Several local athletes improved marks at the 2016 State Sectionals held Saturday, April 30 at multiple locations. Updated '2016 Best in Bartow County' marks through May 1. The top local high school track and field performances by event for the 2016 season. (as of May 1) Use table slider toolbar to navigate to all events.

High school track and field competitors from Adairsville, Cartersville, Cass, and Woodland High Schools battled Saturday at three different GHSA State Sectionals Saturday with several local athletes reaching their respective State Championship Meets coming up later in May. Ray Varnum of Cass qualified for the state finals in four different events, including the 110M hurdles, the long jump, the triple jump, and as a member of the Colonels' 4x100M relay team. Varnum was second in the long jump and the Cass relay team also placed second at the Class AAAAA sectional at Starrs Mill High School in Fayetteville. Bree Cole of Cartersville won the girls 1600 meter run at the Class AAAA Sectional in Carrollton for regions 1, 2, 5, and 7. She also qualified for the state championship in the 800M run. Trevor Knowles and Jarvis James led the Woodland athletes at the Class AAAAA sectional at Starrs Mill. Knowles was third in the high jump, while James was third in the long jump. Josie Summerville of Adairsville was the Tigers' top performer at the Class AAA sectional in Calhoun. She placed fifth in the shot put. For most running events, there were only qualifying heats at the state sectionals, no finals. Out of the two heats, the top two finishers from each heat and the next four fastest times from either heat advanced to the state finals. The 1,600 meter and 3,200 meter runs qualified the top eight finishers for the state finals. In field events, the top eight also qualified for the state championships. The 2016 Girls Track and Field State Championships will be held in Albany at Hugh Mills Stadium, May 5-7. The 2016 Boys Track and Field State Championships will be May 12-14 at Memorial Stadium in Jefferson, GA Local results from State Sectional events held Saturday. State Championship qualifiers are marked with an asterisk (*). GHSA Class 5A Sectional Starrs Mill High School, Fayetteville, GA Girls High Jump *6th - Kyler Trouten - Cass - 5-00 Girls Long Jump 14th - Chaila Reliford - Woodland - 16-05.50 Girls Shot Put *6th - Hayley Gildersleeve - Cass - 39-03.50 Boys 100M *5th - Terry Berdin - Cass - 11.13 9th - Jamai Smith - Woodland - 11.23 Boys 110M Hurdles *7th - Ray Varnum - Cass - 15.25 Boys 200M 13th - Terry Berdin - Cass - 22.93 Boys 400M 12th - Kevin Miller - Woodland - 50.98 Boys 4x100M Relay *5th - Cass - 42.58 (Laizon West, Dexter Wilkey, Ray Varnum, Terry Berdin, Malik Grimes) Boys 4x400M Relay 9th - Woodland - 3:27.38 (Kevin Miller, Thomas Jolly, Trevor Knowles, Julian Rockett, Jonathan Applin) Boys 800M 10th - Julian Rockett - Woodland - 2:00.74 Boys High Jump *3rd - Trevor Knowles - Woodland - 6-00.00 Boys Long Jump *2nd - Ray Varnum - Cass - 22-08.00 *3rd - Jarvis James - Woodland - 22-06.50 Boys Pole Vault *4th - Thomas Jolly - Woodland - 12-00.00 Boys Triple Jump *8th - Ray Varnum - Cass - 43-07.00 Class AAAA Sectional Carrollton High School, Carrollton, GA Girls 100M 13th - Destiny Mitchell - Cartersville - 13.16 Girls 800M *4th - Bree Cole - Cartersville - 2:26.84 Girls 1600M *1st - Bree Cole - Cartersville - 5:24.25 Girls 4x100M Relay 14th - Cartersville - 52.72 (Destiny Mitchell, Grace Cochran, Anna Cooney, Demaya Bryan) Girls Long Jump 15th - Destiny Mitchell - Cartersville - 14-00.50 Girls Shot Put *8th - London Shaw - Cartersville - 33-02.00 Girls Discus 10th - London Shaw - Cartersville - 91-11 Boys 400M 14th - Trey Creamer - Cartersville - 52.32 Boys 1600M 9th - Haden Boone - Cartersville - 4:45.59 Boys 4x100M Relay 15th - Cartersville - 46.12 (Malcolm Cooley, Kaleb Chatman, Nivin Nelson, Trey Creamer) Boys 4x400M Relay 14th - Cartersville - 3:58.79 (Kaleb Chatman, Alex Mosac, Javen Bridges, Trey Creamer) Boys Long Jump *2nd - Trey Creamer - Cartersville - 21-09.50 Class AAA Sectional Gordon Central High School, Calhoun, GA Girls Shot Put *5th - Josie Summerville - Adairsville - 35-00.00 Girls Discus 9th - Nakiyah Washington - Adairsville - 95-00 Boys 100M 13th - Daylon Bailey - Adairsville - 11.73 Boys 4x100M Relay 14th - Adairsville - 45.79 (Daylon Bailey, Patrick Johnson, Jai’mon Mitchell, Marquel Lane) Boys Long Jump 14th - Marquel Lane - Adairsville - 19-05.50 Boys Discus *6th - Jayson Cantrell - Adairsville - 133-04

