Athletes Beyond Bartow: Ross has two TD receptions in a Top Ten battle

September 29, 2025 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

Former Cartersville High receiver Devonte Ross had two fourth-quarter touchdown receptions Saturday night, but his Penn State team fell to Oregon in a Top Ten college football battle. At the professional level, Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars improved to 3-1, and Mason Barnett made his final start of the season for the Oakland Athletics.

NFL

Trevor Lawrence

TREVOR LAWRENCE — Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL, 5th-year pro; Clemson; Cartersville HS) …completed 21 of 31 passes for 174 yards and one touchdown Sunday in the Jags’ 26-21 road win at the San Francisco 49ers. His touchdown throw was a 4-yarder to Hunter Long in the second quarter, giving Jacksonville a 14-3 lead at the time. Lawrence also had seven rushing yards on seven attempts. The Jaguars (3-1) host the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, Oct. 6.

MLB

Mason Barnett

MASON BARNETT — Oakland Athletics (Major League Baseball; 4th-year pro; Auburn; Cartersville HS) … made a 5-⅔ innings start at home last Friday against the Kansas City Royals and received no decision. He allowed three earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out three in an eventual 4-3 A’s win. The 24-year-old was 1-1 in five starts totaling 22-⅓ innings for Oakland. He had 18 strikeouts with the MLB team and a 6.85 ERA. His year also included a 6-2 record for Triple-A Las Vegas, where he had 23 starts and 25 appearances covering 119 innings. Barnett fanned 124 in the Pacific Coast League and had a 6.13 ERA.

FOOTBALL

JOHNATHAN CLINE — East Tennessee State University (R-So., Cartersville HS) … was part of an offensive line rotation that helped produce 467 total yards, but the Buccaneers lost to visiting Mercer University 38-34 last Saturday. ETSU (2-3, 0-1 Southern Conference) visits Furman University on Saturday.

CARLOS DEL RIO-WILSON — Marshall University (R-Jr., Cartersville HS) … completed 24 of 31 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns, but the Thundering Herd lost 54-51 to visiting Louisiana this past Saturday. He also had 21 rushing attempts for 81 yards in the loss. Marshall (2-3, 0-1 Sun Belt Conference) has a bye week before playing at Old Dominion on Oct. 11.

MYLES FORRISTALL — Georgia Tech (R-So., Cartersville HS) … saw action on special teams in the Yellow Jackets’ 30-29 overtime win last Saturday at Wake Forest. Georgia Tech (5-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) has a bye week before hosting Virginia Tech on Oct. 11.

DEVIN HENDERSON — Liberty University (R-Fr., Cass HS) … made two tackles (one solo) in last Saturday’s 21-7 loss to Old Dominion. The Flames (1-4, 0-1 Conference USA) travel to El Paso, Texas, to play UTEP on Wednesday night.

KEVIN HENDERSON — University of Findlay (So., Cass HS) … had four tackles (two solo), including one tackle for a loss in a 37-7 home win over Thomas More University (KY) last Saturday. The Oilers’ linebacker was also credited with three pass breakups. NCAA D-II 25th-ranked Findlay (4-0, 2-0 Great Midwest Athletic Conference) visits Walsh University (OH) on Saturday.

SHADRE HURST — Tulane University (R-Jr., Cartersville HS) … a starter on the Green Wave’s offensive line that helped produce 437 total yards in a 31-14 win last Saturday at Tulsa. Tulane (4-1, 1-0 American Athletic Conference) hosts East Carolina University on Thursday night.

KHRISTIAN LANDO — Jacksonville State University (R-Fr., Cartersville HS) … had one carry for two yards and one kick return for 20 yards in last Saturday’s 42-25 loss at Southern Miss. The Gamecocks (2-3, 1-0 Conference USA) have a bye week before visiting Sam Houston State University on Thursday, October 9.

SAM PHILLIPS — University of Iowa (R-Jr., Cartersville HS) … made five receptions for 64 yards, including a 21-yarder in the Hawkeyes’ 20-15 home loss last Saturday to Indiana. Iowa has a bye week before traveling to Wisconsin on Oct. 11.

Devonte Ross, Penn State

DEVONTE ROSS — Penn State University (Sr., Cartersville HS) … had four catches for 48 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns in the 7th-ranked Nittany Lions’ 30-24 overtime home loss to No. 2 Oregon last Saturday night. Penn State (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten Conference) visits UCLA on Saturday.

STEPHEN ROWSER — Morehouse College (So., Cartersville HS) … made five tackles (four solo), including one tackle for loss in last Saturday’s 27-24 loss at Edward Waters University. The Maroon Tigers (0-4, 0-2 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) play Tuskegee University in Montgomery on Saturday night.

