All nine local high school teams in action Tuesday night
Tuesday night saw all nine local high school varsity teams in action with a pair of local boys teams and a pair of local girls teams coming away with wins.
The Excel Christian Academy boys picked up their first region win of the year while the Cass boys overcame a near-collapse in the final quarter to win in overtime. In girls action, the Lady Canes won easily over visiting Furtah Prep while the Lady Colonels earned an important victory over Rome in Region 7-AAAAA.
EXCEL CHRISTIAN BOYS 81, TRION 70
The Eagles had five players to finish in double figure scoring and knocked off visiting Trion Tuesday night at The Nest for Excel’s first Region 6-A win of the season. Josiah Mosley paced Excel with 22 points while Evan Lee followed with 18. Rayshawn Womack, Jacob Day, and Kalil Holley each knocked down 11 points. Brenden Quillin had six and Robby Poston added two points in the Eagles’ victory.
Excel trailed 21-14 after eight minutes and was down 34-32 at halftime before outscoring the Bulldogs 25-13 in the third quarter to take a 57-47 lead. Trion was led by Brier Ingle’s 24 points. Andy Allen and Jaden Hardy added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Excel Christian (4-14, 1-7) plays at North Cobb Christian Friday night at 7:30 p.m. and travels to Darlington Saturday afternoon for a 3 p.m. start.
CASS BOYS 90, ROME 81
The Cass boys almost let one get away Tuesday night after building a 20-point lead with just over four minutes remaining, but the Colonels rallied in double-overtime to defeat visiting Rome, 90-81. Caleb Byrd scored 42 points for the visiting Wolves and Jalen Nelson added 21 as Rome used a 31-point fourth quarter rally to catch Cass and send the game to overtime. In a game of scoring runs, Cass led 16-12 after one quarter before Rome tied it at halftime, 26-all. The Colonels took a 56-44 lead through three quarters and extended their lead even further in the early moments of the final period before Rome stormed back. Ethan Carter (photo) led Cass with 29 points. Jacquez Fountain scored 22 and Justice Hayes added 16 as the Colonels evened their season mark at 10-10. The loss dropped Rome to 12-8 overall and 5-6 in Region 7-AAAAA. Cass — now 5-6 in region action — hosts Carrollton Friday night and travels to Villa Rica Saturday night. Both region games are 7:30 p.m. starts.
SONORAVILLE 56, ADAIRSVILLE BOYS 40
The Adairsville boys led 15-11 after one quarter, but visiting Sonoraville staked a 19-17 lead at halftime and slowly pulled away in the second half for a 56-40 Region 6-AAA Tuesday night. Wes McCormick led Sonoraville (8-11, 6-5) with 13 points. Chris Rush and Landon Jones added 11 and nine points, respectively. Mason Boswell (photo) scored 10 points for Adairsville. Gaven Crunkleton and Connor Crunkleton contributed nine and seven points for the Tigers.
Adairsville (6-13, 4-7) entertains Coahulla Creek Friday at 8:30 p.m. before traveling to non-region Southeast Whitfield Saturday for a 4:30 p.m. tip.
PAULDING COUNTY 77, WOODLAND BOYS 60
The Wildcats stayed close in the first half and trailed by only three at the intermission, but Paulding County pushed out to a 13-point lead after three quarters on their way to a 77-60 Region 7-AAAAA home win Tuesday night in Dallas. Jervan Morris led the Patriots with 26 points. John Cook added 16 in the Paulding win. Dawson Wilkins led Woodland with 22 points. Hunter Johnson and Jaylen Ballard knocked down 10 points each. D.J. Robinson had eight. Peyton Roberts and Justice Carter scored four apiece while Kyjuan McLenson scored two.
Paulding County improved to 16-3 overall and 7-3 in region play. Woodland (4-14, 1-9) hosts Kell Friday night at 7:30 p.m. and will rematch with the Patriots again Saturday afternoon at home at 4:30 p.m.
