Athletes Beyond Bartow: Former Canes on opposite sides of National Championship Game
It was an eventful week for local Athletes Beyond Bartow. Former Cartersville High quarterback Trevor Lawrence helped lead Clemson into the College Football National Championship Game with a spectacular performance during the Tigers' 30-3 Cotton Bowl rout of Notre Dame. Later Saturday night at the Orange Bowl, former Canes' standout Miller Forristall and the Alabama Crimson Tide earned yet another spot in the National Championship Game. Former Adairsville Tigers' star Vic Beasley wrapped up his fourth NFL season Sunday with a key play on a two-point conversion attempt that helped the Falcons win at Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, Woodland graduate Jake Huffine picked up two Southern Conference athletic awards and former Bartow basketball standouts Josie Summerville (Adairsville) and Darius Thrower (Excel) had key performances for their college teams.
NFL
VIC BEASLEY — Atlanta Falcons (4th yr. pro, DE/OLB, Clemson, Adairsville HS)… did not record a tackle in a 34-32 season-ending win at Tampa Bay Sunday but did bat down a two-point conversion attempt with 5:10 remaining in the fourth quarter right after the Buccaneers had taken a 32-31 lead. The 26-year-old Beasley finished the 2018 season with 16 tackles and five sacks. The Falcons wrapped up the year winning their last three games for a 7-9 mark and second place in the NFC South.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
MARCUS CHILDERS — Northern Illinois University (R-So., QB, Adairsville HS)… was 22-for-29 passing for 179 yards and rushed for 35 yards but the Huskies lost the 2018 Boca Raton Bowl to Alabama-Birmingham 37-13 on December 18. Childers finished the season 212-for-368 for 1,996 yards and 15 touchdowns. He added 496 yards rushing and six touchdowns. NIU finished the season 8-6 and won the Mid-American Conference championship.
MILLER FORRISTALL — University of Alabama (R-So., TE, Cartersville HS)… saw action with the kickoff return and kickoff return hands team Saturday night in Alabama’s 45-34 Orange Bowl and national semifinal win over Oklahoma. Alabama (14-0) raced to a 28-0 lead in the first half and never looked back to reach the January 7 National Championship Game in Santa Clara, CA. Forristall has played in all 14 games for the Crimson Tide this season and is credited with a pair of kickoff returns for five yards.
TREVOR LAWRENCE — Clemson University (Fr., QB, Cartersville HS)… completed 27 of 39 pass attempts for 327 yards and three touchdowns, including 19 of 26 for 264 yards and a pair of touchdown passes to Justyn Ross in the first half as the 2nd-ranked Tigers dominated Notre Dame 30-3 in the Cotton Bowl to advance to Clemson’s third College Football National Championship Game in four years. For the season, Lawrence is 212-for-326 passing for 2,606 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also has 144 rushing yards and one touchdown. Clemson (13-0) will face top-ranked Alabama on Monday, January 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
RYAN DAVIS — Francis Marion University (Sr., G, Cartersville HS)… scored a team-high 22 points, collected six rebounds, and added one steal in the Patriots’ 90-85 Peach Belt Conference win December 19 at Columbus State. Davis is averaging just over 30 minutes per game with 14.3 ppg and 6.8 rpg. FMU (7-1, 3-0) returns to PBC action Saturday January 5 at home against Young Harris College.
JANA MORNING — Berry College (So., G, Cass HS)… scored seven points with two rebounds, five assists, and six steals as the Vikings beat Agnes Scott at home December 18. She then totaled 11 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists in losses to Concordia (TX) and UT-Dallas Friday and Saturday at the Texas-Dallas Classic. Berry (4-8) plays at Millsaps College Saturday night.
JAYLON PUGH — Furman University (Fr., G, Cartersville HS)… made a pair of free throws and had one rebound in only two minutes of action Saturday during the Paladins’ 79-56 loss at East Tennessee State. Pugh has appeared in eight games this season averaging 3.5 ppg and 1.6 rpg in just under 10 minutes per appearance. Furman (12-2, 1-1 Southern Conference) hosts Mercer Thursday night and The Citadel Saturday afternoon.
JOSIE SUMMERVILLE — North Park University (Fr., F, Adairsville HS)… averaged 16 rebounds and seven points in a pair of games this past Friday and Saturday in Atlanta against Agnes Scott and Oglethorpe Universitiy. She had a career high 19 rebounds Friday in a 62-45 win at Agnes Scott and matched her career best eight points Saturday in a 50-47 loss at Oglethorpe. Summerville also snagged three rebounds and had one assist in a 57-53 loss at St. Mary’s College (IN) December 19. NPU (6-7, 2-2 CCIW) plays at Carthage College (WI) Wednesday night and hosts Augustana College (IL) Saturday night.
DARIUS THROWER — Truett McConnell University (Jr., G, Excel Christian Acad.)… scored a season-high 15 points with four assists, a block, and a steal as the Bears upset NAIA 7th-ranked Faulkner University Saturday 72-70 in Montgomery. TMU (7-6, 2-5 Appalachian Athletic Conference) hosts Tennessee Wesleyan University Wednesday night and Allen University (SC) Saturday.
PRO BASKETBALL
A.J. MOSBY — Northern Arizona Suns (1st yr. pro, NBA G-League, G, Alcorn State, Cartersville HS)… played five minutes and took only one shot December 16 in a 119-76 home loss to the Memphis Hustle. Mosby has appeared in five games and is averaging three points, one rebound, and one assist in just over 11 minutes per game. Northern Arizona (3-19) is in last place in the NBA G-League’s Western Conference. The Suns play at the Agua Caliete Clippers Wednesday and host the Sioux Falls Skyforce Sunday.
WRESTLING
JAKE HUFFINE — Chattanooga (Jr., 133-wt. class, Woodland HS)… received the Southern Conference Wrestler of the Week and SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week for December 19-25. Huffine is 13-4 this season and 3-0 in duals. He leads the Mocs with six pins. Chattanooga returns to action Tuesday and Wednesday when they host the Southern Scuffle with representatives from 25 teams including top-ranked Penn State, 3rd-ranked Oklahoma State, and 7th-ranked NC State.
