Athletes Beyond Bartow: Updates on local athletes across the country

October 5, 2026

Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

Local athletes continued to make their mark at the professional and collegiate levels this past weekend, with former Bartow County standouts competing across the country in football, golf, rifle, cross country, volleyball, and soccer. Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and PGA TOUR Champions veterans Joe Durant and Boo Weekley highlighted the professional ranks, while athletes from Cartersville, Cass, Woodland, and Adairsville competed in college.

NFL

TREVOR LAWRENCE — Jacksonville Jaguars (6th-yr. NFL; Clemson; Cartersville HS) . . . completed 18 of 23 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown on Sunday in a 22-17 road win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He connected with Brian Thomas for a 7-yard touchdown in the second quarter, giving the Jags a 13-3 halftime lead. Jacksonville (3-1) plays the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

JOE DURANT — 40-year pro; Cartersville Country Club member; Pensacola Beach resident; Huntingdon College … carded rounds of 70-70-69 (1-under) and tied for 36th this past weekend at the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Durant is currently 79th in the season-long Schwab Cup points race. The top 72 players qualify for the PGATour Champions playoffs that begin October 23-25 in St. Louis. Two regular-season events remain, including the Constellation Furyk & Friends in Palm Coast, Florida this weekend.

BOO WEEKLEY — 29-year pro; 52; Cartersville Country Club member; Jay, Florida resident; Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College … shot 70-69-66 (5-under) and tied for 17th last weekend at the Jefferson Valley Classic. Weekley enters this week ranked No. 6 in the season-long Schwab Cup points race.

FOOTBALL

CAM COLLINS — Shorter University (Fr., Woodland HS) … saw playing time but did not have a stat line this past Saturday night in a 23-0 loss at Delta State University (MS). The Hawks (2-3, 1-1 Conference Carolinas) host Ferrum College (VA) on Saturday afternoon.

WESTIN CRISP — Centre College (Fr., Adairsville HS) … saw his first collegiate playing time on September 26 in a home 45-0 win over Bridgewater (VA). The Colonels (1-3, 0-1 Southern Athletic Association) visit Millsaps College (MS) on Saturday afternoon.

CARLOS DEL RIO-WILSON — Marshall University (R-Sr., Cartersville HS) … completed 21 of 37 pass attempts for 221 yards and one touchdown with one interception last Saturday in a 45-17 home loss to James Madison University. He also gained 15 net yards on seven rushes. The Thundering Herd (3-2, 0-1 Sun Belt Conference) host Coastal Carolina on Saturday night.

BRAYLON HILL — Kentucky Wesleyan College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … had two rushing attempts for six yards and two receptions for three yards this past Saturday in a 59-14 loss at Northwood University (MI). The Panthers (0-5, 0-3 Great Midwest Athletic Conference) host Lake Erie College (OH) on Saturday.

SHADRE HURST — University of Houston (Fifth Yr., Cartersville HS) … a starter on the Cougars’ offensive line that helped produce 393 total yards in a 27-17 home win over UCF. Houston (4-1, 1-1 Big 12 Conference) visits Kansas State on Saturday afternoon.

BRAXTON KITCHENS — Georgia State University (So., Cartersville HS) … the Panthers’ starting long snapper for PATs, field goals, and punts was part of a 42-10 win last Saturday afternoon over visiting Old Dominion University. GSU (4-1, 1-0 Sun Belt Conference) plays at James Madison University on Saturday.

TRENTON MAHAFFEY — Anderson University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … a starting offensive lineman in the Trojans’ 23-20 home loss to Emory & Henry University (VA) this past Saturday. The Trojans generated 292 total yards. Anderson (4-2, 3-1 South Atlantic Conference) visits Carson-Newman University (TN) on Saturday afternoon.

BRADY MARCHESE — Auburn University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … saw action but was not targeted for a pass in the Tigers’ 24-14 loss on Saturday afternoon at Tennessee. Auburn (3-2, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) has a bye week before playing at Georgia on October 17.

ZAY NALLS — Anderson University (So., Adairsville HS) … made one tackle and broke up one pass in last Saturday’s 23-20 home loss to Emory & Henry University (VA). The Trojans (4-2, 3-1 South Atlantic Conference) play at Carson-Newman University (TN) on Saturday.

JAKE PARKER — Cumberland University (R-Sr., Cartersville HS) … completed 13 of 20 pass attempts for 162 yards and one touchdown, and rushed 17 times for 52 yards and another touchdown this past Saturday, but the Phoenix lost 21-19 at home to 24th-ranked Georgetown College (KY). Cumberland (3-2, 0-1 Mid-South Conference) visits Andrew College (GA) on Saturday afternoon.

CHRIS ROPER — Dartmouth College (Sr., Adairsville HS) … carried three times for 20 yards and caught one pass for 13 yards this past Saturday in the Big Green’s 14-10 home win over Penn. Dartmouth (1-2, 1-0 Ivy League) visits Yale on Saturday afternoon.

STEPHEN ROWSER — Morehouse College (Jr., Cartersville HS) … made three tackles this past Saturday in the Maroon Tigers’ 30-28 win over Tuskegee University in Montgomery. Morehouse (2-4) welcomes Savannah State University for Homecoming on Saturday afternoon.

