August 3, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Two former Cartersville Purple Hurricanes faced each other this past week in Major League Baseball action, with Athletics' pitcher Mason Barnett making a start on the mound and Red Sox second baseman Anthony Seigler leading off for the Boston offense. MLB / MiLB MASON BARNETT — MLB Athletics; 5th-year pro; Auburn; Cartersville HS) … made a five-inning home start with no decision last Thursday in Sacramento against the Boston Red Sox. He allowed three earned runs on four hits, one hit batter, and one walk with six strikeouts. He faced fellow Cartersville High grad Anthony Seigler three times (Seigler was the leadoff hitter for Boston), and retired him with a groundout and a flyout before Seigler reached on an infield single in the fifth inning. Barnett is 1-1 with two saves in 15 MLB appearances this season. He has 29 strikeouts in 29-2/3 innings on the mound. The A’s began the week with a 45-67 record and in fourth place in the American League West. They visit the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox this week. LOGAN MARTIN — Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants Double-A affiliate; 4th-year pro; Kentucky; Cartersville HS) … retired only one out and was charged with four earned runs on four hits and one walk in a 9-2 loss last Friday at the Somerset Patriots. He entered in the sixth inning, faced six batters, and received no decision. The 25-year-old right-handed pitcher is 5-0 this season with one save. He has 53 strikeouts in 46-2/3 innings and a 3.47 ERA in 19 appearances. The Flying Squirrels began the week (60-40 overall and 17-15 in the second half. Richmond hosts a six-game series this week with the Reading Fightin’ Phils. ANTHONY SEIGLER — Boston Red Sox (MLB; 9th-year pro; Cartersville HS) … appeared in six games last week — three in Sacramento against the MLB Athletics and three at the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made three starts. He went 1-for-16 with one walk and scored one run. His base hit was against fellow Cartersville High grad Mason Barnett of the A’s. The 27-year-old is slashing .237/.305/.695 in 118 official at-bats with the Red Sox this season. He has three homers, nine RBI, and two stolen bases. The Red Sox began the week with a 60-51 record and in third place in the American League East. They currently hold the second wildcard spot in the American League playoff race. Boston hosts the Chicago White Sox and the MLB Athletics this week. INDEPENDENT PRO BASEBALL MICAH EARWOOD — Sussex County Miners (Frontier League; 1st year pro; Southeastern University; Cartersville HS) … retired the final out and received no decision on July 28 in a 1-0 loss at the Ottawa Titans. Last Thursday, he allowed five earned runs on four hits and one walk at Ottawa, retiring only one of nine batters faced in a 12-5 loss. Sussex County began the week with a 35-36 record and will host the Florence Y’alls for three games before visiting the New York Boulders for three games over the weekend. The Miners are in third place in the Frontier League’s East Division. PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS BOO WEEKLEY — 29-year pro; 52; Cartersville Country Club member; Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College; Jay, Florida resident — fired rounds of 67-78-73 (2-over par) and finished tied for 64th place this past weekend at the Portugal Invitational held at The Els Club Vilamoura. Zach Johnson won the tournament with a 19-under par finish. Johnson was two shots ahead of Stewart Cink and four shots clear of third-place Padraig Harrington. Weekley remains in fourth place in the year-long Schwab Cup standings. The next Champions Tour event is the Boeing Classic, August 14-16, in Snoqualmie, Washington.

