Class 4A No. 6-ranked Cartersville rolls to victory in Week 1 Georgia high school football game: Live Update Recap

Class 4A quarterfinalist Cartersville looks to start 2025 season on right note vs. Decatur Columbia

Cartersville takes on Decatur Columbia on Thursday evening / SBLive Sports

A pair of playoff teams in two different classes clash to open the 2025 season in Georgia tonight at Weinman Stadium when Cartersville plays Decatur Columbia.

Cartersville is coming off a 12-1 season last year and was No. 5 in the final state poll last year. They made the quarterfinals and lost 28-26 to North Oconee, the eventual state champions. 

In the 2025 preseason poll, they check in at No. 6 in Class 4A.

The two met last year in Week 1 and Cartersville won 40-0.

Last year, the Columbia Eagles went 5-7 overall and made the Class 2A playoffs. After an 0-6 start, the Eagles got hot late and even won a playoff game and the one it lost — was a 31-24 setback against Pierce County.

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Players to Watch From Columbia

• Nick Hill, RB - He’s the team’s top returning rusher with 97 carries for 522 yards and 5 TDs last year. He has an offer from Kennesaw State.
• Jermemiah Combs, WR - The senior led the team in catches (26), yards (358) and TDs (6) last fall.
• Charles Harris, LB — Led the Eagles with 91 tackles last year
• Roynard Tolbert, LB — Racked up 86 tackles, 18 TFL, and 11 sacks in 2024.
• Antonio Withers, OL — South Carolina State pledge

Players to Watch From Cartersville

• Langston Hogg, OL — The 3-star recruit was a first-team all-state pick last year. He’s committed to Tulane.
• Brady Marchese, WR - Preseason all-state pick by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta, had 44 catches for 1,051 yards and 11 scores last year. Committed to Georgia.
• Elijah Peeks, DL - The 6-foot-2, 290-pound junior holds 17 Division I offers
• Nate Russell, QB - Senior threw for 2,497 yards, 28 TDs and completed 64% of his passes last year. Also ran for 320 yards and 6 TDs.
  

Live Updates

	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	FINAL
Columbia	0	0	0	0	0
Cartersville	14	21	2	7	44

1st Quarter

Cartersville scores on 2nd drive. Nate Russell to Davis Waddell for 3 yards. 6:46 left in 1st quarter. PAT good. Cartersville 7-0

Hurricanes sophomore Kaiden Kent breaks up long pass to force a punt by Columbia. 3:51 left in 1st. Still 7-0 Cartersville. 

Long pass from Russell falls incomplete but a pass interference gives the Canes 15 yards. However, if the PI doesn’t happen, Marchese is gone for a TD. Ball moved to the Eagles’ 42-yard line. 2 minutes left in 1st. 

Braylon Hill with a 42-yard TD on next play with 1:53 left in 1st. Personal Foul after the play against Cartersville. Ramsey Rowell hits PAT to make it 14-0. Cartersville 14-0

Tynius Smith runs back kickoff 90 yards for a score but 2 penalties happen on the play. Eagles take over at own 24-yard line. 1:34 left in 1st 

End of 1st: Cartersville 14, Columbia 0

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2nd Quarter

Sophomore WR Madoxx Davis with a 45-yard gain from Russell. Ball at the Columbia 18-yard line. 

Sophomore Tripp Chatmon with a 7-yard TD run. Hard running helps him get through the goal line at the end. An official goes down on the play as well, but he appears ok. 9:49 in 2nd. Cartersville 21, Columbia 0 

Junior LB Cole Crawford with a pick 6 from 25 yards out. Columbia QB Czar Daniels under pressure throws it away and it doesn’t get away. 7:55 left in 2nd.  Cartersville 28, Columbia 0 

Smith with a 1st-down catch for Columbia. Ball at the 30. One of the few positive offensive plays against this tough Cartersville defense.

Marchese draws another pass interference call. That moves the ball to the Columbia 25-yard line. 

Braylon Hill with his 2nd TD of the night. This time on a 5-yard run off a two-TE look for Canes. 4:27 left. Hurricanes are cruising. Cartersville 35, Columbia 0

Columbia is driving with the ball at the 13-yard line. 6 seconds left on the clock. Eagles call a timeout with a chance for one last play in 2nd quarter

Elijah Peeks with a sack to end the first half.

End of 2nd: Cartersville 35, Columbia 0

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3rd quarter

DB Reed Ezell with an INT for the Canes. A holding on the return pushes back Cartersville back to own 37. 7:05 p.m. 

Sophomore QB Harris Turner now in for Cartersville. First play was a pass to Davis, who runs down to the Columbia 22-yard line. Flag on the play will bring it back and negate a 50-yard gain

Columbia will have to punt from its own end zone with less than a minute left in 3rd 

Safety on the punt when snap goes out of the end zone. 44 seconds left in the 3rd. Cartersville 37, Columbia 0

End of 3: Cartersville 37, Columbia 0

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4th quarter

Cartersville punts and Smith downs it at the 1 early in the fourth. We have a running quarter at this point.

Another turnover turns into points for Cartersville. Junior LB AJ Townsend with a 12-yard fumble return for a score with 4:56 left. Cartersville 44, Columbia 0 

Columbia at the 5-yard line with 7 seconds left. Eagles call timeout with a chance to spoil the shutout. 

Incomplete pass on the final play of the game.

Final: Cartersville 41, Columbia 0