Eagles win eighth straight; Canes drop non-region tilt

The Excel Christian Academy basketball teams split home games at The Church at Liberty Square while the Cartersville boys dropped a non-region home game to Class 7A North Paulding Saturday at the Storm Center.

EXCEL CHRISTIAN BOYS 88, HEARTS ACADEMY 27

The Excel Eagles raced to a 33-5 lead in the first quarter Saturday and were never threatened in an 88-27 win over visiting Hearts Academy.

Jacob Taylor led ECA with 21 points. Kyron McClendon and Kamarion Profit followed with 18 and 11 points, respectively. Jakaden Barkley added 10 for the Eagles.

Hearts Academy falls to 2-16 on the season with the loss.

Excel (14-8, 8-0) has clinched the regular season title of GAPPS I-AA Region 1 with two region games remaining on the regular season schedule this coming week. The Eagles travel to Woodstock Tuesday to play at Lyndon Academy. They will close out the regular season Thursday night at home against Unity Christian.

The GAPPS I-AA Region 1 tournament is February 6-9 at Unity Christian School in Rome.

CENTRAL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 55, EXCEL CHRISTIAN GIRLS 22

Central Christian School of Sharpsburg led 44-14 by halftime and cruised to a 55-22 win Saturday afternoon at Excel.

Chloe Earle and Riley Clark both scored 11 points while Bayleigh Seymour and Sarah Passow added 10 each for Central.

Chae Vieira scored 20 points for the Lady Eagles.

Central improved to 7-7 on the year.

Excel (0-15, 0-7) wraps up the regular season Thursday night at home against Unity Christian of Rome.

NORTH PAULDING 46, CARTERSVILLE BOYS 34

Jamauri Brice scored five points in the Canes' loss Saturday to North Paulding at the Storm Center.

The visiting North Paulding Wolfpack won a low-scoring defensive struggle over Cartersville Saturday night, 46-34. The non-region matchup took place at the Hurricanes’ Storm Center.

The Class 7A Wolfpack led at each quarter stop. North Paulding was up 11-9 at the end of the first quarter; 20-17 at halftime; and 32-23 heading into the final period.

Ryan Williams led the Wolfpack (9-13) with 17 points.

Jaylen Scott led Cartersville with 10 points. Kaden Baldwin and Jamauri Brice added five each.

The Canes (8-12, 1-5) return to Region 7-5A action Tuesday night at Dalton.