August 2, 2026 Starting with the 2026-27 school year, the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) will implement its most significant postseason qualification change in many years. Instead of relying solely on regional standings to determine playoff participation, all sports with a 32-team state tournament bracket will use a statewide ranking formula to select and seed teams. The Postseason Rankings were utilized for the Class A, AA, AAA, and Private classifications last school year, but will be implemented in all classifications beginning this year. Here's an overview of the process and its implications. How the old system worked For most team sports, the process was simple: • The top four teams in each region automatically qualified for the state playoffs. • Region champions received the highest seeds, runners-up were next, and third- and fourth-place finishers were seeded below them. • A team could earn a high playoff seed just by winning a weaker region, while an outstanding team in a tough region might get a much tougher draw despite having a better overall record. That system placed great importance on regional standings. The new postseason ranking system Instead of automatically qualifying based on region finish, the GHSA will rank every team in a classification using a statewide points formula. The top 32 teams in each classification will make the playoff field, and those same rankings will determine the seeds from No. 1 through No. 32. The rankings are based on a mathematical formula that evaluates a team's overall performance rather than just its position in regional standings. The formula considers factors such as: • Overall winning percentage • Opponents' winning percentage (strength of schedule) • Opponents' opponents' winning percentage • Other schedule-strength components established by the GHSA. The aim is to reward teams that consistently play and beat strong competition, rather than just finishing high in a weaker region. What changes for the playoffs? Several significant changes will be noticeable. 1. Region finish no longer guarantees a playoff berth. A fourth-place region team could miss the playoffs if its statewide ranking isn't among the top 32. Conversely, a fifth-place team from a powerhouse region could qualify if its overall résumé ranks high enough statewide. 2. The expected outcome is for better seeding for the state playoffs Instead of pairing region champions against fourth-place teams regardless of strength, the bracket will simply match: No. 1 vs. No. 32 No. 2 vs. No. 31 No. 3 vs. No. 30 ...and so on. That should reduce the number of times two championship-caliber teams meet in the first or second round, and balance the strength of state tournament brackets across all four quadrants. 3. The strength of schedule becomes much more important. Schools are no longer rewarded merely for piling up wins against weaker opponents. Playing quality opponents—even if it results in an occasional loss—can improve a team's ranking because of the schedule-strength component. 4. Every regular-season game matters. Previously, some non-region games had relatively little impact compared to region standings. Now every contest contributes to a team's postseason résumé. Example Imagine Class 5A: Team A finishes 1st in a weaker region at 7-3. Team B finishes 5th in an exceptionally difficult region at 6-4, with wins over several top-10 opponents. Under the old system: Team A qualifies automatically. Team B stays home. Under the new system: Team B may rank in the statewide Top 32. Team A could fall outside the Top 32 if its schedule and results don't compare favorably. Potential benefits Supporters believe the new format: Produces fairer playoff brackets. Rewards teams that schedule challenging opponents. Reduces the impact of uneven region strength. Creates more meaningful statewide rankings. Increases the chances that the best teams meet later in the playoffs instead of eliminating each other early. Potential concerns Critics point to several possible drawbacks: Coaches may find the ranking formula difficult to understand. Schools could become overly focused on maximizing ranking points. Teams in rural areas may have fewer opportunities to schedule elite opponents. Region championships lose some significance because they no longer guarantee playoff qualification. The impact on Georgia high school football Football is expected to see some of the most dramatic effects, as classifications often include regions of vastly different strength. For example, a fourth-place finisher from a metro Atlanta region that features multiple state-title contenders could now make the playoffs ahead of a second- or third-place team from a weaker region. Likewise, first-round matchups should become more competitive because they're based on statewide rankings rather than region placement. The bottom line The GHSA's new postseason ranking system shifts the emphasis from "Where did you finish in your region?" to "How strong was your entire season?" This represents a major philosophical shift, emphasizing a team's full résumé—wins, losses, and strength of schedule—rather than just regional standings. If the formula works as expected, the playoff fields should better showcase the top 32 teams in each classification, no matter their regional position. Sources: ghsa.net, Georgia High School Football Daily, AJC