BRAXTON RYAN — Kentucky Wesleyan College (So., Adairsville HS) … a starting offensive lineman for the Panthers, who produced 204 total yards in a 59-14 road loss to 14th-ranked Northwood University (MI). Wesleyan entertains Lake Erie College (OH) on Saturday.

LUKE SURRETT — University of Richmond (Jr., Cartersville HS) … the Spiders’ starting offensive lineman was part of a unit that helped produce 468 total yards Saturday in a 40-31 Patriot League victory at Lafayette College (PA). Richmond (5-1, 3-0) visits Fordham University on Saturday afternoon.

MALACHI TOLIVER — University of Georgia (Jr., Cartersville HS) … saw action on the Bulldogs’ offensive line that helped produce 471 total yards in a 38-14 home victory over Vanderbilt. Georgia (5-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) visits Alabama on Saturday night.

SACOVIE WHITE-HELTON — University of Georgia (Jr., Cass HS) … saw action at wide receiver and was targeted once without a reception in the Bulldogs’ 38-14 home win over Vanderbilt on Saturday. Georgia (5-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) travels to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama on Saturday night.

IAN WILLIAMS — University of Arkansas (So., Cass HS) … saw action at defensive back, but did not have a stat line in the Razorbacks’ 34-7 loss at Texas A&M. Arkansas (2-3, 0-2 Southeastern Conference) welcomes 15th-ranked Tennessee on Saturday afternoon.

GOLF

BRODY TIDWELL — Appalachian State University (Sr., Cartersville HS) … shot 1-under par with rounds of 72-70-73 and tied for 16th individually to lead the Mountaineers in a 17th-place finish at the University of Wisconsin Invitational. Southern Miss won the 19-team tournament, followed by South Dakota State and Western Kentucky. Appalachian State plays in the West Bay Resort Collegiate Invitational on Monday and Tuesday (Oct. 5-6) in Estero, Florida.

GRIFFIN WOODALL — Toccoa Falls College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … shot 74-76, finished third individually, and was team medalist for the Screaming Eagles on September 28-29 as Toccoa Falls won the National Christian College Athletic Association’s South Region at Cateechee Golf Club in Hartwell. Up next for TFC is the Alice Lloyd College Invitational in Pippa Passes, Kentucky, on October 26-27.

RIFLE

LUCY EVANS — Morehead State University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … placed 10th individually with 1147 points, including 54 centers on Saturday as the Eagles defeated Mount Aloysius College (PA) 4669 to 4591. It was Evans’ first official college competition. She was fifth in air rifle and 11th in smallbore. On Sunday, Morehead State defeated Mount Aloysius 4689-4592 with Evans ninth overall and fourth in the individual air rifle standings. The Eagles (2-0) shoot at Jacksonville State University on Saturday morning.

CROSS COUNTRY

ADDISON BROWN — Truett McConnell University (Fr., Woodland HS) … finished 172nd (28:12) at the Louisville Cross Country Classic Blue Division 6K this past Saturday at Tom Sawyer Park. The Bears did not complete a team score in the 25-team division, which Detroit Mercy University won. TMU runs in Atlanta on Saturday at the Clark Atlanta Challenge.

WILL PARKER — Truett McConnell University (So., Woodland HS) … finished 217th (31:25) at the Louisville Cross Country Classic Silver Division 8K this past Saturday at Tom Sawyer Park. The Bears had five scoring runs in the top 112 and placed 10th as a team in the 31-team race, won by Mercyhurst College (PA). The Bears run in the Clark Atlanta Challenge on Saturday.

VOLLEYBALL

AILEE ENGLAND — Berry College (Jr., Cartersville HS) … saw court time in 11 sets this past Friday and Saturday as the Vikings beat visiting Sewanee-University of the South (TN) and Maryville College (TN) but lost a five-setter to 14th-ranked Centre College (KY). England totaled seven kills, six digs, three aces, and one assist in the three conference matches. Berry (12-3, 5-1 Southern Athletic Association) is ranked 8th in the NCAA Division III poll and will play Rhode College (TN), Millsaps College (MS), and host Oglethorpe University in Atlanta on Friday and Saturday.

RILEY HUFF — Jacksonville State University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … saw action in one set of the Gamecocks’ three-set home loss (11-25, 18-25, 14-25) to Liberty University on Saturday. Jax State (3-13, 0-4 Conference USA) hosts Western Kentucky on Friday night and Saturday afternoon.

SOCCER

BRIONNA CARVER — Johnson University (Fr., Woodland HS) … logged 30 minutes at outside back on Saturday in a 4-0 home loss to Carolina University (NC). The Royals (2-8, 0-5 Appalachian Athletic Conference) visit Milligan University (TN) on Wednesday and play at Columbia International University (SC).

ELIZABETH MORGAN — Thomas University (So., Woodland HS) … took one shot in 54 minutes of playing time during the Nighthawks’ 1-0 home win Saturday over Blue Mountain Christian University. She also logged 39 minutes last Thursday in a 1-0 loss to visiting Tennessee Southern. Thomas (4-4-2, 3-3-1 Southern States Athletic Conference) plays at Middle Georgia State University on Wednesday and hosts Brewton-Parker Christian University on Saturday.