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November 10, 2024 Cartersville golfer R.B. Clyburn was named the 2024 GSGA Men’s Player of the Year this week at ceremonies at the Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta and the inaugural Layne Williams Celebration of Champions Invitational. The Player of the Year is determined by earning points at Georgia State Golf Association events throughout the year. Clyburn paired with partner McLain Leberte of Roswell to win the 52nd Georgia Four-Ball Championship in April. He also won the 105th Georgia Match Play Championship in July. In other events, he tied for third in the 103rd Georgia Amateur Championship in July, tied for seventh in the 43rd Georgia Mid-Amateur Championship in May, tied for 29th in the Georgia Open in August, and qualified for the U.S. Four-Ball Championship in June. Jackson Buchanan of Dacula finished runner-up in the Men’s Player of the Year race, followed by Jake Peacock of Milton. Other local golfers in 2024 Player of the Year races included Christina Surcey (fourth in the Women’s Player of the Year), Chad Branton (fifteenth in the Men’s Senior), Charles Wilson (tied for 53rd in the Men’s Senior), and Randy Charles of Acworth (tied for 81st in the Men’s Super Senior).

November 9, 2024 The Cartersville High School competition cheerleading team won the Region 7-4A championship on Saturday and matched Central-Carroll for the top score in the Class 4A Sectional at Walnut Grove High School. Cartersville (101.5 points) finished ahead of Cedartown (89), Dalton (81.5), and Woodland (78.5) in 7-AAAA. Cambridge (98.5), Harris County (96.5), Starr’s Mill (92), and Union Grove (90) were among the top scoring teams in the Class 4A Sectional. Adairsville (89) finished fifth in Region 7-3A won by Northwest Whitfield (103.5) at the Class 3A Sectional at West Laurens High School. Cass competed in the Co-Ed Division held at Walton High School that was won by Denmark (110.5). Cass scored an 88.5. All local teams finished in the top sixteen in their respective classifications and have advanced to the GHSA State Finals next weekend at the Macon Coliseum. Cartersville and Woodland will compete in the Class 4A State Finals on Friday. Adairsville will be in the Class 3A State Finals and Cass in the Co-Ed State Finals on Saturday. (click to expand photos)

November 9, 2024 The Cartersville and Woodland cross country teams competed Saturday at the GHSA Class 4A State Championships in Carrollton. The Cartersville boys finished 10th, and the Woodland boys placed 18th among 24 teams in the classification finals. Cambridge won the team championship. The Cartersville girls placed 15th, and the Woodland girls placed 18th out of 23 teams in Class 4A. The Marist girls won the state title. Results for each of the local teams: CARTERSVILLE BOYS Will Feuerbach (23rd, 17:10), Kaleb Lanier (52nd, 17:54), Ethan Empie (66th, 18:08), Hayden Mitchell (88th, 18:34), Barrett Stepp (96th, 18:45), Kyle Camper II (98th, 18:49), and Carson Robinson (115th, 19:18) WOODLAND BOYS Juan Mendoza (25th, 17:11), Will Parker (95th, 18:44), James Morris (110th, 19:08), Logan Marr (139th, 20:03), Charlie Hennington (142nd, 20:08), Connor Cruz (147th, 20:23), and Gabe Hardin (155th, 20:54) CARTERSVILLE GIRLS Sofia Burns (14th, 20:08), Kylie Ham (97th, 24:02), Hadley Finnemore (108th, 24:35), Genevieve Alessandro (111th, 24:40), Samantha Stepp (119th, 25:08), Jordan Hathaway (128th, 25:40), and Vivi Vest (141st, 27:08). WOODLAND GIRLS Allison Snead (61st, 21:57), Addison Brown (81st, 22:54), Miranda Pelow (93rd, 23:38), Abby George (129th, 25:41), Sophia St. James (142nd, 27:20), Lily Hiott (147th, 27:49), and Katie Anne Jones (158th, 29:09).