The Georgia Highlands College baseball team swept a doubleheader Saturday with Gordon College in Barnesville to earn a series split with the Highlanders. The Chargers took the first game 9-4 and followed that with an 8-3 win in the second game. With one, four-game, conference series remaining in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association’s regular season, Georgia Highlands is in fourth place. If they can maintain that spot next week, they will host in the GCAA playoffs. Sam Sowerbrower (5 IP, 1R, 0ER, 4H, 3BB, 8K) picked up the pitching victory in the first game. Nick Constan, Dalton Isley, and Will Griffin closed out the final two frames. Brandon Bell was the big bat in the opener. He had a pair of hits that included a grand slam with five RBI. Daniel Gooden also homered and doubled. Devin Bilardello (3 RBI), Evan Mask, Trenton Nutter, Tristan Roberts (double), and Nick Fink (double) all contributed base hits. In the second game, Casey Collins (5 IP, 3ER, 9H, 2BB, 5K) limited the Highlanders’ offense, while Colby Taylor and Will Griffin pitched one scoreless relief inning each. Gooden finished the second game with a pair of doubles and two RBI. Nutter drove in two runs with a double. Brandon Etheridge, Joel Munoz, Clint Tonini, and Bilardello (double, RBI) added hits. Georgia Highlands (26-26 overall, 11-13 GCAA) has a four game series against West Georgia Tech next week. The Chargers play at WGT Tuesday afternoon and will host the final three games of the series at LakePoint Friday and Saturday.

The Georgia Highlands softball team defeated Andrew College 9-1 in six innings Saturday morning to survive and advance in an elimination game at the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association championship tournament at Strong Rock Christian School in Locust Grove. Carlee Thurmond and Caitlin Parks hit back-to-back homers in the win. With the victory, the Chargers have reached the final four of the GCAA tournament and face another elimination game Saturday afternoon at 4pm against the winner of a noon game between East Georgia State CC and Darton College. Georgia Highlands needs four more wins to capture the tournament title. They would need a win Saturday afternoon plus three more against South Georgia and Georgia Military who remain unbeaten at this point in the tournament. Those top two seeds play each other at 2pm Saturday with the winner reaching the double-elimination tournament’s championship round. The tournament continues through Sunday and Monday if needed.

