Chick-fil-A Dwarf House Sports: Local high schools, colleges to play at State Mutual. Annual tennis pass available. High school, college updates.

Darlington beats Armuchee 60-47 Thursday night. Photo by Jack Druckenmiller/Hometown.

HIGH SCHOOLS, COLLEGES

The Rome Braves announce the participants in the 2016 Rome Braves High School Invitational as well as two college games to be played at State Mutual Stadium. The High School invitational will be played on Friday March 4, and Saturday March 5. Friday will feature Armuchee High School versus Excel Christian Academy at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the tripleheader will begin with Model High School taking on Pepperell High School at 11 a.m.; Darlington School vs. Rome High School at 2:30 p.m. and the day will end with Coosa High School battling Cartersville High School at 6 p.m. Gates will open one hour prior to the first game time on both days.

• Two local collegiate programs will be featured at State Mutual Stadium this spring as well. On Wednesday, March 23, the Shorter University Hawks will play the Lincoln Memorial University Railsplitters at 6 p.m. Then on Tuesday, April 26, the Georgia Highlands Chargers will take on the Gordon State Highlanders at 6 p.m.
• Tickets for the Rome Braves High School Invitational and both collegiate games are now on sale at the State Mutual Stadium ticket office and online at www.romebraves.com. Tickets are general admission seating and are $5 each. Fans can purchase advance tickets through the respective high schools, Shorter Baseball, and Georgia Highlands Baseball knowing that a portion of the proceeds from each game will benefit the respective participating schools’ baseball programs. For more information contact the Rome Braves at 706-378-5144.

HIGH SCHOOL

• Darlington beats Armuchee 60-47 Thursday night.

LOCAL SPORTS

• The Downtown Tennis Center is now offering annual passes for unlimited play. The annual pass will also be accepted at the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College once the facility opens this summer. Program director, David Araiza, said the pass is convenient and encourages people to play often. “Local tennis players have long anticipated the opening of the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College, so we are happy to offer unlimited play at both facilities.” The annual pass will cost $110 for seniors, $150 for individuals and students, and $250 for a family pass that is valid for as many as five people. Tennis players can still opt to pay per visit which costs $4 a person. The Downtown Tennis Center is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. In the case of rain, courts are closed. Passes are non-transferrable and are valid through December 31, 2016. Pro-rated passes are sold throughout the year. Passes can be purchased at the Downtown Tennis Center located at 301 West Third Street. For questions related to the annual passes or any program at the Downtown Tennis Center, contact David Araiza at 706-290-0072, [email protected].
• This spring season, a new select baseball league will be stealing bases around the diamond, announced Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation Sports officials on Thursday. Rome Select Baseball, a league created to satisfy demand for a higher level of competition among youth athletes, will offer players the chance to experience a more rigorous aspect of the game without necessarily having to seek to enroll in travel baseball, said Lee Morris, a sports coordinator at Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation. Registration dates for both Spring Baseball and Rome Select Baseball are Feb. 1 – Feb. 7 for early registration ($65), Feb. 8 – March 4 for regular registration ($75) and $90 for late registration, which begins on March 5. Registration can be completed online at RFPRA.com or by signing up at Parks and Recreation Administrative Headquarters at 1 Shorter Ave. For questions about Rome Select baseball, contact Morris at [email protected] or call 706.291.0766.

YOUTH SPORTS

• Darlington School sixth-grade student Sam Tullis has been recognized with a spot on the Southeast Junior Triathlon Team, a highly competitive and officially recognized USA Triathlon (USAT) High Performance Team. The USAT-sanctioned squad serves to identify, recruit, develop and prepare well-rounded athletes, ages 13-19, to compete in youth and junior Elite Cup races around the country. Athletes who excel in these races move on to represent Team USA in the International Triathlon Union’s (ITU) World Triathlon championship, the Confederación Americana de Triatlón (CAMTRI; formerly known as the Pan American Games), and the Junior Olympics. Sam is the son of Jennifer and Josh Tullis (‘92) of Rome. For more

COLLEGES

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• Shorter introduces head coach Aaron Kelton on Wednesday. According to the new head coach, the coaching staff will make competing in the GSC and earning a spot in the national playoffs a constant goal. “Those will always be goals of ours,” Kelton said. “I think that the league is one of the most competitive in the country. We are going to go out and perform.” Coach
• Berry College sports updates. Berry / Centre at Berry, Friday. 6 p.m. women, 8 p.m. men.
• Shorter University sports updates. Shorter / The Shorter Lady Hawks came up short, losing at Valdosta State, 77-67 Thursday night. / Men: Phil Taylor scored a game-high 38 points, including 20 in the second half, to lift the Shorter Hawks to a 105-97 win over the Valdosta State Blazers. Next: Women, Men at West Florida, 3 and 5 p.m.
• Georgia Northwestern Technical College sports updates. /
• Georgia Highlands sports reports. Chargers / The Lady Chargers are home Saturday vs. South Georgia Tech. The Lady Chargers tip off at 2 p.m., the Chargers at 4 p.m.
• The Rome Georgia Tech Network will hold a Meet and Greet and Book Signing with Roger Kaiser on Monday, Feb. 1, from 6 until 8 p.m. at Heritage First Bank, 501 Broad St. in downtown Rome. RSVP with Tim Groves by Thursday, Jan. 28 via email at [email protected]

PROS

• Super Bowl L: Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers. Watch the game beginning at 6:30 p.m. on CBS on Sunday, Feb. 7. Super Bowl L
• Atlanta Braves open the season on April 4 at home vs. Washington. Schedule, games times now official. Atlanta
• Rome Braves open 2016 at home April 7 vs. Augusta. Schedule