August 1, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Bartow Sports Zone is featuring each of the four local high school football programs with previews of the 2026 teams. Each local head coach responded to a questionnaire. Head Coach Steve Gates Cass head football coach Steve Gates begins his seventh season at Cass. Steve Gates begins his seventh season as the head coach at Cass with a current record of 38-31. The Colonels have qualified for the state playoffs each of the last five seasons (2021-2025) with a loss in the quarterfinals in 2023, a second-round loss in 2022 and 2025, and first-round losses in ’21 and ’24. Cass was 9-3 last season and 5-1 in Region 7-AAAA. The Colonels were knocked out of the state playoffs last year by state finalist Benedictine (21-7) in Savannah. The Colonels this summer: We go four days a week in July. We stopped doing padded camps in July a few years ago, just based on depth and the possibility of guys getting injured right before the season starts. What are your expected numbers for the 2026 season? I will keep 90 players on my roster, my first few years at Cass. We stayed between 100 and 110, and that’s just too many. So I’ve reduced it to 90, and we always have a waiting list of players wanting to play. Have you added any new coaches for 2026? What are their primary responsibilities? We haven't added any new coaches. Have the position assignments/coaching roles changed for any staff members retained from last year’s staff? Not really, a few roles have changed; Coach Bryant Cullifer has taken on additional responsibilities, but most other coaches continue doing what they always do. When is your official preseason scrimmage with another school? We are playing at Calhoun on August 14 for our preseason scrimmage. As head coach at Cass, what accomplishment for the program or development within the program makes you most proud? This one is a no-brainer. In our second-round playoff loss to Benedictine, who played for the state championship, 21 of my 22 starters played in our middle school program. We have adopted the slogan #CASSBUILT because we are extremely proud and take pride in developing our own kids from our middle school program, not just taking in players from other high schools and benefiting from their prior development. In my seven years as head coach at Cass, only two transfer students have started for us. So, all the playoff appearances, including hosting a playoff game last year for the first time in school history, and the most kids playing college football of any high school in Northwest Georgia—those achievements are #CASSBUILT. Who are the Colonels to watch on offense in 2026? — Noah Rogers, sophomore, QB — Jahil Abdullah-Kortey, junior, WR/S — Jeremy Barrett, junior WR — Kalil Charles, junior, RB — Lawson Weeks, senior, OL — Sebastian Castaneda, senior, OL Who are your defensive players to watch in 2026? — Demarcus Ballenger, senior, DB — Eli Simmons, senior, LB — Xzavion Turner, senior, DB — Zach Stiles, junior, LB — Tyson Beauford, senior, DB — Logan Crisp, junior, LB Which players are competing to be your specialists? (kickoffs, punting, PAT, FG, kick returners, punt returners) — Anthony Diaz, kicker — Jeremy Barrett, kickoff returner — King Lloyd, kickoff returner — Demarcus Ballenger, punt returner What do you see as the strengths of this year’s team? We finally have some depth; we're no longer top-heavy, and we have a bunch of really talented football players. What are the primary challenges for this year’s team? Young, inexperienced players are everywhere on the field. I have no issues playing freshmen on Friday nights, so if you can play, you’ll play, no matter how old you are. Briefly, share your thoughts on the non-region portion of your schedule. On paper, there are region and non-region games, but now that the power rankings are the playoff criteria, all of that is irrelevant. The first non-region game is just as important as the games in your region schedule. Based on your knowledge of returning players, etc, which teams are your region’s top contenders for playoff berths? I don't keep up with anyone else. I’m sure some have had several move-ins, so there’s no point wasting time trying to figure that out. I just have fun with our players! What are your general expectations for 2026, and any other thoughts you would like to share? We are #CASSBUILT. 2026 schedule (Home games in CAPS) Friday, August 14 — at Calhoun (scrimmage) Friday, August 21 — at Flowery Branch Friday, August 28 — SPRAYBERRY Friday, September 4 — CREEKVIEW Friday, September 11 — at Heritage-Catoosa Friday, September 18 — at Villa Rica Friday, September 25 — at Woodland Friday, October 2 — CARTERSVILLE Friday, October 9 — open — Friday, October 16 — CEDARTOWN Friday, October 23 — at Allatoona Friday, October 30 — open — Friday, November 6 — DALTON

August 1, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Bartow Sports Zone is featuring each of the four local high school football programs with previews of the 2026 teams. Each local head coach responded to a questionnaire. Head Coach Conor Foster Cartersville head coach Conor Foster begins his eighth season leading the Canes. Conor Foster begins his eighth season as head coach at Cartersville after stints as an assistant at Carrollton and as defensive coordinator with the Hurricanes. As head coach, Foster is 83-9 with five region titles and state playoff appearances in all seven prior seasons. Cartersville was state runner-up in 2020, a semifinalist in 2022 and 2023, a quarterfinalist in 2019, 2024, and 2025, and fell in the second round in 2021. The Canes were 12-1 last season with their only loss coming at Kell (48-21) in the state quarterfinals. Cartersville had a 10-0 regular season and state playoff wins over Maynard Jackson (53-0) and Warner Robins (64-0). The Hurricanes this summer: July was dedicated to weight room training, conditioning, and on-field work. What are your expected numbers for the 2026 season? 