November 9, 2024 The Excel Eagles remained unbeaten on Friday night with an 85-71 win at Cornerstone Prep in Acworth.  The host Cougars led 17-13 after one quarter and the game was tied at the intermission before the Eagles took a four-point lead in the third quarter.  Excel extended the advantage in the final stanza and outscored Cornerstone 24-14 in the final period to secure the win. Evan Chappell paced Excel Christian with 23 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. Jayden Jinks scored 15 points. TJ Hubert and Jorge Ricardo followed with 11 points. Carter May and Kaiyu Huffman contributed nine points, while Connor Garland finished with seven points, ten rebounds, and three steals.  Seth Blalock led Cornerstone (1-1) with 27 points and 11 boards. ECA (3-0) plays at South Paulding on Tuesday night and will host Galloway on Friday.

Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com In conjunction with WBHF and Bartow Sports Zone, Elite Stone Supply presents the ELITE ATHLETES OF THE MONTH. Each month, local high schools name an Elite Athlete of the Month from their varsity programs and present the information on their honoree through Bartow Sports Zone and on 100.3FM and AM1450, WBHF in Cartersville. Sadie Abernathy is the Adairsville High School Elite Athlete of the Month for October 2024.  A senior on the Tigers’ sideline and competition cheer teams, Abernathy is a captain and primarily a back spotter.  “Sadie exhibits our team values of dedication and 100% effort,” cheer coach Katie Forsyth noted. “She gives her best at each practice, game, and competition. She is a mentor and example to our younger athletes on the team. Sadie demonstrates leadership by taking the initiative to lead practices. She truly goes above and beyond for the team. Her desire to achieve excellence is shown through her consistency and drive. We appreciate everything that she does for our team!” Abernathy has a 3.7 GPA and is a Magnet Program student. She is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, BETA Club, Environmental Club, and Women in STEM. She plans to continue her studies in business marketing and public relations. She is the daughter of Rondi Abernathy. Braylon Hill is the Elite Athlete of the Month for October 2024, representing Cass High School. Hill, a junior running back on the Colonels’ football team, had his workload increase dramatically during October following a shift in offensive philosophy. In three games during the month, Hill rushed for 453 yards on 57 attempts with four touchdowns — good for a 7.95 average per rushing attempt. As a result, he has 1,049 yards on 152 attempts for the 2024 season with ten touchdowns. In addition, Hill has six receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns as Cass clinched a state playoff berth for a fourth straight year. He is the son of Rashad Hill and Crystal Jefferies. Grayson Moore is the Woodland High School Elite Athlete of the Month for October 2024. A senior on the Wildcats swim team, Moore competes in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. He has been on the team for four years and has been captain for three seasons. In his first meet of the season, Moore qualified for the 2025 GHSA State Meet in three events. “Grayson has been a great role model in the water and out,” noted Woodland coach Rebecca Beard-Arndt. “He excels in the classroom while practicing six days a week, averaging 18 hours weekly in the water. The younger swimmers feed off his energy and excitement of the sport.” The son of Jennifer and Aaron Moore, he is an “All A’s” student and a member of the National Honor Society, National Society of High Scholars, Spanish Honor Society, Food Club, and Journalism.  