Shining at the Next Level: October 7-13, 2019
New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties produce a large number of athletes that continue their careers at the next level. Each week, this list will feature a number of area athletes who are finding success in the college ranks.
Check back for weekly updates each Monday.
FOOTBALL
***Full list of area football players in college***
R-Sr. DE Alex Highsmith, Charlotte (2015 Ashley grad): Finished with five tackles in Saturday’s 48-23 loss at Florida International.
Soph. TE Aaron Hough, Averett (2018 Laney grad): Made his first career catch for a 20-yard gain in Saturday’s 55-7 home win over LaGrange.
R-Jr. LB Jordan Howard, UNC Pembroke (2016 North Brunswick grad): Made five tackles and had a pass breakup to help the Braves earn a 36-29 victory over Mars Hill.
Fr. S Cade Jones, Randolph-Macon (2019 Ashley grad): Made three solo tackles and had a pass breakup in Saturday’s 35-14 home win over Shenandoah.
Soph. QB Josh Jones, UNC Pembroke (2018 Hoggard grad): In Saturday’s 36-29 home win over Mars Hill, Jones completed 23 of 29 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns.
R-Jr. OL Joe Sculthorpe, N.C. State (2016 Topsail grad): Started at left guard and helped the Wolfpack finish with 364 total yards in Thursday’s 16-10 home victory over Syracuse.
Soph. RB Freddie Thames, St. Andrews (2018 Ashley grad): Rushed for a team-best 80 yards on eight carries and scored a pair of touchdowns in a 52-14 victory at Union (Ky.) on Saturday.
Jr. WR Imeek Watkins, Chowan (2017 Laney grad): Had three receptions for 54 yards and also returned five kickoffs for 95 yards in a lopsided loss at Bowie State.
MEN’S SOCCER
***Full list of area men’s soccer players in college***
Soph. F Conley Burk, Bob Jones (2018 Wilmington Christian Academy grad): Played a season-high 46 minutes and scored the Bruins’ first goal in the 37th minute in Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Trinity Baptist.
Wilmington Christian Academy graduate now plays soccer at Bob Jones. [Bob Jones Athletics]
Fr. D Ryland Hawksby, Cape Fear CC (2019 South Brunswick grad): Helped the Sea Devil earn a 3-0 road win at USC Union on Wednesday by assisting on the second goal.
Fr. MF/F Walker Henderson, Mars Hill (2019 Coastal Christian grad): Dished out the game-winning assist in overtime in Wednesday’s 2-1 home victory over Erskine.
Fr. MF Moss Lewis, USC Upstate (2019 New Hanover grad): Started and played all 90 minutes in Big South contests against Gardner-Webb (1-0 loss on Tuesday) and Longwood (1-0 win on Saturday).
Soph. MF Matt Ward, Longwood (2018 Coastal Christian grad): Made a pair of starts, played a total of 183 minutes and recorded three shots in road matches at Wofford (2-1 win on Tuesday) and USC Upstate (1-0 loss on Saturday).
WOMEN’S SOCCER
***Full list of area women’s soccer players in college***
Sr. MF/F Baley Edwards, UNCW (2016 Laney grad): Started and played all 180 minutes to help the Seahawks earn shutout victories over William & Mary (1-0 on Thursday) and Drexel (2-0 on Sunday). UNCW set a new school record with its fifth straight shutout on Sunday in Edwards’ final home regular season match.
Laney graduate Baley Edwards now plays at UNCW. [UNCW Athletics]
Soph. MF Karen Juarez, Queens (2018 Hoggard grad): Was on the field for a total of 126 minutes in victories over Limestone (2-1 on Wednesday) and Shaw (4-1 on Saturday).
Soph. GK Delaney Mitchell, Towson (2018 Cape Fear Academy grad): Stopped a total of 19 shots and allowed only five goals in CAA contests against Drexel and Elon.
Soph. GK Sallie Newton, Georgia Southern (2018 Coastal Christian grad): Made her first career start against rival Georgia State on Sunday and made eight saves to earn the clean sheet in a 2-0 victory.
Jr. MF Sallie Riggan, Brevard (2017 Laney grad): Buried a penalty kick into the lower left corner of the goal in the 46th minute for the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Wesleyan (Ga.) on Sunday. It was Riggan’s first goal of the season and fourth of her career.
Soph. D/F Haley Shand, Charlotte (2018 Laney grad): Dished out an assist in the 72nd minute to help the 49ers cruise to a 5-2 home victory over Middle Tennessee on Sunday.
Fr. MF Lina Vasquez, Cape Fear CC (2019 Laney grad): Put home the game-winning goal in the 68th minute of Thursday’s 1-0 victory over USC Salkehatchie.
VOLLEYBALL
***Full list of area volleyball players in college***
Fr. S Julianna Askew, North Florida (2019 Ashley grad): Continued putting up impressive numbers, ending the week with 109 assists, 13 digs, 12 kills, six aces and five blocks in nine sets against Stetson and Jacksonville. Askew finished with 61 assists, nine digs, three blocks, three kills and two aces in Friday’s four-set loss at Stetson.
Soph. OH/DS Maryellie Carpenter, Cape Fear CC (2018 Hoggard grad): Led the Sea Devils with a total of 28 digs in three conference wins.
Soph. RS/MB Taylor Long, Cape Fear CC (2018 Ashley grad): Put down 25 kills and added nine blocks in victories over Louisburg (3-2 on Tuesday), Wake Tech (3-0 on Thursday) and Surry CC (3-2 on Saturday).
Ashley graduate Taylor Long now plays volleyball at Cape Fear Community College. [Photo courtesy of Rodney Williams]
Soph. OH/RS Sarah Shropshire, Averett (2018 Laney grad): In a pair of road matches against Greensboro and Washington & Lee, Shropshire had 21 kills, five digs and five blocks.
Fr. RS/MB Emily Steyskal, Cape Fear CC (2019 Hoggard grad): Finished with 14 kills, seven digs and five blocks in three victories.
Soph. DS/L Callie Weaver (2018 Coastal Christian grad): Helped the Sea Devils earn 3-2 victories over Louisburg and Surry CC by coming up with 20 digs and serving a pair of aces.
Jr. OH/RS Ashlynn Willoughby, Ferrum (2017 Laney grad): Hit .353 with seven kills in a 3-0 loss at Shenandoah on Tuesday.