BRAXTON RYAN — Kentucky Wesleyan College (Fr., Adairsville HS) … received his first collegiate playing time this past Saturday in a 44-0 loss at Hillsdale College (MI). Wesleyan (0-4, 0-2 Great Midwest Athletic Conference) hosts Ashland University (OH) on Saturday afternoon.

SACOVIE WHITE-HELTON — University of Georgia (R-Fr., Cass HS) … made one catch for five yards in the 12th-ranked Bulldogs’ 24-21 home loss last Saturday night to 10th-ranked Alabama. Georgia (3-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) hosts Kentucky on Saturday.

IAN WILLIAMS — University of Memphis (Fr., Cass HS) … made one fourth-quarter tackle from his defensive back position last Saturday in the Tigers’ 55-26 win over Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. Memphis (5-0, 1-0 American Athletic Conference) hosts Tulsa on Saturday night.

GOLF

Andrew Lutjens, Georgia College

ANDREW LUTJENS — Georgia College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … carded rounds of 75-76-71 and tied for 30th of 81 players at the Georgia Southwestern Hurricane Invitational September 22-23. The tournament was played at the 7,024-yard, par-72 Doublegate Country Club in Albany. Lutjens had the lowest individual total for the Bobcats in an 11th-place finish. Florida Southern won the 15-team event. The next tournament for Georgia College is the Patriot Fall Classic, hosted by Lander University in Ninety-Six, South Carolina.

SOCCER

ABBEY CRAIG — Reinhardt University (Sr., Cartersville HS) … made starts and played all 180 minutes of two matches last week. She had one shot Sept. 24 in a 2-1 home loss to Columbia International University, and the Eagles earned a 2-1 win at Montreat College (NC) last Saturday. Reinhardt (3-3-2, 3-1-2 Appalachian Athletic Conference) hosts Tennessee Wesleyan on Wednesday and Columbia College (SC) on Saturday.

LIBBY MORGAN — Shorter University (Fr., Woodland HS) … started at forward and logged all 90 minutes this past Saturday in a 1-0 loss at Southern Wesleyan University (SC). The Hawks (1-5, 0-4 Conference Carolinas) host Emmanuel University on Saturday.

MACI NICKLAS — Truett McConnell University (So., Cartersville HS) … in 52 minutes of pitch time, she took two shots, including one shot on goal, Sept. 24 in a 6-1 home win over Bryan College (TN). The Bears (7-0-1, 5-0 Appalachian Athletic Conference) visit Brenau University on Wednesday night and host the University of Pikeville (KY) on Saturday.

VOLLEYBALL

AILEE ENGLAND — Berry College (So., Cartersville HS) … saw action in all nine sets of three, straight-sets home wins this past weekend over Southwestern University (TX), Millsaps College (MS), and Sewanee-University of the South (TN). England contributed one assist and one dig. The 15th-ranked Vikings (13-2, 5-1 Southern Athletic Association) host the Berry Invitational on Friday and Saturday and will face Covenant College, East Texas Baptist University, and Oglethorpe University.

MADELYN ORTON — LaGrange College (Sr, Cartersville resident, Cornerstone Prep Academy) … played in two sets and had four digs this past Saturday in a 25-18, 25-11, 25-10 straight sets win over Wesleyan College (GA) in Wilmore, Kentucky. The Panthers (5-13, 1-3 Collegiate Conference of the South) also suffered a five-set loss on Saturday to host Asbury University (KY). LaGrange plays Covenant College and Piedmont University on Saturday in Demorest.

MEREDITH ORTON — LaGrange College (Sr., Cartersville resident, Cornerstone Prep Academy) … had three kills, one block, and five digs Sept. 24 in a four-set home victory over Huntingdon College (AL). She also had two blocks in the Panthers’ loss at Asbury University. LaGrange (5-13, 1-3 Collegiate Conference of the South) faces Covenant College and hosts Piedmont University on Saturday.

CROSS COUNTRY

TYLER JONES — University of West Georgia (Jr., Woodland HS) … finished 44th of 163 runners in 28:11 as the Wolves hosted the 8K Twilight at PR’ville last Friday in Carrollton. Although his run was not part of the team score, UWG won its first meet in the school’s Division I era with five of the top ten placers in the 18-team event. West Georgia runs at USC-Upstate’s Invitational on October 16.

Danielle Thayer, Augusta University

DANIELLE THAYER — Augusta University (Jr., Woodland HS) … placed 14th (20:15) of 130 competitors last Saturday, and the Jaguars won the 15-team Bobcat Invitational in Milledgeville. Augusta had all five scoring runners in the top 15 to finish ahead of Georgia Southern and North Georgia. Augusta heads to Charlotte, North Carolina, for the Royals Challenge on October 10.