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D2Football.com South Atlantic Conference Week Nine Preview

2009-10-22T09:40:00.003-04:00

Last week solidified the thought of this conference being competitive from top to bottom.

Carson-Newman survives a 17-13 scare on the road against Lenoir-Rhyne?

Brevard holds Mars Hill's sensational running back Jonas Randolph to only 59 yards on 18 carries?

Catawba records ten sacks against Tusculum?

Newberry's Brandon Gantt throws for a career-high 336 yards in a victory at Wingate?

Those are just a few examples of how the South Atlantic Conference is transforming. The gap between all schools is narrowing and it is happening at an accelerated rate.

Regional Rankings for Week 9

1. North Alabama (8-0, 8-0)
2. Albany State (7-0, 7-0)
3. Carson-Newman (6-2, 5-2)
4. Mars Hill (5-2, 5-1)
5. UNC-Pembroke (6-1, 5-1)
6. West Alabama (5-3, 4-2)
7. Fort Valley (5-3, 4-2)
8. Morehouse (5-2, 5-2)
9. Arkansas Tech (5-2, 5-2)
10. Wingate (5-2, 5-2)

Recapping Week Eight

Carson-Newman: 17 Lenoir-Rhyne: 13
Predicted Score: Carson-Newman: 60 Lenoir-Rhyne: 17

Lenoir-Rhyne flirted with an upset for over three quarters until Carson-Newman scored 14 unanswered points in the final period. The Bears held Carson-Newman to only 112 yards rushing. Most years, the Eagles have that in less than a period against Lenoir-Rhyne. The Bears received another gutsy performance from senior quarterback Justin Sanders as he allowed L-R to more than double the rushing total from Carson-Newman with 230 yard. C-N's air attack was contained for most of the game, including a couple of drops from Reggie Hubbard. However, Hubbard made up for it with the go-ahead score to seal the victory.

Newberry: 35 Wingate: 27
Predicted Score: Newberry: 37 Wingate: 30

By shutting down the Wingate ground game, Newberry put itself in terrific shape to silence a dangerous Bulldog team. Wingate was unable to overcome a game-changing interception return for a touchdown by Newberry in the fourth quarter. WU quarterback Cody Haffly went toe-to-toe with perhaps the SAC's best player not named Jonas Randolph, which is Brandon Gantt. Haffly had 232 yards passing and three touchdowns. However, one of his two interceptions essentially ended all hopes of a 4-0 SAC start. Newberry was boosted by the play of big-time receivers Brandon Bostick, nine catches for 158 yards, and David Smith, seven catches for 142 yards and a score.

Catawba: 41 Tusculum: 27
Predicted Score: Catawba: 38 Tusculum: 24

Catawba quarterback Pat Dennis continues to energize a Catawba offense that is beginning to hit its stride after atrocious displays earlier in conference play. In a way, the first and second half of the Tusculum game is a microcosm of Catawba's conference season. The Tribe earned a combined zero points after two trips inside the Tusculum 5-yard line. Dennis lifted the Indians to 28 second half points to give his team the first conference win of the season. Tusculum allowed ten sacks to the Indians. Pioneer freshman quarterback Bo Cordell completed 32 of 50 passes for 392 yards and four scores.

Mars Hill: 28 Brevard: 13
Predicted Score: Mars Hill: 31 Brevard: 17

While this one is not classified as a moral victory for Brevard, it does show how far the Tornados are advancing under head coach Paul Hamilton. BC was determined to slow down the Lion rushing attack at all costs, which allowed Mars Hill quarterbacks Jon Richt and Luis Cruz to fire devastating blows. The duo combined for 258 yards passing and three scores to give Brevard its first home setback in 2009.

Week Nine Previews

I made last week look easy by going 4-0.

My record now stands at 31-12 for the season and 10-6 in conference play.

The 4-0 prediction record is not only a result of my expertise with this conference, but also an attempt to land my own reality-television show.

Some people pretend to have their kid in a silly looking balloon in their quest to get TV time while others calculate point spreads and preview South Atlantic Conference games.

Saturday October 24, 2009

Brevard (6-2, 2-2) at #15 Carson-Newman (4-2, 3-0), 1:00 PM ET
Forecast at Kickoff: 57 degrees, few showers, 9 MPH wind, and 30% chance of precipitation.
Point Spread: Carson-Newman (-28)

I know I should have learned a lesson after Lenoir-Rhyne nearly knocked off Carson-Newman, but I feel like this one will not be close. This will be the second straight week that the Eagles will face an option offense. Plus, the Brevard offense hardly got off of the ground last week against Mars Hill. To win, or be competitive, at Mossy Creek, a team must have a high-octane offense.

Carson-Newman is due a huge win at Burke-Tarr Stadium this season and they will not have another week of not being able to execute inside of the redzone.

Carson-Newman's split back veer running attack may be limited early by Brevard's determined defense. In fact, one of the biggest surprises to most this season is the impressive numbers posted by their defense.

However, there comes a time when a couple of deep passes will open up the dive for huge gains. The Tornados do not possess the speed to keep up with C-N quarterback Alex Good once he reaches the edge. Expect Good to have close to 150 rushing yards thanks to a couple of long distance runs.

Carson-Newman reminds the country that the veer should still be feared.

Carson-Newman: 49 Brevard: 9

Tusculum (1-6, 0-4) at Newberry (4-3, 2-2), 7:00 PM ET
Forecast at Kickoff: 52 degrees, showers, 12 MPH wind, and 40% chance of precipitation.
Point Spread: Newberry (-17)

This game is usually reserved as the battle of the SAC's best and fastest athletes since the year 2003.

This year it is going to be reserved as, to put it kindly, Newberry wiping out Tusculum.

It has been one of those years for the Pioneers where nothing seems to go right for very long. One issue that must be addressed by Tusculum is the pressure placed on freshman quarterback Bo Cordell. His reaction to heat in the pocket must be addressed on getting rid of the football. Last year, Pioneer legend Corey Russell always had the ball either out of his hands at the drop back or he was scrambling when his mental clock went off.

That will develop in time for Cordell but Newberry isn't going to wait.

The Scarlet and Gray's defensive backfield was responsible for another big score this season when junior Ron Parker took an interception 54 yards to the end zone.

Expect Newberry's defensive front to set the tempo from the opening drive. Newberry quarterback Brandon Gantt will be facing one of the worst secondaries he has played to date this season. Consider that with the ridiculous size of the Scarlet and Gray receivers and we have a mismatch of epic proportions.

Tusculum's offense is potent enough to keep the score reasonable although the game will be decided early.

Newberry: 47 Tusculum: 24

Wingate (5-2, 3-1) at Catawba (4-3, 1-3), 1:30 PM ET
Forecast at Kickoff: 70 degrees, showers, 13 MPH wind, and 40% chance of precipitation.
Point Spread: Catawba (-3.5)

Both Catawba and Wingate have seen benefits arise out of initial adversities.

Wingate's star tailback Nelson Woods was sidelined for disciplinary reasons until the fourth game of the season. This allowed sophomore Vince Jordan, a West Montgomery High standout, to already have 664 yards rushing and eight scores on the season. He runs with the attitude that he will be delivering the blows, not the defenders.

Catawba had UNC-Chapel Hill transfer quarterback Cam Sexton sidelined twice with late-hit injuries. Backup quarterback Pat Dennis has been playing like the absolute starter the past two weeks, and the Catawba offense has never looked better.

It is hard to see a lot of good news for Wingate heading into this week. Although the Bulldogs control their destiny, it surely is a treacherous journey. A trip to Catawba, hosting Carson-Newman, and then heading to Mars Hill awaits the Bulldogs.

And the journey already got off on the wrong foot last week in a loss against Newberry.

Wingate will attempt to get a better running game going this week after being absolutely dismal against the Scarlet and Gray with only 80 total rushing yards.

If Wingate cannot get momentum going with Woods and Jordan early on, they will not be able to overtake Catawba.

After a ten sack performance last week, the Tribe's defensive line is looking for an encore performance. WU quarterback Cody Haffly can slip out of the pocket if he must, which he performed brilliantly in the nationally televised game against Tusculum earlier in the year.

Expect Dennis to have another incredible day with help from receivers Gerron Bryant, Brandon Bunn, and Eric Morman.

Catawba: 33 Wingate: 21

Lenoir-Rhyne (4-4, 1-3) at Mars Hill (5-2, 3-1), 2:30 PM ET
Forecast at Kickoff: 59 degrees, showers, 11 MPH wind, and 40% chance of precipitation.
Point Spread: Mars Hill (-8)

Lenoir-Rhyne has continually stood its ground this year regardless of its opponent.

The Bear Bone offense is generally good for at least 250 rushing yards a game, which essentially limits the time of possession another team has.

A senior quarterback in Justin Sanders, along with this option offense, make it difficult to foresee the Bears being beat by more than a score or two.

This is a huge trap game for Mars Hill. Playing a perceived weaker opponent at home while being ranked fourth in the regional rankings make this game one to keep a close eye on.

Obviously, Mars Hill will need better production from Harlon Hill candidate Jonas Randolph this week after he was held in check to only 59 yards against Brevard.

The Lions should be able to pass on Lenoir-Rhyne because the Bears will put out all of the stops to contain Randolph. It is the smart move to pull of the upset in this situation. The Bears need the Mars Hill quarterbacks to prove their worth again after they performed well in the win over Brevard a week ago.

L-R coach Fred Goldsmith will force Richt or Cruz to win the game, not Randolph.

Lenoir-Rhyne does not have quite enough on defense to upset the Lions.

Mars Hill: 24 Lenoir-Rhyne: 21

Catawba Wins 41-27 at Tusculum

2009-10-18T09:35:00.001-04:00

Quarterback Patrick Dennis threw three second-half touchdown passes and the defense recorded 10 sacks as Catawba avoided its first four-game losing streak since 1994 with a 41-27 win over host Tusculum in South Atlantic Conference football action on Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field.

The Catawba Indians improve to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the SAC, while the Pioneers fall to 1-6 and 0-4.

Catawba trailed 20-13 at the break, but Dennis threw all three of his scoring strikes in the third quarter as Catawba rallied for a 34-27 lead. His 15-yard pass to Grayson Downs with 3:22 remaining in the quarter put the Indians on top for good. The defense made it stand up, posting four sacks after that point and intercepting Bo Cordell twice in the fourth quarter.

Newberry Routs Catawba 40-21

2009-10-04T10:34:00.006-04:00

SalisburyPost.com
Mike London

Beads of sweaty disappointment dripped down the cheeks of Catawba All-American Melquan Fair after a 40-21 loss to SAC rival Newberry on a homecoming Saturday.

Fair stomped 46 yards for a touchdown after scooping a fourth-quarter fumble. He lived a defensive lineman's wildest dream, but most of the events that occurred at sun-drenched Shuford Stadium were of the nightmare variety.

"A disappointing day, but we've got some strong individuals on this team," Fair said. "We'll keep fighting."

Had Saturday's contest been a prizefight, referees would have stepped in, sent Newberry to a neutral corner and awarded the visitors a TKO before the second quarter ended.

Head coach Chip Hester readily admitted the score was closer than the game. Catawba (3-2, 0-2) took a beating. No two ways about it.

"I got out-coached, and they out-played us and out-athleted us," Hester said. "We had the opportunities, but we didn't make any plays. We've got to put some drives together, get some first downs, control the ball. Our defense can't play every play."

Catawba's sins were numerous. Couldn't tackle. Couldn't run the ball. Couldn't protect the quarterback.

"We just got beat," safety Jaspen Gray said. "There's a lot of work to do."

Catawba won the kicking game, but every offensive and defensive stat showed Newberry's dominance. Catawba quarterback Cam Sexton, the North Carolina transfer, was sacked seven times and harassed into an interception and a fumble.

Catawba was a dismal 2-for-12 moving the chains on third down. It also was out-rushed 329-44, and that's not a typo.

"Our kids have been hoping, searching, trying to find a way to play a complete game," first-year Newberry coach Todd Knight said. "We've had several good halves. Today, we put a whole game together."

Catawba produced its only substantial offense in the first quarter, breezing 60 yards in five plays to forge a 7-7 tie. Sexton looked sharp, zipping passes of 22 yards to wideout Gerron Bryant and 15 to tight end Grayson Downs to key the drive. Antonio Hall got the touchdown from the 4.

Shootout turned blowout when Newberry (3-2, 1-1) rolled to three unanswered scores in the second quarter for a 28-7 halftime lead. Catawba was outgained 316-102 the first two quarters.

Catalysts for Newberry were elusive quarterback Brandon Gantt (211 passing yards), wideout Brandon Bostick (104 receiving yards) and hard-nosed running back T.J. Worrell, who finished with the second-best rushing game in school history. He carried 19 times for 237 yards.

Catawba couldn't bring Worrell down.

"Tackling has been the problem the last couple games," Gray said. "We're not missing many assignments. We're in good position. It's a matter of not wrapping up."

Dozens of missed Catawba tackles helped Mars Hill's Jonas Randolph earn SAC honors last week following the Lions' 14-12 victory. Worrell is a likely honoree this week.

"What happened against Mars Hill in the rain and mud, we looked at that as a fluke," defensive lineman Brandon Sutton said. "But we found out today Mars Hill wasn't a fluke. We did tackling circuits all week long, but we still didn't tackle. We've got to respect opposing quarterbacks and running backs a lot more. This isn't high school. This is the SAC. Those guys are not going to go down on the first hit. We've got to wrap up and run through them."

Catawba showed life early in the third quarter when Gray blocked a punt and James Collins recovered at the Newberry 2.

"Eric Morman was on the outside and, when their guy pulled out to block him, it gave me a lane to get in there," Gray explained.

Josh Wright punched the ball into the end zone, Thomas Trexler's PAT made it 28-14, and Catawba fans were thinking miracle comeback. When Casey Hall pilfered a pass to put the offense back on the field, it seemed possible.

Catawba had second-and-5 at the Newberry 36 when linebacker Andre Moyd turned in of the game's biggest plays. He sacked Sexton for a 13-yard loss, forced a fumble on a wicked hit and recovered the ball himself.

"Looking on film, Catawba's offensive line looked to be one of the most experienced and best we'll face, and Sexton is a live-armed Division I guy who can really sling it," Knight said. "But a defensive back's best friend is a pass rush, and we were able to bring strong pressure. Maybe we just had a really good day and Catawba's offensive line had a bad day."

With 3:17 left in the third quarter, Worrell supplied the backbreaker, rambling through, around and over Indians on a 61-yard jaunt for a touchdown.

It was 34-14. The only mystery left was how ugly the final score would be.

"We knew this would be a tough matchup for us against a team with lots of experience and talent," Hester said. "The frustrating part is we weren't ready to play. We've got to find some way to get ready."

It doesn't get any easier. The Indians visit Carson-Newman next Saturday.

NOTES: Sexton was 8-of-25 passing for 122 yards. He had two nice runs on designed plays, but with all the sacks, he had minus-37 yards rushing. ... Catawba linebacker Lakeem Perry made 11 tackles. ... Fair accounted for two QB hurries and Catawba's only sack. ... Cornerback Bryant Vennable had a pick. ... Center Zane Gibson dressed but did not play. He expects to return next week.

Catawba Struggling to Get Started

2009-09-29T13:40:00.002-04:00

SalisburyPost.com
Mike London

Kicker Thomas Trexler had to make the tackle on the opening kickoff, an early sign that Catawba's SAC opener against Mars Hill on Saturday was not going to follow the standard script.

Catawba (3-1) usually wins at home, usually beats Mars Hill, usually manhandles opponents in the trenches, usually deals with whatever the weatherman offers, but none of that stuff happened in Saturday's 14-12 loss to the fired-up Lions at soggy Shuford Stadium.

"Every play is huge, and Mars Hill made a lot more plays than we did," Catawba head coach Chip Hester said. "It's a total team loss. We got beat everywhere. Now we've got to regroup."

Catawba had vigorously stuck it to Mars Hill the last two seasons, the nationally televised game at Shuford in 2007 and Hester's 50th win at the helm of the Indians in the mountains in 2008.

"Catawba flat wore us out last time we came down here," Mars Hill coach Tim Clifton said, referring to a 45-21 pasting. "Catawba is always hard to beat. They're especially hard to beat when they're at home so this is a tremendous win for us."

It's a tremendous loss for the Indians, but it's not the end of the world.

"Yeah, this is a hard blow, but the goals we set are still out there for us if we pick it up," senior safety Jaspen Gray said.

It gets a lot tougher now, with a quick 0-1 hole, but all realistic preseason aspirations remain attainable. Maybe the Indians dreamed about going undefeated, but there's so much parity in the SAC now, it's unlikely anyone will run the table.

The puzzler continues to be the painfully slow starts. Catawba has scored 22 first-half points in four games.

Considering the offensive line is experienced, the receivers are fast, the backs are competent and the primary quarterback has started ACC games, that meager level of production is hard to explain.

Catawba was fortunate to win 21-20 at Fayetteville State after trailing 10-7 at the half. Livingstone isn't scaring anybody, and Catawba led the Blue Bears 6-0 at the break.

"We're coming out flat game after game and that includes the offensive line," senior guard Kevin Hamaker said. "We've all got to start doing our part because the defense has carried us."

Catawba's defense is stellar when it comes to sacking QBs, but it didn't have a great day against a Mars Hill team that had no interest in throwing a wet ball.

Mars Hill ran straight at the Indians, showed superior will on a bruising, brawny statement drive to open the game and didn't relinquish the upper hand until the last 10 minutes. Heading to the fourth quarter, it appeared Catawba might be shut out for the first time in 15 years.

Catawba showed something down the stretch, putting two TDs on the board once a sense of urgency finally arrived.

"Too little, too late," Hester said. "Very frustrating."

Still, there's enough time, enough talent and enough character on hand to get it together and to get it done.

But it has to start Saturday afternoon when Newberry (2-2) comes to town.

Catawba Ranked #11 by D2Football.com

2009-09-23T12:51:00.003-04:00

The D2Football.com Top 25 Media Poll has the Catawba Indians ranked as #11 in the latest rankings. The Tribe is joined by only one other conference team with Newberry being ranked #16. Grand Valley remains the top team in the country after defeating Ferris State 17-10 this past weekend.

Rank Team Record
1 Grand Valley 4-0
2 Abilene Christian 4-0
3 North Alabama 4-0
4 Central Washington 4-0
5 Bloomsburg 4-0
6 Northwest Missouri 3-1
7 Texas A&M-Kingsville 4-0
8 Minnesota State 4-0
9 Minnesota-Duluth 3-1
10 Delta State 2-1
11 Catawba 3-0
12 Ashland 3-1
13 Central Missouri 4-0
14 Tarleton State 4-0
15 Missouri Western 4-0
16 Newberry 2-1
17 Albany State 3-0
18 Saginaw Valley 3-1
19 Pittsburg State 2-2
20 Wayne State (Ne) 3-1
21 Midwestern State 4-0
22 Tuskegee 3-1
23 IUP 3-1
24 Nebraska-Kearney 3-1
25 Charleston 4-0

Indians Erupt in Third Quarter

2009-09-13T11:20:00.002-04:00

Mike London
SalisburyPost.com

Catawba athletics director Dennis Davidson joked that he felt his grip on the massive, gold Mayor's Cup slipping away at halftime, but he never had anything to worry about.

Catawba led Livingstone only 6-0 at the break, but a 35-point third quarter ignited a 51-0 rout in the annual contest between Salisbury's Division II programs.

Catawba has prevailed in the rivalry every year since the series was renewed in 2000. Only the 2002 meeting at Livingstone came close to going the other way.Running back Antonio Hall and receiver Gerron Bryant scored two touchdowns apiece, and Catawba's defense held the Blue Bears to negative rushing yardage.

"At halftime, we knew we were a lot better than that 6-0 score," said Hall, who pounded for 118 rushing yards.

Catawba (3-0) suffered adversity when starting center Zane Gibson hobbled to the sideline with a knee injury on the Indians' second offensive snap. That forced two changes. Guard Daylon McAlexander moved to center. Roy Carter Jr., who began his college career as a Livingstone Blue Bear, came off the bench to fill in at guard.

The Indians managed their only first-half points shortly after a pass on a faked punt backfired on the Blue Bears. Catawba took over on the LC 41, and Patrick Dennis passed 36 yards to a wide-open Brandon Bunn for a touchdown as the first quarter expired.

Livingstone's band was exceptional at halftime, but the stat sheet showed that Catawba's defense, especially the defensive line, was in complete control. The Blue Bears (0-3) had rushed 17 times for 17 yards. It was only a matter of time.

"We were frustrated that we'd left a lot of points on the field in the first half, but we weren't worried," said Dennis, who stepped in for injured Cam Sexton and passed for 182 yards. "We were moving the ball, but we hadn't finished drives. "There wasn't much yelling and screaming at halftime. We knew the gameplan was a good one. We knew that everything we wanted was right there."

If there was a single game-changing play it was Hall's return of the second-half kickoff. He refused to go down and enabled the offense to start from the Catawba 46.

Six brisk rushing plays later, Hall was in the end zone. Thomas Trexler's PAT made it 13-0.

"I thought the second half we really settled in and played football," Catawba coach Chip Hester said. "That first possession was very important in order to get control of things. Hall's kickoff return was great. He ran with a very high level of effort all day."

Catawba's Melquan Fair and Cory Johnson buried Livingstone's first play of the second half for a 3-yard loss. The Blue Bears went three-and-out, shanked a punt, and the Indians were knocking on the door again at the LC 31.

On first down, Hall broke a run to the 5. Defensive back Alkeem Deloatch shook the ball loose, making one of his 11 tackles, but Catawba's All-America offensive tackle Terence Crosby recovered.

Two runs by Josh Wright produced a touchdown. Trexler's PAT was good, it was 20-0, and a huge snowball was rolling downhill.

Then Bryant took over. His 38-yard reception set up the TD that made it 27-0.

With 4:13 left in the third quarter, Bryant caught a 47-yard TD pass from a scrambling Dennis to make it 34-0.

Two minutes later, Bryant reeled in a 48-yard TD pass from Daniel Griffith for a 41-0 edge. In a span of six minutes, Bryant made three catches for 133 yards and two TDs. He helped Catawba put 35 points on the board in a little over 10 minutes.

"That halftime score was like a punch in the groin for all of us," Bryant said. "It was a gut-check. But our coaches have taught us to play right, and the second half we went out and performed the way we're supposed to. We played Catawba football."

Trexler blasted a 46-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. Catawba special teams accounted for the final TD when Jaspen Gray smothered a punt and Aaron Cauble recovered in the end zone.

Livingstone never turned it over, but it was forced to punt 11 times. Quarterbacks Steven Williams and Bryan Aycoth passed for 93 yards, but Livingstone's 23 rushing attempts went nowhere. The Blue Bears were 2-for-15 converting third downs.

Marqus Davis had two sacks and another tackle for loss to lead Catawba's defense. Terrence Porter also contributed a sack.

"The word on the defensive side was domination," Catawba lineman Brandon Sutton said. "We were missing our starting quarterback but with or without him the game goes on."

Davis Named SAC Defensive Player of the Week

2009-09-07T14:32:00.002-04:00

TheSAC.com

The South Atlantic Conference Football Players of the Week have been announced for the week ending September 6, 2009. Newberry College quarterback Brandon Gantt was named the SAC Offensive Player of the Week, Catawba College defensive end Marqus Davis was tabbed the SAC Defensive Player of the week, and Lenoir-Rhyne University return specialist Jamont Jones was named Special Teams Player of the Week.

Gantt, a senior quarterback from Lexington, S.C. (Middle Tenn. St. Univ / Heathwood Hall), wins the award for the second week in a row. He recorded 368 yards of offense for the second straight week and once again etched his name into the Newberry record books. He completed 35-of-47 passes for 335 yards and a touchdown, including 10 consecutive completions to start the game and no interceptions. The 335 yards is ninth in Newberry history and the 15th 300-plus game in school history. It is his second straight game with over 300 yards. He also carried the ball 10 times for 33 yards. His quarterback efficiency rating was 141.36.

Davis (Charlotte, N.C. / North Mecklenburg HS) was one of the defensive stars for the Indians in the win over Fayetteville State as he was in on three sacks and blocked a pair of kicks in the 21-20 win. The senior defensive end had nine tackles overall and had three of the eight team sacks, including one of the final play of the game. Davis also blocked a punt in the first quarter and a field goal try in the second quarter with the game tied at 7-7.

Jones (Washington, N.C. / Washington HS) had a big day on special teams for the Bears Saturday night despite the 52-45 overtime setback to the Mountain Lions of Concord on the road. The sophomore returned four kickoffs for 168 yards (42.0 yards-per-return average) including a 90-yarder for a score in the third quarter. The kickoff return for a touchdown was the first by a Lenoir-Rhyne player in six years. One of the team’s starting cornerbacks, Jones also made six tackles on defense.

Sexton's night ends quickly against Fayetteville State

2009-09-06T11:50:00.002-04:00

Dan Wiederer
FayObserver.com

Cam Sexton's Division II joyride hit an unforeseeable road block Saturday night at Fayetteville State.

On his first pass of the night - a 9-yard completion to Travis Landrum - Sexton was hit late by FSU defensive end Jamaal Dixon. And that was that.

Night over.

With barely a minute gone by in the first quarter of Catawba's 21-20 win at Nick Jeralds Stadium, the Indians starting quarterback was propped up on a sideline trainer's table, grimacing in pain as team trainers examined his right ankle.

Sexton tried to put weight on the foot but couldn't. He wrapped a bag of ice around it but was in too much pain to return.
Dennis takes over

Catawba turned to Patrick Dennis in relief. And the junior backup stepped forward, throwing for 164 yards with two second-half touchdown passes.

Sexton, meanwhile, initially sat anxiously on the bench, burying his face in his hands and shaking his head. This was not the return to Fayetteville he had envisioned.

By halftime, the Scotland High School product and former University of North Carolina signal caller was gone from Nick Jeralds Stadium, headed with his parents to Chapel Hill for X-rays.

Results of those tests were not known after the game. But Catawba coach Chip Hester had his fingers crossed that it was nothing more than a sprain.

"That's the hope," Hester said. "His ankle was sore. He couldn't push off. But beyond that, I don't have any other details. We'll have to wait and find out."

Earlier in the week, Fayetteville State coach Kenny Phillips had been eager for his defense to be tested against such a talented and proven college quarterback. Phillips talked of trying to find ways to rattle Sexton. But when Dixon rolled up onto Sexton's plant leg on Catawba's third offensive play, the quarterback's night was finished right when it started.

On the opposing sideline, Phillips admits he felt a bit of sympathy.

"I hope the kid's OK," he said. "Because I know he's been through some tough times in his college career. And I can only hope he can come back in and play the rest of the year for those guys."

Catawba Defense Shines in Raleigh

2009-08-30T09:55:00.001-04:00

SalisburyPost.com
Mike London

Catawba won't celebrate its official Homecoming until Oct. 3, but many Indians returned to their roots in Saturday's season opener.

Former UNC quarterback Cam Sexton's touted trip to the Triangle triggered a major media circus, and he showed what all the fuss is about with 336 passing yards and two TDs. He sparked Catawba's solid 25-7 victory against St. Augustine's at Broughton High School.

Catawba head coach Chip Hester, who grew up in Raleigh, ventured home with far less fanfare than his new QB. So did defensive line coach Khanis Hubbard, D-line monster Melquan Fair, starting center Zane Gibson and O-line reserve Daylon McAlexander, who played quite a lot. Offensive coordinator Matt Barrett is an N.C. State graduate.

"It was the first time I've coached in my hometown as a head coach," Hester said. "My family was here, people I went to church with were here, my high school coach and some teammates were here. It was just a great opportunity for Catawba to have a presence in an important recruiting area."

Catawba's 2008 season opened with a stunning setback against St. Augustine's, but there was no repeat.

Fair blasted through to destroy the Falcons' first play from scrimmage, and Catawba's deep defense stayed dominant in sweltering temperatures with 11 tackles for loss and two picks by freshman Junal Rolle. St. Aug's managed just 60 yards of offense in the first half and didn't score until the fourth quarter. By then, Catawba led 18-0.

"No one plays a perfect first game, but we wanted the defense to look strong," outspoken tackle Brandon Sutton said. "The focus was on being the aggressors and letting them know we have the best defense in Division II."

Hester said "no Knute Rockne speeches" were required to get the team up. Not after last year's disappointment He didn't raise his voice in his pregame talk.

"We already knew this was a payback game," said Antonio Hall, who paced Catawba rushers with 84 yards. "They were fired up, but so were we and we stayed with it."

Hall shrugged off one devastating hit and kept coming.

Gibson spent a chunk of the preseason establishing a rapport with his new quarterback and was a little worried about Sexton before kickoff.

"Cam seemed really quiet," Gibson said. "I asked him, 'Are you all right?' He said that's just how he is before a game. I'm sure he feels like he can do better, but he was good for the first game. We've all got a lot of getting better to do and we'll get after it."