He will receive an academic scholarship at Berry College, where he plans to continue his competitive swimming career. Nate Russell is the October 2024 Elite Athlete of the Month, representing Cartersville High School. Russell is a Canes football and baseball team junior, a quarterback, and a standout right-hand pitcher. Russell was 43 of 63 passing in his last four games and threw for eleven touchdowns. He added 112 yards rushing in victories over Cedartown and Hiram. His efforts helped the Hurricanes complete a 10-0 regular season and a Region 7-4A championship. “Nate is a fantastic teammate that loves being a Purple Hurricane,” noted Canes’ quarterback coach Brent Rickman. “He consistently works hard and competes to be his best whenever he gets the opportunity. I’m thankful that Nate is on our team and experiencing success on and off the field.” He is the son of Eric and Caroline Russell. Editors Note: The respective schools and athletic departments supply Bartow Sports Zone and WBHF with photos and bios. Elite Stone Supply Co., LLC is the monthly sponsor. Athletes receive a plaque and recognition during a radio feature on WBHF. #EliteAthletesoftheMonth #Cass #Cartersville #Woodland #Adairsville #highschool

November 5, 2024 The Excel Christian Academy boys improved to 2-0 on the season Tuesday night with an 85-69 win at home over Fideles Christian. The Eagles led 21-16 after one quarter and 51-27 at halftime. Fideles narrowed the margin to t65-49 by the end of the third quarter, but Excel held on for a 16-point victory. Evan Chappell led ECA with 25 points. Kaiyu Huffman scored 13 and TJ Hubert finished with ten. Carter May added nine points for the Eagles. Xander Lipinski paced the Rangers (0-1) with 20 points. Eli Shadburn scored 16. Excel plays at Cornerstone Prep Academy on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

November 5, 2024 The Cartersville Lady Canes volleyball team lost the Class 4A State Championship match to Pace Academy Monday night at the Champions Center at LakePoint, 27-25, 25-12, and 25-17. The title for the Knights (43-6) is their eighth straight. The Lady Canes battled in a back-and-forth opening set before falling. Pace Academy controlled the next two to take the match in straight sets. Pace Academy's only in-state loss this season was to Class 5A state champion Pope in four sets in August. Cartersville finished the season as state runner-up with a Region 7-4A championship and a 33-12 overall record. The Lady Canes’ year included winning streaks of seven, eight, and nine matches.

November 5, 2024 Each of the high school cross country teams in Bartow County competed in their respective GHSA State Sectional Championships this past weekend. The Cartersville girls and boys, along with the Woodland girls and boys, advanced to the Class 4A State Championship Meet. The Cartersville boys finished sixth at the Class 4A Sectional 2 (Regions 3, 5, 6, 7) at One Church Course in Fayetteville. The Woodland boys placed eleventh, and Cass was 18th of 24 teams. The boys’ race included 170 runners. Cambridge won the sectional with five runners in the top 19. Starrs Mill was second, followed by Westminster, Blessed Trinity, and Marist. The Cartersville girls placed tenth of 23 teams in Fayetteville. Woodland was 12th, and Cass was 22nd. There were 165 runners in the Class 4A sectional. The Harris County girls won Sectional 2, with five runners finishing in the top fifteen. The Westminster girls were runner-up, followed by Northview. The Adairsville boys team placed 15th of 20 teams at the 141-runner Class 3A Sectional 2 (Regions 5, 6, 7, 8) at Unicoi State Park in Helen. The Lady Tigers did not field enough runners to have a team score. The top 12 teams at each sectional advanced to the State Championship in Carrollton. The Class 4A races will be on Saturday at Carrollton