120 Players Have you added any new coaches for 2026? What are their primary responsibilities? None Have the position assignments/coaching roles changed for any staff members retained from last year’s staff? Brent Rickman - Assistant Head Coach Dawson Mitchell - Co-Defensive Coordinator Dan Mullins - ILB / Strength Coordinator When is your official preseason scrimmage with another school? We will play McEachern at home on August 7. As head coach at Cartersville, what accomplishment for the program or development within the program makes you most proud? I am proud of how our program serves our community. We are using football as a tool to invest in the lives of our young men who will lead our community forward. Who are the Hurricanes to watch on offense in 2026? — Madoxx Davis - 5 Star / three-way player / WR-DB-KR— Tyon Coe - three-way player / RB-DB-KR / multiple D1 offers — Jorian Bailey - three-year starter on the offensive line — Carter Levstek - an offensive lineman with multiple offers Who are your defensive players to watch in 2026? — Cole Crawford - a linebacker and a Georgia Tech commit. — Grayson Warmack - a safety and a Georgia State commit. — Elijah Peeks - defensive lineman with multiple D1 offers. — Grayson Villar - defensive lineman with an offer from Samford. Which players are competing to be your specialists? (kickoffs, punting, PAT, FG, kick returners, punt returners) — Punter - Wyatt Earwood — Kicker - Jayden Navarez What do you see as the strengths of this year’s team? Our culture, continuity with the coaching staff, and our players’ willingness to work and improve. What are the primary challenges for this year’s team? We are replacing four multi-year starters on the offensive line and a three-year starter at quarterback. Briefly, share your thoughts on the non-region portion of your schedule. We have a tough non-region schedule that will present different schematic challenges and should prepare us for region play. Based on your knowledge of returning players, etc, which teams are your region’s top contenders for playoff berths? Dalton has several returning starters and a great coaching staff that is now in Year 2 together. Cass is young, but very talented. Villa Rica is always very talented, and its new staff should inject some energy into that program. What are your general expectations for 2026, and any other thoughts you would like to share? Our vision is to be a championship program in every aspect - on the field, in the classroom, and within the community. 2026 schedule (Home games in CAPS) Friday, August 7 — McEACHERN (scrimmage) Friday, August 14 — open — Friday, August 21 — at Hiram Friday, August 28 — MT. ZION-JONESBORO Friday, September 4 — at Woodstock Friday, September 11 — WEST FORSYTH Friday, September 18 — open — Friday, September 25 — VILLA RICA Friday, October 2 — at Cass Friday, October 9 — at Cedartown Friday, October 16 — ALLATOONA Friday, October 23 — open — Friday, October 30 — DALTON Friday, November 6 — at Woodland

July 31, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Bartow Sports Zone is featuring each of the four local high school football programs with previews of the 2026 teams. Each local head coach responded to a questionnaire. Adairsville Tigers' head football coach Jon Cudd Head Coach Jon Cudd Jon Cudd begins his fifth season as a head coach at Adairsville after serving as an assistant coach. His head coaching record at Adairsville is 28-16, including back-to-back region titles in 2022 and 2023. The Tigers appeared in the state playoffs in 2022-2024, falling in the second round in 2022 and the first round in the next two seasons. Adairsville was 4-6 last season and 3-3 in Region 7-AAA. The Tigers this summer: The Tigers’ summer work included 7-on-7s, SAQ, conditioning, field work, and the weight room on Monday through Thursday. What are your expected numbers for the 2026 season? We have about 85 players again this season. Have you added any new coaches for 2026? What are their primary responsibilities? No changes. Have the position assignments/coaching roles changed for any staff members retained from last year’s staff? No changes. When is your official preseason scrimmage with another school? We will host Pepperell on August 7 at 7:30 p.m. As head coach at Adairsville, what accomplishment for the program or development within the program makes you most proud? Back-to-back region titles is the easy answer, but winning games when the odds are stacked against us, and our weight room program. Those are the two that make me most proud. Who are the Tigers to watch on offense in 2026? — Braxton Elrod, QB, senior, returning starter who has gotten better in the running and passing game. — Zeke Carter, RB, junior, returning starter who has really worked hard with catching the ball out of the backfield and finishing runs. — Javian Carson, RB, junior, returning starter who has really worked hard at getting stronger and faster in the off-season. — Evan Hardin, WR, senior, returning starter who has a chance to be a go-to guy. — Torron Hale, WR, junior, has a ton of speed and toughness with big-play ability. Who are your defensive players to watch in 2026? — Jake Barszcz, LB, senior, returning starter with great closing speed