Sexton, who was sacked three times, was a little tight and a little off early, but his 51-yard completion to Gerron Bryant, who made a wonderful, lunging catch with five minutes left in the first quarter broke the ice and got him going. Bryant's grab led to Thomas Trexler's 29-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

An eligibility issue had been weighing heavily on Bryant's muscular shoulders, and wasn't resolved — favorably — until right before the team met Friday at 8:30 p.m.

"I've been walking around campus with my head down all the time because I've been praying," Bryant said. "Prayers do work. I had faith all along that they would."

The talented Bryant caught six of Sexton's 23 completions and had 106 receiving yards.

Catawba made it 9-0 at halftime when Sexton waited patiently for Brandon Bunn to break open as he sprinted across the end zone and delivered a textbook throw.

A fine punt by Colby McCanna, a hustling effort by Scottie Floyd that downed the ball on the 1 and a sack by defensive end Marqus Davis for a safety on the next play gave the Indians an 11-0 lead early in the third quarter.

In the middle of the third, Catawba put together a scoring drive that consumed nearly eight minutes and essentially put the game away.

Catawba was able to overcome multiple penalties as Sexton made key completions to Bunn and Brian Terwilliger. On third-and-10 at the SA 13, Sexton connected with Travis Landrum over the middle for 11 yards. It took Catawba three tries from the 2, but Hall hammered the ball over the goal line.

St. Aug's scored on Joaquin Green's 32-yard pass to Richard Abney with 7:37 left to play to make it 18-7, but Sexton had an answer — a 39-yard TD strike to Landrum.

Catawba outgained St. Aug's 424 yards to 162, and the Falcons moved the chains on only twice on their 10 third-down plays.

"We haven't arrived yet, by any means, and the guys understand we're not where we need to be," Hester said. "Still, we did a lot of things we can feel good about. Today's exposure was good for the team and good for Catawba."

August 15th Pictures

2009-08-15T13:28:00.003-04:00

Sophomore defensive end Brandon Weedon played in many snaps as Catawba held its first fall scrimmage in 2009 at Shuford Stadium on Saturday morning.

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August 14th Pictures

2009-08-14T23:47:00.004-04:00

Sophomore running back Josh Wright looks for an opening in Friday's practice.

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LB Kewone Harris Starts to Heat Up

2009-08-14T21:59:00.003-04:00

Sophomore linebacker Kewone Harris is starting to emerge as a prized linebacker that the Catawba faithful foreshadowed last season.

True freshman outside linebacker Cory Johnson has garnered the most buzz since arriving in fall camp last week. He appears as a probable candidate to replace departed two time all-league linebacker Charles McAfee in 2009, as does senior hitter Leon Ager.

However, a bright spot in this camp has emerged from sophomore outside linebacker Kewone Harris.

Harris arrived at Catawba last season with perhaps bigger expectations than household name Lakeem Perry did as a true freshman. At 6'1 185 pounds, Harris was one of the state's top prep tacklers during his final season at Oxford-Webb High School, collecting 171 stops.

After a injury-filled freshman campaign in 2008, the likelihood of Harris moving to safety was not only likely, but almost certain. It made sense as the Tribe had lost three of its top four safeties from last season, and Harris speed was looked to as an asset for Bob Lancaster's back four.However, fast forward to Friday morning and onlookers saw Harris lining up beside redshirt freshman Ronald Martin and senior Leon Ager at times as a linebacker.

Other news and notes from Friday's practice included a huge forced fumble from senior defensive end Arthur Cromartie on junior rusher Casey Hall. Senior running back Antonio Hall is an explosive offensive weapon and is primed for a vital role in Catawba's wide open offense. Hall had two touchdown runs in the practice's make-shift redzone trips, including an untouched scoring run on the far left-hand side.

Sophomore tight end Holt Rains showed excellent footwork against blitzing outside linebackers, while starting junior tight end Grayson Downs is a trust-worthy commodity in the passing game. Rookie Vincent Beam is still learning the position from his new tights coach Gerald Williams.

Quarterback Cameron Sexton had a lengthy write-up in Friday's Charlotte Observer, but was not in uniform on this day. Instead, quarterbacks Pat Dennis and Daniel Griffth took charge of the first and second-string offenses. Gunslingers Maurice Hughes and Landon Isenhour threw the pigskin on the sidelines, while all-state passer Brett Mooring absorbed more of the Indian's complex playbook.

Sophomore defensive tackle Robert Brown started in the team's final two contests against Brevard and Lenoir-Rhyne. He continued his positive momentum into camp thus far, plugging in crucial alleys in Lancaster's 4-3 scheme.

Brown will still be looking up to junior Brandon Sutton and senior Melquan Fair on the depth chart this season, but under Khanis Hubbard's rotation, Brown will have ample opportunity to improve on last season's success.

August 11th Practice Pictures

2009-08-11T18:29:00.003-04:00

Junior wide receiver Brandon Bunn goes high to haul in a pass for a huge gain in Tuesday's practice.

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August 10th Practice Pictures

2009-08-10T17:56:00.002-04:00

True freshman linebacker Corey Johnson defends against a throw in Monday's pass skeleton.

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Saturday Night Practice

2009-08-08T23:23:00.003-04:00

Quarterback Cameron Sexton showcased his arm strength in the early stages of Saturday's practice.

As the sun began to fade into the distance behind the endless sum of trees on Catawba’s practice field, an equal amount of jumping jacks and war cries geared up Saturday night’s practice.

Wide receivers Travis Landrum and Brandon Bunn started off the evening with circus catches before the first period session, while the Indian’s returning tight ends met with new tight ends coach and 12 year NFL veteran Gerald Williams.

All ten defensive linemen were in action on Saturday, showing true freshmen DE Damien Lee and DT Tobias Brown the ropes of defensive line coach Khanis Hubbard’s drills. Rookie defensive end James Hunt showed a lot of tenacity in his first of many weekend practices.

Lindy’s Magazine recently named senior defensive tackle Melquan Fair as a second team preseason All-American in its latest summer college football edition. The 6’1 260 pound senior was the first in-line for each drill session, demonstrating virtually perfect technique on each station.

Senior linebackers Leon Ager and Julian Samolu have been vocal leaders thus far in camp, leading by example to the underclassmen. Freshman linebackers Cory Johnson and Dennis McFatten looked the part early on.

Center Zane Gibson delivered good snaps to QBs Cameron Sexton and Pat Dennis during the late pass skeletons. True freshman OL Ethan Winn was sensational in his second full day of camp, a bright future is ahead of Catawba’s newest Gretna High School star.

Sexton gave deceiving head fakes on play-action passes, while Dennis loves to roll after a fake hand off to find his targets down field.

Head coach Chip Hester playfully shouted to his scores of freshmen on the sideline. “Puppy dogs, puppy chow,” laughed Hester during the passing drill. “You guys are a little wet behind the ears!”

As the pass skeleton waged on, it was junior wide out Brian Terwilliger making his name known. All over again.

Terwilliger was a highly regarded QB at New Hanover and was used consistently last season as a change of pace QB in rushing situations.

This off-season however, according to offensive coordinator Matt Barrett, Terwilliger has found a niche at receiver through hard work in the weight room this summer.

Senior Antonio Hall could pull double duty this season, at least according to the stat sheet. Catawba’s talented running back is just as dangerous catching the ball as he is taking hand-offs.

Hall will have some help in 2009 with Western Carolina transfers Josh Wright and Levon Curtis. Both running backs were in full force on Saturday night, and each carries their own personality to the offense.

Redshirt-freshman running back Bobby Morrison was in street clothes, still rehabbing from a spring injury that has sidelined the former Shrine Bowl MVP for several months. He was in high spirits however, giving pointers to Levon Curtis and true freshman Rashaun Gaither, a 2,000 yard rusher and all-state running back at Starmount High School.

Blocking for the new faces at running back will come from a good nucleus at fullback. Junior Adawi Revels will be pushed by redshirt freshman Trevor Vermette and rookie Aaron Rainey for the starting job.

True freshman safety LJ McCray could have been mistaken for a speed demon on special team drills, who visited Appalachian State a week prior to inking with Catawba in February.

August 8th Practice Pictures

2009-08-08T22:44:00.004-04:00

Preseason Second Team All-SAC linebacker Lakeem Perry enters the 2009 season as the reigning SAC Defensive Freshman of the Year.

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Let the 2009 Camp Begin

2009-08-07T22:08:00.006-04:00

Redshirt-freshman left tackle Decarius Kanyinda was one of the first veteran players to sign in on Friday afternoon.

Two-time All-American offensive lineman Terence Crosby has a crucial task on his mammoth shoulders in 2009, protecting QB Cameron Sexton's blind side.

On Friday afternoon, however, Crosby was all smiles when greeting new and familiar faces at Hayes Field House.

At 1:00 PM, returning lettermen scurried into the football office lobby, anxious to highlight their respective names and meet with head athletic trainer Bob Casmus. Height and weight measurements were recorded for every player, but those traits are not always predictors of future standout Catawba football players.

After equipment was issued to each player, Chip Hester called a seniors-only meeting at 3:00 PM. A collective team meeting took place a half-hour later.

Hester has issued a mandatory midnight curfew for all players, which took into effect after Friday night's introductory 9:00 PM practice session in helmets.

Be sure to check out the 2009 Indians from 7:00 to 9:15 PM on Saturday night. Catawba will be in helmets, team T-shirts, and shorts.

The Freshmen Arrive to Catawba

2009-08-05T13:24:00.005-04:00

Tobias Brown was one of over 50 expected players to arrive to Catawba and begin their college football careers.

D2Football Preview Magazine

2009-08-04T22:03:00.002-04:00

D2Football.com is expanding its coverage in 2009.

The D2Football Preview 2009 Magazine is 112 pages with a color cover and black and white interior pages. It includes:

-D2Football.com All-America Team
-D2Football.com Top 25 Media Poll
-Previews of every Division II Team
-Conference Predictions
-All-Conference Teams

D2Football Preview 2009 is available online for the price of $15.00 and can be purchased using PayPal's secure billing process. You do not need a PayPal account.

The magazines will be shipped once they are completed and printed.

Buy today and become informed about D2Football in 2009.

Please visit the link below to purchase your copy today.

Click Here to Purchase

Catawba Picked 2nd in SAC, Six on All-SAC

2009-08-02T17:15:00.005-04:00

Catawba College has been predicted to finish tied for second in the South Atlantic Conference Preseason Poll. Carson-Newman received six first place votes to Catawba's one first place vote. The Eagles also led the way with eleven players on the all-conference preseason team to Catawba's six players.

Coaches Preseason Poll

1. Carson-Newman (6) 62
2. Catawba (1) 46
2 (tie) Tusculum 46
4. Wingate 41
5. Mars Hill (1) 35
6. Newberry 34
7. Lenoir-Rhyne 16
8. Brevard 8
(First-place votes in parenthesis)

2009 Preseason All-SAC Team

OFFENSE
First Team
QB – Alex Good, Carson-Newman
RB – Buck Wakefield, Carson-Newman
RB – Nelson Woods, Wingate
RB – Marcus Foster, Tusculum
WR – Reggie Hubbard, Carson-Newman
WR – Kelton Tindal, Newberry
WR – Ryan Tallent, Tusculum
TE – Jarrell NeSmith, Tusculum
OL – Terence Crosby, Catawba
OL – Chandler Rearden, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL – Josh Sims, Mars Hill
OL – Matt Holmes, Newberry
OL – Ross Shaffer, Carson-Newman
PK – Colin Corpe, Lenoir-Rhyne
LS – Jordon Simmons, Lenoir-Rhyne

Second Team
QB – Brandon Gantt, Newberry
RB – Ricky Harris, Carson-Newman
RB – Anthony Silvers, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB – Gerald Legree, Newberry
WR – Nate Binder, Tusculum
WR – John Brown, Mars Hill
WR – Calvin Britt, Tusculum
TE – Ryan Webber, Wingate
OL – Hunter Carnes, Catawba
OL – Harrison Smith, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL – Walter Simmons, Newberry
OL – Josh Stone, Tusculum
OL – Ben Benshoof, Wingate
PK – Michael Pinkerton, Mars Hill
LS – Kyle Davis, Wingate

DEFENSE
First Team
DL – Melquan Fair, Catawba
DL – Brandon Harmon, Carson-Newman
DL – Brandon Sutton, Catawba
DL – Lance Clark, Newberry
LB – Brian Brown, Carson-Newman
LB – Stanley Jones, Brevard
LB – Brandon Rawls, Brevard
LB – Stan Galbraith, Mars Hill
DB – Mario Russell, Carson-Newman
DB – Deshun Nesbitt, Mars Hill
DB – Kamaal McIlwain, Newberry
DB – Tylan Merkerson, Wingate
P – John Gregory, Tusculum
RS – Patrick Pinchinat, Wingate

Second Team
DL – Marqus Davis, Catawba
DL – Maurice Harris, Mars Hill
DL – Marcus Nelums, Newberry
DL – Brandon Kelley, Tusculum
LB – Lakeem Perry, Catawba
LB – Zach Johnson, Mars Hill
LB – Ben Hinson, Wingate
LB – Aaron Plyler, Wingate
DB – Marcus Shuford, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB – Andre Moyd, Newberry
DB – Michael Gist, Brevard
DB – Denares Waites, Carson-Newman
P – Chris Jones, Carson-Newman
RS – Reggie Hubbard, Carson-Newman

2009 Statistics

2009-07-30T09:58:00.000-04:00

Click Here

Catawba's Aaron Rainey Leads West All-Stars

2009-07-25T23:34:00.007-04:00

Gaston Gazette Staff Report

GREENSBORO - Bessemer City's Aaron Rainey led the West with 40 rushing yards on six carries and Forestview's Jarkeevus Alexander was second in rushing with 29 yards on just one carry. Alexander also led the West in receiving with four catches for 86 yards. Rainey, who plans to play at Catawba this fall, started at fullback and Alexander, headed for UNC Pembroke, later entered at wingback.

Chapel Hill’s Steven Moore scored on a 5-yard run with 9:11 remaining to give the East a 6-0 win over the West in the East-West All-Star Football Game on Wednesday.

The West, guided by head coach Scott Cloninger of Lincolnton, managed just 193 yards of offense out of the triple option, including 65 yards on 30 carries and 128 yards through the air on 8 of 17 passing.

South Point’s Daniel Biggerstaff started at offensive guard for the West and Lincolnton’s Reginald Anderson also played for the West at offensive line.

East Lincoln’s Jason Perry, another UNC Pembroke recruit, started at defensive back and finished with unassisted tackle and two assisted.

The East produced just 174 yards of offense but put together a 13-play, 71-yard scoring drive late to secure its third straight win in the series. The West leads the series 35-25-1.

July 14th Pictures

2009-07-19T21:52:00.004-04:00

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Cameron Sexton and Other QBs Practice

2009-07-14T21:18:00.003-04:00

IndianHuddle.com Press Release
Nestled in between Catawba's annual high school football camps and the college's soccer field was the location for UNC transfer QB Cameron Sexton to get a feel for his new group of offensive playmakers.

Junior receiver Gerron Bryant left many defenders dead in their tracks and Sexton would rifle spirals into his awaiting hands. Other wide outs Sexton has become fond of are Brandon Bunn and Brian Terwilliger, a junior duo that combined for well over 1,000 all-purpose yards in 2008.

Sophomore Eric Morman was a full-time starter last season and he showed why on Tuesday afternoon. As opposed to what mothers tell their kids, Morman loves to play in traffic and shows no fear slanting across the middle.

Former Scotland County product Colby McCanna is the lone high school teammate of Sexton's, and is a red-shirt senior like the former UNC QB. McCanna has worked hard this off-season to prepare for a bright season this fall.

Senior running back Antonio Hall showed tremendous versatility in his route-running out of the backfield. Hall has stayed in Salisbury, NC, over the summer months and is building chemistry with new and familiar faces.

One of those new faces in the huddle was Northridge HS (Colorado) QB Chance Green. At first glance, Indian fans would think All-American QB Brad Roach had a younger brother playing football.

QB Patrick Dennis is no stranger to throwing pigskins on Catawba's practice fields, nor the bright lights of Shuford Stadium. Dennis is the conference's second leading returning passer with 1,152 and 13 TDs, and may be a 2009 Preseason All-SAC candidate.

Sexton and Dennis have been sharing experiences of being collegiate quarterbacks the past couple of months. Both are intelligent passers with strong knowledge of the game according to Indian offensive coordinator Matt Barrett.

Western Carolina's Levon Curtis Heads to Catawba

2009-07-12T00:21:00.006-04:00

IndianHuddle.com Press Release
Western Carolina sophomore wide receiver Levon Curtis will soon be heading to Catawba for the 2009 season.

Curtis is following former Catamount Josh Wright to Salisbury, NC, after both saw significant time for the FCS program just one year ago. Wright is a 5'10 215 pound running back that transferred to Catawba over the winter break and played admirably in the college's annual spring game.

In 2008, Curtis caught a dozen passes during his inaugural collegiate season for 78 yards.

He may be listed as a receiver, but Curtis' services don't end there. His stocky stature at 5'9 210 pounds makes him an ideal weapon in the backfield as a rusher.

Against Chattanooga last year, Curtis recorded a start at running back.

He performed brilliantly by recording 18 attempts for 108 yards in their convincing 27-7 win. For the season, the true freshman tallied 44 carries for 180 rushing yards.

On top of his versatility on offense, Curtis was also one of the starting kick off return men for Western Carolina. He returned 19 total kicks for an average of 19.1 yards per return, and also had a team-high 39 yard return during the 2008 season.

Curtis entered Cullowhee, NC, as one of the top prep wide receivers in the state. As a senior for Western Alamance, he guided the program to a 3A state championship and earned a spot on the 3A first team all-state team.

During their state title win against North Gaston, Curtis accounted for five touchdowns en route to Most Outstanding Player honors. He caught seven passes for 153 yards, while also adding 96 rushing yards in their state championship victory.

As a receiver, he hauled in 69 catches for 1,298 yards and 19 TDs during his final year. At running back, he added on 743 rushing yards and 13 TDs. In all, he accounted for 2,051 total offensive yards and 32 TDs in a single season.

Besides being named first team all-state as a senior, he was also chosen as the 3A Triad Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

Curtis is leaving a Western Carolina program that is mourning the loss of defensive back Ja'Quayvin Smalls, who passed away during voluntary workouts last week.

Ellington Starring in Indoor League

2009-07-08T21:45:00.004-04:00

By: Mike London
Salisbury Post

When he stares out the window, Ron Ellington can see "The Fence" — a controversial wall of wire and steel that rises 18 feet high on the border between El Paso, Texas, and Jaurez, Mexico.

The fence is a daily reminder for Ellington, a former Catawba football standout whose career ended with All-American accolades in 2007, that he's a long way from home.

"It's so different from North Carolina," Ellington said. "No green. Not many trees. Hot. Just desert climate."

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Ellington is a defensive lineman for the El Paso Generals and an MVP candidate in the Indoor Football League, which was formed in 2008 when the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football joined forces.

Ellington made 206 tackles for Catawba. Half of his 52 tackles for loss were sacks. Seven sacks came in one record-breaking frenzy against Mars Hill when he was a sophomore. That game made him a star. He never topped it, but he never stopped being reliable and productive. Ellington has always gotten sacks, whether he was suiting up for Charlotte's Independence High, Catawba or the El Paso Generals. That's what he does.

The Generals play an odd brand of football that people used to watching Catawba wouldn't recognize. It's 8-on-8. Players carom crazily off 4-foot high walls. Punts aren't allowed. The field is only 50 yards long. Scoreboards get lit up. When the Generals enjoy a stellar defensive night, they win 55-38.

About 90 percent of the plays called in the IFL are pass plays. That makes Ellington very valuable.

"It's a throwing league made for pass-rushers and pass-blockers," Ellington said. "I started out playing linebacker, but I was best as a pass-rusher, so they moved me to defensive end."

Ellington has racked up 17.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in 13 games, but he admits it's not something he can do forever. The payscale in the IFL isn't geared for making a living. Players need a second job to make ends meet.

"I am not making any money," Ellington said. "But I'm doing this to get to where I want to be. I look at it like I've got to give up a little to gain a lot."

Ellington knows exactly how he ended up in the dusty western corner of Texas, but it takes him 10 minutes to explain the twists and turns he's taken in his pro career.

He didn't hear his name called in the 2008 draft, but he hadn't expected to. He tried out for a Canadian Football League team but wasn't signed.

He worked his first job off the football field, counseling at a group home, and joined the Carolina Speed for their final three weeks.

He was picked in the United National Gridiron League's online draft last January and was excited about suiting up for Team Virginia. He worked out diligently and got his mind right.

Opening day in the UNGL was postponed twice because of financial struggles. Then the league was cancelled — at least for this year.

"After that, I went back to speak to the Speed, but their roster was full," Ellington said. "But those setbacks were blessings. The coach at El Paso had heard about me. He called and asked If I was interested."

Ellington was.

When the Generals opened the season April 4 with a 50-17 thrashing of the Corpus Christi Hammerheads, Ellington was there, playing in front of a crowd of 3,250 at the 5,600-seat El Paso County Coliseum, which is also home to rodeos, livestock shows and the Ice Capades.

"Half the fans come across the border from Mexico and the other half are from El Paso," Ellington said. "Fan support has been good because we're the closest thing to the NFL in town. They used to have an Arena League team, but they were O-fer and didn't make it. We're 11-2. Everybody likes a winner. They come see us."

The home games are fun, but road trips are rough. The Generals play often against Texas teams in the Lone Star Division, but it's not like they can jump on a jet when they're scheduled to play out of state.

Ellington will never forget the team's 24-hour bus ride to St. Charles, Mo., to play the River City Rage. The Generals left El Paso on a Wednesday, rested up, then won 70-56 on Saturday.

Ellington's best game came in one of the Generals' early wins.

"I got off to a strong start with one of our games against Corpus Christi," Ellington said. "They said I had 2.5 sacks, but after they reviewed the film they gave me credit for five.

"Word started getting around, and it got harder after that. Teams started changing their line splits against me. Teams started using the running back to stay in and help block me."

Still, Ellington's gotten his share of sacks. He ranks in the top five in the IFL in sacks and tackles for loss. There are only three O-linemen on the field, and he's been a handful.

Ellington stays in touch with Catawba coaches and trusts that hard work will pay off. Catawba assistant Bob Lancaster has many contacts in Canada. It's also likely the original Arena Football League will be back in business in 2010.

Ellington noted that former teammate Brad Roach is playing quarterback in af2, which is Triple-A for the Arena League.

There was also good news last month when Ellington's El Paso teammate, offensive lineman Polo Gutierrez, was signed by the Buffalo Bills.

Scouts are everywhere, and you just never know who's watching.

"I want to use this opportunity I've gotten in El Paso as a stepping stone to a higher level," Ellington said. "I'm hoping my numbers will speak for themselves."

2009 Catawba Football Schedule

2009-07-01T21:05:00.006-04:00

Aug. 29, 2009 @ St. Augustine's W 25-7
Sep. 5, 2009 @ Fayetteville St. W 21-20
Sep. 12, 2009 vs. Livingstone W 51-0
Sep. 26, 2009 vs. Mars Hill L 14-12
Oct. 3, 2009 vs. Newberry L 40-21
Oct. 10, 2009 @ Carson-Newman L 41-31
Oct. 17, 2009 @ Tusculum W 41-27
Oct. 24, 2009 vs. Wingate 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 31, 2009 @ Brevard 1 p.m.
Nov. 7, 2009 vs. Lenoir-Rhyne 1:30 p.m.

2009 Catawba Football Recruiting Class

2009-07-01T19:47:00.000-04:00

NAME POS. HT. WT. CLASS HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
Robbie Aldridge DL 6-0 210 Fr Trussville,AL/Hewitt-Trussville
Tyler Allen
Vincent Beam TE 6-3 205 Fr North Wilkesboro,NC/Wilkes Central
Gavin Blakey K 5-10 170 Fr Madison,NC/McMichael HS
Nick Bodenheimer OL 6-2 245 Fr Winston-Salem,NC/Reagan
Tobias Brown DL 6-2 270 Fr Stantonsburg,NC/Beddingfield
Keith Bryant DB 5-9 180 Fr Hamptonville,NC/Starmount
Jarrod Cave OL 6-0 265 Fr Dobson,NC/Surry Central
Tajh Cheeseboro LB 5-9 195 Fr Cameron,SC/Calhoun Co.
James Collins DB 6-1 200 So East Islip,NY/E. Islip/Suffolk CC
Jared Crabtree WR 6-1 170 Fr Raleigh,NC/Wakefield
Rob Creason DL 6-2 280 Fr Winston-Salem,NC/N. Davidson
Dylan Crump WR 6-1 190 Fr Hudson,NC/Hibriten
Bo Davidson WR 5-9 175 Fr Gaffney,SC/Gaffney HS
DJ Davis LB/LS 6-2 215 Fr Charleston,SC/Wando
Robert Davis WR 6-0 175 Fr Claremont,NC/Bunker Hill
Dainel Donaldson OL 5-11 230 Fr China Grove,NC/S. Rowan
Matthew Draughn DB 5-10 160 Fr Asheboro,NC/Providence Grove
Tim Flanagan RB/DB 5-8 160 Fr Salisbury,NC/W. Rowan
Scottie Floyd DB 5-10 165 Fr Gastonia,NC/Ashebrook
Quatez Fuller RB 6-0 190 Fr Rutherfordton,NC/R-S Central
Jerome Gadberry LB 6-0 180 Fr Boonville,NC/Starmount
Rashaun Gaither RB 5-10 190 Fr Yadkinville,NC/Starmount
Chance Green QB 6-6 205 Fr Greeley,CO/Northridge
Calvin Hall
Sammy Houston DB 5-10 165 Fr Hamlet,NC/Richmond Sr.
Maurice Hughes QB 6-0 170 So Clemmons,NC/W.Forsyth/Forsyth Tech
James Hunt LB/DE 6-1 220 Fr Clinton,NC/Clinton
Alex Ingram DB 5-10 170 Fr Rockingham,NC/Richmond Sr.
Jonathan Ingram RB 5-8 190 Fr Lincolnton,NC/Linconlton
Landon Isenhour QB 6-2 195 Fr Newton,NC/Foard
Corey Johnson LB 5-10 225 Fr Fayetteville,NC/Britt
Terrance Johnson WR/DB 5-9 175 Fr Pinnacle,NC/W. Stokes
Bobby Krauk P 6-6 210 Fr Finksburg,MD/Westminster
Damein Lee DL 6-'3 235 Fr Reidsville,NC/Reidsville
Darrius Massey DB 5-8 165 So Spencer,NC/N.Rowan/Winston-Salem St.
Payton McCollum WR 5-10 175 Fr Winston-Salem,NC/Mount Tabor
LJ McCray DB 6-1 185 Fr Charlotte,NC/Harding
Dennis McFatten LB 6-2 195 Fr Ocala,FL/Lake Weir
Anthony McGill DB 6-0 185 Fr Matthews,NC/Butler
Jeff McMillion OL 6-3 240 Fr Madison,NC/McMichael
Alex Miller DB 5-10 185 Fr Newton,NC/Foard
Richard Miller FB 6-1 235 Fr Elon,NC/W. Alamacnce
Brett Mooring QB 6-3 235 Fr New Bern,NC/W. Craven
Dustin Morgan LB 6-0 230 So Cooleemee,NC/Davie Co./Louisburg CC
Joseph Peterson S 5-10 170 Fr Chestertown,MD/Queen Anne’s Co.
Thomas Phillips FB/P 6-3 255 Fr West Jefferson,NC/Ashe Co.
Michael Priest LB 6-1 200 Fr Winston-Salem,NC/N. Davidson
Aaron Rainey RB 5-11 230 Fr Gastonia,NC/Bessemer City
Jumal Rolle DB 6-0 180 Fr Wilson,NC/Beddingfield
Keith Royal DE 6-4 220 Fr North Wilkesboro,NC/N. Wilkes
Nathan Smith DB 5-7 165 Fr Winston-Salem,NC/Glenn/Forsyth Tech
Lance Spivey OL 6-0 300 Fr Summerfield,NC/Reidsville
Kyle St. Clair OL 6-2 265 Fr Taylorsville,NC/Alexander Central
Justin Terwilliger DE 6-2 260 So Wilmington,NC/New Hanover/Cape Fear CC
Jacob Todd LB 6-2 220 Fr Norwood,NC/S. Stanly
Keyon Wade FB/LB 6-0 210 Fr Woodbridge,VA/Woodbridge
Ethan Winn OL 6-4 295 Fr Gretna,VA/Gretna
Josh Wright RB 5-10 215 So Raeford,NC/Hoke Co./W. Carolina