High School. Top five scoring runners for each team: Cartersville girls Sofia Burns (7th, 19:02), Hadley Finnemore (80th, 22:42), Jordan Hathaway (83rd, 22:49), Samantha Stepp (85th, 23:03), and Genevieve Alessandro (88th, 23:17). Woodland girls Allison Snead (38th, 20:46), Miranda Pelow (69th, 22:05), Addison Brown (76th, 22:32), Abby George (102nd, 24:00), and Lily Hiott (124th, 26:05) Cass girls Jimena Perez (128th, 26:40), Charley Doyle (129th, 26:53), Peyton Waldrop (144th, 27:59), Peyton Brennan (152nd, 29:39), and Alina Murrillo (153rd, 29:39). Cartersville boys Will Feuerbach (11th, 16:09), Barrett Stepp (18th, 16:42), Kaleb Lanier (29th, 17:07), Kyle Camper II (44th, 17:28), and Ethan Empie (45th, 17:29). Woodland boys Juan Mendoza (15th, 16:33), Will Parker (64th, 17:56), James Morris (68th, 18:04), Charlie Hennington (112th, 19:04), and Conner Cruz (116th, 19:09). Cass boys Nicholas Robinson (61st, 17:53), Leonardo Galeana (97th, 18:43), Booker Gearhart (120th, 19:19), Sawyer Foy (124th, 19:23), and Adam Brush (126th, 19:25). Adairsville boys Jonathan Ringwell (41st, 18:01), Griffin Bozeman (50th, 18:18), Aaron Souders (102nd, 10:16), Owen Kelly (122nd, 22:14), and Logan Brown (132nd, 23:13). Adairsville girls Fernanda Singer (78th, 24:37) of 139 runners. EXCEL CROSS COUNTRY RUNNERS COMPETE AT GAPPS STATE MEET Excel had individual runners compete in the GAPPS (Georgia Association of Private and Parochial Schools) State Cross Country Championships on October 26 in Macon. Hugo Jara (19th, 20:16), Raul Vazquez (21st, 20:24), and Kasen Higginbotham (35th, 23:13) were among 43 competitors at the GAPPS Division 1 5K Championship. St. John Bosco Academy won the team title.

November 4, 2024 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com This week’s update includes reports on more than two dozen local athletes and their performances from last week across the nation in professional and collegiate sports. NFL TREVOR LAWRENCE — Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL, 4th-yr. pro; Clemson; Cartersville HS) … completed 16 of 31 passes for 169 yards and scored touchdowns on two short rushing attempts in the Jaguars’ 28-23 loss this past Sunday at the Philadelphia Eagles. Lawrence was also picked off twice, including one in the end zone on Jacksonville’s final drive with 1:38 remaining. The Jags (2-7) host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. FOOTBALL ANDY AVELAR — Shorter University (R-Fr., Cass HS) … made his career first PAT kick in his only attempt during the Hawks’ 55-0 home win this past Saturday over Virginia University-Lynchburg. Shorter (3-4) hosts the University of West Alabama on Saturday afternoon. KOLBE BENHAM — Marist College (R-Jr., Cartersville HS) … had one tackle in a 19-0 loss this past Saturday at Drake University. The Red Foxes (0-9, 0-6 Pioneer Football League) visit Stetson University on Saturday afternoon. HAYDEN CAGLE — Berry College (Sr., Cartersville HS) … recently named a William V. Campbell Trophy national semifinalist for his academic and athletic performance, Cagle started on a Vikings’ offensive line this past Saturday that helped produce 329 total yards in a 28-21 home conference win over Centre College (KY). Berry (6-2, 4-1 Southern Athletic Association) entertains Millsaps College on Saturday afternoon for Senior Day. JONAH GAMBILL — University of Memphis (R-Sr., Cartersville HS) … a starter on the Tigers’ offensive line that helped produce 516 total yards in a 44-36 conference loss at UTSA. The Tigers (7-2, 3-2 American Athletic Conference) host Rice on Friday night. KEVIN HENDERSON — University of Findlay (Fr., Cass HS) … the linebacker made seven tackles (five solo) and broke up one pass this past Saturday in the Oilers’ 28-17 home win over Walsh University. 