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November 16, 2025 The Cartersville High swim team placed third, and Woodland was fifth on Saturday at the Harrison Lovestrong Invitational at the Cobb Aquatic Center. The host Hoyas won the event title. Starrs Mill was second, and Mount Paran Christian placed fourth. Top Three performances by local swimmers by event: Second Place Grayson Paradis, Cartersville — Boys 50 Freestyle — 24.48 Grayson Paradis, Cartersville — Boys 500 Freestyle — 5:34.52 Third Place Will Galland, Cartersville — Boys 200 Freestyle — 1:53.78  Will Galland, Cartersville — Boys 100 Freestyle — 51.19 Sofia Burns, Cartersville — Girls 200 Freestyle — 2:24.85 Cartersville — Boys 200 Freestyle Relay — Grayson Paradis, Nate Rives, Luke Gibson, and Will Galland — 1:40.84

November 16, 2025 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Two amateur golfers and members at Cartersville Country Club finished in the top ten of the 2025 C. Layne Williams Invitational on Friday and Saturday at Cherokee Town & Country Club and Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta. The Georgia State Golf Association event wraps up the 2025 calendar. R.B. Clyburn of Cartersville and Lee Bowman of Marietta finished sixth and seventh in the field that included the top point earners for player of the year in ten different categories. Men and women from various age divisions competed in 36 holes of individual stroke play from a range of tee distances. Clyburn shot 2-under par, and Bowman was 1-under par. Doug Hanzel of Savannah and the Super Senior Men Division won the tournament at 8-under par. Bob Royak (Alpharetta, Senior Men) and Loralie Cowart (Douglasville, Women) tied for second place in the limited field of 40 players. Mary Miller (Savannah, Women) and Morgan Ellison (Peachtree City, Mid-Am Women) tied for fourth place at 5-under par.