2009 Catawba Football Roster

2009-07-01T19:45:00.001-04:00

# Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown/Previous School

1 Thomas Trexler K 5-10 190 So. Wilmington, NC/New Hanover
2 Josh Wright RB 5-10 215 So. Raeford,NC/Hoke Co./W.Carolina
3 Cortez Best DB 5-11 195 Sr. Huntersville,NC/N. Mecklenburg
4 Leon Ager LB 6-0 195 Sr. Grover,NC/Shelby
5 Antonio Hall RB 5-9 195 Sr. Greensboro,NC/NE Guilford
6 Travis Landrum WR 6-0 185 Sr. Inman,SC/Chapman
7 Brandon Bunn WR 5-11 175 Jr. Virginia Beach,VA/Kellam
8 Julian Hartsell DL 6-4 295 Jr. Columbia,SC/Ridgeview
9 Julian Samolu LB 6-1 215 Sr. Salisbury,NC/W. Rowan
10 Patrick Dennis QB 6-1 185 Jr. Durham,NC/Cedar Ridge
12 Cameron Sexton QB 6-2 200 Grad. Laurinburg,NC/Scotland Co./UNC
13 Daniel Griffith QB 6-2 205 So. Salisbury,NC/N. Rowan
14 Kewone Harris DB 6-0 190 So. Durham, NC/Webb
15 LJ McCray DB 6-1 185 Fr. Charlotte,NC/Harding
16 Martel Shaw WR 6-2 195 Jr. Greensboro,NC/NW Guilford/Lenoir-Rhyne
18 Gerron Bryant WR 6-3 180 So. W. Palm Beach,FL/Palm Beach CC
19 Brian Terwilliger WR 5-11 185 Jr. Wilmington,NC/New Hanover
20 Terrence Jones DB 5-9 165 Jr. Rockingham,NC/Richmond Sr.
21 Bryant Vennable DB 6-0 200 So. Gretna, VA/Gretna
22 Jaspen Gray DB 5-11 175 Sr. Advance,NC/Davie Co.
23 Mario Washington WR 5-8 160 Jr. High Point,NC/Ragsdale
24 Derrick Brown DB 5-11 175 So. Siler City,NC/Jordan Matthews
25 Jumal Rolle DB 6-0 180 Fr. Wilson,NC/Beddingfield
26 Brett Mooring QB 6-3 235 Fr. New Bern,NC/W.Craven
27 Eric Morman WR 6-1 185 So. Rockingham,NC/Richmond Sr.
28 Octavius Hough DB 6-1 185 So. Charlotte, NC/E. Mecklenburg
29 Calvin Hall DB 5-9 185 Sr. Concord,NC/NW Cabarrus/Averett
30 Casey Hall RB 5-9 170 So. Concord,NC/NW Cabarrus/Averett
31 Aaron Cauble DB 5-11 170 Jr. Salisbury, NC/E. Rowan
32 Adawi Revels FB 6-0 220 Jr. Hiddenite,NC/N. Iredell
33 Corey Johnson LB 5-10 225 Fr. Fayetteville,NC/Britt
34 Anthony McGill DB 6-0 185 Fr. Matthews,NC/Butler
35 Levon Curtis WR 5-10 200 So. Elon,NC/W.Alamance/W.Carolina
36 Sammy Houston DB 5-10 165 Fr. Hamlet,NC/Richmond Sr.
37 Scottie Floyd DB 5-10 165 Fr. Gastonia,NC/Ashbrook
38 James Collins DB 6-1 200 So. East Islip,NY/E.Islip/Suffolk CC
39 Bo Davidson WR 5-9 175 Fr. Gaffney,SC/Gaffney
40 Bobby Morrison RB 5-9 195 R-Fr. Statesville, NC/W. Iredell
41 Aaron Rainey FB 5-11 230 Fr. Gastonia,NC/Bessemer City
44 Jeb Bass LB 6-1 205 So. Newton,NC/Foard
47 Payton McCollum WR 5-10 175 Fr. Winston-Salem,NC/Mount Tabor
50 Lakeem Perry LB 6-0 195 So. Louisburg, NC/Louisburg
51 Michael Priest LB 6-1 200 Fr. Winston-Salem,NC/N.Davidson
52 Melquan Fair DL 6-1 280 Sr. Raleigh,NC/E. Wake
53 DJ Davis LB/LS 6-2 215 Fr. Charleston,SC/Wando
54 Jacob Todd LB 6-2 220 Fr. Norwood,NC/S.Stanly
55 Terence Crosby OL 6-3 305 Sr. Winston-Salem,NC/Glenn
56 Kevin Hamaker OL 6-3 295 Sr. Beaufort,SC/Battery Creek
57 Philip Russ LS 6-3 260 So. Casar,NC/Burns
58 Ronald Martin LB 6-0 225 R-Fr. Clayton,NC/Clayton
59 Dustin Craft LB 6-1 210 R-Fr. China Grove, NC/Carson
61 Daylon McAlexander OL 6-4 275 So. Raleigh,NC/Wakefield
62 Roy Carter, Jr. OL 5-10 320 Sr. Warrenton,NC/Warren Co.
63 Jarrod Cave OL 6-0 265 Fr. Dobson,NC/Surry Central
64 T.J. Michel OL 6-3 295 R-Fr. Winston-Salem, NC/Mt. Tabor
65 Ethan Winn OL 6-4 295 Fr. Gretna,VA/Gretna
66 Daniel Donaldson OL 5-11 230 Fr. China Grove,NC/S.Rowan
68 Nick Bodenheimer OL 6-2 265 Fr. Winston-Salem,NC/Reagan
69 Jeff McMillion OL 6-3 240 Fr. Madison,NC/McMichael
70 Kemp McSween OL 6-4 285 Jr. Rockingham,NC/Richmond Sr.
71 Lance Spivey OL 6-0 300 Fr. Summerfield,NC/Reidsville
72 Hunter Carnes OL 6-4 305 Sr. Ayden,NC/Ayden-Grifton
73 Marquell Reddick OL 6-3 285 So. Detroit, MI/Grand Rapids CC
74 Stephen Dorenbusch OL 6-8 305 Fr. Granite Falls,NC/S.Caldwell
76 Rob Creason DL 6-2 280 Fr. Winston-Salem,NC/N.Davidson
78 Zane Gibson OL 6-3 310 Jr. Wake Forest,NC/Wakefield
79 Decarius Kanyinda OL 6-3 295 R-Fr. Raleigh, NC/Apex
80 Dylan Crump WR 6-1 190 Fr. Hudson,NC/Hibriten
81 Jamey Small WR 6-3 180 Sr. Rockwell,NC/E.Rowan
82 Ronnie Williams WR 6-3 175 R-Fr. Durham, NC/Hillside
83 Tyler Allen WR 6-2 175 So. Orange Park,FL/Fleming Isl/Jacksonville
84 Lavar Marsh TE 6-4 275 Jr. Burlington,NC/E. Alamance
85 Holt Rains TE 6-5 240 So. Goldsboro, NC/Rosewood
86 Colby McCanna WR 6-2 215 Sr. Laurinburg,NC/Scotland Co.
87 Grayson Downs TE 6-3 275 Jr. Mt. Pleasant,NC/Mt. Pleasant
89 Terrence Porter DL 6-3 255 Sr. Roanoke Rapids,NC/Roanoke Rapids
90 Damien Lee DL 6-3 235 Fr. Reidsville,NC/Reidsville
91 Brandon Weedon DL 6-2 220 So. Columbia,SC/Spring Valley
92 Arthur Cromartie DL 6-3 230 Sr. Fayetteville,NC/Sanford
93 Wilbur Pender DL 6-2 300 Sr. Franklinton,NC/Franklinton
94 Bobby Krauk P 6-6 210 Fr. Finksburg,MD/Westminster
95 Brandon Sutton DL 6-3 280 Jr. Snow Hill,NC/Greene Central
96 Alex Hartsell DL 6-4 285 Jr. Columbia, SC/Ridgeview/The Citadel
97 Tobias Brown DL 6-2 270 Fr. Stantonsburg,NC/Beddingfield
98 Robert Brown DL 6-2 295 So. Camden,SC/Camden
99 Marqus Davis DL 6-2 230 Sr. Charlotte,NC/N. Mecklenburg
Vincent Beam TE 6-3 205 Fr. North Wilkesboro,NC/Wilkes Central
Gavin Blakey K 5-10 170 Fr. Madison,NC/McMichael
Jared Crabtree WR 6-1 170 Fr. Raleigh,NC/Wakefield
Anthony Cunningham DL 5-11 250 So. Landover,MD/Flowers/Prince George CC
Robert Davis WR 6-0 175 Fr. Claremont,NC/Bunker Hill
Matthew Draughn DB 5-10 160 Fr. Asheboro,NC/Providence Grove
Tim Flanagan RB/DB 5-8 160 Fr. Salisbury,NC/W. Rowan
Quatez Fuller RB 6-0 190 Fr. Rutherfordton,NC/R-S Central
Jerome Gadberry LB 6-0 180 Fr. Boonville,NC/Starmount
Rashaun Gaither RB 5-10 190 Fr. Yadkinville,NC/Starmount
Chance Green QB 6-6 205 Fr. Greeley,CO/Northridge
Seth Hazelton LB 6-2 195 Fr. Gastonia,NC/Forestview
Maurice Hughes QB 6-0 170 So. Clemmons,NC/W.Forsyth/Forsyth Tech
James Hunt LB/DL 6-1 220 Fr. Clinton,NC/Clinton
Alex Ingram DB 5-10 170 Fr. Rockingham,NC/Richmond Sr.
Jonathan Ingram RB 5-8 190 Fr. Lincolnton,NC/Linconlton
Landon Isenhour QB 6-2 195 Fr. Newton,NC/Foard
Terrance Johnson WR/DB 5-9 175 Fr. Pinnacle,NC/W. Stokes
Spencer Kiziah WR 5-10 160 Fr. Newton,NC/Newton-Conover
Darrius Massey DB 5-8 165 So. Spencer,NC/N.Rowan/Winston-Salem St.
Dennis McFatten LB 6-2 195 Fr. Ocala,FL/Lake Weir
Alex Miller DB 5-10 185 Fr. Newton,NC/Foard
Richard Miller FB 6-1 235 Fr. Elon,NC/W.Alamance
Joseph Peterson DB 5-10 170 Fr. Chestertown,MD/Queen Anne’s Co.
Thomas Phillips FB/P 6-3 255 Fr. West Jefferson,NC/Ashe Co.
Nathan Smith DB 5-7 165 So. Winston-Salem,NC/Glenn/Forsyth Tech

Lancaster Back on Taylor Field

2009-06-11T19:52:00.002-04:00

By: Rob Vanstone
The Leader-Post

For Bob Lancaster, the reminders are everywhere.

There is, for example, the gigantic photo of his legendary father. Ron Lancaster's image is displayed on the outer west side of Mosaic Stadium.

"You can't miss it," said Bob Lancaster, who does miss the city in which he grew up.

"I love Regina. I've always loved Saskatchewan. It's the old saying: You can take the kid out of Saskatchewan, but you can't take Saskatchewan out of the kid.''

Bob Lancaster, 40, is the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Catawba College in Salisbury, NC, where he has spent the last 11 years. Lately, however, he is moonlighting as a guest coach at the Saskatchewan Roughriders' training camp.

"I was talking with one of the coaches, Joe Womack," Lancaster said in reference to the Roughriders' director of player personnel, who is also tutoring the team's safeties.

"He said, 'I remember being here as a rookie. The first touchdown pass thrown against me in the CFL was in that corner, and your dad threw it on me.' He said, 'Did you ever think when you were a snot-nosed kid running around here that some day you'd be coming back here to be a coach?'"

Womack was flashing back to a game in 1977, when he was a defensive back with the Calgary Stampeders. In the southwest corner of Taylor Field, he surrendered one of the 333 touchdown passes The Little General threw in 19 years as a CFL player.

Sixteen of those seasons were spent with the Roughriders. Upon retiring as a player, Ron Lancaster spent the 1979 and 1980 seasons as the team's head coach. Now, nearly 30 years later, there is another Coach Lancaster in camp.

Bob Lancaster has previously been a guest coach with the Edmonton Eskimos and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, back in the days when his famous father coached those teams. The youngest of No. 23's three children has also coached in NFL Europe and the American high school ranks.

Coaching-wise, this stop will be the briefest -- and among the most memorable.

"I'm really glad I came and did this," said a smiling Lancaster, whose wife (Kimberly) and five-year-old daughter (Alexus) are back in North Carolina.

Alexus graduates from kindergarten today. A proud father would love to witness the occasion, but how could he pass up this opportunity?

Upon returning to Saskatchewan for the first time in roughly 10 years, Bob was welcomed by his sister (Regina-based Lana Mueller) and her husband (Larry). One of the first stops was Emerald Park Road, where the Lancaster family lived for 20 years.

"I went there the first night I got back,'' Bob said. "There were all the feelings again. You look at the park and think of the hide-and-go-seek and the games of football -- the shinny games out in front of the house when it's minus-40. It's like I was in a time warp. There were feelings coming up all the time ... good feelings.''

The feelings can also be bittersweet.

It has not yet been a year since Ron Lancaster died suddenly at age 69. The sad news of Sept. 18 prompted a torrent of condolences and tributes, which were appreciated by Lancaster's wife (Bev) and children (Bob, Lana and Ron Jr.).

"We're doing pretty well," Bob said. "We're so spread out. We stay in touch on the phone. I probably talk to Lana a bit more than I did before. I talk to my mom every day. Before, I might have called once a week to see how she and Dad were doing. Now I call every day.

"It has probably brought us a little closer. It might sound corny, but you start to understand a little more about life. Everyone thinks their dad's invincible. It doesn't matter if your dad's a steel worker or a lawyer. You just think your dad's invincible."

He is far from invisible -- as Bob Lancaster discovered the other day when he happened to look at the west-side grandstand and saw his father's name on the facing.

"You're in the middle of practice, trying to watch practice, and you go off in your own mind for a second," he said. "It's pretty emotional -- more emotional than I thought it would be. I didn't really think any of those feelings would happen, coming to grips with what happened.

"It's a bit of a closure, I hope, that's happening for me."

Former QB Brad Roach Goes AFL2

2009-06-10T21:31:00.003-04:00

Youngstown, OH. - The Mahoning Valley Thunder is pleased to announce that Quarterback Brad Roach (6'6, 250) has been assigned to the team by the af2 League Offices. Roach is an af2 rookie.

Roach takes the roster spot of Quarterback Blake Powers who has been placed on Injured Reserve.

A native of North Carolina, Roach played collegiately at Division II Catawba College. As a senior, Roach earned All-American honors and was also named the South Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

During that 2007 campaign, Roach threw for 3,322 yards and 32 touchdowns. Brad left Catawba as the Indians' all-time passing yards average leader with 212.8 per game. Roach's 7,874 yards and 62 touchdown passes both rank second in school history.

Following his college career Roach signed a free agent contract with the NFL's Baltimore Ravens before being released in training camp. Earlier this month Roach participated in rookie minicamp with the CFL's Montreal Allouettes.

With starting Quarterback Davon Vinson less than 100%, Roach is expected to see significant playing time this week as the Thunder travel to Albany.

Thunder Head Coach Chris MacKeown said, "Brad has a really strong arm and the ability to make all the throws in the indoor game. He's a big guy who looks more like a Defensive End, guys like that give defensive lineman fits because if you can get to him, he's tough to bring down. Obviously being a rookie he is going to need some time to learn the game."

"But we feel like he has all the tools to make a quick transition and be a successful Quarterback sooner rather than later."

The Mahoning Valley Thunder's third season is under way! Don't miss your chance to feel all the hard-hitting, fast paced action of arena football! Tickets for this event are just $5 dollars and are on sale now! For more information call the Thunder Offices at 330.758.4232.

RB Quatez Fuller Heading to Catawba

2009-06-07T16:14:00.006-04:00

R-S Central running back Quatez Fuller officially committed to the Tribe football program shortly before his high school career came to a close.

To say that Fuller was a three-sport standout is an understatement.

Football, basketball, and track were sports that Fuller excelled in during his tenure at R-S Central. At 6'1 195 pounds, his future looks bright in the backfield as a ball carrier.

As a senior for the 7-5 Hilltoppers, Fuller earned all-county honors and was given the team's annual Heartbeat Award.

His rushing statistics were 62 carries for 296 yards and four touchdowns, a 4.7 yard average. Fuller also caught 16 passes out of the backfield for 376 yards and four scores.

On defense, Fuller contributed 36 tackles and three interceptions in the R-S Central secondary.

In the winter, he was also a big-time scorer for the Hilltopper's hoops team, averaging nearly 13 points a night. He was named to the 2008 Southernwestern All-Conference team during his final year, while also being named to the 2008 MLK All-Tournament team.

Fuller's defining moment on the hardwood occurred during their win over West Henderson where he stole an inbounds pass with only five seconds remaining.

He proceeded to untie the 63-63 score with his last second layup, giving the R-S Central the 65-63 win. Fuller had a game-high 22 points.

Perhaps his most successful athletic achievements occurred in track and field.

He was named the Southwestern Conference Field Performer of the Year, Rutherford County MVP, R-S Central team MVP, Times-News Invitational Field MVP, and Eddie Reneau Invitational Field MVP.

Fuller also finished 5th in North Carolina at the high jump event 6'4 high jump.

LJ McCray Highlight Reel Surfaces on Youtube

2009-05-21T14:36:00.006-04:00

Harding University High School safety LJ McCray inked with the Catawba football program on National Signing Day in early February.

He was named all-conference during his junior and senior seasons, while being named to the All-Queen City 3A/4A team at running back.

His future, however, will be looked upon at safety. The loss of safeties Tyon Bennett, Mike Benton, and Chris Noel will make McCray a viable option for playing time in 2009.

McCray, 6'1 185, took a late visit to Appalachian State shortly before making Catawba his destination to play college football. He was also invited to play in the new Down Under Bowl.

As a rusher, McCray recorded 44 carries for 198 yards and six touchdowns, while hauling in 19 catches for 339 yards and a pair of scores.

His services in their secondary included 70 tackles and three interceptions during his final season for Harding.

McCray returned three kick-offs for touchdowns during his final prep season, while accumulating five total touchdowns in return situations throughout his career.

His official highlight tape has surfaced on Youtube and is available for Catawba fans to take a sneak peak at the college's future options in the secondary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEXR0PiOE8Y

LB Keyon Wade Picks Catawba

2009-05-11T13:23:00.004-04:00

Woodbridge High School (VA) defensive end Keyon Wade recently inked with the Indian program last week.

Wade earned First Team All-Cardinal District honors as a defensive lineman for the 11-1 Vikings.

His future position, however, will be at linebacker where his 5'10 210 pound frame will be better suited.

Wade was the team's fullback as well, paving the way for Rutgers commit De'Antwan Williams.

Despite rushing for only a pair of touchdowns last season and catching five balls out of the backfield, he may be looked at as a fullback for Catawba in years to come.

Wade was primarily a roving defensive end for Woodbridge, but played significant snaps at linebacker and safety.

On defense, Wade was in on 52 total tackles, a sack, two interceptions, and four fumble recoveries.

Woodbridge has had seven seniors ink with four-year colleges or post-graduate institutions to further their playing careers.

LB Dennis McFatten Commits to Indians

2009-05-05T20:46:00.007-04:00

Heralded Lake Weir HS linebacker Dennis McFatten inked with the Catawba Indians shortly before the spring semester ended.

Lake Weir, located in Ocala, FL, recently enjoyed its first trip to the state playoffs in the program's 53 year existence.

McFatten had a lot to do with that milestone by leading the Hurricanes to a 7-4 record, while earning All-Marion County Second Team accolades.

As a prep senior, McFatten racked up 65 tackles, 6 sacks, one interception, a blocked punt, and a touchdown.

The 6'2 195 pound linebacker spent two years on their varsity team and was recognized as "Mr. Hurricane" and "Mr. Leadership" of the squad.

Lake Weir coach Mark Hinterthan knew McFatten's future was bright after his stint on the JV team as a sophomore.

During that time span, McFatten was named to the All-Marion County team after recording 31 tackles, 3 sacks, and two blocked punts.

Not to mention he was named the team's "Defensive Player of the Year" by season's end.

Ocala's newspaper, The Star-Banner, reported on April 13th that McFatten had offers from Wingate, Emory and Henry, Concordia and Averett, with Catawba ultimately winning the race.

The Indians graduated two-time All-SAC linebacker Charles McAfee and Charlie Walker after last season's 6-4 campaign.

McFatten and other newcomers will look to replenish and solidify Catawba's linebacking corp and special team's needs in the future.

2009 Division II Preseason Consensus Draft Services All-American Teams

2009-05-05T13:59:00.003-04:00

The Consensus Draft Services released their annual Division II preseason All-American teams on Tuesday morning.

Senior left tackle Terence Crosby headlines the offensive linemen as a first team pick. The 6'2 300 pound Crosby will be a four-year starter this fall and was recognized as an AFCA All-American in 2008.

Other Catawba Indians can be found on this All-American squad, and they are listed in the honorable mention section.

UNC quarterback Cameron Sexton has yet to take a snap in Salisbury, NC, but the CDS selection committee felt that the Tribe's transfer signal-caller will be one of the nation's more productive players in 2009.

Sexton played in eight games during his junior season for the Tar Heels, completing 94 of 168 attempts for 1,261 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Defensive end Marcus Davis is also listed as an honorable mention pick on the defensive line.

Davis is one of many Indian prospects creating pro buzz after a sensational junior year.

In 2008, the 6'2 240 pound defensive end registered 37 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and six sacks.

Another senior defensive lineman, Melquan Fair, joins Davis on the honorable mention team.

Fair has been a cornerstone to Catawba's 4-3 scheme each of the past two seasons.

As a two time First Team All-SAC pick, Fair collected 36 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks last season.

Catawba's Recruiting Class Swells to 47

2009-04-29T19:12:00.008-04:00

Recruiting coordinator DJ Summers released the college's official commitment list early Monday.

The list currently has 47 names, including both letters of intent and transfer players.

Click the link to read the list of future Tribe football players.

High School Letters of Intent

Name Position Height Weight High School

Robbie Aldridge DE 5'10 220 Hewitt-Trussville HS (AL)
Nick Bodenheimer OL 6'2 245 Ronald Reagan HS
Tobias Brown DT 6'2 265 Beddingfield HS
Vincent Brown TE 6'3 205 Wilkes Central HS
Keith Bryant DB 5'9 180 Starmount HS
Jared Crabtree WR 6'1 170 Wakefield HS
Rob Creason DT 6'2 293 North Davidson HS
Dylan Crump WR 6'1 190 Hibriten HS
Bo Davidson WR 5'9 175 Gaffeny HS (SC)
Robert Davis WR 6'0 175 Bunker Hill HS
Daniel Donaldson OL 5'11 230 South Rowan HS
Matthew Draughn DB 5'10 160 Providence Grove HS
Scottie Floyd DB 5'10 165 Ashbrook HS
Jerome Gadberry LB 6'0 180 Starmount HS
Rashaun Gaither RB 5'11 190 Starmount HS
Chance Green QB 6'6 205 Northridge HS (CO)
Sammy Houston DB 5'9 170 Richmond Senior HS
James Hunt LB 6'1 220 Clinton HS
Alex Ingram DB 5'9 170 Richmond Senior HS
Jonathan Ingram RB 5'8 190 Lincolnton HS
Landon Isenhour QB 6'2 195 Fred T. Foard HS
Cory Johnson LB 5'11 230 Jack Britt HS
Terrance Johnson WR 5'9 175 West Stokes HS
Bobby Krauk P 6'6 210 Westminster HS (MD)
Damien Lee DE 6'3 235 Reidsville HS
Payton McCollum WR 5'10 175 Mount Tabor HS
LJ McCray DB 6'1 175 Harding University HS
Dennis McFatten LB 6'2 195 Lake Weir HS (FL)
Anthony McGill DB 6'0 185 Butler HS
Alex Miller DB 5'9 175 Fred T. Foard HS
Richard Miller FB 6'1 235 Western Alamance HS
Brett Mooring QB 6'4 235 West Craven HS
Thomas Phillips FB 6'3 255 Ashe County HS
Michael Priest LB 6'0 190 North Davidson HS
Aaron Rainey FB 6'0 230 Bessemer City HS
Jumal Rolle DB 6'1 180 Beddingfield HS
Keith Royal DE 6'4 220 North Wilkes HS
Kyle St. Clair OL 6'2 265 Alexander Central HS
Jacob Todd LB 6'2 220 South Stanly HS
Ethan Winn OL 6'4 295 Gretna HS (VA)

Transfer Commitments

Name Position Height Weight Previous School

James Collins DB 6'1 200 Suffolk Community College (NY)
Darrius Massey DB 5'8 175 Winston-Salem State University
Marcus McFadden DB 5'9 165 Lenoir-Rhyne University
Dustin Morgan LB 6'0 230 Louisburg Junior College
Cameron Sexton QB 6'1 190 University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Nathan Smith DB 5'7 160 Forsyth Technical Community College
Justin Terwilliger DL 6'2 260 Cape Fear Community College
Josh Wright RB 5'10 210 Western Carolina University.

Rashaun Gaither Inks with Catawba

2009-04-27T17:57:00.007-04:00

Starmount running back Rashaun Gaither has decided to join teammates Keith Bryant and Jerome Gadberry as part of the 2009 Catawba football recruiting class.

Gaither had earlier opted to be apart of the inaugural Carolina Sports Academy, a new post-graduate institution in Greensboro, NC.

The Indian's official commitment list released on Monday morning has Gaither listed among a group of players that has grown to nearly 50 names. The program only had eight seniors in last year's class.

As a prep senior, Gaither rushed 217 times for 2,138 yards and 30 touchdowns en route to Mountain Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors.

Gaither's sensational rushing totals broke the school's single-season rushing mark.

On defense, the 5'11 190 running back tallied 63 tackles and five interceptions.

For his career, he finished with 3,272 rushing yards with 46 touchdowns and became the all-time leader in receiving yards with 746 yards. As a defensive back, he finished with 10 interceptions.

Gaither's reasoning for considering post-graduate school was to test his abilities for FBS and FCS schools in future recruiting wars.

Starmount's option-oriented offense suited Gaither well throughout his career, and had aspirations for the Air Force Academy and Georgia Tech because of their style of play.

Starmount Defenders Commit to Catawba

2009-04-12T11:17:00.004-04:00

By: Eric Lusk
The Yadkin Ripple

When Starmount endured a 1-10 football season in 2006, coach Scott Johnson looked to a group of sophomores to help turn things around.

Two players from that group, now seniors, not only helped to elevate the Rams back to conference championship status, but have earned the chance themselves to continue playing at the next level.

Jerome Gadberry and Keith Bryant have signed to play football for Catawba College in Salisbury. Gadberry played wide receiver and linebacker for the Rams, which finished 11-4 and advanced to the 2A West Regional championship game this past fall. Bryant was a linebacker, defensive back, running back and one of the most feared kick-returners in the conference.

“It all goes back to that year when they were sophomores and us having to struggle,” Johnson said. “The leadership that they displayed this year, the work ethic and how hard they pushed their teammates — they pushed themselves that hard first. That’s how we were able to get to where we were this year.”

Catawba, which competes at the NCAA Division II level with schools like Mars Hill, Lenoir-Rhyne and Brevard, gained both Starmount players in its 2009 class of signees.

Gadberry and Bryant will follow in the footsteps of several former Starmount athletes who have played football for Catawba. That list includes Joel Brown, Daniel Granzyk, Neil Love, Brian Ray and Seth Wagoner.

Chip Hester is Catawba’s head football coach. The Indians went 6-4 last season, including a 4-3 record in its conference. Assistant coach Ben Hepler, a former South Stokes standout, led the recruiting effort with the Starmount players.

“We have a really good history with Catawba here,” Johnson said. “Ben has been recruiting here the last three years. It all started when they watched (the three players) on film. They went down for a workout and Jerome and Keith really liked what they saw. I think it’s going to work out real well for them.”

Bryant likely will be used on special teams early in his career. He’s been tabbed to play defensive back as well.

“A lot of my friends are going down there,” Bryant said. “I’m the kind of person who learns well in a small school environment. I just like that.”

Gadberry played several roles during his Starmount career, including starting at quarterback for a time. He ended up catching passes as a wideout and playing in the defensive backfield this past season.

“Jerome might be one of those kids where it takes a year or two to see how much he grows and how his speed develops before they are really sure what they’ll do with him,” Johnson said.

Gadberry is fine with that. He just wants to keep playing football.

“Right now, I just want to get in good with the system, learn everything and work my way up,” he said.

Johnson believes this Ram trio, as well as the other seniors from the 2008 team, can leave a lasting legacy on the program.

“Hopefully, it will be an imprint that carries on,” the coach said. “I know last year’s seniors had an impact on them. It’s going to carry on to next year’s seniors and on down the road I feel.”

2009 Blue-White Game Picture Gallery

2009-04-05T10:12:00.002-04:00

All-American left tackle Terence Crosby provides a running lane for sophomore tailback Casey Hall in the 2009 Catawba Blue-White game.

Click Here for Picture Gallery

Trexler Field Goal Wins it for White Team

2009-04-05T10:09:00.003-04:00

Catawba College Sports Information

The defense shined at Catawba’s Blue-White Spring Game as Thomas Trexler provided the lone points with a 22-yard field goal on the final play of the game to give the White a 3-0 win. The White totaled only 89 yards on the day, but had three interceptions and recorded four sacks.