25th-ranked Findlay (8-1, 6-1 Great Midwest Athletic Conference) hosts Northwood University (MI) on Saturday. SHADRE HURST — Tulane University (So., Cartersville HS) … a starter on the Green Wave’s offensive line that helped produce 431 total yards in a 34-3 conference win at Charlotte this past Thursday. Tulane (7-2, 5-0 American Athletic Conference) hosts Temple on Saturday afternoon. QUANTE JENNINGS — Presbyterian College (Sr., Cartersville HS) … rushed for 89 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries and caught three passes for 13 yards this past Saturday in a 28-7 home win over Dayton University. His 12-yard touchdown run was early in the second quarter, giving the Blue Hose a 12-0 lead. Presbyterian (4-6, 2-4 Pioneer Football League) has a bye week before traveling to Marist College on November 16. TYLER MARTIN — Berry College (Jr., Cass HS) … a starter on the Vikings’ offensive line this past Saturday that helped produce 329 total yards in a 28-21 home conference win over Centre College (KY). Berry (6-2, 4-1 Southern Athletic Association) entertains Millsaps College on Saturday afternoon. JAKE PARKER — Judson University (So., Cartersville HS) … completed 21 of 44 passes for 327 yards and two touchdowns this past Saturday in a 65-20 home loss to Olivet Nazarene (IL). He was picked off twice. His second-half TD passes were from 75 and 12 yards. Judson (1-7, 0-3 Mid States Football League) heads to Indianapolis on Saturday to play NAIA 7th-ranked Marian University. SAM PHILLIPS — UT-Chattanooga (R-Jr., Cartersville HS) … had one reception for 36 yards this past Saturday in a 38-34 loss at Western Carolina. Chattanooga (5-4, 4-2 Southern Conference) plays at The Citadel on Saturday afternoon. DEVONTE ROSS — Troy University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … the Trojans’ receiver had four catches for 32 yards and one touchdown, one carry for nine yards, two kick returns for 51 yards, and one punt return for -2 yards this past Saturday in a 38-24 home win over Coastal Carolina. Troy (2-7, 1-4 Sun Belt Conference) has a bye week before visiting Georgia Southern on November 16. STEPHEN ROWSER — Morehouse College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … made one tackle this past Saturday in the Maroon Tigers’ 37-7 loss at Miles College. Morehouse (1-8, 1-6 SIAC) hosts Clark Atlanta University on Saturday afternoon. COURTNEY SLOCUM — Mars Hill University (Sr., Adairsville HS) … saw action, but the linebacker had no stat line in a 31-23 home win this past Saturday over Emory & Henry. The Lions (4-3, 4-2 South Atlantic Conference) play at Anderson University. SACOVIE WHITE — University of Georgia (Fr., Cass HS) … as a slot receiver, White was targeted for a deep pass from Carson Beck on the Bulldogs’ opening drive this past Saturday but was slightly overthrown. Second-ranked Georgia rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Florida Gators 34-20. The Bulldogs (7-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) visit Ole Miss on Saturday afternoon. SOCCER ABBEY CRAIG — Reinhardt University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … a defensive starter, Craig logged all 90 minutes this past Saturday in a 2-1 Appalachian Athletic Conference quarterfinal victory over Columbia International University. On Tuesday, the Eagles (10-5-1) visit Tennessee Wesleyan in the conference semifinals. VOLLEYBALL AILEE ENGLAND — Berry College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … saw action in four sets as the Vikings won this past weekend at Sewanee and Centre College. She recorded one kill and two service aces. Berry (12-11, 9-3 Southern Athletic Association) won 3-1 at Sewanee and 3-2 at Centre. The Vikings will play Christopher Newport University, Averett