Athletes Beyond Bartow: Lawrence shines, Weekley advances to PGA Champions final event
November 2, 2026
Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com
The latest edition of Bartow County’s Athletes Beyond Bartow checks in on local athletes competing at the professional, collegiate, and university levels nationwide. Trevor Lawrence continues to put up big numbers in the NFL, while Boo Weekley advances to the final event of the PGA Tour Champions season. College football, cross country, volleyball, rifle, soccer, and wrestling also provide plenty of local connections, with several athletes making their mark in recent competition and others preparing for important matchups and postseason opportunities.
NFL
TREVOR LAWRENCE — Jacksonville Jaguars (6th-yr. NFL; Clemson; Cartersville HS) … completed 10 of 14 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns in the Jaguars’ 42-7 home win on Sunday over the Indianapolis Colts. He added three rushing attempts for 10 yards. Jacksonville (5-2) plays at the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
BOO WEEKLEY — 29th-year professional; 53; Cartersville Country Club member; Jay, Florida resident — shot 8-under (69-70-69) and tied for 21st at the Simmons Bank Championship this past weekend at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock, Arkansas. He advanced to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Phoenix Country Club on November 12-15. He will begin the final playoff event in seventh place in the points standings.
KORN FERRY TOUR Q-SCHOOL
CHANC WILLIS — Age 24; Reinhardt University; Cartersville HS — shot 76-80-81-74 at First Stage qualifying held at Sand Creek Station Golf Club in Newton, Kansas, Oct. 27-29. He failed to qualify for the second stage.
FOOTBALL
CARLOS DEL RIO-WILSON — Marshall University (R-Sr., Cartersville HS) … completed 3 of 9 passes for 66 yards and rushed six times for six yards this past Saturday as the Thundering Herd beat visiting Old Dominion University 36-23. Marshall (5-3, 2-2 Sun Belt Conference) visits Georgia Southern University on Saturday afternoon.
J.D. DeROCHE — University of the Cumberlands (So., Cass HS) … credited with six tackles (three solo), including one tackle for a two-yard loss and two quarterback hurries from his inside linebacker position as the Patriots won 26-25 at Georgetown College (KY) this past Saturday. Cumberlands (6-3, 2-2 Mid-South Conference) hosts 11th-ranked Lindsey Wilson University (KY) on November 14.
KADEN ELLIS — Appalachian State University (So., Cass HS) … the Mountaineers’ defensive lineman had one tackle this past Saturday in a 19-3 loss at Georgia Southern University. App State (5-3, 2-2 Sun Belt Conference) welcomes Georgia State on Saturday.
TOKYO GORDON — Sam Houston State University (Sr., Adairsville HS) … the Bearkats’ linebacker made two tackles on October 27 in a 24-3 loss at Missouri State University. SHSU (1-7, 0-4 Conference USA) visits Jacksonville State University (AL) on Saturday night.
DEVIN HENDERSON — Appalachian State University (Jr., Cass HS) … made four tackles this past Saturday in the Mountaineers’ 19-3 loss at Georgia Southern University. App State (5-3, 2-2 Sun Belt Conference) hosts Georgia State University on Saturday.
KEVIN HENDERSON — Appalachian State University (Jr., Cass HS) … made one tackle from his linebacker position this past Saturday in the Mountaineers’ 19-3 loss at Georgia Southern. Appalachian State (5-3, 2-2 Sun Belt Conference) entertains Georgia State University on Saturday.
BRAYLON HILL — Kentucky Wesleyan College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … saw action at running back but did not have a stat line in the Panthers’ 52-21 home loss to Hillsdale College (MI) this past Saturday. Wesleyan (0-9, 0-7 Great Midwest Athletic Conference) travels to North Canton, Ohio, on Saturday to play at Walsh University.
MALACHI JEFFRIES — University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (Sr., Cartersville HS) … saw action this past Saturday, but did not have a stat line in the Mocs’ 24-10 home win over Virginia Military Institute. Chattanooga (6-3, 5-1 Southern Conference) hosts Mercer University on Saturday.
BRAXTON KITCHENS — Georgia State University (So., Cartersville HS) … a long snapper for the Panthers this past Saturday in their 31-20 home loss to Coastal Carolina University. Georgia State (4-4, 1-3 Sun Belt Conference) travels to Appalachian State on Saturday afternoon.
KHRISTIAN LANDO — Jacksonville State University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … rushed for 25 yards on 10 carries and caught one pass for 10 yards on October 28 during the Gamecocks’ 24-0 win at New Mexico State. JSU (6-2, 4-0 Conference USA) welcomes Sam Houston State on Saturday night.
TRENTON MAHAFFEY — Anderson University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … a starter on the Trojans’ offensive line that helped produce 151 yards of total offense this past Saturday in a 35-14 loss at Wingate University (NC). Anderson (4-5, 3-4 South Atlantic Conference) hosts Mars Hill University (NC) on Saturday afternoon.
BRADY MARCHESE — Auburn University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … saw action this past Saturday at Ole Miss, but did not record a stat line in the Tigers’ 45-15 loss. Auburn (4-4, 2-4 Southeastern Conference) hosts Arkansas on Saturday.
CHRIS ROPER — Dartmouth College (Sr., Adairsville HS) … had two carries for 12 yards last Friday in the Big Green’s 24-14 home win over 13th-ranked Harvard. Dartmouth (4-3, 2-1 Ivy League) plays at Princeton on Saturday.
STEPHEN ROWSER — Morehouse College (Jr., Cartersville HS) … saw action without recording a stat line last Saturday in a 26-23 loss at Allen University (SC). The Maroon Tigers (3-6, 2-4 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) close out the regular season on Saturday at Kentucky State University.