2016 Cartersville Little League (Major League) standings, upcoming schedule, and game capsules for April 13 and 14. Standings updated through April 28. RECENT SCORES April 25 Tigers 10, Crackers 4 Braves 9, Indians 5 April 26 Dodgers 8, Padres 5 Phillies 6, Colts 4 April 27 Braves 7, Indians 6 Tigers 13, Crackers 3 April 28 Colts 7, Phillies 6 Padres 10, Dodgers 3 UPCOMING SCHEDULE Tuesday, May 3 5:45 - JFH - Indians v. Tigers 5:45 - RY - Padres v. Phillies 7:45 - JFH - Crakers v. Braves 7:45 - RY - Colts v. Dodgers Thursday, May 5 5:45 - JFH - Braves v. Crackers 5:45 - RY - Dodgers v. Colts 7:45 - JFH - Tigers v. Indians 7:45 - RY - Phillies v. Padres Game Capsules for Major League games played April 13 and 14. Indians 15 Colts 13 Indians Hitters Harrison Childers 4-5 with 3 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI Trip Bradley 3-4 with 2B, BB, 2 R, RBI Nick Zirkelbach 2-3 with 2B, BB, R Jake Woodall 1-3 with BB Connor Brasfield 1-4 with BB, R, 2 RBI Noah Ford 1-5 with HR, R, 2 RBI Indians Pitchers Trip Bradley 2 2/3 innings allowing 5 R, 2 ER with 1 H, 4 BB, 2 K Harrison Childers 3 1/3 innings allowing 6 R, 3 ER with 4 H, 1 BB, 1 K Hunter Kelly 4 innings allowing 2 R, 0 ER with 1 H, 2 BB, 4 K Colts Hitters Jack Chatman 1-3 with 3B, 2 HBP, 2 R, RBI Cole Jackson 1-3 with 2B, SF, BB, R, RBI Blake Sutton 1-3 with 2B, 2 BB, R, RBI Brody Tidwell 1-3 with BB, R, 2 RBI Tate Smith 1-4 with 2B, BB, 3 R, RBI Joseph Womack 1-5 with R Colts Pitchers Tate Smith 2 2/3 innings allowing 9 R, 3 ER with 5 H, 5 BB, 2 K Joseph Womack 1 1/3 innings allowing 1 R, 0 ER with 1 H, 2 BB, 3 K Jackson Rutledge 5 innings allowing 3 R, 2 ER with 5 H, 4 BB, 5 K Jack Chatman 1/3 innings allowing 2 R, 2 ER with 1 H, 1 BB, 0 K Crackers 12 Colts 9 Crackers Hitters Paul Gamble 2-4 with 2B, 3B, 2 R, 5 RBI Issac Seigler 2-4 with 2 R, 2 RBI Jaiven Johnson 1-2 with BB, R Thomas Norris 1-3 with 2 RBI Crackers Pitchers Paul Gamble 4 innings allowing 9 R, 4 ER with 7 H, 3 BB, 7 K Drake Carver 2 innings allowing 0 R, 0 ER with 0 H, 1 BB, 1 K Colts Hitters Jackson Rutledge 2-3 with 2 3B, 5 RBI Tate Smith 2-3 with 2B, 3B, R, RBI Jack Chatman 1-2 with HBP, RBI Blake Sutton 1-3 with 2 R, RBI Joseph Womack 1-4 with 2 R Colts Pitchers Brody Tidwell 4 innings allowing 10 R, 3 ER with 5 H, 4 BB, 2 K Tate Smith 1 inning allowing 2 R, 1 ER with 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K Indians 11 Padres 8 Indians Hitters Trip Bradley 3-3 with 2 R Eli Jones 1-1 with BB, R Hunter Kelly 1-3 with HR, R, 3 RBI Nick Zirkelbach 1-2 with R Harrison Childers 1-3 with R, 2 RBI Indians Pitchers Harrison Childers 2 2/3 innings allowing 3 R, 3 ER with 4 H, 5 BB, 2 K Trip Bradley 2 1/3 innings allowing 4 R, 4 ER with 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K Connor Brasfield 1 inning allowing 1 R, 1 ER with 2 H, 0 BB, 1 K Padres Hitters Sam Phillips 3-3 with R, 2 RBI Jordan Hall 1-1 with 2 BB, R, RBI AJ Christina 3-4 with 2B, 3B, 3 R, RBI Malachi Jefferies 2-4 with 3B, R, RBI Joseph Hudson 1-3 Collin Fletcher 1-4 with 2B, R Billy Ford 1-4 Padres Pitchers AJ Christina 1 1/3 innings allowing 8 R, 4 ER with 4 H, 3 BB, 3 K Sam Phillips 3 2/3 innings allowing 3 R, 2 ER with 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K Tigers 8 Phillies 5 Tigers Hitters Scotty Smith 2-2 with HR, BB, 3 R, RBI Jake Parker 2-3 with 2B, R, 2 RBI Jacob Evans 2-3 with 3 RBI Jake Wehunt 1-3 with 2 R Gavin Shrewsbury 1-3 with R Kace Adams 1-3 Tigers Pitchers Gunner Millsap 3 innings allowing 5 R, 3 ER with 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K Gavin Shrewsbury 1 inning allowing 0 R, 0 ER with 0 H, 0 BB, 2K Nathan King 2 innings allowing 0 R, 0 ER with 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K Phillies Hitters Elliott Eastin 1-2 with 2B, BB, R Jimbo Gaines 1-3 with HR 2 R, 3 RBI Hunter Cochran 1-3 with RBI Jonah Cooper 1-3 with RBI Phillies Pitchers Jimbo Gaines 5 innings allowing 8 R, 5 ER with 8 H, 1 BB, 8 K Dodgers 2 Braves 2 Dodgers Hitters Colin Eaton 2-3 Evan Sanders 1-3 with 2B Jaylen Benham 1-3 with R Phillip Schiltz 1-3 with R Drew Rothschild 1-3 Chandler Mathison 1-3 Ayden Ray 1-3 Dodgers Pitchers Phillip Schiltz 3 innings allowing 0 R, 0 ER with 1 H, 1 BB, 7 K Drew Rothschild 3 innings allowing 2 R, 2 ER with 2 H, 6 BB, 6 K Evan Sanders 2 innings allowing 0 R, 0 ER with 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K Braves Hitters Miles Owen 2-3 with 3B, R, RBI Hayden James 1-2 with BB, R Martavius Cochran 1-2 Caleb Daniel 1-3 Braves Pitchers Miles Owen 5 2/3 innings allowing 2 R, 0 ER with 5 H, 1 BB, 6 K Chris Roper 2 1/3 innings allowing 0 R, 0 ER with 3 H, 0 BB, 1 K Game capsules provided by Cartersville Little League