November 15, 2025 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Cass QB Brodie McWhorter tosses a pass to Kalil Charles in the Colonels' 21-12 first-round playoff win over Mays on November 14. WILLIAM BRAMLETT / DTN On a crisp, clear night with temperatures dipping into the upper 40s at Doug Cochran Stadium on the Cass High School campus, the Cass Colonels made school history by hosting their first-ever state playoff game in the Georgia High School Association Class 4A first round.  The No. 10-ranked Colonels delivered an early lead, and then held off a late rally from the Mays Raiders to secure a 21-12 victory and punch their ticket to the second round. This marked the third time in the last four years that Cass and Mays have met in the playoffs, with both programs earning their fifth consecutive postseason berth.  Cass defensive linemen Adrian Dye and Tremon Buckner take down a Mays ball carrier. WILLIAM BRAMLETT / DTN The game stayed scoreless for the first 23 minutes, but Cass exploded for two touchdowns in the final 48 seconds of the first half to take a 14-0 halftime lead. The Colonels extended their advantage to 21-0 with a third-quarter score before Mays mounted a fourth-quarter comeback that fell short. Cass fumbled the opening kickoff at their own 20-yard line, but the defense held firm, forcing Mays to miss a 31-yard field goal attempt wide left. The Colonels then drove from their 20 to the Mays' 33 on their first series, only for quarterback Brodie McWhorter to throw an interception. Both teams traded one more possession in a scoreless first quarter. Mays managed three second-quarter drives that ended in two punts and an interception. Cass capitalized late in the half. Jah Abdullah-Kortey stiff-arms a Mays defender after his catch. With 48 seconds left in the second quarter, McWhorter connected with Jah Abdulla-Kortey on a 30-yard touchdown pass to cap a 41-yard, four-play drive that took 1:33 off the clock. Anthony Quijada's PAT made it 7-0. Josh Love's interception set up Cass's next score.  On the final play of the half, McWhorter hit offensive tackle Bear McWhorter—lined up as an eligible receiver to his left—on a 7-yard touchdown pass. Receivers blocked downfield as Bear scored untouched. The drive was ignited by McWhorter's 51-yard completion to Elijah Slocum, moving Cass from their 42 to the Raiders' 7. Quijada's kick sent the Colonels into halftime up 14-0. Bear McWhorter caught a 7-yard touchdown pass in the Colonels' playoff win over Mays. Mays opened the second half with a drive to the Cass 36 but came away empty.  Late in the third, Cass put together a 14-play, 61-yard march that consumed 6:35. A fake punt from the Colonels' 47 resulted in a 13-yard run by Eli Simmons, setting up sophomore running back Kalil Charles' 2-yard touchdown plunge with 33 seconds remaining. Quijada's PAT pushed the lead to 21-0. The Raiders responded immediately, driving 65 yards in four plays. Quarterback Jaquavious Hill connected on four straight passes, including a 40-yard touchdown to Stepeney Lee with 11:45 left in the fourth. The PAT failed, leaving it 21-6. Cass turned the ball over on downs at their 45 and punted from their 30 on their next two possessions.  Cass defenders John Abernathy, Zach Stiles, Josh Love, and Adrian Dye take down a Raiders' ball carrier. WILLIAM BRAMLETT / DTN Mays added a late score on a 55-yard, eight-play drive, highlighted by a 23-yard pass and a 21-yard scramble by Hill. Hill found D’Andre Hennix for a 20-yard touchdown with 1:23 remaining. A two-point pass failed, making it 21-12. Mays recovered an onside kick, but the Cass defense sealed the win. The Colonels' defense was stifling against the run, limiting Mays to just five rushing yards on 19 attempts.  Mays was flagged 13 times for 162 yards, while Cass drew six penalties for 75 yards. Hill completed 15 of 31 passes for 234 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Hennix hauled in three catches for 40 yards and a score. McWhorter went 14 of 20 for 171 yards, two touchdowns, and one pick. Slocum led receivers with seven grabs for 93 yards, while Abdulla-Kortey added five for 65 yards and a touchdown. Charles rushed 26 times for 90 yards and a score, plus one catch for 16 yards. The loss ended Mays' season at 5-6. Cass (9-2) advances to face No. 4 Benedictine Military (8-2) in Savannah on Friday, November 21.

November 15, 2025 The Cartersville Lady Canes opened their 2025-26 basketball season on Saturday afternoon with a dominant 65-28 win over Carver-Columbus at the Carrollton High School Girls Night Out Invitational. Cartersville led 32-11 by halftime and cruised in the second half for a 37-point victory. Columbus State signee Kaytlyn Arnold led the Lady Canes with 21 points. Bayley Stanley contributed 13 points and five steals. Trinity Montgomery scored eight and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Zoe McCurry and Kaelyn Agee added six points in the win. Cartersville (1-0) plays at Carrollton on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CHATTAHOOCHEE 70, EXCEL CHRISTIAN BOYS 68 The Eagles battled from an early deficit, but came up just a bit short Saturday in a matchup at the Wood Elite Classic hosted by Cherokee High School in Canton. Chattahoochee led 25-12 after one quarter and 41-28 at halftime, before the Eagles narrowed their deficit to 51-48 by the end of the third quarter. The Cougars held on in the final period for a two-point win. Chattahoochee (1-3) had four players to score in double digits, led by Josh Coleman’s 18. Damir McBride led ECA with 20 points. Mier Bell scored 17 in the loss.  Excel (1-2) visits Cornerstone Prep Academy on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

November 15, 2025 The Cartersville High School competition cheerleading team won the Georgia High School Association’s 2025 Class 4A state championship on Friday at the Macon Centreplex. The victory marked a second-straight state title for the program, which finished ahead of runner-up Central-Carroll. Cambridge was third, and Union Grove placed fourth. The Purple Hurricanes’ state championship capped off a season where Cartersville won its seventh-consecutive region championship and won the State Sectional. The 2025 team includes: Ava Barnes, Keely Blalock, Averie Brotherton, Kendra Caldwell, Emerie Elrod, Makenzie Fletcher, Georgia Graves, McKenzie Ham, Addie Harris, Callie Hastings, Presley Ledford, Charleigh Lowry, Claire Pogue, Laney Saunders, Kyndal Shook, and Kalee Wyatt.

