By Ryan Bisesi
rbisesi@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY ó Mark McDaniel waved the red flag and Trey Mashore went like a bull from end zone to end zone. It was like old times at West Rowan.
After scoring the first points against Mars Hill on Saturday, Catawba allowed 21 unanswered to find itself in a sizable hole. After the Lionsí third touchdown, Mashore took the ensuing kickoff 103 yards to get back in it. He stumbled the final few yards before crossing the other goal line, but hey, thatís a long way to run. With Mashoreís speed, it was irrelevant anyway as he went the whole way untouched.
ěMy up returner Mark, itís his call whether we take it out,î Mashore said. ěCoach said if itís deeper than 103, than let it go. It dropped at 103 so we took it out.î
It was Mashoreís first kickoff return for touchdown at Catawba after many in a stellar career at West. Had the kick been a yard deeper, it would have been coachesí orders to take a knee. Instead Mashore made it 21-14 with the Indiansí first kickoff return for a score this season.
ěThe reason that we recruited him is for that purpose,î Catawba coach Chip Hester said. ěHe is so dangerous with the ball in his hands. All of us who watched him play high school football knew it was just a matter of time before he broke one.î
Mashore has attended Catawbaís summer football camp since he was a youngster, so the relationship between him and the school was transparent. Mashore has former West teammate B.J. Sherrill to hang out with as well. The two were integral parts of the Falcons winning three state titles. Mashore says heís tried to make most of Westís home games this year.
ěHeís one of those guys thatís a home run hitter,î Hester said. ěWe needed a big play and he gives us a good a chance as anyone.î
Mashore says he didnít know what to expect in his first year, but playing time has been plentiful since mid-season.
At only 5-foot-7, Mashore doesnít have the ideal height to play college football, but he knew how to score in any number of ways as a Falcon. In his senior year, he had three punt returns, one interception return and one free kick return for a touchdown.
His breakaway speed best suits him as a return man. Mashore started returning kicks against Newberry after an injury to L.J. McCray and now has a team-best 10 returns for 262 yards this season.
ěWe wanted to keep Levon [Curtis] fresh on offense and I guess they decided to call my number,î Mashore said.

Catawba fullback Jacorian Brown has earned a worthy moniker in his freshman season.
Brown says teammates call him ěBench Pressî due to his efforts in summer workouts with the upperclassmen. Heís reaped the benefits, getting handoffs in six games and averaging 8.2 yards a carry. Saturday, he broke one for 37 yards, setting up a 2-yard touchdown run by Jacob Charest.
ěI started doing more than what they were doing,î said Brown, the Carson grad. ěEverybody stopped and looked. They were like ëthis guyís got to be on something.íî
Brown beefed up to 210 pounds before the season began. During the season, he tries not to gain mass, but itís hard not to notice his increased size since his days as a Cougar.
ěHere in college, when they say theyíre big, theyíre b-i-i-i-i-g,î Brown said.
ěHe works extremely hard in the weight room and itís paying dividends on Saturdays now,î Hester said.
At Carson, Brown played a variety of positions including fullback, linebacker, defensive end and running back. He went down on recruiting boards as an ATH.
ěIíll play anywhere they want me,î said Brown, a business major.
As a senior, Brown was a monster as the Cougarsí No. 2 runner with 654 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. He returned for a home game at which Shaun Warrenís jersey was framed and honored.
ěRight now, heís found a good home,î Hester said. ěWeíre trying to let him get comfortable and from there, weíll expand.î
Brown got interest from Coastal Carolina, but he stayed near home to be near his family.
Maybe Brownís nickname should be Rembrandt as a piece of his artwork hangs in Hesterís house as his daughter owns a picture Brown drew his senior year at Carson.
ěHeís a neat young man,î Hester said.