rachel Parrott (3 RBI) had three hits each to lead Excel’s offense. Lindsey Mauldin (RBI) finished with a pair of hits. Taylor Gibson, Hannah Lee (RBI), Aliza Baker (RBI), Landry McCollum, and Kalli Beth Scheff (2 RBI) had one hit each for the Lady Eagles. Gibson (2 IP, 8R, 5ER, 8H, 1BB, 1K) suffered the pitching loss for ECA. Lee (5 IP, 4R, 2ER, 5H, 3BB, 2K) pitched in relief for the Lady Eagles. Adairsville (1-0) plays at Coahulla Creek at 5:30pm Tuesday and will play at Cartersville at 2pm Saturday. Excel Christian (1-3) travels to Gordon Central Tuesday for a 5pm start and will host Model on Monday, August 15 at 4:30pm.

Unfortunately, one of the MiLB players with local connections had his season come to an end this past week with an injury. Dalton Geekie, who pitched locally at Georgia Highlands College, and is a relief pitcher with the Rome Braves, suffered a season-ending elbow injury. Three other players with local ties — Grant DeBruin, Connor Justus, and Sam Howard — continue to toil at the MiLB level. Grant DeBruin — Hagerstown Suns — Class A, South Atlantic League — MLB Parent Club, Washington Nationals -- (Adairsville HS) The former Adairsville High School and University of Alabama-Huntsville standout has continued a steady rise in his batting average and offensive production in July and early August. He has now started nine consecutive games for the Suns and had a 7-for-13 home series against the West Virginia Power August 1-3. He is 11-for-39 over his last ten starts at first base and as a designated hitter. Through 50 games this season, DeBruin is hitting .257 with four home runs and 27 RBIs. DeBruin, 26, spent the first part of the year in extended spring training and was briefly at the Advanced Class A level with the Potomac Nationals. His season stats reflect his time with both clubs. Hagerstown is 25-18 in the SAL second half, currently leading the Northern Division by one-half game over the Hickory Crawdads (Rangers’ affiliate) and by one game over the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Marlins’ affiliate). The Lakewood BlueClaws (Phillies’ affiliate) is only one and one-half games back in a closely contested division race. Hagerstown already clinched a post-season spot by winning the division’s first half. Dalton Geekie — Rome Braves — Class A, South Atlantic League — MLB Parent Club, Atlanta Braves -- (Georgia Highlands College) Geekie has been placed on the disabled list for the remainder of the season by the Braves and was forced to have Tommy John surgery after developing an issue in his elbow August 1. Geekie finished his first pro season with a 2-4 record and had a 5.16 ERA in 31 appearances in 2016. He had one save in his only save opportunity and worked 45 and 1/3 innings. Opponents had a .247 batting average against him. Rome is currently 23-20 in the South Atlantic League’s second half standings, in second place, two and one-half games behind the Southern Division leading Augusta GreenJackets (SF Giants affiliate). Sam Howard — Hartford Yard Goats — Double-A, Eastern League — MLB Parent Club, Colorado Rockies -- (Cartersville HS) Howard has now won three of his last four starts for the Yard Goats with victories July 17, July 27, and August 3. He had a no-decision performance July 22 during that span. August 3, the 6-3 southpaw allowed only one earned run in five innings of work as the Hartford won at Trenton, 4-1. Howard limited the Thunder to only four hits and two walks and recorded six strikeouts. The 23-year-old former Canes and Georgia Southern University pitcher is now 7-8 on year after starting the season 4-3 with the Advanced Class A, Modesto Nuts of the California League. He has a 3.57 ERA in 21 starts and 118 and 1/3 innings. Opponents have a .253 batting average against him. The Yard Goats are 63-49 on the year and in third place in the Eastern League’s Eastern Division. They trail the Reading (PA) Fightin’ Phils by 12 games. Connor Justus — Burlington Bees — Class A, Midwest League — MLB Parent Club, Los Angeles Angels -- (Cartersville HS) After a fast start with the Rookie level Orem Owlz, Justus continued his rapid progress with a fast start with the Class A (full season) Burlington Bees of the Midwest League. Over his last ten games, however, the former Cartersville Purple Hurricanes’ and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets’ shortstop is only 6-for-33 at the plate. Justus was selected in the fifth round of this year’s June MLB draft by the Los Angeles Angels. Justus’ batting average remains .304 through his 42 games as a professional. He has 11 extra base hits, including one home run and 27 RBIs. Defensively, Justus has a .921 fielding percentage in 163 total chances. He has been part of 20 double plays in 349 innings. The Burlington Bees are 23-20 in the second half standings of the Midwest League’s Western Division and are 55-58 overall in 2016. The Bees are currently six games back of division-leading Clinton LumberKings (Seattle affiliate). Donavan Tate — Rancho Cucamonga Quakes — Advanced Class A — California League — MLB Parent Club, Los Angeles Dodgers (Cartersville HS) Tate played in ten games after coming off the disable list to start the season. He has a .143 batting average in 35 at bats with a home run and four RBIs. He has played defensively at both corner outfield positions and has been utilized as a designated hitter, but has not seen action since July 6. The Quakes are 19-17 in the second half standings of the California League’s South Division. They are currently 5.5 games behind the Lancaster JetHawks (Houston Astros affiliate). To check on these local players any time, use the 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' page of this web site to locate active links to each players statistics, schedules, results, and other team information.

Joe Durant, a member of the PGA Champions Tour and a client of Cartersville Country Club’s Scott Hamilton Golf Academy, fired a 63 Sunday to get into a playoff with 36-hole leader, Miguel Angel Jiminez. Durant then made eagle on the first playoff hole to win the senior Champions Tour's 3M Championship at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota. The win by Durant is his second on the Champions Tour. Durant (70-64-63) and Jiminez (67-63-67) finished the 54-hole event two shots clear of Bernhard Langer and Kevin Sutherland. With the win, Durant moves into second place in the PGA Champions Tour Schwab Cup standings. On the PGA Tour, Russell Knox shot 68 Sunday and held off a hard charging 64 by Jerry Kelly to win The Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. The win by Knox was overshadowed in some respects, by a PGA Tour record 58 shot by veteran Jim Furyk. Furyk was also the last player to shoot 59 on the PGA Tour back in 2013. Russell Henley, one of the PGA Tour players affiliated with Cartersville Country Club’s Scott Hamilton Golf Academy, was a co-leader after 36 holes at the Travelers, but slipped to a tie for 11th Sunday after firing a final round 73. Aaron Baddeley, another SHGA player, shot 69 Sunday to finish tied for 34th. Of the SHGA players on the WEB.com Tour, Mark Silvers had the best tournament at this week’s Digital Ally Open at Nucklaus Golf Club at LionsGate in Overland Park, Kansas. Silvers finished tied for 44th at 9-under par (69-65-69-72). The event was won by Wesley Bryan in a playoff. Bryan, Grayson Murray, and JT Poston were 20-under par. __________________________ Scott Hamilton is Director of Golf at Cartersville Country Club and works with many prominent professional golfers on the PGA Tour, PGA Champions Tour, WEB.com Tour, LPGA, and other professional tours through the Scott Hamilton Golf Academy.