and big hit ability. — Matthew Cook, LB, senior, returning starter with great instincts and ability to get us in the right call. — Hunter Gilley, DE, senior, returning starter with a high motor and ability to get off blocks and make plays. — Gatlin Fair, LB, senior, returning starter with a high motor and ability to rush the passer. — John Bailey, LB/DE, junior, can play all over the field and is a strong, explosive athlete. Which players are competing to be your specialists? (kickoffs, punting, PAT, FG, kick returners, punt returners) We have several working to become our kicker right now. Braxton Elrod would be the guy if we had to start today. What do you see as the strengths of this year’s team? Unselfishness. Hopefully, this will continue, but right now, we have a lot of guys who just want to help the team win games. What are the primary challenges for this year’s team? Depth and youth in the secondary and OL positions. Briefly, share your thoughts on the non-region portion of your schedule. We have put together a schedule that will be challenging and competitive. This should get us ready to make a push for the playoffs and beyond. Based on your knowledge of returning players, etc, which teams are your region’s top contenders for playoff berths? Calhoun returns many top-end players from last year's team and is always a tough draw. Northwest, Heritage, and Ridgeland all return really good players and will be tough outs. I'm not very familiar with Southeast, but I'm sure they will have some good players as well. What are your general expectations for 2026, and any other thoughts you would like to share? I expect this team to compete week in and out and give us a great opportunity to earn a playoff bid and possibly be a host. I expect us to make some noise this year with who we return and the way they have attacked the offseason. 2026 schedule (Home games in CAPS) Friday, August 7 — PEPPERELL (scrimmage) Friday, August 14 — open — Friday, August 21 — at Sonoraville Friday, August 28 — at Woodland Friday, September 4 — NORTH MURRAY Friday, September 11 — at Cedartown Friday, September 18 — PICKENS Friday, September 25 — open — Friday, October 2 — at Northwest Whitfield Friday, October 9 — at Heritage-Catoosa Friday, October 16 — open — Friday, October 23 — SOUTHEAST WHITFIELD Friday, October 30 — RIDGELAND Friday, November 6 — CALHOUN

July 31, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Bartow Sports Zone is featuring each of the four local high school football programs with previews of the 2026 teams. Each local head coach responded to a questionnaire. Head Coach Andy Scott Woodland head coach Andy Scott begins his third season leading the Wildcats. Andy Scott begins his 17th season as a head coach in Georgia and his third at the helm of the Wildcats. Scott was the head coach at Perry (2005-2009), Kennesaw Mountain (2012-2017), and LaFayette (2021-2023) prior to his current position. He is 61-105 as a head coach and guided three Perry teams to the state playoffs in 2005, 2006, and 2007. The 2007 team reached the state quarterfinals. Woodland was 2-8 last season with wins over Southeast Whitfield (42-3) and Cedartown (28-14). The Wildcats this summer: We start off each day in the weight room from 8 to 9 am, then head to the field for individual work, special teams, and team sessions. We did go to 7-on-7s at Georgia and Georgia Tech in June, as well as a team camp at Rockmart. For July, we went to a team camp at Creekview. The rest of July was focused on getting ready for the season. What are your expected numbers for the 2026 season? For Grades 9-12, we expect 75-85 players. Have you added any new coaches for 2026? What are their primary responsibilities? We have added a few coaches. The first one is Justin Scott, my son, who will be coaching linebackers and handling special teams for us. We added Charlie Higdon, who is not new to Woodland. He is our current strength and conditioning coach, but took a few years off from coaching and is back with us as the defensive line coach. We also added two community coaches, Cyril Young and Brayden Pope, who will help us with the defense. Have the position assignments/coaching roles changed for any staff members retained from last year’s staff? The only change is that Jamey Stiltz is now helping with the offensive line; last year, he worked with the linebackers. When is your official preseason scrimmage with another school? Friday, August 14th, at 7:30 pm vs. Osborne at home. As head coach at Woodland, what accomplishment for the program or development within the program makes you most proud? Probably the biggest thing heading into year three is the growth of our program internally. We are finally to the point where we feel like we have a chance to compete each and every Friday Night now, that was not the case the first two years. Who are the Wildcats to watch on offense in 2026? -- Solomon James, RB, junior, offered by Kennesaw State, Georgia State, and Shorter. -- Sammy Ray, QB, junior. -- Clayton McArdle, WR, senior, -- Trevor Mann, WR, sophomore. -- Cameron Quinney, OL, sophomore, -- Treshawn Brown, OL, sophomore Who are your defensive players to watch in 2026? -- Peyton Young, LB, junior. -- Zhy'aire Hearn, DB, junior Which players are competing to be your specialists? (kickoffs, punting, PAT, FG, kick returners, punt returners) -- Chad Waller, K/P, junior. -- Levi Mercer, P, sophomore What do you see as the strengths of this year’s team? Our junior class is a very talented group, as well as our sophomore