University, and the University of Mary Washington on Saturday in Newport News, Virginia. MADELYN ORTON — LaGrange College (Jr., Cartersville resident, Cornerstone Prep Academy) … had two digs this past Saturday in a Panthers’ win at Agnes Scott College. LaGrange (8-21, 5-11 Collegiate Conference of the South) did not qualify for the conference tournament. MEREDITH ORTON — LaGrange College (Jr., Cartersville resident, Cornerstone Prep Academy) … had two kills and two digs this past Saturday in a straight sets win at Agnes Scott College. LaGrange (8-21, 5-11 Collegiate Conference of the South) did not qualify for the conference tournament. CROSS COUNTRY McKINLEY CHAPPELL — Berry College (Jr., Woodland HS) … placed 23rd individually in 27:10 at the 8K Southern Athletic Association Championship Meet in Memphis. The Vikings had their scoring runners all in the top eleven to win the 2024 conference title. Berry was nine points ahead of Oglethorpe. The Vikings will compete at the NCAA D-III South Regional in Clinton, Mississippi, on November 16. ANDY FORSYTH — Berry College (Fr., Woodland HS) … placed 31st individually in 27:40 at the 8K Southern Athletic Association Championship Meet in Memphis. The Vikings had their scoring runners all in the top eleven to win the 2024 conference title. Berry was nine points ahead of Oglethorpe. The Vikings are set to participate in the NCAA D-III South Regional in Clinton, Mississippi, on November 16. BASKETBALL NA’YEL CAMPER — Reinhardt University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … scored nine points and had three rebounds, two steals, and one assist in the Eagles’ 84-57 win at Spartanburg Methodist on October 26. This past Saturday, she also contributed one point and three boards in a 68-66 home win over Point University. The Lady Eagles (2-0) host Life University on Saturday afternoon. ZION HAYES — Weatherford CC (Fr., Cass HS) … totaled seven points, five rebounds, and two assists this past weekend in narrow losses to Angelina College (50-49) and Frank Phillips College (64-62). The Coyotes (0-2) host Southwestern Assemblies of God University on Monday and Dallas College-Cedar Valley on Saturday. HALEY JOHNSON — Reinhardt University (Jr., Cass HS) … scored seven points with five rebounds, one assist, and two steals on Oct 26 in an 84-57 win at Spartanburg Methodist. This past Saturday Johnson scored two points and grabbed five rebounds in a 68-66 home win over Point University. The Eagles (2-0) host Life University on Saturday. KEARA McDANIEL — Toccoa Falls College (Jr., Cass HS) … scored two points and had two rebounds, two steals, and one steal in a 41-39 loss at Dallas Christian (Tex.) last Friday. She then scored five points with three rebounds and three assists last Saturday in a 79-55 loss to Crowley’s Ridge (Ark.). The Screamin’ Eagles (0-2) play at Truett-MCconnell University on Tuesday and visit Morris College (SC) on Friday night. MEGAN SCHULTZ — Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (Fr., Woodland HS) … logged 14 minutes last Friday and had two rebounds, one assist, and one steal during a 77-58 loss at Crowley’s Ridge (Ark.). This past Saturday, Schultz also had two boards in abbreviated time in a 71-69 loss to Pensacola Christian College. The Fillies (0-2) host LaGrange College on Friday night and Beacon College (Fla.) on Saturday afternoon. LONDAISHA SMITH — St. Andrews University (Sr., Cass HS) … scored nine points with four rebounds, four steals, and three assists on Oct. 28 in a 65-63 loss at Spartanburg Methodist. She added 16 points with eight boards, one steal, and one assist this past Saturday in a 70-54 home loss to Voorhees University (SC). The Knights (0-2) host Spartanburg Methodist on Wednesday night and travel to USC-Beaufort on Saturday afternoon.