Marqus Davis had three of the sacks for the White squad, which stated its winning drive after an interception by Bryant Vennable on its own 37-yard line with 1:51 left. Daniel Griffith moved the White across midfield with a 14-yard scramble and later hit Brandon Bunn for 10 yards on a key third-down conversion.

A pass interference penalty on the Blue moved the ball to the 20-yard line and Griffith tossed an 11-yard pass to Bobby Morrison to move the White inside the 10. Trexler converted from short range on the final play.

The White had a touchdown called back for an illegal formation on its previous possession. The penalty wiped out a 60-yard strike from Griffith to Gerron Bryant. Griffith completed eight passes on the day for 67 yards. Logan Hulslander had one completion for one yard. Bunn was the favorite target with four catches for 25 yards.

Patrick Dennis threw for 109 yards for the Blue, completing 9-of-24 passes, but was picked off three times. Cortez Best intercepted a desperation pass in the end zone to end the first half and Lakeem Perry had an interception early in the third quarter. Wilbur Pender had the other sack for the White.

Josh Wright led all rushers on the day. He had 49 yards on eight carried for the Blue team. Eric Morman had five receptions for 41 yards. The Blue had one scoring chance in the first half, but Trexler missed on a short field goal attempt. Melquan Fair had a sack and recovered a fumble for the White. Brandon Sutton and Julian Samolu combined on a sack.

SCORING SUMMARY

White – Thomas Trexler 22 FG, 0:00 – 4th

STATISTICS
RUSHING: White 14-21 (Antonio Hall 4-14, Logan Hulslander 2-13, Daniel Griffith 6-10, Brian Terwilliger 1-3, Team 1-(-19); Blue 18-43 (Josh Wright 8-49, Casey Hall 5-9, Patrick Dennis 5-(-15).
PASSING: White 9-21-0-68 (Daniel Griffith 8-19-0-67, Logan Hulslander 1-2-0-1); Blue 9-24-3-109 (Patrick Dennis 9-24-3-109).
RECEIVING: White 9-68 (Brandon Bunn 4-25, Bobby Morrison 2-8, Martel Shaw 1-23, Brian Terwilliger 1-8, Antonio Hall 1-4); Blue 9-109 (Eric Morman 5-41, Travis Landrum 2-50, Colby McCanna 1-14, Casey Hall 1-4).

DEFENSIVE STATS
INTERCEPTIONS – White 3 (Cortez Best, Lakeem Perry, Bryant Vennable); Blue 0/
SACKS – White 4 (Marqus Davis 3, Wilbur Pender 1); Blue 2 (Melquan Fair 1, Brandon Sutton .5, Jullian Samolu .5).
FUMBLE RECOVERIES – White 0; Blue 1 (Melquan Fair).

March 31 Spring Scrimmage Picture Gallery

2009-03-31T23:28:00.002-04:00

Catawba junior wide receiver Gerron Bryant hauls in a touchdown grab against red-shirt freshman cornerback Doug Barron in Tuesday's spring scrimmage.
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2009 Spring Analysis

2009-03-30T20:58:00.015-04:00

Position of strength?

The Indians were plagued by inconsistent quarterback play last season, but now teams in the SAC are envious over Catawba's situation.

The Tribe picked up key newcomers in UNC's Cameron Sexton and Shrine Bowler Brett Mooring in the off-season. Behind Dennis is a proven fifth-year senior in Howard Williamson.

Don't count out sophomore Daniel Griffith and his uncanny arm strength, it is one of the strongest arms in the conference.

Help is needed

The secondary was a pillar of experience last season. Now, it is a position of legitamite concern. One full-time starter was lost in the secondary in All-SAC CB Jasmon Carpenter.

Meanwhile, utility safety Chris Noel and fifth year senior Marcus Glenn have also departed. CB Bryant Vennable has starting experience and has all of the physical tools that Catawba great Jamel Jackson once had.

Restocking the back four does not figure to be a quick and easy process, but transfers Calvin Hall and Marcus McFadden could ease the burden. Rookies Jumal Rolle and LJ McCray could make an impact in the fall. Keep an eye on

RB Antonio Hall: In recent seasons, the Indians have had success with three running backs as a rotation. Last fall, however, Jamelle Cuthbertson was mostly a one-man show. The departed rusher tallied more than 1,000 yards in his feature role last season. Returning leading rusher Hall has first dibs on the starting job this season. At 190 pounds, he fits Catawba's need for a bruiser and a shifter. But who will be the second threat? Look out for redshirt freshman Bobby Morrison, a compact runner with ability who has drawn praise from coaches. Transfer Josh Wright from Western Carolina has Division I experience and talent, but needs more time connecting with his trenchmen.

WR Ronnie Williams: Last season in fall camp, Williams made his presence felt with his physical play at 6'4. Ultimately redshirted in 2008, his progression in the weight room this offseason has shown thus far in spring camp. Circus catches and sideline grabs are the norm for Catawba's latest treasure at WR this spring. His comparison to WR Brent Johnson is neither uncommon nor far-fetched, as Johnson used his superior height to his advantage on smaller CBs.

LB Ronald Martin: A late signee with the program last summer, Martin was a jump and a skip away from playing as a rookie. The coaching staff played marquee recruits Lakeem Perry and Kewone Harris in 2008, and redshirted the 6'0 210 pound linebacker. The lack of depth at linebacker this spring has opened the door for Martin to make strides and a splash at his position. Martin has been feeding off great penetration by a powerful defensive line, an occurance he hopes continues in the 2009 season. At the least, he should contend for a starting spot in the fall.

His time is now

Senior Travis Landrum might be the fastest receiver in the SAC, but his modest production over the past two seasons at WR has been observed. He has been one of the nation's premier kick returners since 2007, but has only managed 26 receptions in that time.

Landrum was one of the South Carolina's most prized prospects during his senior season in 2005. As a dual-threat quarterback at Chapman HS, he earned all-state honors as an athlete after posting consecutive 1,000 yard passing and rushing seasons. Now is Landrum's moment to make an impact this spring, take the momentum into the fall and prove he can be deep target for QBs Cameron Sexton, Patrick Dennis and Howard Williamson.

The buzz

Much of the attention this spring has centered on the Cameron Sexton quarterback sweepstakes rather than the unprecedented offensive and defensive lines built by Hester and his assistants the past four years.

The progress made in rebuilding the secondary and running back corp should be watched just as much this spring. The Indians' '09 season may depend on several unproven, but talented defensive backs aiming to make a good impression on the Tribe's coaching staff.

2009 Spring Update

2009-03-25T12:06:00.006-04:00

Catawba's front four on the defensive line has been receiving the most publicity thus far in spring drills aside from the quarterback battle.

All ten defensive linemen return intact for the second straight season, headlined by All-American candidates Marcus Davis, Melquan Fair and Brandon Sutton.

In Saturday's 10:00 AM scrimmage, the defensive line set the pace and tone with at least eight sacks on Catawba's four quarterbacks. Defensive tackle Brandon Sutton led the way with a trio of sacks, followed by seniors Terrence Porter and Melquan Fair with pairs of sacks.

Junior defensive tackle Alex Hartsell forced a fumble in the white team's redzone while sacking quarterback Daniel Griffith.

Despite the quarterbacks being on their backs early and often during the morning scrimmage, quarterbacks Pat Dennis and Howard Williamson still found their favorite targets for significant gains.

Young receivers like Mario Washington, who had an amazing 40-yard reception off a tipped ball, finished the contest with three catches for 52 yards. Junior Brandon Bunn caught a 25 yard touchdown pass from Dennis towards the waning moments of the game.

Redshirt-freshman wide out Ronnie Williams and senior wide out Jamey Small both made outstanding catches near the home sideline, both resulting in first downs for the offense.

Dennis showed great footwork once he was out of the grasp of the collapsing front four, and he always thanks his hardworking offensive line for the holes they created.

Two-time All-American left tackle Terence Crosby has elevated his run and pass-blocking skill sets to another level since the last years' 58-23 win over Lenoir-Rhyne. Right tackle Hunter Carnes is a fiery senior that makes sure his troops are ready to play day in and day out.

Senior right guard Kevin Hamaker is always a leader by example, and has been nothing short of productive in his fourth spring season with the team. This is Hamaker's year to earn post season honors for the first time in his career, the coaching staff can feel it.

To Crosby's right is junior Kemp McSween, who has been steady thus far during the spring. McSween's confidence has really soared since his entrance into the starting lineup in early 2007.

Zane Gibson is the definition of reliable at center, who has had the luxury of snapping to great quarterbacks in Brad Roach, Howard Williamson, and Pat Dennis over the past two seasons. Gibson has been remarkable in one on one situations against the nation's most tenacious defensive tackles.

Sophomore Cody Corn was hampered by injury during the week and will likely be out for the week. Backup center Daylon McAlexander will slide over to guard to fill Corn's presence, while long-snapper Phillip Russ will occupy the second-string center position.

Speaking of second-string, Decarius Kanyinda is Crosby's immediate backup at left tackle. Nicknamed "DK" by coaches and teammates, Kanyinda took a redshirt last fall and will provide much needed depth upfront. His play thus far in the spring has been enthusiastic, and he is primed to do good things for Catawba in the near future.

Redshirt-freshmen Ronald Martin and Dustin Craft at outside linebacker have been pleasant surprises. Perhaps Martin's spring emergence is not much of a surprise to the coaching staff, as he was close to not taking a redshirt in 2008.

Craft's journey into Catawba blue and white started by inking with the program by nearby Carson High School. He did it all for a program that just opened its doors during his junior season, where he was one of North Carolina's leading tacklers.

After starting at quarterback as a senior, Craft committed to Chip Hester's Indians as a linebacker and longsnapper. The jury was still out on the status of his knee heading into last season, but his play thus far in the spring has been consistent.

Senior safety Jaspen Gray capped the scrimmage with a 40-yard interception return near the far sideline. Quarterback Logan Huslander escaped immense pressure from the pocket and fired an errant pass that fell into Gray's awaiting hands.

A convoy of blockers literally paved the way for the big return..

March 21 Spring Scrimmage Picture Gallery

2009-03-21T13:38:00.002-04:00

Catawba running back Casey Hall attempts to elude rising senior defensive tackle Melquan Fair during the scrimmage.

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March 18th Practice Picture Gallery

2009-03-18T19:24:00.003-04:00

Rising junior defensive tackle Brandon Sutton takes part in opening drills of the 2009 spring extravaganza. He was named to the All-SAC second team last season with 14 TFL and 4 sacks.

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Spring Practice Opener is a Closer

2009-03-16T15:22:00.003-04:00

The 2009 Catawba Indians will take the first steps toward a special fall campaign on another day. Steady rain made field conditions worse by each passing hour. Later details on Catawba's spring schedule.

UNC QB Cameron Sexton Picks Catawba

2009-03-12T10:20:00.002-04:00

By Sammy Batten
Fayetteville Observer

The former Scotland star says the school is ‘a good fit with their coaches.’

Cam Sexton won’t be moving far from Chapel Hill to continue his college football career.

Sexton, who announced in January he would transfer from North Carolina after directing the Tar Heels to a 4-2 record as a starter last season, said Wednesday he’ll play in 2009 at Catawba College in Salisbury.

“I just felt like it was a good fit with their coaches,’’ Sexton said. “They run a pro-style offense there, which is what I was looking for, and they’re in position to be very successful next year. They have a lot of older guys that provide a lot of stability in the program.’’Sexton proved to be a savior for UNC last year as a redshirt junior when he stepped in for injured starter T.J. Yates. The former Scotland High School star completed 94 of 198 passes for 1,261 yards and nine touchdowns before Yates returned to action.

Anticipating that Yates would be the Tar Heel starter again in 2009, Sexton decided to go ahead and graduate from UNC in May and transfer to another school where he could play immediately next fall. His options were limited to NCAA Division II level programs.

Sexton looked closely at three schools – Catawba, North Alabama and Valdosta State – before deciding to join the Indians late last week. He informed Catawba head coach Chip Hester and offensive coordinator Matt Barrett on Sunday.

“They were excited, and I’m excited, too,’’ Sexton said. “They were some of the first people who contacted me after I announced my decision to transfer.’’

Sexton’s decision was also influenced by former Scotland High teammate, Stuart Adams, who played linebacker for the Indians in 2005 and still resides in Salisbury.

“Stuart had only positive things to say about Catawba,’’ Sexton said. “He gave me some great advice and told me it was a good experience for him.’’

Sexton will step into an offense that has featured a potent passing attack directed by Barrett, who is a graduate of Fayetteville’s Terry Sanford High School. Barrett coached AFCA All-American quarterback Brad Roach in 2007. Roach threw for 7,874 yards and 62 touchdowns during his Catawba career and signed last January with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

Three players who saw significant action last season at quarterback for the Indians will return in 2009. Sophomore Patrick Dennis saw the most extensive playing time, appearing in 10 games and throwing for 1,152 yards and 13 touchdowns. Junior Howard Williamson passed for 619 yards and five scores in five games, while redshirt freshman Daniel Griffith had 125 yards passing and one touchdown in seven games.

The Indians also signed Shrine Bowl quarterback Brett Mooring, who led West Craven High School to the state 3-A championship game as a senior.

Sexton is looking forward to working with Mooring and all the Catawba quarterbacks.

“We discussed me working with him (Mooring), and I’m anxious to do that,’’ Sexton said. “I’m just happy to have this decision made now and I’m looking forward to continuing my career at Catawba.’’

Catawba Wins Sexton Sweepstakes

2009-03-10T22:54:00.003-04:00

According to the Salisbury Post, University of North Carolina quarterback Cameron Sexton will announce his commitment to the Catawba College football program on Thursday, March 12th.

The Indians will be the recipient of a decision that came down to the University of North Alabama and the small college in Salisbury, NC.

Sexton played in eight games during his junior season, completing 94 of 168 attempts for 1,261 yards and 9 touchdowns.

The highlight of his 2008 season came during the Tar Heel's 28-24 win over the Miami Hurricanes, where he threw for 242 yards and a pair of scores en route to ACC Player of the Week honors. Coach Butch Davis' club was down by as many as ten points in the second half before Sexton connected with future NFL wide out Hakeem Nicks for a 74-yard touchdown.

UNC used a trio of quarterbacks last fall that helped lead the Tar Heels to an 8-5 record and a berth in the annual Meineke Bowl. TJ Yates, the assumed frontrunner at quarterback for the spring, finished second on the team with 1,168 yards through the air.

In the 45-24 win over Boston College, Sexton connected on a season-high 19 of 30 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns. His 18 pass completions that propelled UNC to a 29-24 victory over Notre Dame was the second most completions in his lengthy career.

Despite seeing limited action as a sophomore, Sexton saw vast amounts of playing time as a redshirt freshman.

During his initial season, he completed 57 of 136 attempts for 840 yards and four scores.

His first game-action occurred against Virginia Tech where he came off the bench to throw for 124 yards and a touchdown in the 35-10 loss.

Sexton's first career start came in 2006 when he led the Tar Heels to a wild 45-42 win over the Furman Paladins. In the high scoring contest, Sexton unleashed 265 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

He was the first signal-caller since Darian Durant in 2001 to start as a freshman.

Sexton was a SuperPrep All-American quarterback from Scotland County High School prior to committing with the University of North Carolina in 2005. Rivals.com ranked Sexton as the No. 6 best quarterback in the country as a senior, and No. 2 in the state.

He also had scholarship offers from Clemson, Florida State, NC State, South Carolina, and Virginia Tech.

Returning quarterbacks Pat Dennis, Howard Williamson and Daniel Griffith all have starting experience and look forward to impress the coaching staff in spring drills.

Apart of the 2009 signing day class was Shrine Bowl signal-caller Brett Mooring, an all-state performer from West Craven.

The 6'4 235 pound Mooring will likely redshirt this fall and grasp knowledge of the Tribe playbook during his first year.

N. Davidson Defensive Leaders Coming to Salisbury

2009-03-05T18:36:00.005-05:00

North Davidson High School will send two of its top defensive players to Catawba College in linebacker Michael Priest and defensive tackle Rob Creason.

Priest started both ways for the Knights as a senior. As a fullback, Priest blocked for sensation running backs LJ Scott and Landon Powell.

On defense, the 6'0 190 pound linebacker racked up 112 tackles and six sacks en route to All-Central Piedmont Conference and all-county honors . Creason is a 6'2 293 pound defensive tackle that really made a name for himself in the middle dating back to his junior season.

As a two-time all-county selection, Creason received medium interest from Appalachian State, Western Carolina, Army, Western Carolina, Elon, and the Penn Quakers throughout his final prep year.

As a senior, Creason posted 98 tackles and 10 sacks. It is rare when a run-stopping interior lineman approaches the century-mark in tackles.

During his junior year, he finished 8th in the state with 13 sacks.

Creason runs a 5.3 40 yard dash, has a personal best 325 on the bench press, and 490 pounds on squat.

Foard HS DB Alex Miller Commits to Catawba

2009-03-05T17:54:00.004-05:00

Standout running back Alex Miller from Fred T. Foard officially committed to Catawba this week.

Miller looks to further his career as a 5'9 175 pound member of the Tribe secondary.

Heading into his final prep season at Fred T. Foard, coach Ryan Gettys promised reporters that Miller would be in on almost every tackle at safety.

Obviously Miller was a busy man on Friday nights during his career, always facing collisions on every single play on either offense or defense.

As a sophomore for the Tigers, Miller recorded 189 carries for 809 yards and 9 touchdowns. He missed the majority of his junior season due to a leg injury, but still managed to lead Fred T. Foard in rushing with nearly 300 yards.

According to ESPNU's North Carolina College Football Prospects, Miller was rated as a running back recruit ranked in the top 30 at his position.

The Tigers finished 9-3 during his senior season and was named to the 2008 All-Catawba Valley Athletic 2A-3A Conference team.

A Closer Look at Gretna HS OL Ethan Winn

2009-02-23T16:36:00.007-05:00

Back in the summer months of 2008, many of Catawba's football players were hard at work in the weight room preparing for another winning season.

However, not many Indian fans knew that the Tribe's coaching staff had offered a scholarship to one of Virginia's top prep offensive lineman in the meantime.

It is rare for Division II coaching staffs to offer high school players prior to their senior season, but Gretna High School's Ethan Winn is just that.

Rare.

Winn has started since his freshman year for the Hawks, which adds up to 51 consecutive starts on the offensive line.

If that statistic did not grab your attention, then take a gander at this one.

The superb combination of Winn and Maryland Terrapin commit Bennett Fulper upfront helped pave the way for 14,000 rushing yards during their stint at Gretna, Va. The two are cousins and have not played on different teams since they were only seven years old. Perhaps "knee-high to a grasshopper."

If you do not have a calculator present, let us help you do the math. Winn was an integral force that allowed running backs to pile up 3,500 ground yards per season. That is not even including their passing yardage.

Winn was a bully on the offensive line, as he was responsible for more than 50 pancakes on opposing defenders during his final season.

Add some eggs and bacon, and that is a balanced breakfast.

Obviously Gretna High School was a very successful program during Winn's tenure, winning back to back state titles during his final two years.

Winn is even more successful in the class room, boasting a 3.4 GPA.

Hawk coach Chris Thurman described Winn as the "more physical of the two and may be a bit stronger than Fulper" and believed he could play offensive or defensive line.

As a defensive tackle, Winn overwhelmed centers and guards with his 6'4 295 pound presence.

He accumulated a dozen sacks as a senior and tallied seven sacks during his junior campaign.

Winn will see some familiar faces this August when he reports to fall camp in defensive backs Tyon Bennet and Bryant Vennable, whom are Hawk alums.

Bennett was a former all-state quarterback that loved playing behind Winn and Fulper, while Vennable was an all-state cornerback that assisted the two linemen in making tackles.

And how did Catawba land the two time all-state and four-time all-district offensive lineman over Liberty, University of Charleston, and Virginia Tech?

"I picked Catawba because from day one they were always up front with me," said Winn. "They always expressed how they not only wanted me, but they said they needed me."

The Tribe will have three senior starting offensive lineman in two-time All-American Terence Crosby, All-SAC Hunter Carnes, and four-year starter Kevin Hamaker.

"The coaches and staff are great, down to earth people who stood out to me during the recruiting process," commented Winn. "Coaches Hubbard, Hepler, and Barrett told me that I was exactly what they were looking for in a offensive lineman."

"And that is why they offered me back in July."

Catawba is historically known for producing high-caliber offensive linemen. In the past decade, the Indians have recognized five offensive linemen as All-Americans.

Perhaps Winn will be the sixth in the near future.

Dreams Come True in Beddingfield

2009-02-21T19:47:00.003-05:00

By Tom Ham
Wilson Times Newspaper

On National Signing Day, the dream came true Wednesday morning for Beddingfield High football standouts Jumal Rolle and Tobias Brown.

And they will pursue the dream together. Each signed a national letter-of-intent to accept a football scholarship from Catawba College of the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Conference.

The big moment for each came during an informal ceremony. Rolle was joined by his mother, Latitia, and sister, Tinija. Brown was accompanied by his parents, Odell and Jenai. Also in attendance were Bruins head coach Tyrone Johnson and assistant principal Marquis Spell. "Catawba was the right fit for me to stay focused and play football," Rolle, a wide receiver and cornerback, said of choosing the Indians over East Carolina University, Winston-Salem, Wingate and Delaware.

"I've always had a dream to play Div. I, but it didn't work out. But wherever I go, I'm going to succeed," remarked Brown, who selected Catawba over North Carolina Central.

The 6-foot-2, 255-pound defensive lineman is the younger brother of Everette Brown, who recently completed an illustrious career at Florida State and is projected as a top-12 pick in the upcoming National Football League Draft.

Tobias Brown played four varsity seasons for the Bruins, notching 80 tackles his senior season with 26 tackles for loss and six sacks.

Rolle's varsity career spanned three seasons. He wound up with 21 career interceptions and, in just two years of playing offense, amassed 79 receptions.

As a senior, the 6-0, 175-pound Rolle notched nine interceptions, 72 tackles, four fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. He caught 38 passes for 620 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Rolle anticipates playing cornerback collegiately, while Brown was recruited as a defensive end following duty at end and tackle with Beddingfield.

Johnson termed Catawba's ability to land Rolle and Brown as a "steal" and credited head coach Chip Hester for an outstanding job in recruiting Rolle. The Bruins' duo is entering a program that boasts 14 consecutive winning seasons.

Rolle expects to play as a freshman, while Brown anticipates being red-shirted. Rolle intends to pursue a degree in sports management and physical therapy, while Brown's likely field of study will be business management and sports marketing.

"I am very proud of them," Johnson said. "One of my goals was to see all of them go to college. I hope we have more (signees) to come.

"Jumal brings a winning attitude and tradition, and he's a player that can be used anywhere. Tobias has a lot of potential that people haven't seen yet."

Being accompanied by a teammate appeals to each, and they anticipate being roommates.

"There will be somebody there that I know and have been playing with the last three years," Brown said of being joined by Rolle.

Added Rolle: "We were like the heart of the defense, and we know what it takes to win games."

The 2008 Bruins started strong (9-0) before finishing with a 9-3 record and exiting in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A playoffs.

Rolle deemed his senior season his best, pointing out: "I really worked hard this summer."

Brown regrets he did not perform up to expectations his junior season -- when he also struggled in the classroom.

"I will possibly red-shirt because they are stacked with defensive ends," Brown explained. "I have to succeed academically before I get to the field. The athletic part comes second.

"I just have to become bigger, faster and stronger, and change my study habits."

Rolle anticipates stepping into a new role (no pun intended) and demonstrating a hard work ethic. He hinted that he prefers defense over offense.

"I want to bring (Catawba) more wins," he emphasized. "Defense wins games. I enjoy defense the most because it's more physical. Offense was the fun part because I knew I could do it.

"(Catawba) needed defensive backs, and I think I will be a good addition. The major adjustment will be staying focused and improving my knowledge of the game."

Rolle's mother is optimistic that her son will continue to wear No. 6 on his jersey and, of his opportunity, exclaimed she was probably more excited than her son.

"We are very excited," Odell Brown said in behalf of his wife. "Tobias had some goals he had to reach."

And Like Tobias Brown's brother, the two Catawba recruits also include the NFL within the realm of possibilities.

L-R CB Marcus McFadden Transfers to Catawba

2009-02-16T12:08:00.003-05:00

Coach Chip Hester announced on Monday that former starting Lenoir-Rhyne cornerback Marcus McFadden has transferred to Catawba College.

McFadden sat out the 2008 season during the Bear's 3-8 mark.

During his junior season at Lenoir-Rhyne University, McFadden finished with 34 tackles and played in all eleven games. He was also the team's primary punt returner with 13 returns.

As a sophomore in 2006, McFadden led Lenoir-Rhyne in kickoff returns with 294 yards and punt returns with 121 yards. He finished No. 32 nationally with an impressive 23 yard average.

McFadden also captured the team's lead for pilfered passes with a pair of interceptions.

Prior to redshirting in 2005, the 5'9 165 pound corner played in three games as a true freshman. In limited action, he made three tackles in a non-conference game against Kentucky State University.

McFadden will be a significant piece to a secondary that graduated three players a year ago.

A Closer Look at DE Damien Lee

2009-02-15T20:53:00.006-05:00

How often does a defensive end earn MVP honors in a state championship game?

About as frequent as Paula Deen not using butter.

Reidsville's world-renowned defensive end Damien Lee was apart of the Ram's second straight 2AA title and 16-0 season as a senior.

The NCPreps.com 2A first team all-state nominee's presence was far greater than his dominating title game statistics. Although Lee acumulated 10 tackles, 4 for loss, 1.5 sacks, and two pass deflections in the convincing 24-7 win over East Lincoln, his harrassing pass-rushing tendencies disoriented quarterback Josh Wilson.

On the afternoon, the once-high powered Mustang offense scored only once and gave up an astonishing seven sacks.

East Lincoln head coach Mike Byus told reporters to take nothing away from Reidsville's defense and their effort.

"“We’d sprint out and get a pass batted down or we’d sprint out and get sacked from behind," said Byus to the Dan River Newspaper. "We went to our quick game and we had people right in our face. Those guys were just super quick up front.”

Wilson had seen enough of Reidsville's Lee throughout the contest, and he also gave high praise to Catawba's latest marquee recruit.

“I give him special congratulations,” Wilson said. “He’s what, 6-4 and 250. He’s a big kid and he’s quick.”

Wilson was being generous on Lee's size, which is 6'3 235 pounds.

On that day however, and throughout his final prep season, Lee played like a giant.

Not only can Lee boast about racking up 108 stops, 37 behind the line of scrimmage, nine sacks, and five forced fumbles, but he can also recall not suffering defeat in two years.

During his junior and senior seasons, Lee enjoyed a 32 game winning streak that included two straight state crowns. His winning nature will fit in great at the next level, Catawba College.

The Indians haven't suffered a losing season in nearly 15 years, and with players like Lee wearing Catawba blue and white, the tradition shall continue.

Richmond County CB Chooses Tribe

2009-02-10T18:03:00.005-05:00

Richmond County HS senior cornerback Alex Ingram officially committed to the Catawba Indians on Monday.

Ingram was a 2008 NCPreps.com Preseason 4A All-State pick at defensive back prior to the Raiders 4AA state championship title.

Ingram earned some post-season hardware as well, garnering All-Mid Southeastern Conference honors at defensive back . Fellow Richmond County cornerback Sammy Houston inked with the Indians too, which raises the total number of former Raiders that have committed to the program to six in three years.

Ingram is a 5'8 167 pound cornerback that also shared time at running back with Sammy Houston.

The two future Catawba defensive backs combined for 1,539 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns as juniors.

Sammy Houston Signs with Catawba

2009-02-10T09:08:00.003-05:00

Richmond County HS senior defensive back Sammy Houston has signed a letter of intent to play for Catawba College. Houston played on both sides of the ball for the Raiders in 2008, playing in the secondary and at running back.

Louisburg JUCO Linebacker Transfers

2009-02-09T12:03:00.003-05:00

In addition to Western Carolina running back Josh Wright, Catawba announced that Louisburg Junior College linebacker Dustin Morgan has transferred to Catawba College. Morgan is a 6'2 220 pound defender that hails from Davie County High School, where he was a senior in their 2004 season.

According to head coach Chip Hester and the Salisbury Post, Morgan is already enrolled in the day program for the spring semester. He will be allowed to take part in team workouts and spring drills.

Chip Hester Announces Ten Commitments

2009-02-05T00:08:00.003-05:00

Snow may have been the topic of conversation around Salisbury, NC, on Wednesday morning, but by day's end, all eyes were on Catawba's National Signing Day class for the football program.

Fresh off of a 6-4 record and 14th consecutive winning season, Indian head coach Chip Hester announced the commitments of nine prep student-athletes and one college transfer.