November 15, 2025 Scott Barkley / CanesAthletics.com Brady Marchese had three touchdown receptions in the Canes' first-round playoff win over Jackson-Atlanta. A three-week layover since the last time CHS played showed no signs of rust. If anything, to head coach Conor Foster, his team’s dominating 53-0 opening-round playoff win only displayed what they are.  “Our kids handled the time off like pros,” said Foster. “We went through it last year, and we have a mature team. They were really focused the last couple of weeks, and I’m really, really proud of the work they put in. We had some great practices, so it wasn’t a surprise to me.  “You can’t afford to make excuses for not being ready in the playoffs, and our kids didn’t make any tonight.” CHS started the rout on their first play from scrimmage, as Braylon Hill exploded through the middle for a 68-yard touchdown. With the Canes lined up for the extra point try in a swinging gate formation, Maddox Davis caught the ball from long snapper Cole Crawford and ran in for two points and an 8-0 lead 16 seconds into the game. Seven Canes’ first-half possessions brought seven touchdowns. Bryson Everett’s 45-yard catch late in the game from Harris Turner set up Jaden Navarrez’s 25-yard field goal for the final score.  Brady Marchese got a hat trick, as all three of his receptions from Nate Russell went for scores. Hill found the end zone again on an 11-yard run late in the first quarter to make the difference 29-0. With Russell done for the night, Turner stepped up in the pocket on fourth down and dropped his best throw of the season past a defender and into Holden Hoopingarner’s arms. The 34-yard score on the final play from scrimmage in the first half for the 50-0 lead.  The highlight of the evening came midway through the first quarter. It looked like a torn meniscus during practice in Week Zero ended Jackson Montgomery’s senior season before it started. However, the Canes' sideline erupted with Montgomery’s 17-yard catch in the end zone that brought the lead to 22-0. He would add another ten-yard grab over the middle later.  Braylon Hill races for big yardage in the Purple Hurricanes' 53-0 first-round win over Jackson-Atlanta. “This meant so much to me,” Montgomery said. “I thank the Lord for this opportunity. I didn’t think I’d make it back on the field, but, God willing, I worked hard in physical therapy, and my team was always there to encourage me. I appreciate them so much. They helped keep my mindset focused on getting back. I was going to get back out there with my guys." “I’m just blessed to be out there and do that under the lights in the playoffs. I love Cartersville.” “That was a big, emotional catch for everybody,” said Foster. “He’s a guy we weren’t sure we were going to have back this year, so it was a blessing to have that opportunity.” The Jaguars’ deepest field position came after a punt bounced off a Cartersville player and gave Jackson the ball at the Canes’ 28. Hoopingarner ended the threat on the next play, though, with an interception return from the 15 to the Cartersville 32. The visitors got as far as the Canes’ 34 in the first half, but were turned away two plays later on fourth down. “Credit to their coaching staff. They threw a lot of different looks at us we hadn’t seen,” Foster said, “But our kids adjusted.” “We knew they could do a lot of different things,” said linebacker Brayden Logan. “We thought they would run the ball more, and they came out early with some quick [passes]. But we defended that well and stayed sound. We just need to stay healthy and consistent and play with the same tenacity we’ve had the last 11 games.” Logan entered the game leading the team in tackles with 54. He and Cole Crawford, who was recently named an Under Armour Next All-American , are the latest in a strong line of CHS middle linebackers.  “We work well together,” said Logan. “Sometimes he’s got to calm me down, and I’ve got to calm him down. But we’ve had a lot of good seniors in front of us, like Conor Brasfield and Luke McBride. Coach [Dawson] Mitchell also knows how to keep us under control.” Logan and Kaiden Kent’s five tackles apiece paced the defense, with freshman Athens Davenport just behind with four. Logan, PJ Richards, Grayson Villar, Jared Cooley, and Adam Fernandes all had tackles for losses. Villar and Elijah Peeks each recorded a sack for the Canes. CHS also recorded two turnovers on Hoopingarner’s interception and Thomas Smith’s fumble recovery.  The Canes piled up 454 total yards of offense, 327 of that through the air. Nary a pass found the ground, as Russell (11-for-11, 236, 4 TDs) and Harris (6-for-6, 91, and a score) were perfect for identical 177.1 quarterback rankings. Marchese led with 88 yards receiving. Hill only needed two carries for his team-leading 68 rushing yards to go with a 12-yard reception.  His reputation as a deep threat is well-deserved, but Marchese’s first two scores showed his physicality as well. On the Canes’ second possession from 23 yards out, the Georgia commit took Russell’s pass near the 12 and was hit just inside the 10 before dragging the defender the rest of the way into the end zone.  His most impressive catch came early in the second quarter from the Jackson 19. Lined up on the right side, Marchese cut in on the snap and had to reach behind himself to snag Russell’s throw. He then pirouetted, regained his footing, and hit the gas to run through tackles and in for the score.  Davis continued making the ridiculous look routine with his two catches for 76 yards. The first came on a spinning, one-handed museum piece near the sideline for 33 yards on the Canes’ second drive, followed by a 43-yarder on the next possession. Davis wasn’t in position for the catch, but timed his jump to elevate over the defender. Two plays later, Montgomery’s catch and Ramsey Rowell, who was 6-for-6 on PATs, made he score 22-0.  The Canes will face Warner-Robins, who moved to 7-4 in their 28-14 opening-round win over Eastside, next Friday in Weinman Stadium.