class. These are kids who have been in our program from the start and are really the catalysts of our team. This group is the backbone of our program and our leadership group. What are the primary challenges for this year’s team? The biggest concern is the overall lack of depth at each position; we are working to add more players to increase depth. Briefly, share your thoughts on the non-region portion of your schedule. We tried to find competitive games that gave us a chance to earn quality wins in our power rankings. Based on your knowledge of returning players, etc, which teams are your region’s top contenders for playoff berths? Cartersville is always the frontrunner for the region title. I think Dalton will be a good team. Everyone else is competing for those other spots. What are your general expectations for 2026, and any other thoughts you would like to share? Our expectations are to have a winning season and make the playoffs for the first time since 1999. 2026 schedule (Home games in CAPS) Friday, August 14 — OSBORNE (scrimmage) Friday, August 21 — at Pope Friday, August 28 — ADAIRSVILLE Friday, September 4 — NORTH SPRINGS Friday, September 11 — open -- Friday, September 18 — at Northwest Whitfield Friday, September 25 — CASS Friday, October 2 — at Villa Rica Friday, October 9 — open -- Friday, October 16 — at Dalton Friday, October 23 — at Cedartown Friday, October 30 — ALLATOONA Friday, November 6 — CARTERSVILLE

July 27, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com MLB / MiLB MASON BARNETT — MLB Athletics; 5th-year pro; Auburn; Cartersville HS) … was recalled to the MLB Athletics on July 22 from Triple-A Las Vegas and made a 3-1/3 innings relief appearance during a 2-0 loss at the Minnesota Twins. Barnett was charged with the pitching loss after allowing two earned runs on four hits and one walk. He struck out one. The 25-year-old right-handed pitcher has appeared in 14 MLB games this season and is 1-1 with two saves. He has 23 strikeouts in 24-2/3 innings and a 4.74 ERA. The A’s started this week with a 44-62 record, trailing the Texas Rangers by 10 games in the American League West. They host the Red Sox and the Tigers this week in Sacramento. LOGAN MARTIN — Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants Double-A affiliate; 4th-year pro; Kentucky; Cartersville HS) … pitched 2-1/3 innings last Sunday with no decision in a 5-2 home win for the Flying Squirrels over the Hartford Yard Goats. Martin did not allow a run, hit, or walk, and struck out five batters. In 17 games this season (seven starts for Richmond and the Arizona Complex Giants), he has a 5-0 record with one save, and has 50 strikeouts in 44-1/3 innings with a 2.84 ERA. In the Double-A Eastern League, the 25-year-old is 2-0 in 34 innings with a 3.44 ERA and 37 strikeouts. Richmond (57-37 overall, 14-12 second-half standings) has a seven-game series against the Somerset Patriots from Tuesday through Sunday. The Squirrels have secured a post-season berth by winning the first-half standings in the Southwest Division. ANTHONY SEIGLER — Boston Red Sox (MLB; 9th-year pro; Cartersville HS) … made three home starts last week, July 22 against the Baltimore Orioles and Friday and Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays. He went 5-for-12 at the plate, including two doubles, one home run, one walk, two runs scored, and two RBI. His Friday night performance included his three extra-base hits and his first four-hit MLB game. In 102 major league at-bats this season, Seigler is slashing .265/.333/.774 with three homers, nine RBI, and two stolen bases. Boston began the week with a 54-50 record, trailing Tampa Bay by 7-1/2 games in the Eastern Division but currently holding the second of three Wild Card spots in the American League. Boston plays at the Athletics and Dodgers this week. INDEPENDENT PRO BASEBALL MICAH EARWOOD — Sussex County Miners (Frontier League; 1st year pro; Southeastern University; Cartersville HS) … pitched a scoreless sixth inning with one strikeout and collected the pitching victory on July 22 in a 7-4 home win over the Quebec Capitales. In an 18-7 home loss to Quebec on Thursday, Earwood allowed two earned runs in 1-1/3 innings and had one strikeout. He also worked a scoreless sixth inning at home on Saturday with one walk and one strikeout in a 9-3 loss to the New York Boulders. For the season, the right-hand pitcher is 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 16 innings with 18 strikeouts. Sussex County began the week with a 30-34 record, trailing the New Jersey Jackets by six games in the East Division. The Miners have four games at the Ottawa Titans on Tuesday through Thursday and host the Lake Erie Crushers for three games this weekend. PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS BOO WEEKLEY — 29-year pro; 52; Cartersville Country Club member; Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College; Jay, Florida resident — shot 67-74-70-65 (4-under par) to tie for seventh place at the ISPS Handa Senior Open hosted by The King’s Gleneagles located in Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland. Jerry Kelly won the championship by carding 66-68-68-68 (10-under par). Matt Gogel, Darren Fichardt, and Cameron Percy tied for second at 8-under par. Weekley is currently fourth in the senior Schwab Cup standings for the 2026 season, trailing only Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson, and Padraig Harrington. He is scheduled to play this weekend in the Portugal Invitational in the Algarve region.