The loss of single-season rushing leader Jamelle Cuthbertson to graduation will be felt in 2009, but the Tribe has aspirations to pound the rock and be more forceful when carrying the pigskin. Western Carolina University running back Josh Wright transferred to Catawba College over the winter break, and is already enrolled in the school's spring semester. Wright is currently involved in team workouts and will be an integral part to spring practice and the annual Blue and White extravaganza.

A future blocker for Wright and returning running backs Antonio Hall and Bobby Morrison will be Bessemer City's Aaron Rainey, who signed a letter of intent to further his football career in Salisbury, NC.

Rainey was a terror at fullback during his tenure at Bessemer City. "Aaron is a big, physical fullback that can do it all," said Hester. "Rainey can run, catch, and block upfield."

Describing Rainey as physical is probably a mild adjective. His Bessemer City teammates nickmaed the 6'0 230 pound fullback "The Bull."

He rushed for a team-high 964 yards and 19 touchdowns for the Yellow Jackets in a banner senior season. It should be noted that the all-conference pick also started at linebacker for Bessemer City, collecting 104 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, five sacks, three fumble recoveries, and one interception.

Rainey is being honored for that banner season with an invitation to play in the annual NC East-West All-Star Classic in Greensboro, NC.

He was also drawing interest from FCS Appalachian State and Western Carolina of the Southern Conference.

Another recruit that Catawba natched from the Division I ranks was energetic Harding University High School cornerback LJ McCray.

"LJ is a cover corner that is physical enough to play safety as well," said Hester. "Another talent that LJ possesses is his excellent ability as a return man."

At 6'1 180 pounds, McCray was named to the 3A/4A All-Queen City team after a terrific final prep season at Harding.

McCray drew late interest from Clemson and Applachian State prior to National Signing Day with his blazing 4.48 forty. He accounted more than 500 all-purpose yards on offense, and tallied many interceptions on defense.

You can also tally another Gretna High School commitment towards Catawba's corner as offensive lineman Ethan Winn signed a letter of intent.

It appears that the Tribe coaching staff is beginning to start a vital pipeline into the state of Virginia. Last year's pair of defensive backs Tyon Bennett and Bryant Vennable also committed to Catawba from Gretna.

Winn stands 6'4 295 pounds and was a crucial anchor for the Hawks back to back state championship teams.

"He is an outstanding student that has all of the physical attributes, along with the tough competitiveness to be a real impact player on the line," said the jubilent Indian head coach.

Winn earned first team all-district honors and VirginiaPreps.com Group A first team all-state honors during his final season at Gretna. As a junior, Wynn earned second team all-district and all-region accolades.

The Hawks went 13-1 during 2008 and won the 2008 Group A state title 35-20 against Floyd County.

Perhaps the biggest commitment from the signing day class came from West Craven High School quarterback Brett Mooring. The 6'4 235 pound signal-caller was invited to play in the prestigious Shrine Bowl back in December, and is the first Shrine Bowl passer to commit since All-American Brad Roach.

"Another outstanding student, like Winn, who has a tremendous skill set," Hester commented. "He has impressed our coaches with his leadership qualities."

According to MaxPreps.com, Mooring led the state of North Carolina in passing with over 4,000 yards and 47 total touchdowns as a senior. For his efforts, Mooring was named first team all-conference and first team all-state by NCPreps.com.

He combined to throw for over 5,000 yards during his sophomore and junior seasons, becoming one of the few quarterbacks in state history to compile more than 9,000 passing yards in only three prep seasons.

The Coastal Conference's Offensive Player of the Year led his Eagles to a 15-1 record and the school's first ever state title game appearance.

The Fayetteville Observer released a story earlier in the week about Jack Britt High School's Cory Johnson's intention on playing linebacker at Catawba. On Wednesday, Hester confirmed that Johnson's verbal is now an official letter of intent.

The 5'11 228 pound first team all-conference selection racked up a team-high 158 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions.

"We think Cory is an old school linebacker," said Hester. "Not only is he physical and fast, but his high school coaches raved about him as a super citizen and a super leader."

Johnson helped lead the Vikings to a 14-2 record and a thrilling appearance in the 4AA state championship game.

Speaking of thrilling, if there is a freshman that is capable of playing right away for the Indians, look no further than Beddingfield High School's cornerback Jumal Rolle.

In high school, he was not a two-way talent for the Bruins, but a three-way standout instead.

Rolle ranked as the area's number two receiver with 35 catches for 620 yards and 10 touchdowns. On defense, he accounted for over 70 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 11 interceptions.

What made Rolle a "trifecta contributor" was his knack for making heart-stopping plays in the return game. His head coach commented that Rolle never came out of games because he was involved in all three phases, making him the perfect choice for Ironman of the Year for the Wilson, NC, area.

"Jumal is an outstanding all-around athlete that brings a lot to the table," said an excited Hester. "He was always making the big plays in high school for his team."

One of the more intriguing signings of the 2009 recruiting class is 6'2 265 pound defensive lineman Tobias Brown. He played alongside Rolle, who also inked with Catawba earlier on Wednesday.

Brown is the younger brother of Florida State defensive end Everette Brown, a future first round pick in April's NFL Draft.

"Tobias' athleticism at 265 pounds is what stood out to our coaching staff," Hester gleamed. "We think he fits the same mold of the outstanding defensive linemen we have had in the past."

For his dominating presence on the defensive line and athleticism as a tight end, Brown was named to the 2008 Wilson Daily Times All-Area team.

Reidsville High School defensive end Damien Lee is another dominant pass rusher that inked with the Tribe on National Signing Day, despite Catawba returning all ten defensive linemen from last year's 6-4 team.

Lee may be joining a standing-room only defensive line as a freshman, but his mark will be left at Catawba once his career is all said and done.

The 6'3 235 pound pass rusher was one of the state's rare MVP's of a state championship game, earning the honors after Reidsville capped an undefeated 16-0 season with a dominating 24-7 win over East Lincoln.

In the championship victory, Lee recorded 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks, and made life miserable for East Lincoln star quarterback Josh Wilson.

"Damien is a playmaker at the defensive end spot," noticed Hester. "He was the MVP of the state championship game for Reidsville. He is someone that stood out every time you watched film on him."

During his senior campaign, Lee was honored as a 2008 NCPreps.com 2A all-state pick after totaling 108 tackles, eight sacks, and four fumble recoveries.

Shortly before the day's end, Hester also noted that defensive end Robbie Aldridge from Hewitt-Trussville High School in Alabama committed to the program.

Aldridge was named to the Alabama Class 6A first team all-state squad after a successful senior season.

Jumal Rolle 6'0 175 CB Beddingfield HS

2009-02-04T21:52:00.002-05:00

If there is a freshman that is capable of playing right away for the Indians, look no further than Beddingfield High School's cornerback Jumal Rolle.

In high school, he was not a two-way talent for the Bruins, but a three-way standout instead.

Rolle ranked as the area's number two receiver with 35 catches for 620 yards and 10 touchdowns. On defense, he accounted for over 70 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 11 interceptions. What made Rolle a trifecta contributor was his knack for making heart-stopping plays in the return game. His head coach commented that Rolle never came out of games because he was involved in all three phases, making him the perfect choice for Ironman of the Year for the Wilson, NC, area.

"Jumal is an outstanding all-around athlete that brings a lot to the table," said an excited Hester. "He had a knack for always making the big plays in high school.".

Damien Lee 6'3 235 LBS DE Reidsville HS

2009-02-04T21:33:00.003-05:00

Reidsville defensive end Damien Lee signed with the Tribe on National Signing Day, despite Catawba returning all ten defensive linemen from last year's 6-4 team.

Lee may be joining a standing-room only defensive line as a freshman, but his mark will be left at Catawba once his career is all said and done.

The 6'3 235 pound pass rusher was one of the state's rare MVP's of a state championship game, earning the honors after Reidsville capped an undefeated 16-0 season with a dominating 24-7 win over East Lincoln.
In the championship victory, Lee recorded 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks, and made life miserable for East Lincoln star quarterback Josh Wilson.

"Damien is a playmaker at the defensive end spot," noticed Hester. "He was the MVP of the state championship game for Reidsville. He is someone that stood out every time you watched film on him."

During his senior campaign, Lee was honored as a 2008 NCPreps.com 2A all-state pick after totaling 108 tackles, eight sacks, and four fumble recoveries.

Brett Mooring 6'4 235 LBS QB West Craven HS

2009-02-04T21:24:00.002-05:00

Perhaps the biggest commitment from the signing day class came from West Craven High School quarterback Brett Mooring. The 6'4 235 pound signal-caller was invited to play in the prestigious Shrine Bowl and is the first Shrine Bowl passer to commit since All-American Brad Roach.

"Another outstanding student who has a tremendous skill set," Hester commented. "He has impressed our coaches with his leadership qualities."

According to MaxPreps.com, Mooring led the state of North Carolina in passing with over 4,000 yards and 47 total touchdowns as a senior. For his efforts, Mooring was named first team all-conference and first team all-state.

He combined to throw for over 5,000 yards during his sophomore and junior seasons., becoming one of the few quarterbacks in the state's history to compile more than 9,000 passing yards in only three prep seasons. The Coastal Conference's Offensive Player of the Year led his Eagles to a 15-1 record and the school's first ever state title game appearance.

LJ McCray 6'1 180 LBS CB Harding University HS

2009-02-04T21:17:00.002-05:00

"LJ is a cover corner that is physical enough to play safety as well," said Hester. "Another talent that LJ possesses is his excellent ability as a return man."

At 6'1 180 pounds, McCray was named to the 3A/4A All-Queen City team after a terrific final prep season at Harding University High School.

McCray drew late interest from Clemson and Appalachian State prior to National Signing Day. He accumulated more than 500 all-purpose yards on offense, while picking off four passes on defense.

Aaron Rainey 6'0 230 LBS FB Bessemer City HS

2009-02-04T21:05:00.002-05:00

Aaron Rainey was a terror at fullback during his tenure at Bessemer City. "Aaron is a big, physical fullback that can do it all," said Hester. "Rainey can run, catch, and block upfield."

Describing Rainey as physical is probably a mild adjective. His Bessemer City teammates nicknamed the 6'0 230 pound fullback "The Bull."

He rushed for a team-high 964 yards and 19 touchdowns for the Yellow Jackets in a banner senior season. It should be noted that the all-conference pick also started at linebacker for Bessemer City, collecting 104 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, five sacks, three fumble recoveries, and one interception.

Rainey is being honored for that banner season with an invitation to the annual NC East-West All-Star Classic in Greensboro, NC.

He was also drawing interest from FCS Appalachian State and Western Carolina of the Southern Conference.

National Signing Day: Catawba Signs Nine

2009-02-04T16:02:00.002-05:00

Signings

Aaron Rainey Bessemer City FB 6-0 230

LJ McCray Harding CB 6-1 180

Ethan Winn Gretna, VA OL 6-4 295

Brett Mooring W. Craven QB 6-4 230

Corey Johnson Jack Britt LB 5-11 220

Jumal Rolle Beddingfield CB 5-11 175

Tobias Brown Beddingfield DL 6-2 265

Damien Lee Reidsville DE 6-3 235

Robbie Aldridge Hewitt-Trossville, AL DE

Chris Pittman Picks Catawba

2009-02-03T23:38:00.006-05:00

According to the Rocky Mount Telegram Newpaper, Rocky Mount HS outside linebacker Chris Pittman has committed to further his football career in Salisbury, NC.

The 6'1 193 pound defender committed to Catawba College after a spectacular career for the Gryphons. Pittman was named as a first team 3A all-state linebacker by NCPreps.com and was voted as the NEW 6 Conference's Defensive Player of the Year.

Pittman collected 114 tackles during his final prep season, helping anchor Rocky Mount to a stellar 13-2 record and the tenth best program in the state.

As a junior in 2007, Pittman racked up 120 tackles and 6.5 sacks. Rocky Mount HS, according to MaxPreps.com, is listed as the 500th rated program in the country.

Cory Johnson Commits to Catawba

2009-01-30T11:35:00.004-05:00

Jack Britt HS senior linebacker Cory Johnson has verbally committed to Catawba according to FayObserver.com. Johnson recorded 158 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions during the 2008 season. He is a 5'11 228 pound linebacker that helped Jack Britt to a 14-2 record and an appearance in the 4AA state championship game against Richmond County HS.

Prep QBs Visit Catawba

2009-01-27T20:52:00.003-05:00

Over the weekend, Catawba saw visits from some of North Carolina's top prep quarterbacks. The signal-callers went through many drills and observations, a common practice among Division II institutions when evaluating talent. No scholarship details have been released and will not be official until National Signing Day. This article only refers to the prospects that have taken an official visit to the Catawba campus.

West Craven QB Brett Mooring was the state's leading passer in 2008 with 3,891 yards and 35 TDs, according to MaxPreps.com.

Brett Lilly is a dual-threat QB from Hickory Ridge HS. As a passer he threw for 1,240 yards and 9 TDs, while tallying 804 rushing yards with his feet.

Newton-Conover finished the 2008 season as 2A state champions and a dazzling 15-1 mark. The Red Devils were led by superb option quarterback AJ Bazzle. He accounted for 1,194 passing yards and 9 TDs in the air, and 834 rushing yards and 24 rushing TDs on the ground.

Tyler Jaynes was a NCPreps.com All-State QB nominee after a fantastic prep season at Pisgah HS. The Black Bears finished 9-4 during his senior year, racking up 2,100 passing yards in the process. As a junior, Jaynes tossed for 3,179 yards and 28 TDs.

Tajh Cheeseboro Commits to Catawba

2009-01-27T19:25:00.003-05:00

Calhoun County High School senior linebacker Tajh Cheeseboro has verbally committed to Catawba according to numerous South Carolina media outlets.

Cheeseboro, a 5'8 185 pound linebacker, had 104 tackles and two sacks as a senior. Calhoun County High School went 11-1 and advanced deep ino the state playoffs in 2008.

Western Carolina RB Transfers to Catawba

2009-01-13T11:51:00.007-05:00

Josh Wright has transferred to Catawba College for the spring semester. Wright will be a redshirt-sophomore in 2009. At WCU, he had 19 carries for 45 yards this past season. Wright had an impressive performance when the Catamounts played at Florida State as he rushed 5 times for 23 yards.

He is a 5'10 215 pound running back that Catawba recruited very hard out of Hoke County High School.

From catamountsports.com: Redshirted ... Rushed three times for eight yards in WCU's annual Spring Game. Prior to Western: Earned MidSoutheastern Conference Player of the Year accolades, rushing for 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior ... Posted 306 yards and five touchdowns in Hoke County's first round playoff win ... For his career, rushed for 3,743 yards and 34 touchdowns ... Selected to play in the 2007 East-West Games ... Rushed for 1,253 yards and a career-best 16 touchdowns as a junior, adding 890 yards and eight scores as a sophomore ... Was nominated for the Wendy's High School Heisman ... Also kicked a game-winning 43-yard field goal in the playoffs as a sophomore.

Brad Roach Signs with Montreal

2009-01-12T00:11:00.003-05:00

By: Kevin Travis
Washington Daily News

Brad Roach has finally found a home.

Roach, who was an all-American quarterback at Catawba College, signed Friday to play with the Montreal Alouettes, who went 12-8 and finished as the Grey Cup runners-up this year.

“I think it’s a great opportunity,” said Roach, a former star at Williamston High School.

“I know a lot of people who had a lot of success making a living in the Canadian Football League.” The 6-6, 250-pound quarterback, who is currently living in Concord and working out with some of his former Catawba teammates, signed a two-year contract with the Alouettes, who fell 22-14 to the Calgary Stampeders in the 96th Grey Cup. There is an optional third-year on the contract.

Roach, who completed 608 of 1,099 passes (55.3 percent) for 7,874 yards and 62 touchdown passes in his college career, has been looking for a team ever since leaving Catawba. He was with the Baltimore Ravens briefly before being released in training camp.

Roach had a couple other offers on the table before he decided on Montreal.

“It feels good to finally be somewhere and be with somebody,” he said. “I always hoped an NFL team would be come calling, but this is a good opportunity.”

Roach was selected by Ohio in Thursday’s United National Gridiron League draft, a new eight-team league that will begin play in February, but he has opted not to participate.

“It was nice to get drafted, but I won’t play,” Roach said. “I don’t want to get hurt since I just signed this contract.”

Roach will report to Montreal’s camp June 1. Until then, Roach plans to work out on his own and stay in shape.

He is hoping to get the Alouettes’ playbook from head coach Marc Trestman, who lives part-time in Raleigh. Roach is anxious to play for Trestman, who was named the 2008 CFL Outstanding Coach of the Year.

Trestman spent 17 years in the NFL working as an offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. He’s coached, among others, Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde, Steve Young, Jake Plummer and Rich Gannon.

“It feels good that I’ll play under him,” Roach said. “He’s a quarterback guy and an offensive kind of guy.”

A Catawba connection helped Roach land a tryout with the Alouettes. Jim Popp, Montreal’s general manager, resides part-time in Mooresville (N.C.). Popp’s father and brother both attended Catawba.

“They were down here for the holidays,” Roach said. “I worked out for them on the Tuesday before New Year’s and they offered me a contract that day. It worked out well.”

While the Alouettes had six quarterbacks on their roster last season, the team is expecting to keep four this year.

One of those quarterbacks may be Charlotte Independence great Chris Leak, a former Shrine Bowl teammate of Roach’s who went on to have a successful college career with the Florida Gators.

“It’s weird how five years after the Shrine Bowl, we might be on the same team,” Roach said. “He was my roommate during the Shrine Bowl.”

(Devone Claybrooks, who played college ball at East Carolina, is a defensive tackle on the team.)

Roach wouldn’t mind getting playing time right away, but he also wouldn’t mind having some time to learn the system.

“If I’m ready when the season is here and they are looking for me to be the guy, I’ll step up and be the guy,” Roach said. “(Giving me) a little time might be better so I can learn the system. It would kind of like be red-shirting in college. I think I’d rather learn the system and be prepared than getting thrown in right away, but I’ll be ready.”

Along with learning a new system, Roach will have to learn the nuances of CFL play. The field is 110 yards long instead of the 100 he’s used to playing. The field is wider, the goalposts are located on the goal line instead of the end line, there are 12 players on each side of the ball instead of 11, teams have three downs instead of four to get a first down and all offensive backfield players may be in motion.

“I think it will feel a little different at first,” Roach said. “I don’t think it will take too long to adapt. The big thing will be learning the playbook.”

Roach will also have to get used to playing in some cold and possibly wintry conditions, but he’s not worried about that.

“I’m ready,” he said. “If I went anywhere to play, I’d have to play in the cold. The good with Montreal is that they have two stadiums. The first half of the season is played in the stadium outdoors and the last part is played in an indoor place.”

Roach is anxious to get his professional career started.

“There’s relief, joy and excitement that I signed,” he said. “I’m ready to finally get somewhere and, hopefully, establish myself.

“I just want to get comfortable with the team and show my talent and let everything else fall into place.”

Crosby Makes AP Little All-America Team

2008-12-24T10:16:00.003-05:00

Another accomplishment for junior offensive lineman Terence Crosby has emerged. He has been named to the Associated Press Little All-America team. This team includes schools from Division II, Division III, and NAIA. Crosby was a second-team pick after having a dominant junior campaign in which he had 27 knockdowns and only allowed one sack on 283 passing plays. And here is the rest of it.

Terence Crosby Named AFCA All-American

2008-12-19T10:35:00.004-05:00

Junior offensive lineman Terence Crosby was named to the American Football Coaches Association Division II All-American team. Crosby helped to pave the way for Catawba to average 29.2 points and 381.5 yards a game. He also had 27 knockdown blocks and allowed just one sack in 283 passing plays.

Offense
WR - Mike Washington (6-0, 190, Sr.), West Chester
WR - Johnny Spevak (6-3, 200, Jr.), Central Washington
OL - Jeremy Davis (6-3, 300, Sr.), Northwest Missouri St.
OL - Bill Eisenhardt (6-3, 275, Sr.), Grand Valley St.
OL - Roger Allen (6-4, 315, Sr.), Missouri Western St.
OL - Nick Urban (6-5, 300, Sr.), Winona St.
OL - Terence Crosby (6-2, 295, Jr.), Catawba
QB - Billy Cundiff (6-2, 209, Jr.), Ashland
QB - Ted Schlafke (6-0, 185, Sr.), Minnesota-Duluth
RB - Jerry Seymour (5-7, 195, Sr.), Glenville St.
RB - Bernard Scott (5-11, 200, Sr.), Abilene Christian

Defense
DL - Ryan Kees (6-6, 275, Sr.), St. Cloud State
DL - Jake Visser* (6-2, 275, Sr.), Ferris State
DL - Troy Pribnow (6-4, 255, Sr.), Wayne St.
DL - Marcus Kennedy (6-1, 290, Sr.), St. Augustine’s
LB - Will Newell (6-2, 250, Sr.), Newberry
LB - Jared Brock (6-1, 232, Sr.), West Texas A&M
LB - Terrence Jackson (6-0. 230, Sr.), Indiana (Pa.)
LB - Mark Meng (6-1, 222, Sr.), Fort Lewis
DB - Terrence Johnson (6-0, 195, Jr.), California (Pa.)
DB - Andrew Jackson (5-11, 190, Sr.), Merrimack
DB - Jeffrey Cargile (5-9, 200, Sr.), Morehouse

Specialists
P - Will Batson (6-4, 210, Jr.), North Alabama
PK - Travis Atter (5-8, 177, Jr.) Chadron St.
AP - Chad Schroeder (5-11, 178, Sr.), Delta St.
*-2007 AFCA All-American

Cuthbertson and Fair Named First Team All-Region

2008-12-19T10:25:00.006-05:00

Daktronics named senior running back Jamelle Cuthbertson and junior defensive tackle Melquan Fair to its Super Region 2 team. Regional champion North Alabama was the leader in overall selections with nine. Tusculum quarterback Corey Russell was named as the Super Region 2 Offensive Player of the Year.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Pos. Name School Yr.
TE Jarrell NeSmith * Tusculum Jr.
WR Garett Manning * Henderson State Sr.
WR Julius Pruitt Ouachita Baptist Sr.
OL Thomas Battle Carson-Newman Sr.
OL Ross Conn @ Harding Sr.
OL Mark Ellis Delta State Sr.
OL Sam Hathorn * North Alabama Sr.
OL Danny Partida Tusculum Sr.
QB Corey Russell *! Tusculum Sr.
RB Jamelle Cuthbertson Catawba Sr.
RB Buck Wakefield * Carson-Newman Jr.
RS Greg Godfrey * Henderson State Sr.
K Tom Schneider * North Alabama Sr.

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Pos. Name School Yr.
DL Derrick Chatman * North Alabama Sr.
DL Jarvis DeVaughn Tuskegee Sr.
DL Melquan Fair Catawba Jr.
LB Jeffrey Cargile ^ Morehouse Sr.
LB Lardester Hicks-Green *#! Delta State Jr.
LB Mike Johnson # North Alabama Jr.
LB Garry Pack West Alabama Sr.
CB Devon Hughes * Henderson State Sr.
CB David Raymond * North Alabama Sr.
S Sherard Reynolds *^$ Valdosta State Sr.
S Dominic Spinks Delta State Sr.
P Will Batson * North Alabama Jr.

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Pos. Name School Yr.
TE Brandon Alldredge North Alabama Sr.
WR Kurt Adams Harding Jr.
WR Kelton Tindal Newberry Jr.
OL Jeremy Ashcraft Arkansas Tech Sr.
OL Marchent Faustin Newberry Sr.
OL Michael Stevens Tuskegee Jr.
OL Pete Vaseau Delta State Jr.
OL Torence Wright Arkansas Tech Jr.
QB A.J. Milwee North Alabama Sr.
RB Trevar Deed Delta State So.
RB Winston Thompson Clark Atlanta So.
RS Jamar Rodriguez Morehouse R-Fr.
K Micah Streiff Morehouse Sr.

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Pos. Name School Yr.
DL Darius Wrentz Carson-Newman Sr.
DL David Harris Newberry Sr.
DL Michael Castillo Henderson State Sr.
DL Andre Bernardi $ North Greenville Sr.
LB Sevohn Greer $ Harding Sr.
LB Jarvis Littlejohn Tusculum Sr.
LB Will Newell @ Newberry Sr.
LB Justin Scott Tusculum Sr.
CB Kamaal McIlwain Newberry So.
CB Deshun Nesbitt Mars Hill Jr.
S Jeremy Thompson Tusculum Sr.
S Bobby Brooks North Alabama Sr.
P John Gregory @ Tusculum Jr.

! - Player of the Year Selection
^ - 2007 First Team Selection
# - 2007 Second Team Selection
$ - 2006 First Team Selection
@ - 2006 Second Team Selection

Brad Roach to Workout for Cleveland Browns

2008-12-01T17:56:00.002-05:00

It has been confirmed that former Catawba record setting quarterback Brad Roach will workout for the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday, Dec. 02. Roach initially signed with the Baltimore Ravens hours after the NFL Draft as a free agent. He was cut right before the preseason games began. The Browns are in need of a quarterback and depth at the position with the injuries to Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, with both of them being out for the year. It is expected that Ken Dorsey will get the starting nod next week. And here is the rest of it.

Catawba Places Seven on All-SAC Team, Lakeem Perry Named SAC Defensive Freshman of the Year

2008-11-10T14:20:00.003-05:00

Catawba has placed seven players on the 2008 All-South Atlantic Conference team. On first team offense, senior tailback Jamelle Cuthbertson and junior offensive lineman Terence Crosby represent the Indians. The first team defense has junior defensive tackle Melquan Fair and senior linebacker Charles McAfee. The only second team offensive player for the Tribe was freshman long snapper Chad Case. The two Indians on the second team defense was sophomore defensive tackle Brandon Sutton and senior cornerback Jasmon Carpenter.

The South Atlantic Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year Award was given to Lakeem Perry of Catawba.

Catawba also claimed the best in the SAC in three statistical categories. First, the Tribe had the leading rusher per game in Cuthbertson with 114.1 yards per game. Second, the Indians had the best rushing defense in the conference by only giving up 133.2 yards per game. Third, Catawba led the conference in total defense by allowing just 294.2 yards a game.

Carson-Newman led the All-SAC team with 12 players as Tusculum was not far behind with 11 selections. Tusculum head coach Frankie DeBusk was named SAC Coach of the Year and Pioneer quarterback Corey Russell won the honor of Offensive Player of the Year.

Read below for the entire list of awards from the South Atlantic Conference for the 2008 season.