November 15, 2025 The Excel Christian Academy boys basketball team held leads through the first three quarters Friday night, but visiting Chattooga outscored the Eagles 19-12 in the final quarter to escape with a 69-65 victory. DJ Etchison scored 29 points and Kai Dodd added 16 to lead the Indians (1-0). Mason McKinney led Excel with 15 points. Mier Bell finished with 10. TJ Hubert, Karden Wingard, and Jayden Jinks scored nine for the Eagles. Excel Christian (1-2) plays Chattahoochee on Saturday at noon at Cherokee High School in the Wood Elite Classic.

November 13, 2025 The Cass High School basketball teams both lost their season and home openers on Thursday night to South Paulding. The Lady Colonels were edged 44-43, and the Colonels lost 75-39. The Cass girls led for much of the first three quarters, but the visiting Lady Spartans outscored the Lady Colonels 14-10 in the fourth quarter to squeeze out a one-point win. Cass led 23-9 after the opening eight minutes, but South Paulding narrowed the margin to 27-24 at halftime and 33-30 at the end of the third quarter. Ari McElrath led South Paulding (1-1) with 20 points. Lindsey Henry added 17. Cadie Paez scored 19 points for Cass. Nakayla Evans finished with 10 points, and Anizah Taylor contributed eight. The South Paulding boys raced to a 31-4 lead in the first quarter and pulled away for an eventual 36-point road win. The Spartans (1-0) had four players score in double figures, including Tanner Pitts (17), Ethan Moore (16), Josiah Azu (15), and PJ Rosser (14). Isaiah Moreno led Cass with 14 points. Derris Reece added seven for the Colonels. Both Cass teams visit Sonoraville next Tuesday, with the girls’ game set to tip at 6 p.m.