FURTAH PREP 69, CARTERSVILLE BOYS 57
The Cartersville boys dropped a 69-57 non-region decision to Furtah Prep Tuesday night at The Storm Center. The visiting Falcons are the Georgia Independent Schools Association Class AA defending state champions from Acworth and their win improved the team to 17-2 on the year. Gerard Jofresa had a game-high 29 points to lead Furtah Prep. Tay Emre added 13 for the visitors. Perignon Dyer (photo) paced three Canes in double figures with 19 points. Marquail Coaxum scored 14 and Isaac Gridley had 13 points for Cartersville.
The Hurricanes (8-10, 2-3 in Region 5-AAAA) return to region action Friday at home against Troup at 7:30 p.m. and will host Cedartown Saturday night at 6:30 p.m.
CASS GIRLS 65, ROME 58
The Lady Colonels picked up a crucial Region 7-AAAAA win Tuesday night at home, holding off Rome 65-58 to move into a second place tie in the region standings with 10th-ranked Carrollton. Top-ranked Villa Rica (18-0, 9-0) remains at the top of the region.
Sharia Wade led Cass with 18 points, but was followed by Payton Stoddard (photo from the Adairsville Holiday Tournament) with 14 and Claire Davis with 13 points. Londaisha Smith knocked down eight points while Ariana Hames and Alexis Ware tossed in three points apiece.
The Lady Colonels and Lady Wolves were tied at 17 after one quarter. Cass took a 30-26 lead at halftime and led 49-43 through three quarters before holding on for a seven point win. Tamya Griffin led the Lady Wolves (12-7, 7-3) with 19 points. Cass (17-2, 9-2) hosts 10th-ranked Carrollton Friday night at 6 p.m. and plays at top-ranked Villa Rica Saturday.
CARTERSVILLE GIRLS 55, FURTAH PREP 12
The Lady Canes took a 29-12 lead by halftime and shutout the visiting Lady Falcons in the second half for a 55-12 non-region win Tuesday night at The Storm Center.
Alexia Henderson led Cartersville with 15 points. Haley Johnson (photo) scored 11. Naijah Evans scored eight points. Lehla Thomas also scored eight and had five rebounds. London Shaw contributed six points. Kierra Milline had three. Emily Petty and Ariana Cochran added two points apiece while Jada Cunningham finished with four steals. Emma Carnes scored eight points for Furtah Prep.
Cartersville (10-7, 3-3 in Region 5-AAAA) hosts region foes Troup and Cedartown this weekend. The matchup with Troup is Friday night at 6 p.m. Cedartown arrives for a 5 p.m. tip Saturday at The Storm Center.
SONORAVILLE 74, ADAIRSVILLE GIRLS 43
The visiting Lady Phoenix broke open an otherwise close contest Tuesday night to defeat host Adairsville 74-43. The Lady Tigers trailed by only two points at the intermission and were within ten points heading into the fourth quarter before Sonoraville outscored Adairsville 33-12 over the final eight minutes.
Alexa Geury and Maliyah Parks led Sonoraville (14-6, 8-3) with 19 points apiece. Adairsville got 13 points from Nakiyah Washington (photo). Six each from Aaliyah Applin and Breeana Wilson. Coriana McDaniel contributed five points. Alexa Varner and Ji’Leyah Mitchell had four points each. Havyn Isaac finished with three.
Adairsville (4-15, 1-10) has Coahulla Creek at home Friday night at 7 p.m. before stepping outside the region to play at Southeast Whitfield Saturday at 3 p.m.
PAULDING COUNTY 61, WOODLAND GIRLS 47 Rajah Drummond and Faith Lovejoy posted 20 points apiece as the Paulding County Lady Patriots defeated visiting Woodland Tuesday night in Dallas, 61-47. The Lady Cats led 11-5 after the first eight minutes and were only down 23-20 at halftime in a tightly contested first half. Paulding (2-16, 1-9) nabbed a 43-36 advantage after three quarters and pulled away in the fourth quarter to win by 14. Gracie Styles and Madgie Robinson led Woodland with 16 and 13 points, respectively. Ansley Evans followed with six. Jordan Thompson and Abigail Taylor contributed four points each while Morgan Cooper and Lauren Morris added two points apiece.
Woodland (1-16, 1-9) hosts Kell Friday and will play Paulding County again Saturday. Both games are 6 p.m. starts.
