By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

Area athletes update …
College football
Virginia’s Keeon Johnson (A.L. Brown) had a touchdown catch for the second-straight game in the Cavaliers’ loss to Oregon late Saturday night. He had six catches for 40 yards against the Ducks.
This could be a breakout season for the 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior. He has 11 catches in Virginia’s first two games.
Johnson was on the field for the Cavaliers as a true freshman and has started some games each of the last three seasons for Virginia.
He had 46 career catches and two TDs coming into this season.
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A.L. Brown graduate Mike Morton, the former NFL linebacker, was part of the officiating crew (umpire) for the Virginia-Oregon game.
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Georgia freshman Marshall Long (South Rowan) averaged 47.7 yards on three punts in a narrow win against Nicholls State. Long had punts of 51 and 52 yards. There was no return on two of his punts, while a third was returned for 1 yard.
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Keion Adams (Salisbury) was in on four tackles, one for loss, as Western Michigan romped against N.C. Central.
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Jamal Lackey (Davie) made five tackles for Catawba in a 23-17 loss to Winston-Salem State.
Brennan Lambert (South Rowan) kicked a field goal and two PATs for the Indians.
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Kyrell Williamson (A.L. Brown) made two tackles for WSSU in the win at Catawba and also had a big QB hurry late in the contest.
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In UNC Pembroke’s romp against Fayetteville State, Kaleel Hollis (A.L. Brown) made two tackles for the Braves. Nate Williams (A.L. Brown) handled punting duties. Dock Corpening (East Rowan) made a tackle.
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Devin Mason (South Rowan) made two tackles and Willie McCree Jr. (East Rowan) made one to help Guilford flatten Methodist on Saturday. The Quakers are 2-0.
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All-America candidate Brandon Parker (A.L. Brown) started at left tackle as North Carolina A&T beat Kent State.
N.C. A&T is the top-ranked team in HBCU football.
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True freshman Jayln Cagle (A.L. Brown) had four carries for 20 yards for Gardner-Webb in a loss to Western Carolina.
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Calvin Edwards (East Rowan) was Lenoir-Rhyne’s leading rusher with eight carries for 57 yards in Saturday’s loss to North Greenville. Edwards also had 59 yards on two kickoff returns.

Women’s golf
Richmond’s Isabella Rusher (Salisbury) got her sophomore season off to a fine start by tying for 11th in the William & Mary Invitational in Williamsburg, Va.
Rusher shot 74-70-83 — 227 and finished 11-over. Her second-round 70 was one shot off the school record that she tied last year. She led the tournament after two rounds before running into some trouble on Monday.
Richmond finished fourth out of 11 teams.
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Carley Cox, a China Grove native who played high school golf for Concord First Assembly, is the No. 3 player for East Carolina in the season-opening tournament in Minnesota that began on Monday.
Cox transferred to East Carolina from James Madison.

Men’s golf
In the first two rounds of the Golfweek Challenge in Myrtle Beach, Gardner-Webb’s Jake Kennedy (West Rowan) shot 69-73 — 132.
He was tied for 22nd after Monday’s round.
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East Carolina freshman Logan Shuping shot 80-75-73 — 228, 12-over, in his first college event in the Rod Myers Invitational in Durham.

Volleyball
Belmont Abbey senior Aimee Cloninger (Carson) had some huge games last week, including an effort of 20 kills and 15 digs against Montevallo.
Cloninger had 11 kills and six digs as Belmont Abbey got its first win of the season against Merrimack.
For the young season, Cloninger has 71 kills and 67 digs and is one of the team leaders in both categories.
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Lenoir-Rhyne (2-6) played four matches last week. Emma Pope (South Rowan) played in all four matches and contributed 13 digs, while Tiffany Brooks had seven kills.
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Averett (7-2) split four matches in the Washington & Lee Invitational. Lynsey Corriher (South Rowan) had 11 digs for the Cougars.
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Freshman Makala Lytton (North Rowan) had 26 digs for Winston-Salem State, but the Rams went 0-4 in a tournament in Pennsylvania.
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Hannah Elmore (Carson) had 10 kills and three digs to help Brevard beat Catawba, 3-2, and Savannah Cox (NW Cabarrus) had 13 kills for the Tornados.

Baseball
Parker Hubbard (South Rowan) has a degree but will return to Brevard for a final baseball season.
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Zach Tatarka, a former South Rowan outfielder, will play for Emory & Henry. Tatarka played for the K-town Bombers showcase team during the summer months.

Women’s soccer
Barton freshman Megan Bolick (Carson) had seven saves in a 3-2 win against Converse, the first victory of the season for the Bulldogs.
Barton has started all four matches for Barton and has 20 saves.

Men’s soccer
Freshman Cristian Uribe (Salisbury) saw his first action of the season for UNC Pembroke, playing 11 minutes in a loss to Belmont Abbey.

Women’s tennis
Junior Alexandra Drye (Salisbury) opened the season playing No. 1 singles and doubles for Christopher Newport.
Drye won her first doubles match against D-I Howard University.