Elite Athletes of the Week
Elite Stone Supply, in conjunction with WBHF and Bartow Sports Zone, presents the ELITE ATHLETES OF THE WEEK. Each week, all five local schools will name an Elite Athlete of the Week and present the information on their honoree through Bartow Sports Zone and on 100.3FM and AM1450, WBHF in Cartersville.
Recipients for the week ending September 17, 2016:
Derrick Maxwell, Cass High School
Rachel Parrott, Excel Christian Academy
Wesley Thacker, Adairsville High School Madilyn Tuplin, Woodland High School
Merritt Vance, Cartersville High School
Derrick “Hammer” Maxwell is the Cass High School Elite Athlete of the Week.
Maxwell, the son of Shawana and Derrick Maxwell, is a senior running back that has been part of the Colonels’ football program for four years.
Maxwell’s physical toughness and leadership by example were on display this past Friday night at Doug Cochran Stadium where he carried the ball 30 times for 168 yards and both Cass touchdowns in a hard fought 14-12 Region 7-AAAAA homecoming victory over Hiram.
Rachel Parrott is the Excel Christian Academy Elite Athlete of the Week.
Parrott, a junior at Excel, is the daughter of Dwayne and Louise Parrott. She has attended ECA since kindergarten. She has played softball since 3rd grade, and has a passion for the game, which shows in her daily approach to games and practices.
Parrott is a three year letter winner at catcher who also plays the corner infield positions. She has been a key member of Lady Eagles’ teams that have qualified for the state playoffs each of the past two years.
In the midst of an outstanding season, Parrott is one of the region and county leaders in several statistical categories. She is tied for first in the region in homeruns, second in the region in RBIs, and second in the region in fielding percentage. She currently has a .436 batting average for the season.
Excel softball coach, Micahel Adcock, nominated Parrott because of her work ethic and leadership qualities.
Parrott is an active member of the FCA and serves as a mentor to students in the middle school.
Rachel attends The Church at Liberty Square, where she is an active participant in the children’s ministry and Vacation Bible School.
She enjoys playing with her teammates, several of whom she has played with since middle school, where they won their league championship.
Her future plans include attending college to play softball and she plans to major in psychology.
Wesley Thacker is the Elite Athlete of the Week for Adairsville High School.
Thacker is a junior linebacker for the Tigers’ football team. He is the son of Wesley and Jacki Thacker.
Thacker led the Tigers’ defense in their 48-34 victory over Ringgold. He was the team’s top tackler, recording nine solo tackles, two assists, and one pass break up.
Madilyn Tuplin is the Elite Athlete of the Week for Woodland High School.
Tuplin is a senior middle hitter and blocker for the Lady Cats’ volleyball team.
The daughter of Glen and Pamela Tuplin, Madilyn is the team captain leading her squad in four statistical categories — including kills, receiving percentage, blocks, and serve percentage.
Tuplin is an honor student and is a Woodland Scholar Athlete.
Cartersville High School’s Elite Athlete of the Week is Merritt Vance.
Vance, a junior, is a member of the Canes’ varsity competition cheerleading squad, varsity football cheerleading squad, and varsity soccer team.
Breanna Betts, Cartersville High School cheerleading coach, praised Vance’s efforts.
“Merritt is an outstanding cheerleader with a sense of contagious confidence both on and off the mat,” said Betts. “Her continuous, positive attitude always spreads throughout our team.”
Vance, the daughter of Kyle and Alexis Vance, carries a 3.6 grade point average.
Editors Note: Photos and bios are supplied to Bartow Sports Zone and WBHF by the respective schools and their athletic departments.
