Athletes Beyond Bartow: Tracking Bartow County’s best beyond high school
October 20, 2026
Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com
Bartow County athletes continued to make their mark at the professional and collegiate levels this past week, with standout performances across football, volleyball, cross country, rifle, and soccer. Former Cartersville High standout Trevor Lawrence threw for 306 yards and four touchdowns for the Jacksonville Jaguars, while local college football players contributed tackles, interceptions, and key efforts in wins across multiple conferences.
Other highlights included Berry College volleyball player Ailee England helping the Vikings to two weekend victories, Morehead State rifle standout Lucy Evans placing seventh individually, and North Georgia goalkeeper Miguel Pineda remaining unbeaten in goal.
Here’s a look at the latest accomplishments and upcoming schedules for athletes with ties to Bartow County high schools.
NFL
TREVOR LAWRENCE — Jacksonville Jaguars (6th-yr. NFL; Clemson; Cartersville HS) . . . completed 24 of 41 pass attempts for 306 yards and four touchdowns with one interception this past Sunday in the Jags’ 34-31 loss to the Houston Texans in London. The 27-year-old quarterback also rushed for 11 yards on three attempts. He threw TD passes to Bhayshul Tuten (27 yards and 2 yards), Nate Boerkircher (1 yard), and Travis Hunter (7 yards) in the loss. Jacksonville (4-2) has a bye week before hosting the Indianapolis Colts on November 1.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
JASON BOHN — 34th-year professional; Cartersville Country Club member; Acworth resident; University of Alabama — carded rounds of 71-70-74 (1-under) and tied for 22nd place this past weekend at the SAS Championship in Cary, North Carolina.
JOE DURANT — 39th-year professional; Cartersville Country Club member; Pensacola resident; Huntingdon College — fired rounds of 72-78-74 (8-over) and tied for 57th place last weekend at the SAS Championship played at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, North Carolina.
FOOTBALL
WESTIN CRISP — Centre College (Fr., Adairsville HS) … made three tackles (two solo) in the Colonels’ 63-20 home win this past Saturday over Rhodes College (TN). Centre (2-4, 1-2 Southern Athletic Association) welcomes Sewanee-University of the South on Saturday.
J.D. DeROCHE — University of the Cumberlands (So., Cass HS) … made three tackles in the Patriots’ 38-21 win at Bethel University (TN). Cumberlands (5-2, 1-1 Mid-South Conference) hosts Cumberland University (TN) on Saturday night.
KADEN ELLIS — Appalachian State University (So., Cass HS) … the Mountaineers’ defensive lineman made one tackle last Friday in a 35-32 win at Coastal Carolina. App State (4-2, 1-1 Sun Belt Conference) welcomes undefeated James Madison University to Boone on Thursday night.
TOKYO GORDON — Sam Houston State University (R-Sr., Adairsville HS) … the Bearkats’ linebacker made five tackles October 14 in a 16-3 home loss to Western Kentucky University. SHSU (1-5, 0-2 Conference USA) hosts New Mexico State University on Wednesday night.
DEVIN HENDERSON — Appalachian State University (Jr., Cass HS) … made six tackles, broke up one pass, and intercepted a pass last Friday in a 35-32 victory at Coastal Carolina. The Mountaineers (4-2, 1-1 Sun Belt Conference) host unbeaten James Madison University on Thursday.
KEVIN HENDERSON — Appalachian State University (Jr., Cass HS) … the Mountaineers’ linebacker made two tackles last Friday in a 35-32 win at Coastal Carolina. Appalachian State (4-2, 1-1 Sun Belt Conference) hosts James Madison University on Thursday night.
BRAYLON HILL — Kentucky Wesleyan College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … the Panthers’ running back had one carry for two yards and caught one pass for a three-yard loss this past Saturday in a 42-7 loss to visiting Ohio Dominican University. Kentucky Wesleyan (0-7, 0-5 Great Midwest Athletic Conference) visits Ashland University (OH) on Saturday afternoon.
SHADRE HURST — University of Houston (5th-year, Cartersville HS) … a regular starter on the Cougars’ offensive line that helped produce 505 yards of total offense last Saturday in a 35-32 home win over 18th-ranked Oklahoma State. This Saturday, 14th-ranked Houston (6-1, 3-1 Big 12 Conference) visits Salt Lake to challenge 9th-ranked Utah in another conference showdown.
KHRISTIAN LANDO — Jacksonville State University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … rushed for three yards on two attempts October 13 in the Gamecocks’ 27-24 home win over Florida International University. Jax State (5-2, 3-0 Conference USA) travels to Las Cruces to play New Mexico State on October 28.
TRENTON MAHAFFEY — Anderson University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … a regular starter on the Trojans’ offensive line that helped produce 357 yards of total offense this past Saturday in a 37-33 home loss to Catawba College. Mahaffey also earned credit for a tackle following a Catawba interception. Anderson (4-4, 3-3 South Atlantic Conference) has a bye week and will look to snap a three-game skid at Wingate University (NC) on October 31.
BRADY MARCHESE — Auburn University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … played on special teams but did not record a stat line in the Tigers’ 27-24 win last Saturday at top-ranked Georgia. Auburn (4-2, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) hosts 18th-ranked LSU on Saturday.
ZAY NALLS — Anderson University (So., Adairsville HS) … made one tackle and had one quarterback hurry last Saturday in the Trojans’ 37-33 home loss to Catawba College. Anderson (4-4, 3-3 South Atlantic Conference) travels to Wingate University (NC) on October 31.