2008 All-SAC Football Teams

First Team – Offense
Quarterback – Corey Russell, Tusculum
Running Back – Buck Wakefield, Carson-Newman
Running Back – Jamelle Cuthbertson, Catawba
Running Back – Nelson Woods, Wingate
Wide Receiver – Reggie Hubbard, Carson-Newman
Wide Receiver – Tyrea Allen, Mars Hill
Wide Receiver – Kelton Tindal, Newberry
Wide Receiver – Ryan Tallent, Tusculum
Tight End – Jarrell NeSmith, Tusculum
Offensive Line – Thomas Battle, Carson-Newman
Offensive Line – Terence Crosby, Catawba
Offensive Line – Chandler Rearden, Lenoir-Rhyne
Offensive Line – Marchent Faustin, Newberry
Offensive Line – Danny Partida, Tusculum
Placekicker – Colin Corpe, Lenoir-Rhyne
Long Snapper – Jordon Simmons, Lenoir-Rhyne

First Team – Defense
Defensive Line – Darius Wrentz, Carson-Newman
Defensive Line – Melquan Fair, Catawba
Defensive Line – Chris Dowdell, Mars Hill
Defensive Line – David Harris, Newberry
Linebacker – Brian Brown, Carson-Newman
Linebacker – Charles McAfee, Catawba
Linebacker – Will Newell, Newberry
Linebacker – Justin Scott, Tusculum
Defensive Back – Mario Russell, Carson-Newman
Defensive Back – Deshon Nesbitt, Mars Hill
Defensive Back – Kamaal McIlwain, Newberry
Defensive Back – Jeremy Thompson, Tusculum
Punter – John Gregory, Tusculum
Return Specialist – Patrick Pinchinat, Wingate

Second Team - Offense
Quarterback – Alex Good, Carson-Newman
Running Back – Ricky Harris, Carson-Newman
Running Back – George Washington, Mars Hill
Running Back – Marcus Foster, Tusculum
Wide Receiver – Nate Binder, Tusculum
Wide Receiver – Shawn Barrett, Wingate
Tight End – Ryan Webber, Wingate
Offensive Line – Jeff Weaver, Carson-Newman
Offensive Line – Eric Nelson, Mars Hill
Offensive Line – Josh Sims, Mars Hill
Offensive Line – Matt Holmes, Newberry
Offensive Line – Cam LeGrand, Wingate
Placekicker – Michael Pinkerton, Mars Hill
Long Snapper – Chad Case, Catawba

Second Team – Defense
Defensive Line – Brandon Harmon, Carson-Newman
Defensive Line – Brandon Sutton, Catawba
Defensive Line – Lance Clark, Newberry
Defensive Line – Rynel Butler, Tusculum
Linebacker – Stanley Jones, Brevard
Linebacker – Brandon Rawls, Brevard
Linebacker – Stan Galbraith, Mars Hill
Linebacker – Jarvis Littlejohn, Tusculum
Defensive Back – Jasmon Carpenter, Catawba
Defensive Back – Marcus Shuford, Lenoir-Rhyne
Defensive Back – Andre Moyd, Newberry
Defensive Back – Tylan Merkerson, Wingate
Punter – Chris Jones, Carson-Newman
Return Specialist – Reggie Hubbard, Carson-Newman
Return Specialist – Barry Tate, Lenoir-Rhyne

Offensive Player Of The Year – Corey Russell, Tusculum
Defensive Player Of The Year – Will Newell, Newberry
Offensive Freshman Of The Year – John Brown, Mars Hill
Defensive Freshman Of The Year – Lakeem Perry, Catawba
Jacobs Blocking Trophy – Thomas Battle, Carson-Newman
Coach Of The Year – Frankie DeBusk, Tusculum

Statistical Champions

Individual
Rushing per game – Jamelle Cuthbertson, Catawba, 114.1
Passing Avg. per game – Corey Russell, Tusculum, 319.4
Total Offense per game – Corey Russell, Tusculum, 375.1
Receptions per game – Ryan Tallent, Tusculum, 6.55
Receiving yards per game – Nate Binder, Tusculum, 81.5
All-Purpose yards per game – John Brown, Mars Hill, 133.8
Interceptions per game – Deshun Nesbitt, Mars Hill, .56
Pass Efficiency – Alex Good, Carson-Newman, 179.0
Punt Return Avg. – Kameron Kranz, Wingate, 7.9
Kick Return Avg. – Patrick Pinchinat, 35.1
Punting Avg. – John Gregory, Tusculum, 44.2
Scoring Avg. (TDs) – Buck Wakefield, Carson-Newman, 8.0
Scoring Avg. (Kick) – Gareth Rowlands, Tusculum, 6.6
Field Goal Pct. – Britt Blackmon, Newberry, 66.7
Tackles per game – Stanley Jones, Brevard, 9.8
Sacks per game – Maurice Harris, Mars Hill, .78
Tackles for loss per game – Justin Scott, Tusculum, 1.64

Team
Scoring offense – Carson-Newman, 42.7
Scoring defense – Newberry, 18.3
Passing offense – Tusculum, 326.8
Passing defense – Wingate, 155.9
Rushing offense – Carson-Newman, 323.5
Rushing defense – Catawba, 133.2
Total offense – Carson-Newman, 485.8
Total defense – Catawba, 294.2

Catawba Rips Lenoir-Rhyne 58-23

2008-11-10T11:53:00.002-05:00

Catawba saved its best offensive performance and output in its season finale against Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday night. The Tribe (4-3, 6-4) defeated the Bears (1-6, 3-8) 58-23 mainly due to the play of sophomore quarterback Patrick Dennis and senior tailback Jamelle Cuthbertson. Dennis went 13-20 for 239 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers with no interceptions. Cuthbertson, once again, had a career day at Lenoir-Rhyne's Moretz Stadium where he rushed 21 times for 223 yards and two scores. He now owns the school record for most rushing yards in a season with 1,141 yards. The senior also set two more records during his huge day against Lenoir-Rhyne. Cuthbertson recorded his seventh 100 yard rushing game in 2008 and became Catawba's first player to rush for over 200 yards twice in a career.

The Catawba defense responded to the challenge in the second half to put the Bears away for good. The Tribe recovered two fumbles and had an interception for senior defensive back Chris Noel on Lenoir-Rhyne's first offensive play of the game.

Catawba freshman Tyon Bennett led the Indians with ten total tackles in the final game of 2008.

Catawba Eases Past Brevard 24-10

2008-11-04T16:57:00.003-05:00

It was not a glamorous win for the Tribe on Saturday, but it was a win nonetheless. The Indians beat Brevard 24-10 mainly due to the early success of running back Jamelle Cuthbertson, who was one of only a handful of seniors to play their final game at Shuford Stadium. The senior tailback accounted for 156 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

It was an uneventful day for Catawba quarterbacks against the Tornados, a team still seeking its first ever South Atlantic Conference victory. Both quarterbacks Patrick Dennis and Daniel Griffith passed for only 4 total yards. The leading passer of Saturday's contest was receiver Brandon Bunn as he tossed a 26-yard pass to tight end Grayson Downs on a trick play.
Defensive leaders for the Tribe included Lakeem Perry, Charles McAfee, and Brandon Sutton. Perry, a true freshman, once again led the Indians with 15 total tackles on the day and two tackles for loss. Senior linbacker Charles McAfee made eight solo stops against BC's option offense. Sophomore defensive tackle Brandon Sutton continues to play with authority in the middle as he made eight tackles and two for loss. Catawba players with a sack included Terrence Porter, Charles McAfee, and Marqus Davis.

Catawba plays its final regular season game this Saturday at 7:00 PM against Lenoir-Rhyne University.

Catawba Drops Out of Regional Rankings

2008-10-27T20:20:00.002-04:00

1. Delta State 7-1
2. Wingate 8-1
3. North Alabama 8-1
4. Valdosta State 6-2
5. Tusculum 6-3
6. Arkansas-Monticello 7-2
7. Carson-Newman 6-2
8. Albany State (Georgia) 5-3
9. Mars Hill 6-3
10. Ouachita Baptist 5-3

With a 4-4 record, Catawba has been replaced by a 6-3 Mars Hill team. Catawba soundly defeated the Lions this season at Mars Hill, but the Indians have lost three of its last four games.

Wingate Beats Catawba 34-24

2008-10-26T16:54:00.002-04:00

0 for 11 on third down conversions. A 27.9 yard average on seven punts. A turnover on a kickoff return that was picked up and ran in for a score.

It does not take long to figure out how Catawba lost on Saturday to a Wingate team that is now 8-1 overall. The Bulldogs will be in the playoffs if they can win one of their last two, at Carson-Newman and at home to Mars Hill.

The offense could never recover after dominating the line of scrimmage on the first two scoring drives. Jamelle Cuthbertson finished the game with 57 yards on 15 carries. The bulk of those yards came in the first quarter.

The passing game was not a factor for the Tribe. Patrick Dennis played through the third quarter 8-15 for 99 yards and an interception. Redshirt-freshman Daniel Griffith from North Rowan threw his first collegiate touchdown in a 31-yard pass to Brandon Bunn.

The Catawba defense did all that they could, but they were routinely put into bad spots. Perhaps the biggest turning point in the game was a penalty on Catawba's Aaron Cauble for roughing the punter. That swing of momentum virtually ended all hope of a comeback.

The Indians were led by freshman Lakeem Perry with 13 total tackles, Charles McAfee with 10 total tackles, and Brandon Sutton with four tackles for loss and two sacks.

Catawba will be hosting Brevard College (1-7, 0-5)this Saturday at 1:30 PM. The last game of the 2008 season will be on the road at Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory, NC.

D2Football.com SAC Column: Week 9

2008-10-24T13:23:00.003-04:00

Now it's just a mess in Super Regional 2.

Then #2 Wingate lost.
Then #4 North Alabama lost.
Then #5 Tusculum lost.
Then #7 Benedict lost.
Then #8 Albany State lost.

Here is where things now stand in the region.

1. Delta State 6-1
2. Valdosta State 6-1
3. Wingate 7-1
4. North Alabama 7-1
5. Arkansas-Monticello 6-2
6. Newberry 4-3
7. Albany State (Georgia) 5-2
8. Tusculum 5-3
9. Carson-Newman 5-2
10. Catawba 4-3

In the South Atlantic Conference, the only three teams that are officially done in this race are Mars Hill, Lenoir-Rhyne, and Brevard.

While Wingate may appear to be in the driver's seat with a 7-1 record, it is simply not so. Carson-Newman has a schedule consisting of playing at Brevard, home to Wingate, and at Tusculum. The Eagles are going to the playoffs. With only two losses and a very favorable schedule left, their odds are somewhere between 99.9 and 100.0%.

Wingate must play Catawba at home, on the road to Carson-Newman, and home to Mars Hill. If the Bulldogs lose two of those games, they will be yesterday's news.

What are we going to do with Newberry, Catawba, and Tusculum? Each of these teams have three losses. Newberry has the head to head with Catawba, and Catawba has the head to head with Tusculum.

One more loss by any of these teams will end their season. If both Catawba and Newberry win out, Newberry will get the nod. If Catawba and Tusculum win out, Catawba will get the nod.

Newberry does not have to worry about outside games as of this moment. Catawba absolutely needs Newberry to fall to Tusculum. The Pioneers need the Indians to lose while winning the rest of their games.

While it is important for the SAC to have Arkansas-Monticello lose to North Alabama on the road, a possible fourth loss to a team like Harding would make things much clearer.

Even if Arkansas-Monticello finished with three losses, I would find it extremely unlikely that the Boll Weevils would finish above a possible second SAC team. UAM has a strength of schedule index that is rated 92nd in the nation, while SAC teams have much stronger SOS numbers. Newberry and Tusculum are tied for third while Catawba's schedule is 34th. To grant the Gulf South Conference four postseason bids by way of a fourth team with the same number of losses, but a much lower SOS index is something I cannot see happening.

Week Eight Recaps

Actual Score: Newberry: 32 Wingate: 21
Timmy's Predicted Score: Newberry: 27 Wingate: 21

Although Newberry's passing game struggled mightily (only 76 yards) against a solid Bulldog pass defense, it was Newberry's ability to play smash-mouth football to secure the win. The combination of Tharry Salley and Gerald Legree on the ground produced well over 200 yards rushing and helped control the clock.

JD Moore was under fire the whole night by the Newberry front four, resulting in two interceptions and eight quarterback hurries. Moore did throw for 266 yards and three touchdowns in the losing effort, while feared running back Nelson Woods was held in check for 75 yards on 20 carries.

Actual Score: Carson-Newman: 62 Lenoir-Rhyne: 21
Timmy's Predicted Score: Carson-Newman: 38 Lenoir-Rhyne: 21

A 35-7 halftime score, in Carson-Newman's favor, indicated the large gap between these two teams. The Eagles out-rushed a fellow option-oriented SAC team 363 yards to 180 yards, and they capitalized on all five red zone opportunities.

Seven different Carson-Newman players rushed for touchdowns. Is that some kind of record? Guinness, get to work on that.

Alex the Great (He played better than good) had an impressive 80-yard touchdown scamper early in the first quarter and did not see action after halftime.

Actual Score: Catawba: 37 Tusculum: 35
Timmy's Predicted Score: Catawba: 24 Tusculum: 14

Some may say that Indian quarterback Pat Dennis out shined Corey Russell on Saturday.

In his second career start, Dennis threw for 357 yards and a pair of third quarter touchdowns to lead the Tribe past a high-flying spread Tusculum team.

Russell's arm should have been in a sling after the afternoon was over, throwing for 402 yards and four touchdowns in the loss.

Five Catawba sacks combined with 121 rushing yards by Jamelle Cuthbertson enabled the Indians to double the Pioneer's time of possession 40:00 to 20:00.

Actual Score: Mars Hill: 28 Brevard: 14
Timmy's Predicted Score: Mars Hill: 42 Brevard: 21

Give credit to Brevard, they keep fighting each and every week.

They fought Tusculum tooth and nail last week, and they did the same this Saturday against the Lions.

Quarterback Trey Wilborn did not complete a pass all afternoon, but he did lead the Tornados with 90 yards on sixteen attempts.

The one-two power rushing attack of "The Georges" Washington and Stripling boasted 165 rushing yards and two scores. Stripling in the fourth quarter churned out six consecutive carries, followed by four straight rushes by Washington in a scoring drive.

Week Nine Previews

For the first time this season I went undefeated in picking South Atlantic Conference games. All it took was new batteries in my magical Magic 8 Ball. My prediction record is now 33-11.

#16 Carson-Newman (5-2, 3-1) at Brevard (1-6, 0-4)

October 25th 2:00 PM ET Weather Forecast: 60 degrees, showers, 7 MPH wind, 60% chance of rain

Brevard is playing much better than it was early in the year. However, they no longer pose a threat in the air.

The Tornados did not complete a pass, but still hung tough with Mars Hill in a 28-14 loss. This says that while Brevard may be one-dimensional, they feel its possible to compete in this manner.

This matchup of Brevard and Carson-Newman will closely mirror the Eagles' contest with Lenoir-Rhyne last week.

Brevard will not pass as much as LRU, which even then was only eleven throws.

The line of scrimmage will be thoroughly controlled by C-N on Saturday. There is always a chance of coach Ken Sparks' team coming out sluggish and sloppy, but it isn't likely since the Eagles know they are playoff bound.

Quarterback Alex Good will involved in several big plays in the first half, something similar to the Concord game early in the season. Backup signal caller Joel Statham can expect to test the airwaves in mop up duty and account for some hard runs.

Tailbacks Buck Wakefield and Tony Richardson could average over 15 yards on the ground for the second week in a row. Quite an impressive feat.

Of course, with Brevard presumably stacking the box on Saturday, C-N wideouts Reggie Hubbard and Otis Miller can be home run threats on deep streaks or simple screen patterns.

Brevard wants to establish the option game with sophomore Trey Wilborn as the quarterback. The question is if the Tornados pass on Carson-Newman when they load up the box?

The answer? Check below.

Carson-Newman: 63 Brevard: 14

Catawba (4-3, 2-2) at #23 Wingate (7-1, 3-1)

October 25th 1:30 PM ET Weather Forecast: 70 degrees, showers, 9 MPH wind, 60% chance of rain

This is one of two South Atlantic Conference games that the rest of the region will be watching with extreme interest.

Catawba is coming off a 37-35 win against Tusculum. The Indians have now found an identity in sophomore quarterback Patrick Dennis. He has so many weapons at receiver in Antwan Strong, Brandon Bunn, Geron Bryant, Eric Morman, Brian Terwilliger, and tight end Grayson Downs.

Wingate must bounce back from its set back to Newberry last weekend. If the Bulldogs lose this weekend, their playoff hopes are virtually gone. Mainly because Carson-Newman still looms on the schedule.

The Bulldogs were not able to run against Newberry's defensive line with Nelson Woods and Patrick Pinchinat.

Just like last week, this game will come down to WU quarterback JD Moore. He will be going up against possibly the best defensive line in the league. The Indians are expecting the return of defensive lineman Julian Hartsell, who did not play last week.

The Tribe was able to put pressure on Tusculum quarterback Corey Russell late in the contest to decide the game. Moore will not be able to avoid half of the sacks in the same manner Russell did.

Woods will have great difficulty against the defensive line as well. No team has been able to run on Catawba this season.

Wingate's biggest question mark may be its defensive line. The Bulldog defensive line allowed 316 yards on the ground to Lenoir-Rhyne, 248 yards to Newberry, and 213 yards to Tusculum.

Catawba's running game features senior Jamelle Cuthbertson, a tailback that has ran for at least 100 yards in his last four games.

Make it five straight.

Catawba: 28 Wingate: 14

Newberry (4-3, 2-2) at Tusculum (5-3, 2-2)

October 25th 2:00 PM ET Weather Forecast: 60 degrees, showers, 7 MPH wind, 40% chance of rain

The health of Tharry Salley's knee is not known as of the release of this column. Regardless, fellow running backs Gerald Legree and Josh James will need to play even better this week to win.

Tusculum scored 35 points and Corey Russell threw for over 400 yards and suffered a loss.

The Pioneers have a score to settle with Newberry after the Scarlet Gray have beat them three times in a row in games decided by five, four, and three points respectively.

Tusculum is due to win a close game this year. Coach DeBusk's team has two losses on the road by four and two points.

Quarterback Corey Russell is simply too good to end his Pioneer career without a win against Newberry.

Newberry head coach Zak Willis has decided to give Eric McCollom the keys to offense as of now. The senior signal caller did his job by taking better care of the football in their big 32-21 win over Wingate last Saturday.

Tusculum receivers Ryan Tallent, Nate Binder, and Calvin Britt will catch plenty of passes on homecoming Saturday.

Newberry has played two road games this season. Both were losses, a 24-10 loss at Midwestern State, and a 27-6 loss at Mars Hill.

Newberry's lack of a passing game compared to Tusculum's attack will prove to be the difference.

Tusculum: 34 Newberry: 24

Mars Hill (5-3, 2-2) at Lenoir-Rhyne (3-5, 1-3)

October 25th 7:00 PM ET Weather Forecast: 53 degrees, partly cloudy, 9 MPH wind, 40% chance of rain

Mars Hill's offense has played much better since its loss to Catawba to start off the conference season. Running backs George Washington and George Stripling are still the premiere focus of head coach Tim Clifton's attention, but they have received more help.

Quarterback Ricky Spradling has been able to connect with star wideout Tyrea Allen and Frankie Waters in the past three games.

The Lions must be ready to play from behind like they did last week. Brevard scored the first touchdown of the game at Meares Stadium, but the ground game of Washington and Stripling wore down the Tornados.

Lenoir-Rhyne will also concentrate on the running game. Quarterback Justin Sanders has the ability to make enough plays to beat Mars Hill. The problem isn't L-R's offense. It will be inability of coach Fred Goldsmith's defense to stop to run or deep pass off of play action.

This one will come down to turnovers, a problem Lenoir-Rhyne fans are too familiar with this season.

Mars Hill: 38 Lenoir-Rhyne: 27

Catawba Ranked #10 in Regional Rankings

2008-10-20T18:03:00.001-04:00

Catawba is now ranked in the Super Regional 2 Rankings at number ten. The top six teams in each of the four regions make the Division II playoffs. Wingate dropped one spot to number three after its loss at Newberry last week. Tusculum fell three spots after its 37-35 loss at Catawba. Carson-Newman moves up one spot with the absence of Benedict, which suffered its fourth loss of the season.

The process of Earned Access has been tweaked this season. It is no longer sufficient to be in the top 10 for a conference to get an automatic bid to the highest ranked team. This season, for conferences to qualify for earned access, it must have a team in the top eight in the region.

Super Regional Two
Overall Record Division II Record
1. Delta State 6-1 6-0
2. Valdosta State 6-1 6-1
3. Wingate 7-1 7-1
4. North Alabama 7-1 7-1
5. Arkansas-Monticello 6-2 5-2
6. Newberry 4-3 4-3
7. Albany State (Georgia) 5-2 5-2
8. Tusculum 5-3 4-2
9. Carson-Newman 5-2 5-2
10. Catawba 4-3 4-3

Patrick Dennis Named SAC Offensive Player of the Week

2008-10-20T17:06:00.003-04:00

Catawba quarterback Patrick Dennis was named the SAC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Tusculum Pioneers.

Dennis, a 6-1, 175-pound sophomore from Durham, N.C., threw for a career-high 357 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-35 win over Tusculum. The Cedar Ridge High School graduate completed 19-of-27 passes with no interceptions to up his QB rating to 171.8. Dennis’ touchdown tosses both came in the third quarter, covering 36 and 51 yards to erase a 21-16 halftime deficit.

Catawba vs Tusculum Pictures

2008-10-19T20:12:00.003-04:00

IndianHuddle.com would like to thank James Sipes for providing these pictures of the Catawba-Tusculum game. Please visit the link below to view the picture gallery.

Catawba vs Tusculum Picture Gallery

Catawba Beats Tusculum 37-35

2008-10-19T20:00:00.003-04:00

Catawba's offense needed to play its best game of the season to beat Tusculum.

After compiling 543 yards of total offense on Saturday afternoon's homecoming game, the Indians still have playoff hopes. These hopes are now realized after Wingate lost to Newberry, and both SIAC teams in Albany State and Benedict also lost on Saturday. The loss gives Tusculum three defeats this season, which is equaled to the Tribe, but Catawba now has the head to head.

Senior running back Jamelle Cuthbertson provided Catawba a spark early in the first quarter with a 63-yard touchdown run. Sophomore quarterback Patrick Dennis filled in for the injured Howard Williamson. Dennis went 19 of 27 for 357 yards and two touchdowns in the conference win.

Catawba's defensive line is firing on all cylinders right now. The Indians sacked Tusculum's Corey Russell five times. Although Russell threw for 402 yards and four scores, Catawba's defense would not allow the offensive show to continue.

The Tribe will visit Wingate University this Saturday.

* Picture provided by James Sipes

D2Football.com South Atlantic Conference Column

2008-10-16T12:52:00.001-04:00

The second release of the Super Regional 2 Rankings provided no drama this week.

Carson-Newman is finally ranked at number 10, but the concerning news for South Atlantic Conference fans is the placement of Benedict and Albany State at seventh and eight respectively. It is almost completely certain that the SIAC will have one representative in the playoff field this season.

After establishing that, only five spots remain. Three of the top five teams are from the Gulf South Conference in No. 1 Delta State, No. 3 Valdosta State, and No. 4 North Alabama.

It is looking like only two SAC teams will receive bids this year at a best case scenario. As of now, Wingate, Tusculum, Newberry, and Carson-Newman are the players in this game.

Week Seven Recaps

Actual Score: Mars Hill: 27 Newberry: 6
Timmy's Predicted Score: Newberry: 33 Mars Hill: 21

Newberry was thumped by two individuals, running back George Stripling and outside linebacker Zach Johnson.

Stripling, (I know, I know, that Louisville transfer) had 13 carries for 96 yards and two touchdowns, but his final score was a 70-yard run early in the fourth quarter that had Newberry fans flocking towards the exits.

What is so special about Lion outside linebacker Zach Johnson? Well, he earned league defensive player of the week accolades for bruising up Tharry Salley quite a bit, all the while racking up nine tackles and pair of sacks.

Oh yeah, a first quarter interception by Johnson helped to set up the Lion's first points of the contest too.

Actual Score: Carson-Newman: 21 Catawba: 14
Timmy's Predicted Score: Carson-Newman: 42 Catawba: 17

A blocked punt for a touchdown and holding the Eagles to a mere seven points in three quarters just wasn't enough to contain Carson-Newman last Saturday night.

Alex the Good, (He wasn't great by any means) threw a pretty 29-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mo Whitten to essentially end the game with 44 ticks left.

Not only did the Eagles force two turnovers, but five different Carson-Newman defenders recorded sacks against Catawba's pair of quarterbacks.

Actual Score: Wingate: 35 Lenoir-Rhyne: 27
Timmy's Predicted Score: Wingate: 38 Lenoir-Rhyne: 17

Wingate is still the lone unbeaten team in the SAC, and rightfully so.

JD Moore is really starting to challenge Tusculum QB Corey Russell as the conference's most feared pistol-shooter, throwing for 292 yards and a trio of touchdowns on Saturday.

Although Nelson Woods, perhaps a dark-horse Harlon Hill candidate, rushed for 83 yards on nearly twenty attempts, it is tight end Delric Ellington that is becoming a huge asset for the 'Dawgs.

Ellington hauled in the game's opening touchdown pass on Wingate's first drive that set the tone for the afternoon.

Actual Score: Tusculum: 55 Brevard: 42
Timmy's Predicted Score: Tusculum: 42 Brevard: 7

There were good and bad things to take away from this victory for Tusculum.

We all know that Corey Russell totaled six touchdowns on the afternoon and 400 yards of total offense, but what happened to their talented defense?

Trey Wilborn went back to his duties at quarterback for the injured Kye Hamilton, a role he excelled at last season.

Wilborn helped Brevard pound the football for an astonishing 356 yards and four scores.

Week Eight Previews

My record is now 29-11 in predicting South Atlantic Conference games in 2008. I went 3-1 last week with my only loss being the Newberry-Mars Hill upset.

And for those of you that love "Dumb and Dumber", you might recall this infamous Jim Carrey line after he was robbed by a sweet old lady on a motorized cart.

"I didn't even see it coming."

#16 Wingate (7-0, 3-0) at Newberry (3-3, 2-1)

October 18th 7:00 PM ET Weather Forecast: 60 degrees, partly cloudy, 10 MPH wind, 30% chance of rain

Newberry's terrible showing at Mars Hill last week has severely impacted its playoff chances. Of course the Scarlet and Gray must win out, but it may also need extra help the rest of the way through this season.

Wingate is in the most advantageous position of all South Atlantic Conference teams right now as it sits at No. 2 in the regional rankings. The teams remaining on the Bulldog's schedule won't make this finishing stretch easy by any stretch. Wingate must go to Newberry, host Catawba, go to Carson-Newman, and host Mars Hill.

If WU head coach Joe Reich's team can win at least two of their four remaining games, they should be in the postseason.

It all starts this Saturday night at Setzler Field where opponents rarely win. Then No. 1 ranked Valdosta State counted its blessings as it walked away with a very close win to open the season at Newberry.

Also, it doesn't help matters that Newberry is coming off a rather embarrassing loss to Mars Hill 27-6 last week.

Newberry quarterbacks Eric McCollom and Brandon Gantt played awful games, combining for two interceptions, 10-26 passing for 84 yards, and four sacks.

While Scarlet and Gray head man Zak Willis won't see that performance repeated at home, he is probably more concentrated with his defense at the moment.

Wingate comes to town with clutch players at its disposal in tailback Nelson Woods and receiver Jordan Softcheck. I still recall a very Wes Welker type play from Softcheck against UNC-Pembroke in the fourth quarter. It was a third and six deep in UNC-P's territory with the Bulldogs nursing a 17-13 lead. He created great separation on the right side of the field to give JD Moore an easy toss for six points.

Wingate will need plenty of clutch plays this Saturday night. Newberry's fast and hard hitting defense will force Reich's offense into uncomfortable third down situations and distances that are too far for Woods to handle.

A match up featuring linebackers Mike Grase or Will Newell on tight end Delric Ellington will summarize the night for the two playoff hopeful teams.

Newberry is due for a good game.

You can't pick against an angry team with speed playing at home.

Newberry: 27 Wingate: 21

Lenoir-Rhyne (3-4, 1-2) at # 17 Carson-Newman (4-2, 2-1)

October 18th 3:00 PM ET Weather Forecast: 60 degrees, partly cloudy, 7 MPH wind, 20% chance of rain

This has the potential to be one of the quickest games this season in college football.

Lenoir-Rhyne may throw eight or nine passes on Saturday, while Carson-Newman could pass around 15 times.

The rest of the afternoon will be spent like college football Saturdays should.

Watching the line of scrimmage turn into a battlefield for every yard.

Carson-Newman had great difficulty with the "give" on its split back veer attack. With the exception of a Buck Wakefield touchdown run, the Eagles had trouble gaining more than 2 yards on the handoffs.

Quarterback Alex Good also had trouble completing the deep pass and going down the line on option runs.

Lenoir-Rhyne's defense is not built to stop the veer, but LRU head coach Fred Goldsmith's team will focus mainly on keeping the C-N offense off of the field. The quarterback position should be shared between Major Herron and Justin Sanders for yet another week as it is a difficult to continually get knocked down play after play. Running back Anthony Silvers played one of his best games ever last week against Wingate by tallying 114 yards on 17 carries.

Carson-Newman will be able to incorporate Otis Miller and Reggie Hubbard this week in the deep passing game off of playaction.

Lenoir-Rhyne will be able to shorten this game quite a bit with its forceful running game.

Carson-Newman: 38 Lenoir-Rhyne: 21

Tusculum (5-2, 2-1) at Catawba (3-3, 1-2)

October 18th 1:30 PM ET Weather Forecast: 60 degrees, partly cloudy, 10 MPH wind, 30% chance of rain

Tusculum cannot afford to lose to Catawba this week if it wants to make the playoffs because they still have to play Carson-Newman later on in the season.

The Indians will be playing spoiler the rest of the way after a close loss to Carson-Newman last Saturday.

TC head coach Frankie DeBusk has owned the Tribe lately by winning the past two nail biters.

The job this week for Catawba head coach Chip Hester will be for his Indians to pressure senior all-conference quarterback Corey Russell. The defensive line of Marqus Davis, Melquan Fair, Brandon Sutton, and Julian Hartsell controlled the line of scrimmage last week against the Eagles.

The Tribe's secondary is not a weakness but certainly not the strength of the defense like its front seven. It will come down to whether Russell has enough time to exploit Catawba on Saturday afternoon.

Russell's numbers this season include 2,243 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He is also the Pioneer's leading rusher with 315 yards and four scores.

There are two things that Tusculum should be worried about when arriving to play the Indians for its homecoming.

First, Russell was sacked four times in each game by Wingate, Lenoir-Rhyne, and Elizabeth City State. Urbana was able to bring him down three times in the backfield. Catawba's defensive line may be the best in the conference this year by far.

Second, Tusculum was not able to slow down Lenoir-Rhyne's running game or Brevard's. Catawba is very one-dimensional this season like L-R and BC, but not by choice.

Catawba quarterback Howard Williamson has only played two complete games, while usually suffering an injury in the first half against his opponents such as Mars Hill, Newberry, and Carson-Newman.

This game will come down to the impressive running of senior running back Jamelle Cuthbertson for Catawba. Tusculum will get big plays from Ryan Tallent, but the Indians are determined to not make this a shoot out.

