Area athletes update …
UNC’s Romar Morris (Salisbury) had two short touchdown runs in Saturday’s Belk Bowl and scored his fourth and fifth TDs of the season. The sophomore had 16 net yards on 10 carries Saturday and finished fourth on the team for the season with 296 rushing yards on 69 carries.
• UNC sophomore safety Damien Washington (A.L. Brown) played on special teams and was one of the blockers on Ryan Switzer’s punt-return TD. He made five tackles this season.
• Darien Rankin (Salisbury), also a sophomore safety, had 13 tackles and one intereption for the Tar Heels this season.
Former Catawba defensive back Jumal Rolle was added to the active roster of the Green Bay Packers for Sunday’s game against Chicago.
Catawba SID Jim Lewis reports that Rolle is the first Catawba player since 1987 to be active for a regular-season NFL game. In 1987, Randy Watts played five games for the Dallas Cowboys and Greg Quick played in one game for the Atlanta Falcons. Rolle was picked up by the Packers in October after he was released by the New Orleans Saints. He played several preseason games with the Buffalo Bills.
Claimed by the Tampa Bay Rays after he was released by Pittsburgh, Jerry Sands (Catawba) has been placed on the Rays’ 40-man roster. The Rays released first baseman Leslie Anderson to make room for Sands.
Based on Tampa Bay’s current lineup, Sands has a chance to make the opening day roster with a strong spring training. A right-handed hitter, he would be a fit as a platoon partner at DH for lefty-hitting Matt Joyce.
• Shi-Heria Shipp (Salisbury) had another strong game for Temple on Sunday. She had 10 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in a 63-56 win against Memphis in Temple’s American Conference opener.
• Morehead State (5-7) returns to action today at Southern Illinois after a long layoff. Freshman Shay Steele (West Rowan) averages 3.4 points and 3.2 rebounds and is tied for the team lead with eight blocks.
• Ayana Avery (West) made three 3-pointers and scored 14 points in Radford’s 84-64 loss to Charleston Southern on Saturday. Radford fell to 2-10.
• In Gardner-Webb’s 53-47 win against UNC Asheville on Saturday, Jessica Heilig (Salisbury) had five points and six rebounds, and Doreen Richardson (Salisbury) had four points and five assists. The Bulldogs are 7-5 and 2-1 in the Big South.
• Olivia Rankin (Salisbury) made all three of her field-goal attempts in Charlotte’s 76-75 loss to Furman on Sunday. Ayanna Holmes (Salisbury) had two points and four assists for the 49ers (5-7).
• Belmont Abbey returns to action on Jan. 4 against Lees-McRae. Ashia Holmes (Salisbury) averages 4.6 points and 4.9 rebounds for the Crusaders (7-5).
• Columbia returns to action on Jan. 2 against Appalachian Athletic Conference opponent Union. Freshman Alison Sobataka (West) averages 6.6 points and has made a team-high 13 3-pointers for the Koalas.
Brothers K.J. and Keshun Sherrill (West) have been key players in Augusta’s 8-2 start.
Senior K.J., who transferred from Charlotte, averages 15.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. Freshman Keshun averages 9.7 points and 3.9 assists.
Both have started some and come off the bench some as Augusta coach Dip Metress, Mike Gurley’s college roommate at Belmont Abbey, tries to find the best rotation.
Both Sherrills were visible at the Sam Moir Christmas Classic over the weekend.
Augusta returns to action Thursday against Francis Marion.
• Brevard’s Darius Moose, Carson’s all-time scoring leader, is eighth in the SAC in scoring (18.0 ppg.) and 12th in rebounding (6.8). Brevard (2-7) returns to action against Coker on Saturday. Brevard plays at Catawba on Feb. 22, so Moose fans should mark their calendars. Moose also made an appearance at the Moir Classic.
• Mars Hill’s Isaiah Cuthbertson (West), an unheralded recruit from Catawba Valley Community College, has been one of the SAC’s big surprises. Cuthbertson is fourth in the league in rebounding (8.9) and third in shooting percentage (65.2). He averages 12.1 points per game.
Mars Hill returns to action Saturday at Queens.
• After a layoff, Roanoke returns to action tonight against Frostburg State. Alex Weant (Salisbury) averages 2.7 points and 2.3 rebounds for the Maroons.