Athletes Beyond Bartow: Big week for college QBs and NFL's Beasley

It was a big week again for local college quarterbacks and Vic Beasley scored his second NFL defensive touchdown.

Former Cartersville High School Hurricane Trevor Lawrence picked up Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year honors and helped guide his Clemson Tigers to a 42-10 rout of Pittsburgh in the ACC Championship Game.

In the Mid-American Conference Championship Game, former Adairsville High School quarterback Marcus Childers led a huge comeback victory as Northern Illinois rallied for a 30-29 win over Buffalo to reach the Boca Raton Bowl later this month. Meanwhile in the NFL, Adairsville native Beasley scored his second NFL career touchdown Sunday with a 74-yard fumble return for touchdown. His Atlanta Falcons, however, lost to the visiting Baltimore Ravens to slip to 4-8 on the season.

PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL

A.J. Mosby (Northern Arizona Suns, NBA G-League; Cartersville) — Mosby saw action in one game for the Suns this past week, playing 21 minutes in a 127-106 loss to the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Friday. In the defeat, Mosby had six points, hitting 2 of 4 3-point shots, while adding a rebound and a steal. He didn't see any action in Northern Arizona's other two games.

Elijah Robinson (Club Atletico Villa San Martin, Argentine League; Excel Christian) — Robinson was a steady rebounding presence across Villa San Martin's three games this past week, although his scoring efficiency fluctuated. He pulled down six rebounds apiece in two losses and a win. Robinson scored 12 points in a defeat to Hindu Club de Resistencia Chaco last Tuesday; he bounced back with 19 points and three assists in a victory over Independiente de Santiago Del Estero Friday; and he put up just six points in a loss to Olimpico Ceres Sunday.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Mark Chester (Georgia Northwestern Tech CC Fr., Cass) — Chester totaled seven points as the Bobcats split their two most recent games — a 79-67 loss to Welch College and a 68-64 triumph over Southern States CC.

Ryan Davis (Francis Marion Sr., Cartersville) — Davis posted 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals in an 82-79 win over North Georgia on Saturday.

Whitney Harris (Toccoa Falls Fr., Woodland) — Harris had just four points in a loss to Brevard College but erupted for 16 on 5-of-11 shooting from deep in a defeat against Warren Wilson College this past week. In the loss to Brevard, she added two each of rebounds, assists and steals. Against Warren Wilson, Harris had two rebounds and a steal.

Kimora McClinic (Middle Georgia State So., Cartersville) — McClinic finished with four points, a rebound and a steal in seven minutes of action in a 65-59 victory against Blue Mountain (Mississippi) on Thursday.

Jana Morning (Berry College So., Cass) — Morning contributed two points, two assists and a steal in a 68-62 loss to Emory on Friday.

Jonathan Pritchett (Vermont Tech CC So., Woodland) — Pritchett struggled shooting the ball during the Knights' three games this past week, finishing with just one total point, but he made up for it with 17 total assists and eight total rebounds. Vermont Tech went 1-2 in the span.

Jaylon Pugh (Furman Fr., Cartersville) — Pugh didn't see the floor in a 90-88 double-overtime win over Western Carolina in Furman's Southern Conference opener Saturday. Thanks to their 8-0 start, the Paladins landed in the AP Top 25 — at No. 25 — for the first time in school history.

Josie Summerville (North Park Fr., Adairsville) — Summerville went scoreless with five rebounds in her first collegiate start Wednesday in a win over Aurora. She had four points and five rebounds Saturday in a loss to Wheaton (Illinois).

Darius Thrower (Truett McConnell Jr., Excel Christian) — Thrower played 18 scoreless minutes across two games this past week. The Bears fell to Milligan (Tennessee) Wednesday, but they bounced back to beat Morris (South Carolina) on Saturday with Thrower chipping in three assists in the 92-90 win.

PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL

Vic Beasley Jr. (Atlanta Falcons; Adairsville) — Beasley scored his second career touchdown on a 74-yard fumble return in Sunday's game against Baltimore. The touchdown gave Atlanta a 10-7 lead in an eventual 26-16 loss. Beasley added two tackles in the defeat.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Marcus Childers (Northern Illinois R-So., Adairsville) — Childers pulled off a comeback for the ages to lead the Huskies to the MAC title on Friday. Trailing 29-10 late in the third quarter, Childers threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Brown. A few minutes later, he tossed a 32-yard score to Spencer Tears to pull NIU within 29-24. He completed with the rally with a 35-yarder to Brown to give the Huskies a 30-29 lead with 1:09 to go. In the victory, Childers went 21-for-33 with exactly 300 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, while adding a team-leading 58 yards on the ground. NIU will face UAB in the Boca Raton (Florida) Bowl at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18.

Kurtis Feanny (Lenioir-Rhyne Fr., Woodland) — Feanny participated in the Division-II national quarterfinal against No. 3 Valdosta State, but Lenoir-Rhyne saw its season come to a close with a 61-21 defeat.

Jordan Ferguson (Middle Tennessee State So., Cartersville) — Ferguson recorded two tackles (one solo) in a 27-25 loss to UAB in the Conference USA Championship Game Saturday. Up next for MTSU is the New Orleans Bowl against Appalachian State at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15.

Miller Forristall (Alabama R-So., Cartersville) — Forristall saw action as No. 1-ranked Alabama rallied to beat Georgia, 35-28, Saturday in the SEC Championship Game.

Gabriel Gridley (Angelo State Jr., Cartersville) — Gridley punted six times for an average of 39 yards in ASU's 41-34 defeat to Central Oklahoma in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl on Saturday. Gridley had two punts inside the 20-yard line and boomed a long of 54 yards.

Trevor Lawrence (Clemson Fr., Cartersville) — The recently named ACC Rookie of the Year, Lawrence helped guide Clemson to its fourth consecutive ACC title in a 42-10 rout of Pitt on Saturday in Charlotte, North Carolina. Lawrence didn't set the world ablaze, completing 12 of 24 pass attempts for 118 yards. However, his two touchdown passes — 5- and 10-yarders to Tee Higgins — were key, as both came in the last five minutes of the first half to turn a 14-10 edge into a comfortable 28-10 advantage.

WRESTLING

Jake Huffine (Chattanooga Jr., Woodland) — Huffine placed second in the Cougar Clash Sunday in Edwardsville, Illinois. He won his opening match by fall, and then earned a 6-4 decision to advance to the title match. He ultimately fell to Kent State's Timothy Rooney, 5-2, to finish as runner-up.

-- this week's report was prepared by Nicholas Sullivan, The Daily Tribune News