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Bailey and Williams named USA South Athletes of the Week

Bailey and Williams named USA South Athletes of the Week

By Chuck Tidmore

Sports Information Assistant 

 

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Huntingdon's Luke Bailey and Brandon Williams were named USA South Athletic Conference Athletes of the Week on Monday.

Bailey was named Football Offensive Player of the Week while Williams was named Football Defensive Rookie of the Week.

Bailey, a native of Fairview, Ala., led the Hawks to a 48-27 win over Ferrum on Saturday with 353 yards of total offense. The senior quarterback went 15-for-23 and threw for 234 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. On the ground, Bailey rushed for 119 yards on 11 carries. His 59-yard run in the third quarter was the longest run by a Huntingdon quarterback in the program history.

Williams, a native of Opp, Ala., helped a Huntingdon defense allow a season-best 316 yards on 80 plays. The freshman linebacker recorded eight tackles and two tackles for loss.

Below is the complete list of the USA South Athletes of the Week.

 

FOOTBALL

 

Football Offensive Player of the Week
Luke Bailey, Huntingdon - The senior quarterback from Fairview, Alabama tossed a career-high five touchdowns and compiled 353 yards of total offense in a 48-27 win over USA South foe Ferrum. Bailey was 15 of 23 for 234 yards, averaging 10.2 yards per attempt. Additionally, he rushed the ball 11 times for 119 yards in the victory. Also Nominated: Quentin Chavis, Greensboro; Connor Blair, LaGrange; Mac Seagle, Maryville.

 

Football Offensive Rookie of the Week
Brian Mann, Ferrum - The freshman running back from Pearisburg, Virginia rushed for 122 yards and scored one touchdown in a 48-27 loss to USA South rival Huntingdon. Mann carried the ball 24 times for 5.1 yards per rush. He also caught two passes for 21 yards. Also Nominated: Riley Gaul, Maryville.

 

Football Defensive Player of the Week 
Ron McGriff, Maryville 
- The Trophy Club, Texas sophomore defensive lineman collected eight total tackles, five quarterback hurries and forced a fumble in a 31-17 victory over USA South foe N.C. Wesleyan. McGriff recorded three solo tackles and five assisted takedowns including two sacks which totaled a loss of 13 yards. Also Nominated: Keon Reynolds, Greensboro; Trey Hayes, Huntingdon.

 

Football Defensive Rookie of the Week
Brandon Williams, Huntingdon - The freshman linebacker from Opp, Alabama totaled eight tackles including two for a total loss of seven yards in a 48-27 victory over USA South rival Ferrum. Williams collected six solo tackles and two assisted take downs in the win. Also Nominated: Jaylen Joyce, Maryville.

 

Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Herbert Bridges, Greensboro - The High Point, North Carolina senior defensive back averaged 42.3 yards per kickoff return including a 77-yard touchdown in a 35-26 loss to USA South foe LaGrange. The touchdown came in a high-scoring second quarter and brought the Pride to within two-points. He also returned one punt for nine yards in the defeat. Also Nominated: Alex Willard, Maryville.

 

MEN'S SOCCER

 

Men's Soccer Player of the Week
Caleb Lucas, Maryville - The senior forward from Maryville, Tennessee tallied five goals and one assist in a 2-0 week for the Scots. In a 6-0 win over USA South rival Piedmont, Lucas became just the eighth player in program history and first since 2007 to score four goals in a game. It was his third career hat trick and second in the past two weeks. In a 4-0 victory over Roanoke, Lucas scored the match's first tally and assisted on the second. Also Nominated: Chase Kane, Piedmont; Kevin Watford, Averett; Carl Simakoff, Covenant.

 

Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Christian Ortiz, William Peace - The junior goalkeeper from Charlotte, North Carolina posted a 1-0 shutout win over USA South rival Methodist in the team's only action last week. Ortiz stopped all ten shots fired his way while also assisting on the game-winning goal by driving the ball over the defense to an awaiting teammate. The victory was the first over Methodist in the program's short history. Also Nominated: Jared Heller, Greensboro; Austin Bramhall, Averett; Nate Long, Maryville.

 

Men's Soccer Rookie of the Week
Jesse Riggs, Covenant - The freshman midfielder from Chesapeake, Virginia notched two goals and three assists in a 2-0-1 week for the Scots. In a 1-1 draw with Sewanee, Riggs was scoreless with four shots. In a 6-1 win over USA South foe Huntingdon, Riggs scored the second goal of the match which was the eventual game-winner while assisted on two others. In a 6-1 victory over USA South rival LaGrange, Riggs assisted on the team's third goal of the contest before scoring an insurance goal of his own in the 76th minute. Also Nominated: Diego Godinez, Piedmont; Daniel Surley, Averett; Jameson Elmore, Maryville.

 

WOMEN'S SOCCER

 

Women's Soccer Player of the Week
Brooke Bukas, Salem - The Tobaccoville, North Carolina junior forward tallied three goals and two assists in a 3-0 week for the Spirits versus USA South competition. In a 1-0 win over Piedmont, Bukas tallied the game-winning goal in the 84th minute. In a 4-1 victory at Agnes Scott, Bukas notched assists on team's first two scores of the game, the second of which was the eventual game-winner, and tallied a goal of her own in the 68th minute. Finally, in a 6-0 win at Wesleyan, Bukas notched an insurance goal in the 61st minute. Also Nominated: Cassidy Reich, Piedmont; Anna Rae Porcelli, Greensboro; Rebekah Gravitt, Covenant; Janelle Calhoun, Maryville.

