The Catawba notebook ...

Radell Lockhart wasn’t hungry. He wasn’t thirsty. He was just making good on a promise.

Everyone in Shuford Stadium was wondering what Lockhart was doing when he leaped the ropes and headed for the ice cream truck, located on the track by the visitor’s side.

He had just scooped (scooped, get it?) up a fumble and scored the first touchdown of Catawba’s eventual 55-0 victory over North Greenville.

“Before the game, I was talking to the person (Guido Colucci) in the ice cream truck,” Lockhart, a 6-4, 285-pounder said afterward. “I told him, ‘If Iscore a touchdown, I’ll run over and give you the ball.”

Lockhart thanked Darris Morris, a linebacker who knocked the ball loose on the Mounties first play from scrimmage. The former Charlotte Independence star loped in for his first collegiate touchdown.

“The ball came right to me,” said Lockhart. “I had told the guy I was going to score and I couldn’t believe it when I did.”

ONCEISENOUGH: The referees may have thought it was cute when Lockhart made his run to the ice cream truck but once is enough. When quarterback Mitch Ellis ran in on a 24-yard run for the second score, he was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct.

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KINGANDMOM: DeVonte Peterson was crowned the first-ever Homecoming King at halftime. He couldn’t join the festivities so his mom came out of the stands to wear the crown.

Defensive line coach Jim Tomsula praised Peterson for his work Saturday but what about having one of his players named Homecoming King?

“I’ll reserve comment on that,” he laughed.

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THEFUTURE: Lockhart and Peterson get most of the defensive line noteriety but James McDowell is starting to make a name for himself. The 6-3, 300-pound sophomore was in on a 11/2 sacks, made six tackles and blocked a punt. The happiest person in the stadium may have been Tomsula.

“He stays on me a lot because those are big shoes to fill,” said McDowell of Lockhart and Peterson. “But they’ll be gone next year and I’ll still be here.”

“You practice how you play,” said Tomsula. “Mac Daddy had a great week and he was all over the field making plays.”

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BRET GOESBOOM: With a 42-0 lead at halftime, Coach David Bennett rested his starters (“that’s common sense,” he said) and one of his subs brought the biggest cheer of the day.

In what turned out to be a lethargic 10-point second half, reserve quarterback Bret Brown took centerstage.

Catawba called a naked bootleg. Brown, a 5-11, 175-pound redshirt freshman, headed straight for Adolph Brown, a 6-1, 200-pound junior. Brown lowered his head and boom! He bowled over Brown and dragged him and a couple other Mounties 10 more yards. The crowd went wild.

“He really ignited the fans and players,” said Bennett. “We’re looking forward to him playing some football for us in the future.”

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OFFENSIVEPLAYER: Ellis won the award after throwing for 138 yards and a touchdown, as well as running for another.

“Mitch felt like he didn’t have a good first half of the season,” said quarterback coach Kevin Brown. “He came back after the off week and was really focused.”

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DEFENSIVEPLAYER: Darris Morris, a junior linebacker, won the award.

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HE’SSPECIAL:Marcus Hicks won the special teams award. He had three tackles and had a big block on a kickoff return.

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WHATABOUTMATT? For Hicks to win the special teams award was something. He beat out kicker Matt Gross, who scored 13 of Catawba’s 55 points, nailing two field goals and seven extra points.

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AROUNDTHESAC: South Atlantic Conference players of the week were Myron Renfoure of Carson-Newman (offense after a 218-yard rushing day), Catawba’s Morris (defense) and Carson-Newman’s Robby Milam, the kicker. ... Presbyterian’s Joseph Bell ran for a career-high 123 yards in a 49-0 win over Wingate, only the second shutout in Wingate history. ... Presbyterian quarterback Todd Cunningham continued his torrid pace, going 26-of-39 for 291 yards. ... If Tusculum beats Newberry this week, it will be the sixth win for the Pioneers, a record. ... Lenior-Rhyne lost is fourth homecoming game in five years to Mars Hill 20-14. Bear back Jameil Surratt became the school’s 19th back to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. ... Mars Hill’s Terrence Stokes, the SAC’s leading rusher, had 220 yards against L-R. ...L-R will travel to California this week to play Humboldt State. ... Other games have Presbyterian at University of Virginia-Wise and Mars Hill at Wingate.

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WIGWAMWISPS: Freshman Khanis Hubbard is an end zone magnet. Against North Greenville, he scored on a fumble recovery, the second time he has accomplished that feat. ... Kevin McKenzie surged into the Top 10 in all-time rushing with 1,503 after a 64-yard, one-half game. ... Ellis is third all-time in passing (4,752) and is just 55 yards behind his coach, Brown, for second. ... Sophomore Nick Means needs just four receptions to move into the school’s top 10. ... Catawba has allowed just 19 points in the first three quarters. ... Twelve of Danny Jenkins’ 27 punts have been downed inside the 20-yard line, five inside the 10.