November 13, 2025 The Cartersville High School swim team placed ninth of 12 teams on Saturday, November 1, at the 2025 Spear and Shield Meet in Canton, hosted by River Ridge. Lambert (529.5) won the meet with Starrs Mill (299), River Ridge (236), Etowah (192), and Ringgold (163), rounding out the top five. Cartersville scored 110 team points. Top ten performances for Cartersville included: Boys 200-yard freestyle 2nd — Grayson Paradis — 2:04.46 Boys 200-yard IM 4th — Will Galland — 2:16.29 Boys 50-yard freestyle 5th — Will Galland — 23.75 9th — Grayson Paradis — 24.56 Boys 100-yard butterfly 2nd — Will Galland — 43.94 Boys 500-yard freestyle 4th — Grayson Paradis — 5:32.60 Galland earned state meet qualifying times in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard butterfly. The next meet for Cartersville is on Saturday with Harrison and North Cobb Christian at the Central Aquatic Center in Cobb County.

November 11, 2025 The host LaFayette Ramblers held off the Excel Christian Academy boys down the stretch Tuesday night for a 71-70 win over the visiting Eagles.  LaFayette (1-0) had its largest lead of the evening at the conclusion of the first quarter, 24-17, but maintained slim advantages at each quarter break. The Ramblers were ahead 40-32 at halftime and 58-56 at the end of the third quarter. Trent Kennerly led LaFayette with 26 points. Mason McKinney led the Eagles with 20 points. Damir McBride and Karden Wingard each contributed 10 points, while Aston Chappell finished with nine points. Excel Christian (1-1) hosts Oakwood Christian on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

November 11, 2025 The Woodland Lady Cats and Wildcats opened their 2025-26 basketball seasons Tuesday night with home wins over the Gordon Central Warriors. The Lady Cats led 11-4 after the first eight minutes and extended their advantage to 20-7 by halftime. Woodland maintained a 30-16 lead after three quarters before outscoring the Lady Warriors 18-3 in the final period for a 48-19 victory. Destiny Jackson topped the Lady Cats' scoring with 21 points. Cathryn Sneed added eight points. Nevaeh Smith-Ferman and Angel Palmore each scored six points. Bailey Gerstner, Cyler Williams, and Gracie Korb each contributed two points, while Reign West provided one point for Woodland. Savannah Dyer led the Gordon Central girls (0-1) with 10 points. The Woodland boys carried a 24-18 lead to the intermission and added to their advantage in each of the final two periods en route to a 66-40 win. The Wildcats led 46-32 at the end of the third quarter and outscored the visiting Warriors 20-8 in the fourth quarter. Caiden Moore hit five three-pointers and was Woodland's top scorer with 19 points. Landon Dougherty added 15 points. Jonathan Hart scored eight points, and Canden Davis contributed seven. Amir Heath added seven points, while Clayton McArdle scored five. Christian Davis, R.J. Martin, and Solomon James each contributed two points. Jordon West scored 15 points and Aiden Fleming added 11 for the Warriors (0-1). “We have three new starters and everybody on the team was in a new role,” noted Woodland head coach Kip Dyer.  “I loved our energy throughout the game, and I thought we played well together.” The Woodland teams, both 1-0, return to action next Tuesday, November 18, at Dominion Christian and will rematch with Gordon Central in Calhoun on Friday, November 21.

November 11, 2025 Cartersville wrestling opened the 2025-26 season on Saturday, November 8, with a 17th-place finish at the 24-team Warrior Invitational hosted by North Cobb High School. River Ridge won the tournament by edging the host Warriors 305.5 to 303. Richmond Hill, Marietta, and Harrison rounded out the top five teams. Cartersville competed with several freshmen and first-year wrestlers, according to head coach Sammy Rosario. Several on the roster are still in football or waiting to be cleared for other reasons. Fite Casey (106 pounds) was the only placer for the Hurricanes. He finished the tournament with a  2-2 mark and placed fourth. His loss in the third-place match was settled in the final 30 seconds. Cartersville returns to action this weekend at Ola High School in McDonough.