JAKE PARKER — Cumberland University (R-Sr., Cartersville HS) … completed 18 of 37 pass attempts for 203 yards with one interception last Saturday in a 31-14 loss at 13th-ranked Campbellsville University (KY). The Phoenix (4-3, 0-2 Mid-South Conference) will visit 24th-ranked University of the Cumberlands (KY) on Saturday night.
CHRIS ROPER — Dartmouth College (Sr., Adairsville HS) … caught one pass for 12 yards and rushed five times for eight yards last Saturday in a 27-21 home win over Merrimack College (MA). The Big Green (2-3, 1-1 Ivy League) visits Columbia University (NY) on Saturday.
STEPHEN ROWSER — Morehouse College (Jr., Cartersville HS) … made five tackles (three solo) in the Maroon Tigers’ 31-17 loss at Howard University last Saturday. Morehouse (3-5, 3-3 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) has a bye week before traveling to Columbia to take on Allen University (SC) on October 31.
BRAXTON RYAN — Kentucky Wesleyan College (So., Adairsville HS) … an offensive line starter on a unit that helped produce 116 total yards in a 42-7 loss to Ohio Dominican University last Saturday. The Panthers (0-7, 0-5 Great Midwest Conference) visit Ashland University (OH) on Saturday afternoon.
COLTON SANFORD — Centre College (Fr., Adairsville HS) … made two tackles this past Saturday in the Colonels’ 63-20 home victory over Rhodes College (TN). Centre (2-4, 1-2 Southern Athletic Association) welcomes Sewanee-University of the South (TN) on Saturday.
SACOVIE WHITE-HELTON — University of Georgia (Jr., Cass HS) … caught four passes for 37 yards and had three punt returns for seven yards in the Bulldogs’ 27-24 home loss to Auburn. Georgia (6-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) dropped from No. 1 to No. 5 in the A.P. poll this week. The Bulldogs will play Florida in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on October 31.
IAN WILLIAMS — University of Arkansas (So., Cass HS) … made two tackles and forced one fumble this past Saturday in the Razorbacks’ 31-21 win at Vanderbilt. Arkansas (3-4, 1-3 Southeastern Conference) has a bye week before hosting Missouri on October 31.
VOLLEYBALL
AILEE ENGLAND — Berry College (Jr., Cartersville HS) … saw action in all 13 sets this past weekend in Danville, Kentucky, as the Vikings won five-set matches against Southwestern University (TX) and Trinity University (TX), but lost to host Centre College in three sets. England contributed six aces, four digs, and one kill in the three matches. Berry (17-4, 10-2 Southern Athletic Association) plays Maryville College (TN) on Saturday in Sewanee, Tennessee, and Sewanee-University of the South on Sunday.
CROSS COUNTRY
ADDISON BROWN — Truett-McConnell University (Fr., Woodland HS) … finished 53rd individually (27:30) as the Bears finished 7th of 11 teams last Friday at the 6K Maryville College Invitational in Knoxville. Next, TMU will compete in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Championships in Knoxville on November 6.
TYLER JONES — University of West Georgia (Sr., Woodland HS) … finished 184th (27:08) of 344 runners this past Saturday at the 8K USC-Upstate Invitational. UWG placed 14th of 37 teams. Charleston Southern won the meet, followed by Duke and Furman. The United Athletic Conference Championships are October 30 in Richmond, Kentucky.
WILL PARKER — Truett-McConnell University (So., Woodland HS) … placed 66th (29:29) of 136 runners, and the Bears finished 4th of 12 teams last Friday in Knoxville at the Fighting Scots Invitational. TMU returns to Knoxville for the Appalachian Athletic Conference Championships on November 6.
RIFLE
LUCY EVANS — Morehead State University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … finished 7th individually and second for her team this past Saturday in a 4712-4660 home loss to Murray State University. Evans was 6th in air rifle and 11th in smallbore among 16 shooters. The Eagles (3-1) host the University of Tennessee-Martin on Friday and Saturday.
SOCCER
BRIONNA CARVER — Johnson University (Fr., Woodland HS) … the Royals’ outside back took two shots on goal in 40 minutes last Wednesday in a 4-1 home loss to Reinhardt University. Johnson (3-12, 0-9 Appalachian Athletic Conference) hosts Bryan College (TN) on Wednesday and travels to Columbia College (SC) on Saturday.
HUNTER LIMBAUGH — LaGrange College (Fr., Woodland HS) … made a start, logged 48 minutes, and took one shot this past Saturday in a 2-0 home loss to Covenant College (GA). LaGrange (6-7-1, 1-2-1 (Collegiate Conference of the South) visits Oglethorpe University on Thursday and Piedmont University on Saturday.
ELIZABETH MORGAN — Thomas University (So., Woodland HS) … logged 45 minutes and assisted on one goal in the Nighthawks’ 17-0 home win over Abraham Baldwin last Thursday. She then saw 20 minutes on the pitch and took one shot in a 5-1 home win over Wesleyan College this past Saturday. Thomas (8-4-2, 6-3-1 Southern States Athletic Conference) has won five straight, heads to Point University (GA) on Thursday, and hosts Andrew College on Saturday afternoon.
MIGUEL PINEDA — University of North Georgia (Fr., Woodland HS) … made two starts in net last week as the Nighthawks edged Clayton State University 2-1 at home and won 1-0 at Georgia Southwestern University. Pineda (4-0-2 in goal) faced 22 shots in the two games and totaled seven saves. UNG (9-2-5, 5-2-4 in the Peach Belt Conference) is receiving votes in the NCAA Division II coaches poll and will visit Middle Georgia State University on Wednesday before hosting Rollins College (FL) on Saturday. The PBC conference tournament begins October 31.
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