July 22, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Bodie Brumlow / Photo: GSGA Local golfer Bodie Brumlow, 17, lost his first-round match on Wednesday at the U.S. Junior Championship, falling to Xihuan Chang (People’s Republic of China), 1-up. The 2026 USGA Junior Championship is being conducted on the Old Course at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Brumlow was one of 64 players to qualify for the match play portion of the championship and was the No. 26 seed in the bracket. Chang was seeded No. 39. Chang took a 1-up lead on the second hole on Wednesday and never trailed in the match. Brumlow tied the match on No. 3, and the match remained tied until Chang won No. 6 and No. 7 with a birdie and a par to take a 2-up advantage. Brumlow narrowed the margin to 1-up with a birdie on No. 8, but Chang won No. 10 with a par to regain a 2-up lead. Brumlow’s par on No. 14 cut the margin to one, but Chang won No. 16 with a bogey to go 2-up. Brumlow extended the match with a par win on No. 17, but Chang matched his par on No. 18 to secure a 1-up victory. Chang advanced to the Round of 32 on Thursday to face No. 7 seed Dylan Boenning of Scottsdale, Arizona. The Round of 32 and the Round of 16 will be played on Thursday. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be on Friday, and the 36-hole championship match will be played on Saturday.

July 21, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Cartersville High rising senior golfer Bodie Brumlow, 17, advanced to the match play portion of the 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship that begins on Wednesday by shooting 72-70 (142, 1-over par) in the first two rounds of stroke play. Brumlow, who has verbally committed to play golf at the University of Georgia, shot 72 on Monday at the 6,954-yard par-70 Saucon Valley Country Club (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) Grace Course and carded a 70 on Tuesday on the 7,082-yard par-71 Saucon Valley Country Club Old Course. Brumlow tied for 19th in the stroke play portion of the championship and will be one of the 64 players to begin match play on Wednesday. He will be one of the top 28 seeds in the first round of match play. Before match play begins on Wednesday, there will be a 14-player playoff for the final two spots in the match-play bracket. Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie, is one of the 14 players in the playoff. Defending champion Hamilton Coleman of Augusta failed to qualify for match play with an 8-over par total on Monday and Tuesday. Miles Russell (Jacksonville Beach, FL), Brayden Jones (Seal Beach, CA), and Sohan Patel (Weston, FL) tied for 36-hole stroke play medalist honors with 6-under par totals. They will be the top three seeds once the bracket is determined. The round of 64 will be conducted on Wednesday, with the Round of 32 and the Round of 16 held on Thursday. The Quarterfinals and Semifinals are scheduled for Friday, and the 36-hole Championship Match will be on Saturday. All of the matches will be played on the Saucon Valley Country Club Old Course. The tournament began on Monday with 264 players who qualified for the championship through exemptions (97 players) and 18-hole qualifying events (167 players) across the country. A total of 3,681 junior players entered for a shot at making the championship field. The U.S. Junior Amateur champion receives exemptions into the 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and the 2026 and 2027 U.S. Amateur Championships.

