Athletes Beyond Bartow: Beasley and Falcons advance, collegiate wrestlers and basketball players mak
Vic Beasley and the Atlanta Falcons advanced in the NFL playoffs while local collegiate wrestlers and basketball players made their marks this past week.
VIC BEASLEY — Atlanta Falcons (3rd yr. pro; Clemson University; Adairsville HS)… the Falcons’ 2015 first round draft choice and 2016 NFL sacks leader had three tackles (two solo) and one pass defended Saturday night as 6th-seeded Atlanta defeated the 3rd-seeded LA Rams 26-13 in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs. Atlanta (11-6) travels to NFC top-seed Philadelphia (13-3) for the Divisional Round this Saturday.
WRESTLING
EVAN COLE — Cumberland University (Sr., Cartersville HS)… wrestling at 149-pounds at the NWCA Duals in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Cole defeated Antoinio Ruiz of University of Jamestown 10-3 in a 29-9 team win by the Phoenix January 4. At that same meet and wrestling some of the nation’s top competition in the division, Cole lost bouts to 6th-ranked Thomas Garty of 3rd-ranked Indiana Tech and 14th-ranked Colby Johnson from 15th-ranked Baker University. Cumberland (2-3) travels to Lakeland, Florida this weekend where they will face 8th-ranked Southeastern University and 3rd-ranked Indiana Tech.
JAKE HUFFINE — Chattanooga (Jr., Woodland HS)… lost a pair of matches at the Southern Scuffle January 1 hosted by Chattanooga. Competing at 133-pounds, Huffine lost 10-5 to Sean Nickell of CSU-Bakersfield and 12-3 to Garrett Lambert of Hofstra. Penn State won the 24-team tournament. Chattanooga placed 11th and returns to the mats Friday and Saturday at the Virginia Duals in Hampton, VA.
BASKETBALL
RYAN DAVIS — Francis Marion University (Jr., G, Cartersville HS)… scored nine points with six rebounds, five assists, and one steal in a start and 27 minutes last Wednesday in a 78-72 loss at USC-Aiken. He added two points on only one field goal attempt in nine minutes off the bench in a 66-59 home loss Saturday to Clayton State. FMU (8-3, 3-3) has dropped three straight Peach Belt Conference games. The Patriots host St. Andrews (NC) in a non-conference game Monday before hosting PBC foe Lander Wednesday. They also travel to Georgia Southwestern Saturday.
KIMORA McCLINIC — Middle Georgia State University (Fr., G, Cartersville HS)… grabbed three rebounds with one steal and one point in a 67-45 loss at University of Mobile last Thursday. She also scored four points with three rebounds and one assist Saturday afternoon in a 67-58 loss at Loyola (LA). McClinic is averaging just over five points per game and 2.5 rebounds. She has one start and has appeared in 11 of the Knights 13 games this season. MGSU (4-9, 1-4 Southern State Athletic Conference) hosts Coastal Georgia Tuesday night and plays at Brewton-Parker Saturday afternoon.
JANA MORNING — Berry College (Fr., G, Cass HS)… scored two points in both road conference losses last week at Rhodes College on Friday and at Hendrix College on Sunday. She added two rebounds and one assist at Rhodes. Morning has one start and has appeared in 13 games this season. The Vikings (5-8, 0-3 Southern State Athletic Conference) host conference rivals Centre and Sewanee this Friday and Sunday.
A.J. MOSBY — Alcorn State University (Sr., G, Cartersville HS)… scored 14 points at Texas Southern Wednesday and 16 more at home Saturday against Jackson State in a pair of Braves’ Southwestern Athletic Conference losses. Mosby, a starting guard, added four rebounds, four assists, and a steal in those two games. ASU (4-12, 0-3) hosts Grambling State Monday night and travels to Mississippi Valley State this Saturday.
ELIJAH ROBINSON — Emmanuel College (Sr., F, Excel Christian Acad.)… returned to the Lions’ starting lineup as his team split a pair of games this past week against Carolinas Conference opponents. It was his second and third starts of the season. Robinson scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds in a 68-58 home win over Limestone College last Tuesday. He also scored 15 points, collected three rebounds, dished five assists, and had a blocked shot in a 116-104 loss at Belmont Abbey College last Friday. Robinson missed a dozen games from late November through December due to a nagging injury. Emmanuel (8-7, 2-3) plays at Erskine College Tuesday and at Lees-McRae Saturday.
DARIUS THROWER — Truett-McConnell University (Soph., G, Excel Christian Acad.)… scored five points last Tuesday in a 96-88 loss at Allen University (SC) and did not score, but had one assist last Thursday in a 93-80 home loss to Reinhardt University. TMU (12-6, 5-4 Appalachian Athletic Conference) entertains Milligan College Wednesday night and travels to Bluefield College (VA) this Saturday.
COREY TOBIN — Reinhardt University (Sr., G, Cartersville HS)… averaged eight points, just over eight rebounds, 3.3 assists, and added a block and a steal in three starts last week as the Eagles rolled to Appalachian Athletic Conference wins over Tennessee Wesleyan (96-90) at home and on the road at Truett-McConnell (93-80) and St. Andrews (NC) (104-99). Tobin’s 14 rebounds at St. Andrews was a season high and gave him a double-double. RU (11-6, 6-3) plays at Thomas University Tuesday and hosts Montreat College (NC) Saturday afternoon.
CARROD WATSON — University of North Georgia (Soph., F, Woodland HS)… scored 12 points with three rebounds, one assist, and one steal Saturday in a 76-74 win at USC-Aiken. He also grabbed a pair of rebounds and had one assist without scoring last Tuesday in a 95-80 victory at Columbus State University. Watson has started seven games and appeared in every game for the Nighthawks this season. UNG (5-7, 3-3 Peach Belt Conference) hosts Young Harris College Wednesday and Augusta University Saturday in PBC games.
HAKEEM WINTERS — Point University (Jr., F, Cartersville HS)… saw three minutes of floor time off the bench in a 74-71 home Appalachian Athletic Conference win over 15th-ranked Union College (KY). Winters has started five games and appeared in 16 of 18 this season for the Skyhawks while averaging 3.8 points and 2.5 rebounds. Point (5-13, 1-8 AAC) entertains St. Andrews University (NC) Wednesday night and travels to Tennessee Wesleyan Saturday.
RUDY WINTERS — Columbus State University (Jr., G, Excel Christian Acad.)… scored 12 points with eight rebounds and one steal Saturday at Augusta. Winters is averaging 11.1 points and four rebounds in seven games played this season for the Cougars. He has started six games. CSU (3-6, 3-3 Peach Belt Conference) plays at Georgia Southwestern Wednesday night and hosts UNC-Pembroke Saturday afternoon in two more PBC games.