The Georgia Highlands softball team split a pair of games Friday as the Chargers opened play in the 2016 Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association championship tournament in Locust Grove. The tournament is being played at Strong Rock Christian School. Fourth seeded GHC won its opener over East Georgia State CC, 6-0, but was edged by top-seeded South Georgia in the second round, 5-4. The loss drops the Chargers into a Saturday morning elimination game against Andrew College at 10am. Georgia Highlands now needs five straight wins to capture the conference crown in the six-team double-elimination event. The GHC/Andrew winner on Saturday morning will play another elimination game at 4pm on Saturday. The survivor of that game will advance to the championship semifinal scheduled for either Sunday or Monday. The top two seeds from the regular season — South Georgia and Georgia Military College — remain the only unbeaten teams in the tournament following Friday’s action.

In a battle of two sets of Tigers, Dawson County took both ends of a doubleheader Friday to eliminate visiting Adairsville in the first round of the 2016 Class AAA state baseball playoffs. Dawson County, runner-up from Region 7-AAA, won the opener 13-3 in five innings and then captured a back-and-forth, high-scoring tilt in the nightcap, 14 -12. In the second game, Adairsville fell behind early but rallied to tie the game at 5-5 through three innings. Dawson regained the lead in the fourth, but a grand slam home run by Lane Griffith in the bottom of the fourth was part of a five-run inning that gave the visiting Tigers a 10-8 lead. Dawson County bounced back, however, with a six-run fifth that included a grand slam home run of their own and then held off Adairsville for the series sweep. Adairsville scored first in the opener, but Dawson County scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning to take early control. In fact, Dawson County scored in all five innings of their opening victory with a pair of runs in the second, fourth, and fifth innings and one in the third. Noah Davis (5 IP, 3R, 1ER, 4H, 5BB, 5K) was the winning pitcher in Game 1 for Dawson County. Kyler Pelfrey started and was tagged with the loss for Adairsville. Maddox Teems pitched in relief for the visiting Tigers. Dawson County used five different pitchers in the second game. Orry Carter took the pitching loss for Adairsville in relief. Sam Seaman started Game 2. Noah O’Kelley and Garrett Mishoe also took the rubber in the nightcap. Palmer Sapp, Austin Young, and Brody Chester combined for eight hits, including a pair of homers and 11 RBI to lead Dawson County’s offense in the second game. Four different Dawson County Tigers had two hits apiece in the opener. Both Sapp and Chester hit homeruns in both games. Griffith finished the series 3-for-5 with six RBI for Adairsville. Landon Howren had two hits and three RBI. Pelfrey had a pair of hits and one RBI. Arp, Taylor Whitley, and Seaman also collected two hits each in the doubleheader. Dawson County improved to 21-7 with the wins. They advance to play at Westside-Augusta in the second round. Westside swept Jordan Friday, 8-1 and 10-0. Adairsville’s season ends with a 15-11 mark.