Catawba: 24 Tusculum: 14

Brevard (1-5, 0-3) at Mars Hill (4-3, 1-2)

October 18th 1:30 PM ET Weather Forecast: 57 degrees, partly cloudy, 9 MPH wind, 20% chance of rain

Mars Hill sent a message loud and clear last Saturday. They are not giving up on this season just yet.

Lion head coach Tim Clifton has two winnable games on the docket and can up its record to a possible 6-3 overall. It sounds nice and it can most definitely be done with its offensive weapons.

Brevard is another story entirely. A bright spot is the reemergence of running back John Taylor last week at Tusculum. While the Tornados aren't a threat in the airwaves, their damage on the ground is most definitely severe.

A nice coaching adjustment by head coach Paul Hamilton is the switch at quarterback. He has brought sophomore Trey Wilborn back as the signal caller.

He has responded.

Wilborn carried for 116 yards for a score and passed for a touchdown against the regionally ranked Pioneers on the road.

Brevard's 42 point output is light years away from its shutout loss to UNC-Pembroke and its collapse at Chowan earlier in the season.

The game will not be won on offense for Brevard. Mars Hill will be able to trade scores with the Tornados easily. Brevard does not have an answer for the speed of Tyrea Allen at receiver or the two tailbacks of George Washington and George Stripling. Expect Washington and Allen to have several plays longer than 40 yards on Saturday.

Mars Hill continues to click on all cylinders.

Mars Hill: 42 Brevard: 21

The Passing of a Strong Woman

My grandmother, Elizabeth Hall Readling, passed away at the age of 83 on Tuesday, the morning of October 14th. She was the mother of two sons, one being my father Gary Readling. Even at a very young age, she was a mother figure to her sisters.

I will always miss her.

Carson-Newman Rallies to Beat Catawba 21-14

2008-10-12T08:46:00.003-04:00

On a night where everything went right for the stout Catawba defense, the #21 ranked Carson-Newman Eagles found a way to come out on top in a physical 21-14 contest.

Jamelle Cuthbertson led the Indians on the ground with 125 rushing yards on 17 carries, but he, unfortunately, coughed up the football with a little under 4:30 left in the fourth quarter.

The score was tied at 14-14, when Cuthbertson was hit forcefully from behind by All-SAC cornerback Otis Ballard, causing the ball to fumble forward upfield and into the awaiting hands of Carson-Newman's Corey Parks.

In the ensuing drive by the Eagles, quarterback Alex Good melted nearly four minutes off the clock with quarterback keepers until he hooked up with a streaking Otis Miller in the back of the endzone for a 29-yard touchdown strike.

"I feel bad that fumble happened there at the end," said an optimistic Chip Hester. "We played well enough to win tonight and the majority of these players will be playing against Carson-Newman for years to come."

No one puts blame on Cuthbertson for the turnover, because Catawba would not have been in a position to win the game without the aggressive rushing style by the senior running back.

Coach Hester said in staff meetings all week they felt that if the Indian defense held Carson-Newman to under 200 rushing yards, Catawba had a great chance to send the Eagles leaving Salisbury, NC, with a loss.

Eagle coach Ken Sparks saw his veer-option offense grind out 219 ground yards, a great number by all means, but nowhere near the 300 yards they rushed for a year prior against Catawba.

Carson-Newman's Good led all rushers with 129 rushing yards and a touchdown, while also tossing for 106 passing yards and the all-important fourth quarter touchdown to Miller.

For more than three and a half quarters, the Catawba front four on the defensive line whipped the Eagles offensive line by splitting inbetween their gaps and harrassing Good.

Sophomore defensive tackle Brandon Sutton was like a rock in the middle for the Indians, playing beside fellow interior lineman Melquan Fair, recording a career-high ten tackles.

Sophomore safety Aaron Cauble sprinted off the edge as a gunner in a punt block formation against the Eagles on a fourth down punt, blocking Chris Jones' attempt at the fifteen yard-line.

True freshman Tyon Bennett, who earned the start at free safety on Saturday night, picked up the rejected punt and raced in for the game's first score at the 2:34 mark of the opening quarter.

Nearly a quarter later, Carson-Newman answered with a Good five-yard touchdown run on a five play, 80-yard drive. That particular scoring drive was stimulated by a 42-yard scamper by Good before he was corralled by true freshman outside linebacker Kewone Harris.

One of the most exciting pass plays of the season by the Tribe took place in Saturday's contest when quarterback Pat Dennis threw a perfect fade pass to sophomore wide out Gerron Bryant for a 34-yard touchdown with 9:20 left in the third quarter.

Dennis came in to relieve starting quarterback Howard Williamson who appeared to have injured one of the fingers on his throwing hand at the end of the first half.

Outside linebacker Charles McAfee made a name for himself against Carson-Newman two years ago when he stepped in for the injured Darryl Locklear, and was named SAC Defensive Player of the Week in the 24-22 win.

McAfee led the team in tackles in that 2006 win over the Eagles with 14 stops, and again last season with seven hits.

It was the same story on Saturday night as McAfee led the Catawba defense with a dozen tackles against rival Carson-Newman, but he was more focused on energizing the crowd for a big home victory instead.

The senior linebacker would much rather have finished out his Indian career with three wins against the team from Jefferson City, TN, rather than lead the team in tackles and other statistics.

Everyone needs the heart of a champion. Everyone needs the heart of a Charles McAfee.

D2Football.com SAC Column

2008-10-08T11:54:00.002-04:00

The October surprise is already here.

In the form of Super Regional 2 Rankings. Of course, Super Regional 2 is the NCAA code word for Southeast Region.

Benedict is #9 in the region with a record of 3-3 while two loss Carson-Newman and Catawba are absent?

Surprise.

The South Atlantic Conference has three ranked teams in the top ten by way of Wingate at number two, Tusculum number five, and Newberry at sixth.

A new and fascinating change of the playoff system this season is the implementation of Earned Access.

Earned Access is the concept of all conferences getting a shot at the postseason. In 2007, if a team from conference X was in the top 10, and was the highest rated team from its conference, it would receive a berth into the postseason. Now, in 2008, Earned Access will only apply to those in the top 8 in the region, making the leap into the playoffs a little more difficult for "weaker" teams.

It should also be pointed out that the CIAA has been moved to Super Regional 1, which used to be known as the Northeast Region.

Week Six Recaps

Actual Score: Carson-Newman: 61 Mars Hill: 49
Timmy's Predicted Score: Carson-Newman: 38 Mars Hill: 28

Hope everyone took the "over" in this high-scoring affair, as defense was honestly optional.

1,076 yards were accounted for in Saturday's game (Give that statistician a Purple Heart), one penalty, and zero turnovers as well.

Carson-Newman running back Buck Wakefield went bonkers on the ground, taking nine handoffs for 154 yards and three touchdowns.

Alex Good had an equally impressive outing against Mars Hill, completing six of eight passes for 238 yards and four touchdowns.

Actual Score: Newberry: 33 Catawba: 14
Timmy's Predicted Score: Catawba: 21 Newberry: 10

Catawba quarterback Howard Williamson threw an interception on the game's first play from scrimmage that set the tone for Newberry's dominating defensive performance.

On the two rare occasions where the Indians did reach the end zone, Newberry rejected the extra points like Dikembe Mutombo swats away lay ups.

Four Catawba turnovers undoubtedly helped Newberry offensively, although Brandon Gantt's 94-yard touchdown hook up to Kelton Tindal was a thing of beauty in the third quarter.

Actual Score: Wingate: 44 Brevard: 13
Timmy's Predicted Score: Wingate: 42 Brevard: 10

Life without Kye Hamilton behind center for Brevard quickly spelled disaster, even when the name of your program is the Tornados.

All-SAC running back John Taylor did not suit up as well, and Wingate pounced on them early and often last Saturday.

The Bulldogs yielded just three completed passes, while Ed Doughty registered 2.5 sacks for conference's lone unbeaten team.

The dynamic rushing duo of Wingate's Nelson Woods (Make him an All-American) and Patrick Pinchinat combined for well over 200 yards and three scores.

Actual Score: Tusculum: 48 Lenoir-Rhyne: 19
Timmy's Predicted Score: Tusculum: 35 Lenoir-Rhyne: 14

Corey Russell is lighting the world on fire with his play thus far this season.

The All-SAC senior quarterback tossed for 375 yards and four devastating touchdowns in the Pioneer's route of Lenoir-Rhyne.

Tusculum also got some help in the running game behind Marcus Foster, who recorded 20 carries for 96 yards and a couple of scores.

Bear outside linebacker Scott Turbeville upped his season sack total to six quarterback pummels with two more sacks this weekend.

Week Seven Previews

My prediction record is now 26-10. Work with me people.

#22 Newberry (3-2, 2-0) at Mars Hill (3-3, 0-2)

October 11th 2:30 PM ET Weather Forecast: 73 degrees, few showers, 6 MPH wind, 30% chance of rain

What exactly is Newberry's reward for defeating both nationally ranked Carson-Newman and Catawba in back-to-back weekends?

A road trip to an upset Mars Hill team for their homecoming.

Newberry head coach Zak Willis must stress to his team that this opponent should not be taken lightly. Mars Hill is winning and losing based upon the long ball from quarterback Ricky Spradling. When the senior signal caller can connect with Tyrea Allen, the Lions can take out anybody in this conference.

The Scarlet and Gray defense concerned me with the deep pass to Catawba's Travis Landrum early in the first quarter last week. It is that type of play that will allow Mars Hill running backs George Washington and George Stripling to get the ground game going.

Newberry reminds me of, gasp, the 2005 Presbyterian team that rolled through the SAC. Of course, Newberry is loaded with more talent and speed than the Blue Hose could ever imagine. But the similarity between these two teams is that they are parasitic in nature. Coach Willis' team will be ready to pounce on the opponent's mistake. If the other team does a relatively good job of securing the football and not making big mistakes, they can beat Newberry. The only two that have done that are Valdosta State and Midwestern State.

The rest all fell victim to the Scarlet and Gray.

Brandon Gantt appears to be the man at quarterback for now because Eric McCollom, unfortunately, does not seem to be 100% after leg injuries.

Tharry Salley needs to help take pressure of the Newberry passing game by running the ball about 15 times. Whether he will be successful remains to be seen as Mars Hill is not afraid to blitz the middle, regardless of the down and distance.

This game really is a gamble and a toss up. This will not be an easy win for Newberry. This game will be won or lost based upon the success of Mars Hill's blitzes and long balls.

Newberry's speed will hurt Mars Hill in the end.

Newberry: 33 Mars Hill: 21

#16 Carson-Newman (3-2, 1-1) at Catawba (3-2, 1-1)

October 11th 7:00 PM ET Weather Forecast: 58 degrees, partly cloudy, 2 MPH wind, 20% chance of rain

The premiere conference game has arrived. The Cr?me de la Cr?me. Power against power.

The meaning of this game has shot its way to being all or nothing. After the release of the regional rankings, it is apparent that a three loss SAC team isn't going to get a chance at the postseason most likely.

At this point last year, both teams were undefeated and in the top ten by some polls. Now, both teams have two Division II losses at the midway point of the season.

Everybody is wondering how Catawba will react after playing terribly at Newberry last Saturday night.

Carson-Newman's offense is beginning to pick up steam after stumbling at Newberry as well two weeks ago. Quarterback Alex Good is a threat every time he is under center. Running backs Buck Wakefield and Ricky Harris present both speed and power troubles against Catawba's defense.

The Eagle passing game must get on track to beat the Indians' defense. Carson-Newman must make this game a track meet. This contest cannot be a grind it out defensive battle for a C-N victory.

Catawba's offensive strength is running the football. Senior running back Jamelle Cuthbertson is a home run threat every time he touches the football. He is known to routinely get 6-7 yards before he burns a defense for a 50 plus yard run.

The X factor in this game will be the Catawba passing game and Howard Williamson's status. Williamson is the starting quarterback for the Indians, but he did not take one snap in the second half against Newberry. It is believed that his throwing shoulder may still be giving him problems. Catawba coach Chip Hester has stated that he has a ton of confidence in backup Patrick Dennis.

Carson-Newman's secondary and overall pass defense has been questioned by the rest of the country after the North Alabama game in which the Lions threw for over 400 yards.

The only reason Catawba beat C-N last year was Brad Roach's golden arm caught fire much like previous Indian signal callers against the Eagles.

Catawba does not have that triggerman to take advantage of possible breakdowns.

Newberry's passing game was able to hit Catawba deep for a 94-yard pass play last week. The Eagles had six touchdowns that were 43 yards or longer last week against Mars Hill.

Catawba's defense will be on the field too much to stop C-N.

Carson-Newman: 42 Catawba: 17

Lenoir-Rhyne (3-3, 1-1) at #17 Wingate (6-0, 2-0)

October 11th 1:30 PM ET Weather Forecast: 77 degrees, few showers, 5 MPH wind, 30% chance of rain

Wingate is not ready to wake up from its dream season just yet.

The Bulldogs control their destiny to win the SAC title, go to the playoffs, and host a playoff game. Coach Joe Reich's team can realistically jump three more spots in the national polls if things work out the right way.

First, they must take care of Lenoir-Rhyne at home. The Bears are coming off a game in which they played better as a team than they did last year, but it still resulted in a blowout loss.

Can quarterback Justin Sanders and his option offense slice and dice the Wingate defense?

Well, Brevard tried 47 times and only got 13 points. The Tornadoes only threw eight passes. We will see nearly the same philosophy from LRU head coach Fred Goldsmith this week.

Lenoir-Rhyne wants to control the ball and keep Wingate's offense on the sidelines. The Bears will be able to score on a couple of possessions, more than likely early in the ball game.

It is important for Wingate to dump L-R early in the game. Quarterback JD Moore had some struggles against Brevard's defense last week, but he does face a pass defense that was torched by Tusculum.

As long as Bulldog tailback Nelson Woods gets his mandatory twenty touches, it won't matter if Moore throws a couple of picks.

L-R will run, run, and run on Saturday.

Turnovers will be the story in this game.

Wingate improves to 7-0 and vies to be in the top 10 nationally.

Wingate: 38 Lenoir-Rhyne: 17

Brevard (1-4, 0-2) at Tusculum (4-2, 1-1)

October 11th 1:30 PM ET Weather Forecast: 76 degrees, partly cloudy, 5 MPH wind, 20% chance of rain

It is amazing what two weeks can do.

Tusculum was essentially written out of the playoff picture with the emergence of Newberry as a true contender and Carson-Newman as, well, Carson-Newman.

The Pioneers had just lost to Wingate 37-33 and was feeling down about the two losses. But now, Tusculum is fifth in the region ahead of Newberry, and is in the driver's seat in this race. They get both Newberry and Carson-Newman at home.

Let's not count the chickens just yet though.

Well, they can this week. They are playing Brevard, but starting next week, that needs to stop.

It will be the Corey Russell air show this Saturday.

Brevard's defense was able to pick off Wingate's JD Moore two times last Saturday, but the Pioneers pass attack is much more lethal.

The star quarterback should throw for well over 300 yards on Saturday depending on playing time. Wide outs like Ryan Tallent, Jarrell NeSmith, Nate Binder, and Rashaad Carter will present Russell with opportunities for big plays.

For Brevard to win, which would be rival being the biggest upset in conference history, the Tornados need to be able to throw the ball. With Kye Hamilton's status being uncertain as of now for this week's game, it will be even tougher to establish the air waves.

That really is the story of Brevard this season.

Injuries.

Losing a star player like running back John Taylor has made a season that started off on a sour note that much tougher to endure.

This isn't the Brevard team that BC fans and coach Paul Hamilton envisioned just over a month ago.

BC, however, will plug away with running back Tyrone Arrington, who is playing like he was in 2006.

Tusculum's defense is too strong for a one-dimensional attack. Tusculum's offense will have its way with the Tornados.

Tusculum: 42 Brevard: 7

Catawba Drops out of D2Football.com Poll

2008-10-07T13:37:00.004-04:00

After suffering a 33-14 loss at Newberry on Saturday night, the Catawba Indians have been dropped from the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll. The remaining South Atlantic Conference teams left in the poll are #16 Carson-Newman, #17 Wingate, and #22 Newberry.

Catawba hosts #16 Carson-Newman this Saturday night at 7 PM. Neither team is ranked in the top in the regional rankings. And here is the rest of it.

Regional Rankings are Released

2008-10-06T17:59:00.004-04:00

1. Delta State University 4-1
2. Wingate University 6-0
3. Valdosta State University 4-1
4. University of North Alabama 6-0
5. Tusculum College 4-2
6. Newberry College 3-2
7. Arkansas Tech University 3-2
8. Univ. of Arkansas-Monticello 4-2
9. Benedict College 3-3
10. Albany State University 4-1

Carson-Newman and Catawba are not listed in the first Super Regional 2 Rankings.

St. Augustine's Put on Probation

2008-10-05T20:31:00.003-04:00

The NCAA Division II Committee on Infractions has penalized St. Augustine College for major violations in its athletics program. The infractions, which included a lack of institutional control, began in the 2003-04 academic year and continued through 2007-08. St. Augustine was found to have allowed 29 student-athletes to practice or compete while ineligible to do so. Of the 29 ineligible student-athletes, 15 participated in football.

Penalties for the violations include three years of probation; a vacation (forfeiture) of wins; a $2,500 financial penalty; and a reduction in scholarships for seven sports for the next two years.

This case was resolved through the summary disposition process rather than a formal hearing before the Committee on Infractions. Summary disposition is used when there is an agreement among the university, the NCAA enforcement staff and involved individuals regarding the facts of the case. The committee adopted the findings agreed upon by the institution and the enforcement staff as well as penalties recommended by the institution. The institution agreed to the imposition of further penalties by the committee.

Some of the ineligible student-athletes in this case received impermissible benefits in the form of athletic scholarships and travel expenses. The student-athletes were ineligible for a variety of reasons, including participation in their 11th semester of full-time enrollment (a maximum of 10 semesters is allowed in Division II); participation in a fifth season; deficient grade-point averages; mistakes by the college staff in certification of transfers; and a failure to obtain financial initial eligibility certification for academics and amateurism. One track student-athlete participated while ineligible in the NCAA Division II 2007 Indoor Track Championship while another track student-athlete participated while ineligible in the NCAA Division II 2007 Indoor and Outdoor Track Championship.

The eligibility problems and subsequent lack of institutional control resulted from a deficient certification system, particularly for football, according to the committee. The system was in place when football, which had been discontinued in 1967, was reinstated and resumed competing in 2002. Due to errors in completing various forms used to track eligibility, and because the individuals charged with tracking eligibility were not adequately educated regarding NCAA eligibility rules, mistakes were made and the ineligible student-athletes were allowed to compete. The lack of institutional control violation was also based on the college's failure to report a violation involving the ineligible participation of a football student-athlete in three dates of competition.

The penalties adopted and imposed by the committee include three years of probation beginning October 3, 2008 and concluding on October 2, 2011, vacation of all wins in which ineligible student-athletes participated, reduction in scholarships in football, men's basketball, softball, volleyball, men's tennis, men's track and women's track for 2009-10 and 2010-11. and a financial penalty of $2,500 to the NCAA.

Newberry Beats Catawba 33-14

2008-10-05T16:39:00.003-04:00

Catawba could never fully take the momentum away from Newberry in a 33-14 loss.

The Tribe once led the second quarter 8-7, but an attempted extra point by freshman Thomas Trexler was blocked by Newberry. It was returned for a two-point score, which put Newberry ahead 10-9. That was the theme of the loss Saturday night for the once-nationally ranked Indians. Great plays were only followed by a lack of execution and turnovers. Catawba suffered an interception on its first play of the game. Senior linebacker Will Newell of Newberry picked off his first pass in his illustrious collegiate career. Although Newberry did not score on the drive, that play really set the tone for the rest of the game. If something could go wrong, it did for Catawba. In a game reminiscent of the Indians' playoff performance against Valdosta State last year, the Tribe had a punt blocked, two extra points blocked, a missed field goal, one extra point blocked was returned for a score, three interceptions, and a fumble.

Catawba's Howard Williamson did not play one snap in the second half, which left Brian Terwilliger and Patrick Dennis to finish out the game.

Freshman middle linebacker Lakeem Perry finished the contest with a game-high 17 tackles.

Melquan Fair and Julian Hartsell shared a sack in the loss at Newberry, while freshman cornerback Bryant Vennable downed a first quarter punt inside the 5-yard line.

Nationally ranked Carson-Newman visits Catawba this Saturday night at 7 PM.

D2Football.com SAC Column

2008-10-01T08:28:00.004-04:00

We need a rescue plan or some kind of bailout.

The South Atlantic Conference is in turmoil, and my confidence in the teams is running low.

Where is this turmoil coming from?

Well, Carson-Newman lost. Tusculum lost. Lenoir-Rhyne won a conference game 40-14. Wingate is the only unbeaten South Atlantic Conference team at 5-0. First team all-conference running back George Washington of Mars Hill rushed for 11 yards last week. Carson-Newman is 1-2 in its last three games.

It is my promise to you that I will figure out this jumbled mess that is the South Atlantic Conference right now. Don't sell this conference's stock just yet.

Week Five Recaps

Actual Score: Catawba: 24 Mars Hill: 7
Timmy's Predicted Score: Catawba: 28 Mars Hill: 21

The Tribe capitalized on the powerful leg of freshman punter Thomas Trexler on Saturday, downing three of his punts inside the twenty yard line. Mars Hill was always stuck in a rut, sometimes inside their own five-yard line, and could never establish a running game.

Lion quarterback Ricky Spradling managed to throw for 239 yards in the losing effort, but he was sacked on three different occasions and harassed the entire contest.

Jamelle Cuthbertson churned out 115 yards on the ground, while quarterback Howard Williamson accounted for 115 total yards of offense and two scores in the victory. Backup quarterback Patrick Dennis threw a pretty touchdown pass to Brandon Bunn early in the fourth quarter to put Catawba ahead for good.

The superb defensive effort was led by senior outside linebacker Charles McAfee, who had seven tackles for the Indians, three of them for loss, and a sack. Defensive tackle Brandon Sutton has the gift of gab and the ability to punish quarterbacks. The sophomore finished the game with a forced fumble, a sack, and a 38-yard return on an unbelievable interception.

Actual Score: Newberry: 27 Carson-Newman: 21
Timmy's Predicted Score: Carson-Newman: 42 Newberry: 24

An overtime fiesta was witnessed at Setzler Field on Saturday afternoon when Newberry upended Carson-Newman on a gutsy third down play call.

The Eagles could not execute on their initial possession of the overtime period, missing a 24-yard field goal wide left.

Carson-Newman's defense stood strong for the first two downs, holding Newberry for no gain. Coach Zak Willis then rolled the dice.

Instead of playing it safe and placing the ball in the middle of the turf, Newberry gambled with a risky lob to David Pressley in the end zone.

It was game over when Pressley pulled down the "immaculate reception" and was piled on by the entire Newberry sideline.

Three-hundred rushing yards just weren't enough for Ken Sparks and company, not when you fumble the ball away four times.

Actual Score: Wingate: 37 Tusculum: 33
Timmy's Predicted Score: Tusculum: 35 Wingate: 24

Four turnovers by the Tusculum offense plagued quarterback Corey Russell and the Pioneers on Saturday.

If the four turnovers plagued coach Frankie DeBusk, then Wingate running back Nelson Woods made the Tusculum defense suffer from the Bubonic Plague with 125 yards and two touchdowns on a healthy dose of 28 carries.

In the losing effort, Russell did break the school's all-time total offense record with 463 yards and three touchdowns (341 passing, 122 rushing).

I have always bragged about this league having special combinations between senior quarterbacks and senior receivers, like something always starts to click this time of year.

Well it clicked for Dawg gunslinger JD Moore, as he threw for 215 yards and three touchdown passes, all to 6'4 senior wide out Shawn Barrett. Obviously, Barrett was honored as the league's offensive player of the week.

Both teams combined for well over 900 yards of total offense, while Wingate outside head hunter Greg Harmon posted 16 tackles and the game-saving interception at the three-yard line as time expired.

Actual Score: Lenoir-Rhyne: 40 Brevard: 14
Timmy's Predicted Score: Lenoir-Rhyne: 27 Brevard: 10

One statistic really jumps out to viewers of the game and it is in the rushing column. The disparity was overwhelming to coach Paul Hamilton and his struggling Tornado program, as they were out rushed 222 yards to 49 yards last Saturday.

The time of possession was also heavily one-sided as the Bears held on to the pigskin for more than 41 minutes, while Brevard only touched the ball for 19 minutes.

Bear quarterback Justin Sanders is finally looking like, well, Justin Sanders. The former SAC Freshman of the Year lived up to the billing behind center last week, completing 12 of 15 passes for an even 200 yards in the air, and rushing for two scores with his feet.

Poor Stanley.

No, not Stanley Roper from Three's Company, but Stanley Jones, the inside linebacker from Brevard.

Jones had to deliver a career-high 21 tackles for a defense that only used three down linemen against an option-loving Lenoir-Rhyne team.

Week 6 Previews

I am 23-9 on the season in predicting South Atlantic Conference games. I suffered two close losses last week that I sincerely blame on my Magic 8 ball. How else do you explain Carson-Newman coming away with no points in three redzone trips? I am feeling a lot better about my picks this week. I know I will come away with at least three wins.

Right?

Mars Hill (3-2, 0-1) at #17 Carson-Newman (2-2, 0-1)

October 4th 1:00 PM ET Weather Forecast: 78 degrees, sunny, 3 MPH wind, 0% chance of rain

It will be a beautiful October day in Jefferson City, Tennessee, for an intense conference game.

Two teams that were expected by many to win last week are now in a fight to get their first conference win.

We now know a little bit more about each team since league play is a wonderful measuring stick.

Carson-Newman should come out hungry after suffering their second loss of the season. It is almost hard to believe that one more loss this year will probably all but end the Eagles' chances of a playoff bid. I will never say never, but coach Ken Sparks and his Eagles know not to place the destiny of a season into a committee's hands.

It won't be doom and gloom for Mars Hill this week. Sure, C-N QB Alex Good will gash the Lion defense for a couple of big runs like he did against Newberry, but the Lions will concentrate on trading scores with the Eagles.

Do they have the weapons to attempt such a feat?

They really don't have a choice. Carson-Newman is going to be good for at least 28 points at home we suspect, so the Lions will need quarterback Ricky Spradling to connect on the long balls. Last week against Catawba, the senior signal caller's accuracy was just not there. Mars Hill can definitely produce fireworks, see the West Liberty game, and wide out Tyrea Allen will be the man responsible for trying to keep this one close.

The way Carson-Newman's defense played last week would earn them a victory most weeks, but the offensive inconsistencies cost the Eagles a win.

The final play of the game, in overtime, caused me to seriously step back and think about my prediction for this week. Newberry quarterback Eric McCollom's 25 yard lob pass to David Pressley to win the game raises a concern of mine about Carson-Newman. Can the Eagles' secondary continually prevent huge scoring strikes? Another twist to this game is the status of Louisville transfer running back George Stripling. He was injured during the Furman game, but finally played significant time against Catawba. He is a very physical back that is good for at least four hard yards a carry.

A blitz by the Eagles may result in a big passing play off of play action.
Everybody's favorite running back, George Washington, should get back on track in terms of production for this week as well.

I can't pick against Carson-Newman at home. Even if the Eagles were playing Oklahoma, I would at least have to think about it for a moment.

Carson-Newman: 38 Mars Hill: 28

#18 Catawba (3-1, 1-0) at Newberry (2-2, 1-0)

October 4th 7:00 PM ET Weather Forecast: 62 degrees, clear sky, 6 MPH wind, 3% chance of rain

What a difference a week can make.

The plan was for these two teams to fight for a possible second place finish behind a virtually invincible Carson-Newman team. Now, after both teams pulled out wins many predicted they would not, it is a clash for an upper hand in this race.

Both teams have questionable losses however. These setbacks still define Catawba and Newberry in 2008 until they can both go on a run through the conference. Catawba's humiliating loss was to St. Augustine's, while Newberry's falter was on the road to a solid Midwestern State game. MSU is a respectable opponent, but that was a game the Scarlet and Gray needed bad for playoff considerations.

I feel that history will play a part in this game. Just as it did in the Catawba-Mars Hill game. The Tribe had previously won 11 of their last 12 against the Lions before last week. That one loss was in 2006, quite possibly Catawba's worst performing team in nearly a decade. Newberry's dream season in 2006, equipped with Josh Stepp and Tymere Zimmerman, almost suffered a loss to the Indians.

History shows that a blowout will not take place this week. Newberry's strong defense will be the key for a Homecoming win this Saturday night. Senior linebacker is fresh off of a SAC Defensive Player of the Week honor after his terrific performance against Carson-Newman. The only concern I have in Newberry's defense is their run defense. After having to replace basically the entire defensive line from last year, the Scarlet and Gray have been questionable against the run. Newberry has been out gained by their opponents this season 487 yards to 604 yards.

This isn't good news with the Indians' Jamelle Cuthbertson, Antonio Hall, and George Bell visiting Newberry this week.