 

Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Sydney Priest, Salem - The Frisco, Texas junior defender anchored a Spirit defense which posted two shutouts in a 3-0 week versus USA South competition. In wins over Piedmont, Agnes Scott and Wesleyan, the Salem defense allowed a total of 11 shots on goal and one score. The Spirits defense currently boasts a 0.35 goals against average this season. Additionally, in a 4-1 win over Agnes Scott, Priest scored a goal in the 55th minute off of a corner kick. Also Nominated: Cierra Belinkie, Piedmont; Taylor Dodson, Ferrum; Bailee Brown, Averett; Rachel Lemay, Covenant; Mandy Marshall, Maryville.

 

Women's Soccer Rookie of the Week
Anna Rae Porcelli, Greensboro - The Wilmington, North Carolina freshman midfielder tallied five goals in a 1-0-1 week for the Pride versus USA South competition. In a 13-0 win over Mary Baldwin, Porcelli tallied a hat trick plus one by scoring four consecutive goals in the first half over a span of five minutes. In a 2-2 tie with Ferrum, Porcelli tallied a goal in the 50th minute to, at the time, give her team a 2-0 lead. Also Nominated: Cierra Belinkie, Piedmont; Alyssa Denkovich, Salem; Payton Stuart, Ferrum; Kirsten Clancy, Averett; Anna Robertson, Covenant; Hannah Clothier, Maryville.

 

VOLLEYBALL

 

Volleyball Player of the Week
Liana Solomon, William Peace - The senior setter from Hurdle Mills, North Carolina averaged 11.00 assists, 2.14 digs and 1.43 kills per set as the Pacers posted a 2-0 record last week versus USA South competition. In a 3-0 win over N.C. Wesleyan, Solomon posted 21 assists, seven kills, six digs, one block and one service ace. In a 3-1 win over Greensboro, Solomon contributed 46 assists, nine digs, three kills, one block and one service ace. Also Nominated: Katelyn Durmire, Piedmont; Karlie Long, Meredith; Brandy Johnson, Greensboro; Lexi Hall, LaGrange; Jessica Turner, Ferrum; Hannah Shields, Averett; Ginny Moore, Covenant; Nia Haller, Maryville; Kylie Taffer, Salem.

 

Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week
Haley Hixon, Piedmont - The sophomore libero from Ringgold, Georgia averaged 7.00 digs per set as the Lions posted a 1-1 record last week versus USA South competition. In a 3-1 loss to LaGrange, Hixon totaled 35 digs, three service aces, one kill and one assist. In a 3-1 win over Maryville, Hixon notched 21 digs, four assists and two service aces. Also Nominated: Kaitlyn Flickinger, Maryville; Tori Belcher, Greensboro; Keegan Lynch, Meredith; Christiana Summa, Averett; Hannah Stewart, Covenant; Bernisha Master, Salem; Carson Williams, William Peace.

 

Volleyball Rookie of the Week
Saidee McDaniel, Maryville - The freshman right side hitter/setter from Hendersonville, Tennessee averaged 8.90 assists, 2.20 digs and 1.10 kills per set as the Scots posted a 3-1 record last week. In a 3-0 win at USA South rival Agnes Scott, McDaniel totaled 36 assists, seven digs, five kills and one block. In a 3-0 win over USA South foe Wesleyan, McDaniel did not play. In a 3-1 victory over John Wesley, McDaniel played just three sets and posted 25 assists, six digs, four kills, three service aces and one block. Finally, in a 3-1 loss to USA South foe Piedmont, McDaniel tallied 28 assists, nine digs, two kills and two service aces. Also Nominated: Lainey Choiniere, Piedmont; Caroline Corey, Meredith; Brianna Williams, Averett; Madelyn Chappell, Salem; Mya Parks, William Peace.

 

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

 

Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week
Nathan Galloway, Piedmont - The freshman from Jefferson, Georgia placed second out of 55 runners at the Piedmont College Invitational last week. Galloway completed the 8K course in a time of 29:06 helping the Lions to a first place team finish. Also Nominated: Micah Sneller, Covenant.

 

Men's Cross Country Rookie of the Week
Nathan Galloway, Piedmont - The freshman from Jefferson, Georgia placed second out of 55 runners at the Piedmont College Invitational last week. Galloway completed the 8K course in a time of 29:06 helping the Lions to a first place team finish. Also Nominated: Matthew Tueller, Covenant.

 

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

 

Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week
Reese Bowles, Piedmont - The junior from Jefferson, Georgia placed first out of 69 runners at the Piedmont College Invitational last week. Bowles completed the 6K course in a time of 24:14, helping the Lions to a first place team finish. Also Nominated: Lilly Smith, Covenant.

 

Women's Cross Country Rookie of the Week
Casey Todd, Piedmont - The freshman from Decatur, Georgia placed sixth out of 69 runners at the Piedmont College Invitational last week. Todd completed the 6K course in a time of 25:13, helping the Lions to a first place team finish. Also Nominated: Anna Danek, Covenant.

 

 

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