By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
Keeping up with the area’s college football players …
Wingate punter Phillip Hilliard (Salisbury) was named the Bulldogs’ Special Teams Player of the Week after their opener and was even better in Week 2’s 33-14 victory against North Greenville on Saturday.
Hilliard averaged 45.3 yards on seven punts. With Wingate backed up on its 3-yard line in the first quarter, Hilliard unloaded a 76-yard punt to the North Greenville 21. The punt wasn’t just long, it had enough hang time that the Bulldogs covered it and tacked on a 2-yard loss on the return.
Hilliard’s first punt of the day traveled only 27 yards, but he capped his day with a 50-yard boot.
n Another familiar foot from Salisbury High enjoyed a productive Saturday. North Carolina Central freshman Frankie Cardelle debuted with a 30-yard field goal and was 3-for-3 on PATs in the Eagles’ 31-24 loss against Hampton.
n Emory & Henry freshman Matt Turchin (West Rowan) matched Cardelle with a field goal and a 3-for-3 effort on PATS in a 26-21 victory by the Wasps against Ferrum.
n Jonathan Mayfield (Davie) returned a block punt for a touchdown to open the scoring in Richmond’s 24-16 victory against Duke.
n East Carolina senior defensive end Scotty Robinson (Salisbury) made big plays in a 29-24 win against Appalachian State.
He teamed with Linval Joseph for a sack of 8 yards in the first quarter and broke through for a key sack of Tavaris Cadet when ASU had the ball first-and-10 at its 48 in the final minute.
n ASU D-lineman Anthony Williams (NW Cabarrus) was in on four tackles against East Carolina.
n Catawba linebacker Julian Samolu (West Rowan) was instrumental in a 21-20 victory at Fayetteville State.
The senior had four solo tackles, three assists and a pass breakup. He disrupted two plays for losses, including an 8-yard loss on a third-down screen pass in the second quarter.
n The first official pass of Western Carolina redshirt freshman Jonathan Efird’s college career was picked off.
Efird (A.L. Brown) traveled to Nashville as the backup QB and participated in a 45-0 loss to Vanderbilt. He got into the game in the fourth quarter with the Catamounts trailing 42-0 and was intercepted by the Commodores’ Eric Samuels on his second snap and only pass attempt.
n Wake Forest’s Tristan Dorty (West) contributed a solo tackle and two assists in a 24-21 loss against Baylor.
n Averett strong safety Justin McCauley (A.L. Brown) tied for the team high in tackles with seven in a 44-34 loss to Bridgewater.
n Coastal Carolina’s Ben Erdman (West) averaged 34.6 yard on eight punts and also made a tackle in the Chanticleers’ 18-0 loss to Kent State.
n Ryan Boehm (Davie) started at center for Coastal.
n Wingate right tackle Austin Lowe (West) is on the second team and played on three possessions against North Greenville.
He’s on the travel squad for this week’s game at UNC Pembroke.
n Raeshon McNeil (Davie) started at cornerback for Notre Dame in a 35-0 win against Nevada.
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Space permitting, this will be a regular Monday feature throughout the season. If you have information on a player, please e-mail sports@salisburypost.com.