The Adairsville girls soccer team got off to a fast start in the 2016 Class AAA state playoffs Friday night with a one-sided, 8-1, opening round win at Tiger Valley over visiting West Hall. Emily Collum scored a hat trick and added an assist to lead a dominant Adairsville attack. Katie Lawhorn scored in the second minute of the game with an assist from Kaitlyn Webster. The two combined again with Webster scoring off a corner kick from Lawhorn in the 13th minute for a 2-0 lead and the Lady Tigers never looked back. Collum added the third goal for Adairsville in the 20th minute with an assist credited to Webster. Collum then picked up an assist on a goal by Gillian Johnson in the 35th minute and the Lady Tigers held a 4-0 lead at the intermission. Adairsville added two more goals by Collum in the early minutes of the second half for a 6-0 advantage before Johnson added her second tally in the 60th minute off a pass from Aimee Pacheco. The Lady Spartans (3-13) managed a goal in the 63rd minute to make the score 7-1, but Lawhorn added a final goal for the Lady Tigers in the 70th minute for an 8-1 final. As Region 6-AAA champions and a No. 1 seed, Adairsville (16-1) will host Jackson next Wednesday in the second round. Jackson defeated Westside-Augusta, 3-1, in the first round.

Sophomore Anthony Seigler gave the Hurricanes one of the best pitching performances of his young career Friday night as Cartersville routed Redan, 11-0, to advance to the second round of the Class AAAA state playoffs. The one-hitter tossed by Seigler helped the Canes to a two-game sweep of the Raiders at Richard Bell Park. Cartersville won the first game earlier in the evening, 12-3. Seigler, working as a lefty, yielded only one hit and two walks. He struck out eight in a game that was shortened to five innings via the GHSA mercy, run rule. Seigler did not allow a hit through the first 5 and 1/3 innings. Orlando Adams singled to right field with one out in the sixth for Redan’s only safety. Playing as the visiting team in the second game of the doubleheader, the Canes broke on top with a pair of runs in the top of first inning. Seigler, batting in the leadoff spot, singled to open the frame and moved to third on a double by Elliott Anderson. A wild pitch allowed Seigler to score and Anderson moved to third base. Carrington Evans hit a sacrifice fly that scored Anderson to make the score 2-0. Cole Jamieson hit a solo homerun, his second round-tripper of the day, to give Cartersville a 3-0 lead in the top of the second. After a scoreless third frame, the Canes struck for four runs in the top of the fourth. Jamieson and Jacob Fowler walked to start the Cartersville inning and Seigler doubled both of them home for a 5-0 lead. Seth Smith entered as a courtesy runner for Seigler and came home on a double by Anderson. Evans followed with another double driving home Anderson and the Canes held a 7-0 advantage. Devin Warner, Spencer Dickey, and Jacob Fowler started the Canes’ fifth inning with walks to load the bases. Trevor Lowe drove home all three with a triple to centerfield. Lowe then scored when Anderson reached base on an infield error and Cartersville held an 11-0 lead. Seigler (2 RBI), Anderson (RBI), and Evans (2 RBI) finished with two hits each in the nightcap. Lowe had 3 RBI with his triple. Tidwell and Jamieson had the other Cartersville hits. Redan’s season ends with a 16-12 mark. Cartersville (17-11) moves into the Sweet Sixteen of the Class AAAA playoffs to face the winner of the Upson-Lee/Thomson series. Cartersville would host Upson-Lee, but would have to travel to Thomson. The second round is set for a doubleheader on May 4 with an third game May 5 if needed.