Newberry true freshman quarterback John Carnell did not play last week. Eric McCollom and Brandon Gantt filled in for him, but it did not come without some mistakes. Gantt threw one pick against C-N, while McCollom threw two interceptions. I do not seem them being very effective in this game.

Catawba's offense has been very efficient with both Howard Williamson and Patrick Dennis taking snaps. Williamson is still the starter, but Dennis is a very capable backup after proving a lot these past two games. Williamson has yet to throw an interception this season and has five touchdowns.

Catawba's defense must be able to stop Newberry running back Tharry Salley to win this weekend. The Tribe was able to slow down the rushing attack of Mars Hill and forced them to make plays in the passing game. The same must be done this week.

Newberry cannot allow Catawba to get its ground game going either.

This game should be a tight one for a long time. There is a history of many teams suffering from post-Carson-Newman victory syndrome. It is simply hard to refocus on another opponent after knocking off the king of kings.

Catawba: 21 Newberry: 10

Brevard (1-3, 0-1) at #21 Wingate (5-0, 1-0)

October 4th 6:00 PM ET Weather Forecast: 60 degrees, clear sky, 2 MPH wind, 5% chance of rain

Wingate University's football program is beginning to gain true national recognition and respect. The Bulldogs earned a hard-fought victory against Tusculum last weekend by a score of 37-33.

Head coach Joe Reich's team is 5-0, but 7-0 is clearly in sight. Taking this another step would mean that Wingate could conceivably be ranked in the top 15 more than likely.

What a great job Reich has done so far in turning around this program.

Wingate was once in the conference cellar, a position now belonging to the Brevard Tornados.

Brevard will not be able to slow down star running back Nelson Woods or his backup Patrick Pinchinat. Those two will be able to run for over 200 yards. WU quarterback JD Moore has done a better job this season of protecting the football.

Brevard needs junior John Compton to produce for the injured tailback John Taylor. Compton is a 6'2 215 pound back transfer from Charleston Southern. He was stopped before he really ever got started last week against Lenoir-Rhyne.

Quarterback Kye Hamilton needs to be put in position of having manageable third down situations, but that won't be happening on the road at Wingate.

Wingate improves to 6-0 and is the conference's only unbeaten team.

Wingate: 42 Brevard: 10

Tusculum (3-2, 0-1) at Lenoir-Rhyne (3-2, 1-0)

October 4th 2:00 PM ET Weather Forecast: 74 degrees, sunny, 2 MPH wind, 0% chance of rain

Lenoir-Rhyne quarterback Justin Sanders vs. Tusculum's defense.

It's one of those stories that remind us of many historical battles in which one man helps to lead a charge against the enemy.

In this case, the enemy is fast.

The enemy is big.

The enemy is good.

It was a walk through the park for Sanders and the running-oriented Lenoir-Rhyne Bears against Brevard last Saturday.

Tusculum is in no mood for walks in parks or for reminiscing about missed extra points last week. Head coach Frankie DeBusk's team is ready to get its first conference win of the year. The offense is exactly what we expected: high-powered and productive. In fact, Tusculum is ranked seventh in Division II in passing offense so far this season. Star quarterback Corey Russell had a busy week in the loss at Wingate last Saturday. He went 28 of 45 for 341 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 122 yards and a score.

If Tusculum has a better than average record, Russell should receive consideration for being a Harlon Hill candidate.

Expect Russell to find receivers Nate Binder and Ryan Tallent early and often this weekend. The senior gunslinger should be able to pass for over 300 yards again.

Tusculum's defense was unable to put clamps on Wingate's Nelson Woods, so the Bears rushing attack may have some success with Sanders running around the field. Running backs James Pone and Anthony Silvers must have big days for any chance of an upset happening.

It is an attractive upset pick, but Tusculum wins this game.

Tusculum: 35 Lenoir-Rhyne: 14

AFCA Poll Ranks Catawba 20th

2008-09-30T06:29:00.001-04:00

Catawba is now ranked number 20 in the latest AFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll. Other South Atlantic Conference teams that are ranked in the poll include Wingate (5-0)(1-0) at number 18 and Carson-Newman (2-2)(0-1) at number 23.

Catawba moved up three spots from last week's poll. Catawba is now ranked number 20 in the latest AFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll. Other South Atlantic Conference teams that are ranked in the poll include Wingate (5-0)(1-0) at number 18 and Carson-Newman (2-2)(0-1) at number 23.

Catawba moved up three spots from last week's poll.

Catawba Expected to Rise in Top 25 Polls

2008-09-29T18:20:00.000-04:00

After defeating Mars Hill on the road 24-7, the Catawba Indians are expected to jump at least three spots in the D2Football.com national Top 25 Poll.

Catawba Dominates Mars Hill 24-7

2008-09-29T17:10:00.000-04:00

Jamelle Cuthbertson's 67-yard burst on a critical third and two early in the fourth quarter not only moved the chains for Catawba during their convincing 24-7 bruising of Mars Hill, but gave the Tribe three shots towards the endzone from the Lion five-yard line.

Backup quarterback Pat Dennis checked into the game with ice water in his veins after George Bell failed to reach pay dirt on a rush and attempted catch from Brian Terwilliger. Jamelle Cuthbertson's 67-yard burst on a critical third and two early in the fourth quarter not only moved the chains for Catawba during their convincing 24-7 bruising of Mars Hill, but gave the Tribe three shots towards the endzone from the Lion five-yard line.

Backup quarterback Pat Dennis checked into the game with ice water in his veins after George Bell failed to reach pay dirt on a rush and attempted catch from Brian Terwilliger.

Dennis, who tied a ars Hischool record with five touchdown tosses two weeks ago against Livingstone, threw a low spiral to sophomore wide out Brandon Bunn for his third receiving touchdown of the season.

More importantly, Catawba capped the scoring at 24-7 with Dennis' superb effort.

The Voice of the Indians, Buddy Poole, had many "Krispy Kremes of the Game" to hand out after the Indians smash-mouth victory in their league opener.

Defensive end Marqus Davis and defensive tackle Brandon Sutton had tremendous success in pressuring Mars Hill senior quarterback Ricky Spradling all day long, but really put the clamps down on the Lion's feared rushing game.

Running back George Washington has been a thorn in Coach Chip Hester's side for the past three years, but the Tribe's head man stacked the box and dared Spradling to beat the Indians with his arm.

Washington was limited to just 11 yards on seven carries, while Louisville transfer George Stripling managed only 50 yards on the afternoon to lead Mars Hill on the ground.

Besides recording a sack against Stripling late in the third quarter, Sutton swayed momentum in Catawba's favor for good after a 38-yard interception return on first down.

"The pick was definitely a momentum shifter, as we have been talking all year about the defensive line taking control of the game," said sophomore defensive end Brandon Sutton minutes after Catawba's big win. "Getting the interception was not only a huge credit to me, but really to the defensive ends Arthur Cromartie and Marqus Davis."

Catawba had ice water in their veins on the last possession of the first half. Took multiple shots in the endzone before bringing out Thomas Trexler to attempt a 34-yard kick with four seconds left in the second quarter.

The hold by Darnell was a thing of beauty, while the kick itself had a lot of distance on it when Catawba went into the locker room with a 17-7 lead.

"That kick by Trexler would have been good from 55," laughed Chip Hester. "He is making plays with his leg and that is a good thing for us, because we as a team have been struggling with consistency on special teams."

Hester said at halftime that the team that was going to come out of Meares Stadium with a win was the team that would continue to establish thee run.

He was right.

The Indians rushed collectively 42 times for 183 yards, and they were not afraid to spice things up with wide out Brian Terwilliger in the shotgun.

Terwilliger connected on two of four passes for 37 yards, while rushing on seven occasions to keep the Mars Hill front seven on their heels.

Starting quarterback Howard Williamson threw the game's first touchdown pass on a 13-yard strike to redshirt-freshman Eric Morman, a real gem to the Indian's in the air.

Memories 1280 agreed that Catawba's depth in the second half allowed the Indians pull away from the Lions when injuries plagued Mars Hill from their physical play.

"I am proud of our team's effort, because they played relentless football all afternoon, " said Hester. "Our effort level was really high and if we play like that every Saturday, we can play against anybody."

"Every week out in this conference is just a tough battle, but we are going to enjoy this one on the way back to Salisbury."

'Once we get back, we will be thinking Newberry."

Not a bad idea as Newberry stopped the Earth's rotation moments after defeating Carson-Newman in a wild 27-21 overtime escapade.

Catawba Football Coaching Staff

2008-09-29T16:18:00.000-04:00

Chip Hester : Head Coach

Chip Hester begins his seventh season as head coach of the Catawba College football program in 2008. He is the 20th head football coach at the College. Last season, he led the Indians to the second round of the playoffs with an 11-2 record and a South Atlantic Conference championship. Hester was named South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year and AFCA Region Coach of the Year.

In 2003, he guided the Tribe to a 9-2 record and a South Atlantic Conference Championship. Hester guided the Tribe to an 8-3 record in his rookie season at the helm and returned Catawba to the NCAA II playoffs for the fourth straight year.

Hester joined the Catawba football staff in 1995, serving under David Bennett for seven seasons. For three of those years, he was part of the South Atlantic Conference Coaching Staff of the Year. The Indians won back-to-back conference titles in 2000 and 2001 and qualified for the NCAA II Playoffs from 1999-2002, advancing to the semifinals in 2001.

Hester came to Catawba from Guilford College. His duties prior to becoming head coach was to coordinate the passing game, coach the wide receivers and coordinate all football recruiting. In addition to his football duties, Hester also served as assistant athletic director for compliance and remains an advisor for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes program.

For two seasons, 1996-98, Hester served as the head coach for the Catawba College men’s golf program. Hester guided the team to the 1998 South Atlantic Conference Championship and to NCAA II Regional berths in both seasons. He coached two All-Americans, a SAC Player of the Year and a SAC Freshman of the Year.

A 1992 graduate of Guilford College, Hester earned a bachelor’s degree in business management. He completed a master’s degree in sports management at Georgia Southern in 1993. While completing his master’s degree, Hester worked as an intern at Catawba, assisting football, sports information and athletic operations. He graduated from Millbrook High School in Raleigh in 1988.

Hester was a standout athlete in football and track at Millbrook. He earned honorable mention all-conference honors in football. At Guilford, Hester was a four-year football letterman (wide receiver), earning the Golden Helmet Award and Leadership Award as a senior. He was also a member of the Varsity Athletic Council and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

He began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach at Millbrook High School, working with receivers. He followed as a graduate assistant coach (receivers) at Catawba in 1993. Hester, a native of Raleigh, NC, resides in Salisbury with his wife, Trish. Trish is an assistant principal and volleyball coach at Carson High School. They have two daughters, Morgan (9), and Tori (5).The Hesters are active members of First Baptist Church in Salisbury.

John Fitz : Assistant Head Coach, Special Teams, Strength Coach

John Fitz enters his third season as a coach with the Catawba football program. He came to Catawba from New Hanover High School, where he spent six years. His duties at Catawba will include serving as defensive coordinator and strength coordinator.

Last fall, Fitz's defense led the South Atlantic Conference in turnover margin with 36 takeaways. He also led the Tribe to a second place finish in scoring defense by allowing only 21.4 points per game.

In 2006, Fitz steered the Catawba defense to a No.12 national ranking in total defense, allowing 248.5 yards per game. The Tribe pass defense led the South Atlantic Conference by surrendering only 121 yards per contest.

At New Hanover, Fitz served as head coach for the last four years. Prior to becoming head coach, he spent two seasons as defensive coordinator and strength coach. New Hanover qualified for the state playoffs each season with Fitz.

Fitz spent 12 years as defensive coordinator and strength coordinator at J.F.Webb High School before moving to New Hanover. He began his coaching career as an assistant at High Point Central High School.

Fitz resides in Granite Quarry with his wife, Anne. They have a son, Jackson.

Matt Barrett : Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers

Matt Barrett begins his ninth season with the Catawba Indians in 2008. He will serve as the offensive coordinator and coach the quarterbacks.

In 2007, Barrett's explosive offense scored 81 touchdowns, a total that was more than any Division I-A team last fall.

Under Barrett's guidance as a passing game coordinator, he has tutored two consecutive All-American and SAC Player of the Year quarterbacks in Luke Samples and Brad Roach.

Barrett came to Catawba as an offensive assistant in 2000. He coached the defensive scout team and was responsible for opponent scouting. He was the running back coach in 2001 and 2002 and coordinated the running game. Barrett coached the quarterbacks and coordinated the passing game in 2003 and 2004, while serving as the co-offensive coordinator.

Barrett began coaching at Orange County High School where he coached the defensive backs and special teams. He graduated from N.C. State in 1999 with a degree in business management and a minor in coaching education. He was active in Campus Crusade for Christ and Athletes in Action.

Barrett resides in Salisbury. He was born in Fayetteville, NC, where his family still resides.

DJ Summers : Recruiting Coordinator, Running Backs

D.J. Summers starts his seventh season as a coach at Catawba College. He returned to his alma mater after coaching at West Iredell High School. His duties will be to coach the running backs and coordinate recruiting.

In 2007, Summers tutored two All-SAC running backs in Kory Fisher and George Bell. His group of running backs broke the school record for rushing yards in a single season with 2,616 yards and 41 touchdowns.

At West Iredell, Summers coached the wide receivers. He began coaching at Polk County High School in 1997. He coached the receivers and defensive backs at Polk County from 1997-01 and also served as basketball coach.

Summers was a four-year performer at Catawba, earning All-SAC honors in 1995 and 1996. During his four years, Summers totaled 68 receptions for 1,284 yards and caught 15 touchdown passes. He stands 12th on Catawba’s all-time receiving leaders and is second in career yards per catch at 18.9 per reception. He graduated in 1997 with a degree in physical education.

In high school, at West Iredell, Summers started all four seasons and earned a spot in the East-West All-Star Game. As a wide receiver, quarterback and defensive back, he was a two-time all-conference performer and was team MVP as a senior. He resides in Salisbury.

Bob Lancaster : Defensive Coordinator

Bob Lancaster is beginning his eleventh season at Catawba. He joined the staff in 1998 from North Mecklenburg High School. His duties this year will be to coach the cornerbacks. He has coached running backs and tight ends at Catawba in the past.

In 2007, Lancaster's secondary picked off a league-high 18 passes. Under his tutorledge, All-SAC cornerback Jasmon Carpenter was ranked among the top 100 defenders in the country with eleven passes defended.

A 1994 graduate of the University of Alberta, Lancaster earned a degree in business education. While at Alberta,he was quarterback of the football team. He was captain and helped Alberta advance to the Canada West Championship Game.

Lancaster began coaching at North Mecklenburg High School in 1996 and served as offensive coordinator. He has helped coach at the CFL Hamilton TigerCats pre-season camp since 1998, working with running backs, receivers, defensive backs, and quarterbacks. This past summer he served as an assistant coach with the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe.

Lancaster was born and reared in Regina, Saskatchewan, and currently resides in Charlotte with his wife, Kimberly. She is a nurse at Mercy Hospital in Charlotte. They have a daughter, Alexus (4). Lancaster’s father is the Senior Director of football operations for the CFL Hamilton TigerCats. His brother, R.D., serves as the offensive coordinator for the Edmonton Eskimos.

Ben Hepler : Offensive Line

Ben Hepler is entering his fourth season with the Catawba College football program in 2008. He returned to his alma mater after serving as offensive line coach at New Hanover High School for four years. Hepler is 2001 graduate of Catawba, earning a degree in biology.

Hepler's offensive line was one of the best in Division II last season by allowing only 11 sacks in 13 games. The group finished fourth in Division II in sacks allowed and was an integral piece to an offense that finished fourth in the nation in scoring and eleventh in total offense. His offensive line had two All-SAC players and one was named to the Daktronics All-Region team.

Hepler played four seasons at Catawba and was a South Atlantic Conference Honor Roll student each year. He helped the Tribe to a conference title and a pair of NCAA II playoff appearances. He was a standout at South Stokes High School, earning all-conference honors in both football and track.

At New Hanover High School, Hepler coached the offensive line and was head JV Coach. He helped New Hanover to the playoffs in 2003 and 2004. Helper also served as head track and field coach last year after three years as an assistant.

Khanis Hubbard : Defensive Line, Video Operations

Khanis Hubbard starts his fifth season as an assistant with the Catawba football program in 2008. Hubbard will serve as defensive line coach and will oversee video operations. He is a 2004 Catawba graduate with a degree in communications.

In 2007, Hubbard's defensive line was second in the South Atlantic Conference in sacks with 32, which resulted in 225 yards lost. He mentored two All-SAC defensive lineman last season and one All-American. Ron Ellington was a three-time All-American, three-time All-SAC, and the 2006 SAC Defensive Player of the Year under Hubbard's watch.

While at Catawba, Hubbard was a two-time All-SAC and all-region selection and earned All-America honors as a senior. Over his four seasons, he was credited with 169 tackles, including 19.5 sacks and 50 stops for losses. Hubbard had 12 sacks and 24 tackles for loss during his senior season. He was a standout at Enloe High School in Raleigh, NC, where he was an all-conference performer.

Calvin Hunter : Football Operations, Kickers

Calvin Hunter begins his seventh season with the Catawba College football program. He joined the staff from Guilford College, where he was an assistant. While at Guilford, he also served as an assistant women’s basketball coach. His duties at Catawba are to oversee the football operations and coach the specialists.

A 1992 graduate of Guilford, Hunter earned a bachelor of science degree in sports management. He played four years at Guilford as a quarterback, earning ODAC Offensive Player of the Year honors. He helped the Quakers to the 1991 ODAC Championship. He earned a masters degree at Georgia Southern University in 1994 and earned a doctoral degree in Sports Management from the United States Sports Academy (Daphne, Alabama) in 2005.

Hunter served as wide receivers coach at Lenoir-Rhyne College for two years before returning to Guilford in 1997. Hunter has served as Event Services Coordinator for the Greensboro College Complex and was Sector Coordinator and assisted the Venue Manager at the Georgia International Horse Park for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA.

A native of Greenville, NC, Hunter resides in Greensboro with his wife, Tiffany, and their son, Logan (8). Tiffany is an early childhood education instructor at Rowan Cabarrus Community College.

Todd McComb : Linebackers

Todd McComb starts his third season as an assistant coach at his alma mater. He returns to Catawba after serving as a defensive graduate assistant at the University of North Carolina in 2005. His duties will include coaching the linebackers and serving as academic coordinator.

In 2007, McComb had two linebackers named All-SAC in Joe Brown and Charles McAfee. His linebackers played a primary role in the team's 18 forced fumbles, which ranked second in the conference last fall.

A four-year standout at Catawba, McComb earned the Kirkland Award in 2003 as the top senior male athlete and helped the Indians to four straight NCAA II playoff berths and a pair of SAC titles. He was a consensus All-American as a senior and was a four-time All-South Region performer. McComb, who earned a degree in mathematics, was also twice named to the academic all-district squad.

At Thomasville High School, McComb was named league Player of the Year as a senior. He helped the Bulldogs to four conference titles in both football and basketball. An outstanding athlete, McComb also earned all-conference honors in baseball.

McComb began his coaching career at Coastal Carolina in 2003,serving as a defensive graduate assistant. He coached inside linebackers for the Chanticleers for two seasons. He earned his masters degree in education from Coastal Carolina in 2005.

Radell Lockhart : Defensive Line Assistant, Defensive Ends

Radell Lockhart will enter his fourth season as an assistant coach at his alma mater in 2008. A 2001 Catawba graduate, Lockhart earned a degree in recreation. His duties will be to assist with the defensive line, concentrating on the ends. He also helped coach the Tribe last season and in 2002.

At Catawba, Lockhart earned South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors as a senior in 2000. He was also named to three All-America teams as he recorded 10 sacks and 31 stops for losses. Lockhart holds the school record with 103 tackles for loss and had 27
sacks.

Lockhart played professionally over four year, including stints with the New York Giants, New York Jets and San Diego Chargers. He played three seasons in NFL Europe, two with the Scottish Claymores and one with the Frankfurt Galaxy. He helped the Galaxy to an appearance in the 2004 World Bowl.

Lockhart was a three-year starter at Independence High School and still resides in Charlotte, NC.

Derrick Lloyd : Linebackers Assistant

Derrick Lloyd will begin his second season as an assistant linebacker coach with Catawba College. He played for the South Georgia Wildcats of Arena 2 in the summer of 2007. He spent two seasons with the af2 Macon Knights.

As a senior at James Madison University, Lloyd was named the Buck Buchannan NCAA I-AA Defensive Player of the Year. He was also named A-10 Player of the Year and a first team All-American. Lloyd finished his career with the Dukes with 320 tackles, ranking 10th all-time.

Lloyd played for State Champion Independence High School and resides in Charlotte.

Bob Casmus: Head Athletic Trainer

He earned a bachelor's degree in health education from Temple University in 1983 and during his time in the Pennsylvania area, he worked as an athletic trainer for St. John Neumann High School, and as a summer intern for the Philadelphia Eagles. In addition, Casmus completed the Advanced Athletic Training Program at West Chester University in 1983 and is a certified EMT in the state of North Carolina.
Prior to his current position, Casmus was the head athletic trainer at Chowan College (1985-1990). He also volunteered at the 1987 Pan American Games and was an intern at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in 1988. He served on the athletic training staff for the 1990 Olympic Sports Festival in Minneapolis, MN. Casmus was head athletic trainer for the United Football League exhibition game in Taipei, Taiwan in July of 1994. He served as a test site administrator and is currently on the practical examination development committee for the Board of Certification. Bob served two terms as the District III Representative to the NATA Public Relations Committee from 1998-2005. He is currently the District 3 Representative to the NATA College and University Athletic Trainers Committee.

In 2006, Casmus was named to the NC Board of Athletic Training Examiners which is the licensing board for athletic trainers practicing in North Carolina. In June of 2005, Bob was named as the District III representative to the NATA Research and Education Foundation Board of Directors. At the NATA National Convention in June 2005, Casmus received the Athletic Training Service Award from the NATA and the Dan Libera Service Award from the Board of Certification. In 2007, Bob was named the NATA College and University Division II Athletic Trainer of the Year. He is also a two-time recipient of the North Carolina Athletic Trainers Association College and University Athletic Trainer of the Year Award for 2003 and 2008. Bob also serves as a member of the Catawba College Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).
Casmus and his wife Teresa reside in Salisbury. Teresa is a pharmacist with the Medicine Shoppe in Salisbury. They have a son, Will, who was born in March of 1999.

2009 Catawba Football Roster

2008-09-29T16:16:00.001-04:00

Incomplete 2009 Roster

NO. NAME POS. HT. WT. CLASS HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL

3 Cortez Best DB 5-11 195 Sr Huntersville,NC/N.Mecklenburg
4 Leon Ager LB 6-0 195 Sr Grover,NC/Shelby
5 Antonio Hall RB 5-9 195 Sr Greensboro,NC/NE Guilford
6 Travis Landrum WR 6-0 185 Sr Inman,SC/Chapman
7 Brandon Bunn WR 5-11 175 Jr Virginia Beach,VA/Fork Union
8 Julian Hartsell DL 6-4 275 Jr Columbia,SC/Ridgeview
9 Julian Samolu LB 6-1 215 Sr Salisbury,NC/W.Rowan
10 Patrick Dennis QB 6-1 185 Jr Durham,NC/Cedar Ridge
12 Cameron Sexton QB 6-2 190 Gr Laurinburg,NC/Scotland Co./UNC
13 Daniel Griffith QB 6-2 205 So Salisbury,NC/N.Rowan
16 Martel Shaw WR 6-2 195 Jr Greensboro,NC/NW Guilford/Lenoir-Rhyne
17 Logan Hulslander QB 6-0 185 Fr* Fort Myers,FL/Fort Myers
18 Gerron Bryant WR 6-3 180 Jr W. Palm Beach,FL/Boynton Beach
19 Brian Terwilliger WR 5-11 185 Jr Wilmington,NC/New Hanover
20 Terrence Jones DB 5-9 160 Jr Rockingham,NC/Richmond Sr.
21 Bryant Vennable DB 6-0 185 So Gretna,VA/Gretna
22 Jaspen Gray DB 5-11 175 Sr Advance,NC/Davie Co.
23 Mario Washington WR 5-8 160 Jr High Point,NC/Ragsdale
24 Derrick Brown DB 5-11 175 So Siler City,NC/Jordan Matthews
26 Kewone Harris LB 6-0 180 So Durham,NC/Webb
27 Eric Morman WR 6-1 175 So Rockingham,NC/Richmond Sr.
28 Octavus Hough DB 6-1 185 So Charlotte,NC/E.Mecklenburg
30 Casey Hall RB 5-9 170 So Concord,NC/NW Cabarrus/Averett
31 Aaron Cauble DB 5-11 170 Jr Salisbury,NC/E.Rowan
32 Adawi Revels FB 6-0 220 Jr Hiddenite,NC/N.Iredell
34 Thomas Trexler K/P 5-10 190 So Wilmington,NC/New Hanover
37 Nick Long DB 5-8 155 So Charlotte,NC/Hopewell/NC A&T
38 Saladean Holloway LB 5-9 185 Jr Forest City,NC/E.Rutherford
40 Bobby Morrison RB 5-9 195 Fr* Statesville,NC/W.Iredell
44 Jeb Bass LB 6-1 205 So Newton,NC/Foard
45 EJ Branch RB 6-0 225 Sr Albemarle,NC/Albemarle
47 Trevor Vermette FB 5-11 200 Fr* Concord,NC/C.Cabarrus
49 Brandon Cuthrell P 6-0 185 So Durham,NC/N. Durham
50 Lakeem Perry LB 6-0 195 So Louisburg,NC/Louisburg
52 Melquan Fair DL 6-1 260 Sr Raleigh,NC/E. Wake
55 Terence Crosby OL 6-3 295 Sr Winston-Salem,NC/Glenn
56 Kevin Hamaker OL 6-3 295 Sr Beaufort,SC/Battery Creek
57 Philip Russ LS 6-3 260 So Casar,NC/Burns
58 Ronald Martin LB 6-0 225 Fr* Clayton,NC/Clayton
59 Dustin Craft LB 6-1 210 Fr* China Grove,NC/Carson
61 Daylon McAlexander OL 6-4 275 So Raleigh,NC/Wakefield
62 Roy Carter, Jr. OL 5-10 310 Sr Warrenton,NC/Warren Co.
64 T.J. Michel OL 6-3 295 Fr* Winston-Salem,NC/Mount Tabor
65 Cody Corn OL 6-3 295 So Waynesville,NC/Tuscola
70 Kemp McSween OL 6-4 300 Jr Rockingham,NC/Richmond Sr.
72 Hunter Carnes OL 6-4 305 Sr Ayden,NC/Ayden-Grifton
73 Marquell Reddick TE 6-3 265 So Detroit,MI/Grand Rapids CC
78 Zane Gibson OL 6-3 310 Jr Wake Forest,NC/Wakefield
79 Decarius Kanyinda OL 6-3 250 Fr* Raleigh,NC/Apex
81 Jamey Small WR 6-3 160 Sr Rockwell,NC/E.Rowan
82 Ronnie Williams WR 6-3 175 Fr* Durham,NC/Hillside
84 Lavar Marsh TE 6-4 275 Jr Burlington,NC/E.Alamance
85 Holt Rains TE 6-5 225 So Goldsboro,NC/Rosewood
86 Colby McCanna TE 6-2 215 Sr Laurinburg,NC/Scotland Co.
87 Grayson Downs TE 6-3 275 Jr Mt. Pleasant,NC/Mt. Pleasant
89 Terrence Porter DL 6-3 245 Sr Roanoke Rapids,NC/Roanoke Rapids
91 Brandon Weedon DL 6-2 220 So Columbia,SC/Spring Valley
92 Arthur Cromartie DL 6-3 230 Sr Fayetteville,NC/Sanford
93 Wilbur Pender DL 6-2 300 Sr Franklinton,NC/Franklinton
95 Brandon Sutton DL 6-3 245 Jr Snow Hill,NC/Greene Central
96 Alex Hartsell DL 6-4 275 Jr Columbia,SC/Ridgeview/The Citadel
98 Robert Brown DL 6-2 285 So Camden,SC/Camden
99 Marqus Davis DL 6-2 240 Sr Charlotte,NC/N.Mecklenburg

* Denotes Red-shirt

Contact IndianHuddle.com

2008-09-29T16:14:00.000-04:00

Contact IndianHuddle.com at either of the two email addresses.

tjreadli@catawba.edu

treadlin@catawba.edu

2008 Catawba Football Schedule

2008-09-29T16:08:00.000-04:00

August 30th St. Augustine's 7:00 PM
September 6th Elizabeth City State 7:00 PM
September 13th at Livingstone 6:00 PM
September 27th at Mars Hill 1:30 PM
October 4th at Newberry 7:00 PM
October 11th Carson-Newman 7:00 PM
October 18th Tusculum 1:30 PM
October 25th at Wingate 1:30 PM
November 1st Brevard 1:30 PM
November 8th at Lenoir-Rhyne 7:00 PM