BRAXTON RYAN — Kentucky Wesleyan College (So., Adairsville HS) … a starter on the Panthers’ offensive line last Saturday, helping generate 162 yards of total offense in a 52-21 home loss to Hillsdale College (MI). Wesleyan (0-9, 0-7 Great Midwest Athletic Conference) travels to North Canton, Ohio, on Saturday to play at Walsh University.
CHASE TATUM — Kennesaw State University (Fr., Cass HS) … saw playing time with no stat line in the Owls’ 44-28 win October 28 at Middle Tennessee. Kennesaw State (2-6, 1-3 Conference USA) hosts Delaware on Saturday afternoon.
SACOVIE WHITE-HELTON — University of Georgia (Jr., Cass HS) … was not targeted as a receiver, but returned two punts for 28 yards this past Saturday in the Bulldogs’ 27-8 win over Florida in Atlanta. Georgia (7-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference), ranked No. 2 in the current A.P. poll, plays at 12th-ranked Ole Miss on Saturday night.
IAN WILLIAMS — University of Arkansas (So., Cass HS) … saw action but did not record a stat line this past Saturday in the Razorbacks’ 34-10 home loss to 23rd-ranked Missouri. Arkansas (3-5, 1-4 Southeastern Conference) visits Auburn on Saturday afternoon.
CROSS COUNTRY
TYLER JONES — University of West Georgia (Sr., Woodland HS) … finished 53rd (27:43) individually as the Wolves finished seventh at the 8K United Athletic Conference Championship last Friday in Richmond, Kentucky.
VOLLEYBALL
AILEE ENGLAND — Berry College (Jr., Cartersville HS) … saw action in seven sets as the Vikings defeated Millsaps College 3-0 last Saturday and Rhodes College 3-2 on Sunday in Memphis. She had one service ace and one dig. Berry (21-4, 14-2 Southern Athletic Association) plays Washington and Lee University and Emory University on Friday in Atlanta, then hosts Huntingdon College on Saturday afternoon.
RIFLE
LUCY EVANS — Morehead State University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … finished sixth overall and third on her team as the Eagles edged visiting Jacksonville State University last Saturday, 4690-4687. Evans was ninth in smallbore and third in air rifle with an aggregate 1169 and 70 centers. Morehead State (6-1) shoots at the University of Memphis on Saturday and will face UT Martin and Murray State University on Sunday in Murray, Kentucky.
SOCCER
BRIONNA CARVER — Johnson University (Fr., Woodland HS) … totaled 72 minutes of pitch time in a road loss at Truett McConnell on October 28 and a home loss to Montreat College (NC) this past Saturday. The Royals finished the season 4-13-1 overall and 1-10-1 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference.
LIBBY MORGAN — Thomas University (So., Woodland HS) … totaled 117 minutes off the Nighthawks’ bench in a 4-1 loss on October 27 at Xavier University (LA) and a 1-0 loss last Friday at Tennessee Southern in the first round of the Southern States Athletic Conference Championship Tournament. Thomas finished 9-6-3 overall and went 7-4-2 in the conference.
MACI NICKLAS — Truett McConnell University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … logged 10 minutes off the Bears’ bench in an 8-0 home win on October 28 over Johnson University (TN). TMU (15-1-1, 12-0 Appalachian Athletic Conference) hosts Columbia International University on Tuesday in the AAC Championship Tournament. The Bears are the tournament’s top seed and would host a semifinal on Saturday with a Tuesday victory.
WRESTLING
LEE CAMP — Reinhardt University (So., Cass HS) … went 5-3 and placed sixth this past weekend in the 133-pound bracket of the University of the Cumberlands (KY) Patriot Open. The Eagles visit the University of North Georgia on November 10.
DAVID COON — Reinhardt University (Fr., Adairsville HS) … went 0-2 in his 174-pound bouts this past Saturday at the University of the Cumberlands (KY) Patriot Open. The Eagles visit the University of North Georgia on November 10.
CHAMP HIGDON — Ferrum College (Sr., Woodland HS) … finished 2-2 in his 197-pound bouts at the Glenville State Pioneer Open on Sunday. The Panthers wrestle at the James Madison University Invitational on Saturday.
OWEN JONES — Truett McConnell University (Fr., Woodland HS) … went 2-1 in three dual meets last Friday. He lost to opponents from Life University and Andrew College (GA), but pinned his New College (FL) opponent. The Bears went 2-1 with a loss to Life. TMU hosts the University of Montevallo (AL) on Friday night.
TYLER-XAVIER McKNIGHT — Davidson College (Sr., Cass HS) … went 4-1 and placed fifth in the 157-pound bracket on Sunday at the Southeast Open in Salem, Virginia. The Wildcats head to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for the Journeymen Classic on Sunday.
LIAM NEAL — Reinhardt University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … went 0-2 this past Saturday in the 141-pound bracket of the University of the Cumberlands (KY) Patriot Open. The Eagles visit the University of North Georgia on November 10.
KRIECG ROE — Lindsey Wilson College (So., Cass HS) … finished 1-2 this past Saturday in the 174-pound division of the University of the Cumberlands (KY) Patriot Open. The Blue Raiders will wrestle in the Emmanuel University Georgia Open on Sunday.
HAYDEN SANTORA — Reinhardt University (Jr., Woodland HS) … went 0-1 this past Saturday in the 157-pound division of the University of the Cumberlands (KY) Patriot Open. The Eagles visit the University of North Georgia on November 10.
JAXON SMITH — Ohio State University (R-Sr., Woodland HS) … finished 2-1, falling in the finals of the Clarion Open in Pennsylvania this past Sunday. He lost 4-2 to Utah Valley's Marcus Espinoza-Owens in the championship bout. The Buckeyes return to action on November 15 to host Columbia University.
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