Athletes Beyond Bartow: Locals help earn Reinhardt football's conference title
- Nov 16, 2021
- 5 min read
Reinhardt football captured its sixth consecutive Mid-South Conference championship this season. Three former Bartow County players have helped the Eagles to half of those titles.
That trio is juniors Terry Berdin, Bryce Burgess and Bryce Wilkins. Burgess starred at Adairsville High, while Berdin and Wilkins hail from Cartersville High.
Berdin helped propel Reinhardt to its most recent win — a 49-15 victory Saturday at Kentucky Christian. Despite the lopsided final score, the Eagles didn't score in the first half and didn't take the lead until Berdin's touchdown run in the third quarter.
Elsewhere, former Tigers basketball standout Nakiyah Washington made up for lost time with a big week. After missing Piedmont's first two games of the season for undisclosed reasons, the junior totaled 35 points and 13 rebounds in her first two games.
PRO FOOTBALL
Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars; Cartersville) — Lawrence finished 16-for-35 passing for 162 yards in a 23-17 loss Sunday at Indianapolis. The former Clemson standout didn't throw a touchdown pass or interception. He fumbled twice, losing one, but did pick up 33 yards on the ground — the second-most of his young career.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL DiAnthony Heathcock (Columbia International So., Woodland) — Heathcock started each of CIU's three games this past week, as the Rams went 1-2 overall but 0-2 in Appalachian Athletic Conference play. He opened the week with a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double on 6-of-6 shooting in an 86-61 win last Tuesday over Allen. Heathcock added four blocks in the victory. In AAC losses to Bluefield (76-74 Thursday) and Bryan (79-67 Saturday), the former Wildcat totaled 13 points and 15 rebounds. T.J. Horton (Georgia Highlands Fr., Cartersville) — Horton started and played all 40 minutes of an 83-65 win over New Rock Prep Thursday at home. He finished with seven points, three rebounds and three steals. Jaylon Pugh (Furman Sr., Cartersville) — Pugh saw action in two out of Furman's first three games of the season, scoring three points with two rebounds in 15 combined minutes of action. The Paladins opened the year with a 118-66 rout of North Greenville last Tuesday. Furman followed that up with a pair of overtime games — an 80-72 win Friday over Louisville and a 95-89 loss Monday to Belmont. Josie Summerville (North Park Sr., Adairsville) — Summerville started and played 13 minutes in a 68-61 loss Saturday at Otterbein. She finished with four points and three rebounds. Summerville did not feature in a 75-66 win over Maryville (Tennessee) the following day. Nakiyah Washington (Piedmont Jr., Adairsville) — Washington helped lead Piedmont to a pair of wins in the USA South East-West Classic over the weekend in Demorest. The former DTN player of the year contributed 15 points and five rebounds in an 85-65 win Friday over Averett. She made her first start of the season the next day against N.C. Wesleyan. Washington produced 20 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in just 27 minutes of action in a 66-57 triumph.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Terry Berdin (Reinhardt Jr., Cartersville) — Berdin touched the ball just once but certainly made the most out of it, with a 21-yard touchdown run in a 49-15 win over Kentucky Christian to close out the regular season Saturday. The score, which gave Reinhardt the lead for good at 14-9, extended Berdin's touchdown streak to three weeks.
Chris Blackston (West Georgia Sr., Adairsville) — Listed as a starting linebacker, Blackston managed three tackles, including two solo, in a 44-6 win over Delta State Saturday at home. No. 5 seed West Georgia (8-2) opens the Super Region 2 playoffs with a trip this Saturday to fourth-seeded Albany State (9-1). The winner will face top-seeded Valdosta State, which received a first-round bye.
Bryce Burgess (Reinhardt Jr., Adairsville) — Burgess saw time but didn't record any stats, as the Eagles wrapped up their sixth straight Mid-South Conference championship.
Trey Creamer (Charlotte R-Sr., Cartersville) — Creamer finished with two tackles (one solo) in Charlotte's 42-32 loss Saturday at Louisiana Tech.
Jonathan Cruz (Charlotte Sr., Cartersville) — Cruz did his part in the 49ers' defeat, making all three of his extra-point attempts, drilling his only field goal and booting two of his five kickoffs for touchbacks.
Jordan Ferguson (Middle Tennessee State R-Jr., Cartersville) — Ferguson collected three tackles (two solo) and added a pair of QB hits in a 50-10 thrashing of Florida International Saturday at home.
Manny Jones (Colorado State Grad Student, Woodland) — A starting defensive lineman, Jones was credited with eight assisted tackles to go along with one solo stop in a 35-21 loss to Air Force Saturday at home.
La'Kwayme Jupiter (N.C. Wesleyan Fr., Cartersville) — Jupiter landed on the participation report but didn't record any stats during a 38-7 loss Saturday at Methodist.
Bradley Kirk (Shorter Sr., Cartersville) — Kirk recorded a tackle and forced a fumble in a 56-0 loss Saturday at North Greenville. With the loss, Shorter finished the year 3-8 overall and 0-7 in Gulf South Conference play.
Jacob Potter (Kennesaw State Sr., Adairsville) — Potter played his long snapper role during KSU's 28-24 win Saturday at North Alabama.
John Scifers (Incarnate Word Grad Student, Woodland) — Scifers kicked off five times, totaling three touchbacks, in a 27-23 victory Saturday at Nicholls State.
Evan Slocum (Wake Forest Fr., Cartersville) — Slocum posted three tackles and a pass breakup in a thrilling 45-42 win versus N.C. State Saturday at home.
Matthew Surrett (Olivet Nazarene So., Cartersville) — ONU's starting center and his offensive teammates only produced 185 yards but still managed to grind out a 14-7 win over Roosevelt Saturday at home.
Brandon Wade (West Florida R-So., Cartersville) — Wade saw time on the field but didn't record any stats during a 61-42 win against Valdosta State Saturday at home. West Florida, which won the GSC title, earned the No. 3 seed for the Super Region 2 playoffs and will host Newberry this coming Saturday.
Bryce Wilkins (Reinhardt Jr., Cartersville) — Wilkins and the Reinhardt offensive line paved the way for 247 offensive yards, as the Eagles outscored the Knights 49-6 in the second half.
SWIMMING
Grayson Breedlove (Lenoir-Rhyne So., Cartersville) — Breedlove finished seventh in each of the 50- and 200-yard freestyle events, while also competing on the Bears' B-team in the 200-yard medley relay, in the Catawba tri-meet Saturday in Salisbury, North Carolina.
Harper Powell (Florida Tech Fr., Adairsville) — Powell helped Florida Tech's A-team win the 200-yard freestyle relay in a home duel Saturday versus University of Tampa. The former Tiger also competed in the 50-yard freestyle (1st on team, 4th overall) and 100-yard backstroke (2nd on team, 6th overall).
WRESTLING Caden McCrary (North Carolina Fr., Woodland) — Competing as an unattached wrestler, McCrary went 1-1 in the Wolfpack Wrestling Club Open Sunday in Cary, North Carolina. The four-time state champion opened with a 3-1 victory in the 141-pound division before falling by an 8-5 decision in the round of 16.
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