September 2024 Elite Athletes of the Month
Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com
In conjunction with WBHF and Bartow Sports Zone, Elite Stone Supply presents the ELITE ATHLETES OF THE MONTH. Each month, local high schools name an Elite Athlete of the Month from their varsity programs and present the information on their honoree through Bartow Sports Zone and on 100.3FM and AM1450, WBHF in Cartersville.
Adairsville High School’s Kolt McCord is the September Elite Athlete of the Month.
A senior member of the Tigers’ football and wrestling teams, he is the son of Kurt and Brittney McCord.
McCord plays linebacker on defense and H-Back on the Adairsville offense.
“He has been the vocal leader for us this year on defense and has blocked extremely well on offense,” noted Adairsville football coach Jon Cudd. “He has been voted our player of the game on offense and defense this season. Kolt has a relentless work ethic that is infectious to his teammates. After season-ending ACL surgery last season, he has worked as hard as any player I have seen to get back on the field. He is performing at a very high level for us right now.”
McCord is taking multiple Advanced Placement classes. He is in the Adairsville Magnet Program and carries a 4.0 GPA. He plans to attend the University of Georgia to major in Civil or Agricultural Engineering.
The Elite Athlete of the Month representing Woodland High School is Juan Mendoza.
A senior member of the Wildcats’ cross-country and soccer teams, he is the son of Orlando Mendoza and Maria Padilla.
Mendoza is the cross country team's number one runner this season and has been on the team for the past four years. Earlier this season, he won the Woodland-hosted Run at the Rock Invitational.
“It has been a pleasure watching him grow as a runner and a leader,” said WHS coach Robert Forbes. He is the type of athlete all coaches hope to have on their team.”
Mendoza has been recognized as a Woodland Scholar-Athlete and plans to attend Georgia Tech.
Barrett Stepp is September's Cartersville High School Elite Athlete of the Month.
A senior on the Canes’ Cross Country and Track teams, he is the son of Jayce and Erin Stepp.
Stepp has finished as the top runner for the Cartersville Cross Country team in five of six races this year. His average 5,000-meter time is 16:37. He has also finished in the Top Ten in five of those six races.
“Barrett has done a great job adjusting to the new coaching staff,” said coach Nick Bridges. “He is a leader and holds his teammates accountable. We are excited to see how he responds to the training during the final one-third of the season.”
Stepp is also a member of the boys' 4x800m relay team, which set a school record and finished second at the GHSA Track & Field State Meet last spring.
He has taken Honors and Advanced Placement courses throughout high school and has a 4.2 GPA. Stepp is undecided about where to attend college but wants to continue competing in Cross Country and Track and field.
Ian Williams is the September Elite Athlete of the Month, representing Cass High School.
The son of LaShanda Williams is a senior on the Colonels’ football team this season, playing safety on defense and receiver on offense.
He currently leads the Cass defense with 82 total tackles, four pass breakups, and two interceptions. He returned one of those interceptions for a touchdown.
“We look forward to watching him finish the season strong and are excited to watch him continue his education and football career at the next level,” said Cass Athletic Director Dr. Nicky Moore.
Editors Note: The respective schools and athletic departments supply Bartow Sports Zone and WBHF with photos and bios. Elite Stone Supply Co., LLC is the monthly sponsor. Athletes receive a plaque and recognition during a radio feature on WBHF.
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