By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
Area athletes update …
Virginia redshirt freshman running back K.P. Parks (West Rowan) has never been easy to catch up with ó and now it appears heís going to start catching passes.
With Virginia trailing 13-7 against Maryland late in the first half, Parks got loose for a 35-yard scoring reception, and Virginia went on to win the ACC contest 31-13.
Parks also pounded out 67 rushing yards on 14 carries.
Parks has 538 rushing yards and seven TDs on the ground for the season, but Saturdayís score was his first through the air.
It marked the first time since 2007, his sophomore year at West, that Parks caught a touchdown pass. He scored an astounding 158 TDs for the Falcons but just three were on pass plays.
n Lenoir-Rhyneís Ike Whitaker (Salisbury) enjoyed another productive outing as the Bears outscored Newberry. The redshirt freshman fullback rushed 13 times for 73 yards, with a long of 19. Whitaker entered Saturdayís game ranking second in the SAC in rushing yards per game (81.9), trailing only Mars Hill record-breaker Jonas Randolph.
L-R linebacker Zach Long (Davie) is also having a solid year. He produced four solo stops and four assisted tackles against Newberry.
Rowan baseball fans know Long best for his work as an outfielder for the Mocksville American Legion baseball team.
Whitaker and Long visit Catawba on Saturday.
nAnthony Bowles (South Rowan) made three catches for 32 yards in Averettís loss to Shenandoah on Saturday.
Zack Grkman (Carson) picked off his third pass of the season for Averett and is tied for the team lead.
Grkman, whose father, Jim, was a DB at Appalachian State, also broke up a pass and made three tackles.
Chase Burris (East Rowan) contributed four tackles for Averett.
n Western Carolinaís Shaun Warren (Carson) rushed six times for 33 yards in a loss to Wofford.
n Fullback Jacorian Brown (Carson) punched out steady gains for the Catawba Indians in a 17-13 SAC win at Brevard. He had nine carries for 35 yards.
n West Virginia true freshman linebacker Jared Barber (Davie) made two tackles in a 38-35 loss to Louisville.
n A quick shout-out to Wake Forest free safety Josh Bush (West Davidson), who played high school ball against Salisbury and North Rowan. Bush was outstanding in a close loss to Notre Dame, accounting for two interceptions and returning them 54 yards. He also was in on eight tackles.
Wakeís Tristan Dorty (West Rowan) also turned in some solid work for the Demon Deacons against the Fighting Irish. He was in on six stops, including a trio of solos.
n UNC Pembroke got pushed around by seventh-ranked Winston-Salem State on Saturday. Ben DeCelle (East) made one catch for 9 yards for the Braves, while Cadarreus Mason (South) made a tackle.
nChris Smith (West) made one tackle for Arkansas in a big SEC win against South Carolina.
n Appalachian Stateís Gordy Witte Jr. (Salisbury) made a tackle and knocked down a pass in a 20-10 SoCon loss at Furman.
n Armyís Jon Crucitti (West) had one carry for 6 yards and also recovered a teammateís fumble in Saturdayís loss to Air Force.
n High-profile athletes being redshirted this season include UNCís Romar Morris (Salisbury), Darien Rankin (Salisbury) and Travis Riley (A.L. Brown); Georgia Techís Domonique Noble (West), and Catawbaís B.J. Sherrill (West).
Menís basketball
K.J. Sherrill (West) scored five points and had seven rebounds as Charlotteís 49ers blew away Belmont Abbey 104-52 in an exhibition.
n Virginia commitment Teven Jones (A.L. Brown) scored 11 quick points for Fishburne Military Schoolís post-graduate team in a 121-64 blowout of VMIís jayvees.
Jones was in the hospital with food poisoning Friday, but he played on Saturday and scored 12 points for the Caissons in a 92-81 win against Miller School.
Womenís basketball
Bubbles Phifer (Salisbury) got her sophomore season at Tallahassee Community College off to a solid start.
She scored 20 points against Andrew College and 18 against South Georgia Tech. Phifer should draw recruiting interest from four-year schools this season.
n George Washingtonís Shi-Heria Shipp (Salisbury) injured a knee opening day last year, but she still could be an impact player. She started frequently as a freshman two years ago.
nDaQuondra Cuthbertson (North Rowan) is playing for Fayetteville State this season after performing at Guilford Tech the last two years. Cuthbertson scored 12 points and had 11 rebounds in a scrimmage with Fort Bragg.
Volleyball
Breckin Settlemyer (Carson) had 10 kills for Catawba Valley CC in a tournament win against Louisburg.
Swimming
Clemsonís Garrison Stevens (Salisbury) placed seventh in the 200 breast and 100 breast in a meet with Georgia Tech and Western Kentucky.