July 20, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com The Boston Red Sox carried a 9-game winning streak into the All-Star Break and kept their winning streak alive with a four-game sweep of division-leading Tampa Bay Rays this past weekend, as they continue their push for an American League playoff spot. Cartersville High product Anthony Seigler has started in 12 games during Boston's streak. Elsewhere, two other local players were part of their clubs' roster moves. Mason Barnett, who has shifted between the MLB Athletics and Triple-A, was optioned back to the Las Vegas Aviators. Logan Martin returned to the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels after a rehab assignment with the Arizona Complex League Giants. MLB / MiLB MASON BARNETT — Las Vegas Aviators (MLB Athletics Triple-A affiliate; 5th-year pro; Auburn; Cartersville HS) … the right-hand pitcher was optioned back to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators on July 15 and made a three-inning start with no decision last Saturday in an eventual 8-1 win at the Round Rock Express. Barnett retired nine of the ten batters he faced (allowed one hit) and fanned one. The 25-year-old had two saves for the MLB Athletics last month, but he also had given up nine runs in six innings since July started, taking his ERA from 1.17 to 4.64. The Aviators began the week with a 13-8 record in the second-half standings, leading the Pacific Coast League West. Las Vegas has already clinched a playoff berth by winning the first half of the division race. LOGAN MARTIN — Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants Double-A affiliate; 4th-year pro; Kentucky; Cartersville HS) … was reactivated to the Squirrels’ roster last Friday from the injured list and a rehab assignment with the Arizona Complex Giants. He entered in the third inning with two outs and made a 2-1/3 inning scoreless relief appearance last Sunday in a 10-5 home loss to the Erie SeaWolves. Martin allowed one hit and two walks with one strikeout, facing eight batters. Although the 25-year-old has faced some injury issues this season, he is 5-0 with one save in 16 appearances this season, covering 42 innings. He has 45 strikeouts and a 3.00 ERA. Richmond (11-9 second half, 54-34 overall) has already secured a post-season playoff berth by winning the first half standings of the Southwest Division. The Flying Squirrels host the Hartford Yard Goats for a six-game series this week through Sunday. ANTHONY SEIGLER — Boston Red Sox (MLB; 9th-year pro; Cartersville HS) … in three home games against the Tampa Bay Rays this past weekend, he went 3-for-12, including one walk, one double, and one RBI as the Red Sox extended their winning streak to 13 games. Since his call-up from Triple-A Worcester in late June, the 27-year-old second baseman is batting .256 in 86 official at-bats with two homers, seven RBI, and two stolen bases. Boston (50-48) started the week in third place in the American League East, trailing the Rays by six games and the Yankees by 1-1/2. The Red Sox started the week holding the final Wild Card playoff spot in the American League. INDEPENDENT PRO BASEBALL MICAH EARWOOD — Sussex County Miners (Frontier League; 1st year pro; Southeastern University; Cartersville HS) … entered in relief in the seventh inning last Friday and worked the final four outs of a 3-1 loss at the Brockton Rox. The right-hand pitcher allowed one earned run on three hits and struck out two, receiving no decision. Sussex County began the week with a 28-30 record and in third place in the East Division. The Miners host the Quebec Capitales for three games and the New York Boulders for three games on Tuesday through Sunday.

July 19, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Cartersville Little League 12U baseball lost 2-1 to Smyrna on Sunday, ending their run at the Georgia Little League state tournament in Bogart. It marked a second straight one-run loss for Cartersville, who also fell 5-4 in extra innings on Saturday to Franklin County. Smyrna scored single runs in the first two innings to lead 2-0. Cartersville scored in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Sam Evans, but couldn't close the gap. Parker Candela led the team with two hits. Jaxon Tardy and Nolan Murphy also contributed with singles. Tardy (4.1 IP, 2R, 1ER, 3H, 3BB, 4K) and Gray Womack (0.2 IP, 0R, 0H) pitched for Cartersville.

July 18, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com The Cartersville Little League 12U baseball team lost its first game at the double-elimination Georgia state tournament in Bogart on Saturday, falling 5-4 to Franklin County in extra innings. Franklin County led 2-0 entering the third inning when Cartersville 12U struck for three runs on four hits to take a 3-2 advantage. Franklin County knotted the score again in the bottom of the third with a single run, and the game remained that way until extra innings. Cartersville 12U scored in the top of the seventh for a 4-3 lead, but Franklin County tied it again in the bottom of the inning. After Cartersville was retired in order in the top of the eighth, Franklin County got a one-out single, moved the baserunner into scoring position on a strikeout and defensive indifference, and scored the walk-off run on a two-out single into centerfield. Four pitchers were utilized by Cartersville 12U in the loss. Jaxon Tardy (1.1 IP, 0R, 0H, 0BB, 4K), Sam Evans (2.1 IP, 3R, 2ER, 3H, 2BB), Josh Villarreal (3.1 IP, 2R, 0ER, 2H, 3BB, 3K), and Gray Womack (0.2 IP, 0R, 2H, 2K) worked from the mound for the locals. Everett Sutton had three hits for Cartersville 12U. Evan Blankenberger and Evans each produced two hits. Villarreal (triple, two RBI), Womack (double), and James Williams provided one hit each. Tardy added one RBI. The loss sent Cartersville 12U to the elimination bracket in the seven-team state tournament, where they will next play Smyrna on Sunday at 3 p.m. Smyrna lost 6-4 to Columbus-American on Saturday.