November 2, 2024 The Woodland Wildcats’ offense drove for touchdowns on two of their final three possessions Friday night at Dalton for a come-from-behind 20-17 Region 7-4A win over the host Catamounts. The Wildcats trailed 17-6 late in the third quarter before scoring the final 14 points to escape with their third win. Dalton returned the opening kickoff to the Woodland 6-yard line and scored two plays later on a 1-yard plunge by running back Julio Perez. Catamounts’ kicker Adrian Gongora booted the PAT kick, and Dalton had a 7-0 lead with 10:59 remaining in the initial period. The two teams traded possessions for the remainder of the first quarter.  Dalton reached Woodland territory twice but punted at the 40-yard line and turned the ball over on downs at the Wildcats’ 41-yard line. Woodland went three-and-out on two first-quarter possessions but drove deep into Dalton territory late in the period. Starting from their 39-yard line, the Wildcats drove to the Catamounts’ 10-yard line before turning the ball over on downs on the first play of the second quarter. The Woodland drive included three runs by Solly James, a reception by Cam Williams, a shuttle-pass catch, and a run by Isaiah Livsey. The drive also included a pass interference penalty on Dalton. The Catamounts responded with a 72-yard drive that took 16 plays. Gongora's 35-yard field goal with 4:18 left in the half gave Dalton a 10-0 lead. Dalton started from their 10-yard line and reached midfield on eight consecutive running plays featuring Nash Smith and Perez. Quarterback Caine Woods completed passes to Kamdon London for 10- and 18-yards and had a short scramble run to put his team in field goal position. On their ensuing possession, Woodland drove 80 yards in eight plays for the first Wildcats points of the night. A 22-yard pass from quarterback JD Trail to Taylor Mooney moved the Wildcats to their 47-yard line, and a Dalton penalty advanced Woodland to plus territory. Four plays later, a 23-yard wheel route pass from Trail to Livsey set up the Wildcats for their first score. Trail connected with Livsey on a hook route along the Woodland sideline, and Livsey lateraled to James, who raced the football into the end zone. The classic hook-and-lateral play narrowed the Dalton advantage to 10-6. Woodland’s PAT kick failed when it hit the crossbar. Dalton returned the next kickoff to the Woodland 48-yard line and drove to the Wildcats’ 37 in the half's final seconds. Woodland picked off a pass on the half's final play to end the Catamounts’ late threat. On the second half's opening drive, the Wildcats moved into Dalton territory on a 50-yard pass from Trail to Mooney. The drive stalled a few plays later, and Woodland’s negative-yardage punt gave Dalton possession at their 36-yard line. The Woodland defense forced a three-and-out by Dalton, but the Wildcats fumbled the punt that followed at the 4-yard line, setting up a Catamounts touchdown. On first-and-goal, Smith scored on a 4-yard run, giving Dalton a 17-6 lead with 7:15 left in the third quarter. Woodland’s next possession started at their 27-yard line and ended with a three-and-out. Dalton fumbled the Wildcats’ punt at the 50-yard line, and Woodland recovered to set up their next scoring drive. Three consecutive runs by Livsey advanced the Wildcats to the Dalton 28-yard line. Three plays later, Livsey converted a fourth-and-one situation with a two-yard run.  Following an incomplete pass, Livsey found daylight for a nine-yard touchdown run. A two-point conversion pass play failed, but Woodland had narrowed Dalton’s lead to 17-12 with 2:03 remaining in the third period. The Woodland defense forced a fumble on the next Dalton possession, but the Wildcats had to punt as the fourth quarter got underway. Dalton drove to the Woodland 35-yard line again, but the Wildcat defense tightened.  A Catamounts’ quick-kick punt went out of bounds at the Woodland 17-yard line, setting up the Wildcats’ game-winning drive. Woodland marched 83 yards on ten plays, with Trail connecting with Traver Groves in the right corner of the end zone for a go-ahead, 24-yard touchdown pass. Livsey followed with a two-point conversion run out of a “Wildcat formation,” and Woodland had a 20-17 lead with 3:58 remaining in the game. Dalton returned the ensuing kickoff to their 38-yard line and kept the ball on the ground in their comeback effort. Nine consecutive running plays featuring Smith, Perez, and Woods set up a 52-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds. Woodland blocked the kick attempt, however, and was able to run out the clock from “victory formation.” Trail was 9-for-23 passing for 192 yards and two touchdowns. Williams caught three passes for 41 yards, and Mooney had two receptions for 72 yards. Livsey had nine carries for 45 yards and caught two passes for 24 yards. James rushed for 57 yards on 14 carries and had a 33-yard reception. Dalton finished the 2024 season 0-10, marking the first winless football year for the Catamounts since 1928. Woodland’s win was also its first over Dalton since a 35-34 victory in 1999. The Wildcats are now 2-7 all-time against Dalton. Woodland finished the 2024 season with a 3-7 overall record and a 1-5 mark in Region 7-4A. “I cannot be more proud of our seniors, our entire team, and our coaches for sticking together and finishing the season the right way,” said Wildcats head coach Andy Scott. “I am really looking forward to the future of Woodland football.”