Auburn University signee, Elliott Anderson, got all the run support he needed Friday evening in Game 1 of the Cartersville Hurricanes’ opening round Class AAAA playoff series with Redan at Richard Bell Field in Atco. Anderson reached base three times himself and Cole Jamieson hit a sixth inning, three-run homer to launch the Canes to a 12-3 victory. Cartersville took an early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Anderson and Parker Tidwell both singled in the inning. The Canes took advantage of an error, a stolen base, a wild pitch, and a balk to score three times. Redan cut the Cartersville lead to 3-2 with single runs in the third and fourth innings, but the Canes added three more runs in the fourth. Spencer Dickey singled and moved to third on a Jacob Fowler double. Anderson followed with a two-RBI double to centerfield. Then with two outs, Evans drove home Anderson’s courtesy runner, Seth Smith, for a 6-2 lead. The Raiders loaded the bases in the top of the fifth on a pair of singles and a walk. but managed only one run on an infield single by Justin McIntosh. That made the score 6-3 before Anderson got out of trouble with a ground ball force play at third base. Cartersville tacked on six more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Anderson reached base again on an error by the Raiders’ centerfielder. Smith, his courtesy runner, scored on a double by Anthony Seigler for a 7-3 Canes’ lead. Preston Welchel entered to run for Seigler at second base and scored to make the score 8-3 when Tidwell reached on a ground ball error by the Redan second baseman. Evans, who had singled prior to the error, moved to third and scored on a wild pitch for a 9-3 lead. Jamieson followed with a three-run blast over the left field wall and the Hurricanes had blown the game wide open, 12-3. Anderson (7 IP, 3R, 1ER, 6H, 3BB, 9K) struck out the side in the top of the seventh for the complete game win in the doubleheader opener. Seigler had three hits, including a double and two RBI with a run scored to lead the Canes’ offense. Anderson had two hits and two RBI with a double. Evans scored twice with two hits, a walk, and one RBI. Fowler also had two hits, including a double, and scored a run. Tidwell, Dickey, and Jamieson (with the homer) accounted for the other Cartersville hits. Cartersville improves to 16-11 with the win. Redan falls to 16-10. Game 2 in the best-of-three series was scheduled for later Friday evening.

The Cartersville Hurricanes boys tennis team lost to North Hall Thursday in the Class AAAA quarterfinals at Dellinger Park. The Canes went to the wire with the visiting Trojans but came up just short, 3-2. While the North Hall team was made up of mostly seniors, including all three singles lines, the more youthful Canes held their own. The Cartersville team had one freshman and six sophomores in the lineup. Will Allen won for Cartersville at the No. 3 singles line and the No. 2 doubles tandem of Ivy Nelson and Juan Zazueta also picked up a win. Allen won 6-2, 6-3. Nelson and Zazueta were 6-4, 6-2 victors. Although the playoff run by the Canes ended with an Elite Eight loss, the Cartersville boys finished their season 13-5 and won Region 7-AAAA. North Hall advances to face Marist in the Class AAAA semifinals.

Gordon State College took control in the middle innings Thursday afternoon on their way to a 10-3 conference defeat of visiting Georgia Highlands. The win was the second straight for the Highlanders over Georgia Highlands. Gordon State took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth and pushed it to 10-1 until the Chargers added a pair of runs in the top of the ninth. Crandall Poore got the job done on the mound for the Highlanders. He tossed a complete game scattering 10 Chargers’ hits with no walks. Poore struck out seven. Chase Suddith, Jordan Howard, Randall Heller, and Ty Hobbs combined for 11 hits and six RBI to lead the Gordon State offense. Brandon Etheridge and Nick Fink (RBI) led the Chargers with two hits each. One of Etheridge’s safeties was a triple. Brandon Bell (RBI), Zach McCrum, Jonathan White, Mitch Burger, Evan Mask, and Devin Bilardello added one hit each for Georgia Highlands. Tanner Thomson (5 IP, 3ER, 7H, 1BB, 3K) suffered the pitching loss for GHC. Tristan Roberts (3 IP, 6ER, 8H, 1BB, 2K) pitched in relief for the Chargers. Gordon improved to 26-24 overall and 11-11 in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association with the victory. Georgia Highlands slips to 24-26 overall and 9-13 in conference play. The Chargers will look to earn a series split Saturday as the series continues at Gordon State with a doubleheader at noon.