By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
Sophilia Hipps (North Rowan) has scored in double figures three straight seasons at South Carolina State but hasn’t gotten many accolades playing for teams that haven’t fared very well.
That could change her senior year. The lefty is off on the right foot and has already put up a career high (27 points) against Savannah State.
A 5-foot-5 guard, Hipps, reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Week, ranks in the top five in the league in scoring, assists and steals and, amazingly, is in the top 10 in rebounding.
Hipps scored 23 points in an 87-71 loss to Charleston Southern on Saturday, making five 3-pointers, shooting 9-for-15 from the floor and adding three steals.
n Jamel Carpenter (West Rowan) was named CIAA Player of the Week for his sensational debut. The Fayetteville State junior had 60 points and 18 rebounds in his first two outings.
n Charlotte’s Shamari Spears (Salisbury) is leading the Atlantic 10 in scoring. He’s averaged 24.3 ppg in his first four outings. Spears has been efficient. He ranks sixth in the league in field-goal percentage (62.3) and fourth in three-throw percentage (86.4).
n Katelynne Poole (East Rowan) hit a 3-pointer for Brevard in a 73-69 overtime win against Limestone on Saturday and went 4-for-4 from the foul line in a game earlier in the week.
Brevard played overtime in three of its first five games this season under former Pfeiffer standout Shannon Reid.
n UNC Asheville’s Katie Wise (South Rowan) played seven minutes and had two rebounds in a 78-60 loss against USC Upstate on Saturday.
FOOTBALL
Senior Scotty Robinson (Salisbury) blocked a field goal and was credited with a quarterback hurry and a tackle for loss in East Carolina’s 25-20 win against Southern Miss on Saturday that put the Pirates in the Conference USA championship game.
Coach Skip Holtz called Robinson’s game in a recent win against UAB was his best game as a Pirate.
n Tristan Dorty (West) had a quarterback hurry and a tackle for Wake Forest in a 45-34 win against Duke on Saturday.
n Notre Dame DB Raeshon McNeil (Davie) made one tackle in Saturday’s high-scoring loss to Stanford.
n Anthony “Whopper” Williams (NW Cabarrus) had three tackles, one for loss, for Appalachian State in Saturday’s playoff win against South Carolina State.
n Western Carolina QB Jonathan Efird (A.L. Brown) concluded his redshirt freshman year with one pass attempt and one rush (3 yards vs. Eastern Kentucky) backing up former Pisgah quarterback Zack Jaynes, a sophomore.