Elite Athletes of the Week
Elite Stone Supply, in conjunction with WBHF and Bartow Sports Zone, presents the ELITE ATHLETES OF THE WEEK. Each week, all five local schools will name an Elite Athlete of the Week and present the information on their honoree through Bartow Sports Zone and on 100.3FM and AM1450, WBHF in Cartersville.
Recipients for the week ending September 10, 2016:
Tripp Breeden, Cass High School
Emily Collum, Adairsville High School
Kami Cooper, Excel Christian Academy Robby Earick, Cartersville High School
Caroline HIgdon, Woodland High School
Tripp Breeden is the Elite Athlete of the Week for Cass High School.
Breeden, a junior linebacker and wrestler for the Colonels, is the son of David and Andrea Breeden. In his second year as a starter at inside linebacker for the Colonels, Breeden's leadership on the field and in the weight room is an inspiration and sets the tone for his teammates. In last Friday's 31-7 victory at cross-town rival Woodland, Breeden had 12 tackles, forced a fumble, and returned a fumble for a touchdown.
Emily Collum is the Elite Athlete of the Week for Adairsville High School.
Collum is a junior catcher for the Lady Tigers’ softball team. A three-sport athlete, she also plays basketball and soccer.
In two games last week, Collum was 6-for-8 with four singles and a triple. She scored three runs and added three RBIs. She caught all 14 innings and recorded 16 putouts while not committing an error.
The daughter of Tracy and Paula Collum, Emily is a talented and very competitive athlete. She works hard in all she does and is a leader for the Lady Tigers in the weight room.
Kami Cooper is the Excel Christian Academy Elite Athlete of the Week.
Cooper is the daughter of Brad and Stephanie Cooper and a senior at Excel Christian Academy. She is a multi – sport athlete competing in softball, basketball, and as a competition cheerleader.
In her first year as a varsity softball player at Excel, Cooper has played her way into a starting spot in the outfield and has shown continuous improvement throughout the season. She has great range in the position and has made several outstanding catches for the Lady Eagles. Cooper has also shown great improvement at the plate where she utilizes her speed to put balls in play and beat out base hits.
Coach Adcock of the Lady Eagles’ softball program nominated Cooper because of the level of improvement he has witnessed from her both offensively and defensively throughout the year.
Cooper attends The Church at Liberty Square, where she is a leader and active member of her youth group. She gives back to the community as a participant in Splash Bartow. She enjoys traveling, and spending time with her friends.
She plans to attend University of Mississippi and major in nursing.
Robby Earick is the Elite Athlete of the Week representing Cartersville High School.
Earick, a senior this year, is the Canes’ top cross country runner and has also wrestled. The son of Stephanie and Tim Heath and Brian and Allison Earick, Robby has lettered each of his four years as a runner for Cartersville.
In the Canes’ first three meets of 2016, Earick has been Cartersville’s top finisher and has accomplished a 5K personal best of 17:23 at the Jesse Owens Classic.
Cartersville cross country coach David Matherne praises Earick’s work ethic. “Hard work is never questioned with Robby,” noted Matherne. “He always works hard in the classroom, at meets, and he is one of the top wrestlers in the state.” Earick carries a 3.6 grade point average.
Caroline Higdon is the Woodland High School Elite Athlete of the Week.
The daughter of Brent and Tina Higdon, Caroline is a sophomore who plays second base, third base, and in the outfield for the Lady Cats.
Higdon currently has a .292 batting average that includes 21 hits and 15 RBIs. She has three doubles and a triple among her base hits. In the past week, she was 8-for-24 for a .333 average.
Editors Note: Photos and bios are supplied to Bartow Sports Zone and WBHF by the respective schools and their athletic departments.
