Cartersville soccer teams win at North Murray

April 1, 2026

Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

Ben Jones scored the Canes' first goal on Tuesday in a 2-1 come-from-behind win at North Murray.

The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes erased an early deficit with two quick second-half goals to defeat the North Murray Mountaineers 2-1 in a non-region boys soccer match played Tuesday in Chatsworth.

North Murray struck first in the 20th minute when a bouncing ball in the 18-yard box found the back of the net, giving the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead. The hosts carried that advantage into halftime, as the first half ended with North Murray up 1-0.

The Purple Hurricanes responded immediately after the break. In the 48th minute, Ben Jones unleashed a rocket from 30 yards out to level the score at 1-1. Just three minutes later, in the 51st minute, Brayden Alonso stepped up and curled a free kick from 35 yards that beat the North Murray keeper, putting the Canes ahead 2-1.

The remainder of the contest was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading limited opportunities, but the Hurricanes’ defense held firm to preserve the victory.

North Murray falls to 7-5 with the loss. With the win, Cartersville improves to 8-6 on the season. The Purple Hurricanes return home to host South Paulding on Thursday at 8 p.m.

LADY CANES DOMINATE AT NORTH MURRAY

The Cartersville Lady Canes delivered a dominant performance on the road Wednesday night, routing the North Murray Mountaineers 10-0 in a non-region girls soccer match in Chatsworth.

Cartersville wasted no time asserting control, striking just three minutes into the contest. 

Sophomore Helen Leaming opened the scoring by capitalizing on a misplayed Mountaineer goal kick. Senior Mallory Nicklas then delivered a perfectly placed cross that Mary Beth Hackney finished for the second goal. Moments later, Nicklas found the net herself off a sharp assist from junior defender Marlee Sealock.

The onslaught continued as Scout Hullander added the fourth goal. Senior standout Lundyn Eubanks then recorded her third hat trick of the season, pushing the lead to a commanding 7-0. Hackney tallied her second of the night, and Eubanks struck again off a clean pass from sophomore Alexis Henderson, sending the Lady Canes into halftime with a dominant 9-0 advantage.

The second half opened the same way the first began — fast. Just one minute in, Nicklas buried a ball from Leaming to seal the 10-0 victory.

Cartersville coach Mary Beth Popham praised the effort afterward, saying, “It was a complete team performance. Our defensive line was strong, and precise finishing made this a statement win.”

With the win, the Lady Canes improve to 9-5 on the season. Cartersville will host South Paulding on Thursday at 6 p.m. in Weinman Stadium.

North Murray dropped to 2-11 with the loss.