By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
It wasn’t a banner Saturday for most Rowan County athletes on the football field, but it was a very good day for South Carolina punter/kicker Spencer Lanning.
Lanning isn’t technically from Rowan County, but he has roots and plenty of roots and family ties here.
For one thing, Spencer is named after the town in northern Rowan county, and his father, Tad, grew up on the mill hill of the Yadkin River.
Spencer’s grandfather was a football standout for the Spencer High Railroaders in the 1950s.
Spencer’s father, Tad, explains that he moved to South Carolina in 1970. Spencer graduated from York Comprehensive High School.
Spencer walked on at South Carolina and was a freshman backup. He won the regular punting job as a sophomore. As a junior, he’s added placekicking to his list of duties.
In Saturday’s 38-16 victory against Florida Atlantic, Lanning booted a 41-yard field goal, was 5-for-5 on PATs and averaged 44.3 yards on three punts. A pretty good day. He also was credited with 60 yards on his only kickoff.
South Carolina plays host to Ole Miss on Thursday night in a game televised by ESPN. Lanning is No. 34.
n Wingate punter Phillip Hilliard (Salisbury) will be part of another televised game on Thursday. Wingate’s contest at Tusculum is part of a six-game Division II package being aired this season by CBS College Sports.
Kickoff is at 8:05 p.m.
Hilliard is No. 38. Offensive lineman Austin Lowe (West Rowan) and defensive lineman Josh Patch (East Rowan) usually get playing time for the Bulldogs. Lowe is No. 63, while Patch is No. 95.
n North Carolina Central’s Frankie Cardelle (Salisbury) missed two field goals and had another blocked, but he did make a clutch 38-yard try with 4:10 left to send Saturday’s game with Morehead State into overtime. Cardelle also kicked a PAT in a 13-10 double-overtime setback.
n Sticking with kicking, freshman Matt Turchin (West) continues to shine for Emory & Henry’s Wasps. Turchin was 5-for-5 on PATs as the D-III Wasps overcame a 28-7 deficit to beat N.C. Wesleyan 36-34.
n Wake Forest’s Tristan Dorty (West) was in on two tackles, including one for loss in a 35-7 win against Elon.
n East Carolina’s Scotty Robinson was credited with a QB hurry and three tackles in the Pirates’ 31-17 loss against North Carolina.
n Averett safety Justin McCauley (A.L. Brown) was credited with two tackles in a 28-3 win against Guilford.
n Cornerback Raeshon McNeil (Davie) didn’t start in Notre Dame’s 33-30 win against Michigan State, but he did see lots of action.
n Ryan Boehm (Davie) started at center for Coastal Carolina in a 21-17 loss to Towson. Boehm was flagged for a pair of holding penalties in the first quarter.
Coastal punter Ben Erdman (West) didn’t have his best day, either. He punted five times for a 30.4 average, including a 12-yarder. Erdman did put two punts inside the 20-yard line.
n Redshirt freshman QB Jonathan Efird (A.L. Brown) saw action in Western Carolina’s loss to Georgia Southern.