November 1, 2024 On a night when visibility was challenged by a “pea soup” fog draping the Generals' stadium in the second half, Heritage-Catoosa defeated the Adairsville Tigers 17-7. The win secured Heritage a state playoff berth and moved the Generals ahead of Adairsville in the new GHSA Postseason Rankings, which will seed the top 32 teams in Class AAA. Adairsville committed four turnovers, and Heritage had three giveaways but built a 14-0 advantage in the first half and kept the Tigers off the scoreboard until the final 73 seconds of the game. Heritage had the only major scoring threat in a scoreless first quarter, but the Tigers kept the Generals off the scoreboard with a goal-line stand toward the end of the period. After forcing an Adairsville punt, the Generals marched 46 yards on six plays for their first points. Heritage scored on a 26 yard pass from quarterback Cross Williams to Noah Pierce with 10:04 remaining in the second quarter. Kicker Jake Collette converted the PAT kick for a 7-0 lead. Adairsville went three-and-out on their next possession and Heritage answered with another score. The drive covered 74 yards and took six plays, but the scoring strike was a 73-yard pass from Williams to Cody Bryan with 7:14 left in the first half. Collette’s second extra point kick gave Heritage a 14-0 lead. The Generals threatened again late in the half but were turned away by Colt Sanford’s interception just before halftime. The third quarter saw both teams commit turnovers as a wet fog settled into the stadium. Adairsville had a drive stopped on downs at the Heritage 39-yard line with their deepest penetration of the period.  Later in the third quarter, Heritage intercepted a pass and returned it deep into Adairsville territory, but the Tiger defense got a stop at the 1-yard line when the Generals fumbled on the second play of the fourth quarter. The teams swapped fumbles in the early portion of the final quarter before Adairsville’s Ethan Long connected with Tre Winters on a pass to the Heritage 40-yard line. Another interception a few plays later gave the Generals another possession with 9:44 remaining. Heritage turned it into a scoring drive when Williams hit Pierce with another reception to the Tigers’ 23-yard line. The Adairsville defense stiffened again, but Collette booted a 52-yard field goal through the fog to give the Generals a 17-0 advantage with 5:46 left. Adairsville reached the red zone for the first time in the game with just 1:17 remaining, and the Tigers culminated their drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Long to Winters just four seconds later. The drive covered 79 yards in five plays, and a successful PAT kick by Cooper Souders made the score 17-7. The Tigers’ onside kickoff attempt did not cover the required ten yards, and Heritage ran out the clock from their victory formation. Heritage improved to 6-4 overall and finished 4-2 in Region 7-AAA. Adairsville (6-4, 3-3) will await other results from across the state in Class AAA to learn their playoff position. The GHSA is utilizing a Postseason Ranking System to seed the top 32 teams in Class AAA this season. Adairsville and Heritage entered their game with one another ranked No. 25 and 26 in the rankings. Those numbers will shift following statewide results on Friday night and next week. The state playoffs will begin on November 15 and 16, with higher seeds hosting first-round games. ~~ Larry Gardner contributed data for this report.

October 30, 2024 The Excel Christian Academy boys basketball team opened the 2024-25 season Wednesday night with a 99-55 home victory over Covenant Christian Academy of Cumming.  The Eagles led 31-19 after one quarter and built a 58-27 advantage by halftime. Evan Chappell scored 22 points to lead four Eagles in double-digit scoring. Connor Garland followed with 18 points. Jorge Crismat contributed 14, and Kaiyu Huffman added 10 points for ECA. Bowyen Reid led the visiting Rams with 18 points. Excel (1-0) will host Fideles Christian next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.