There has been some good and bad news for former Rock Hill Bearcats in the NFL since Friday, and the best piece of news concerns former defensive back Phillip Adams.
Adams was selected in the seventh round of the NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers, 244th, out of S.C. State. He was the first of the 49ers' 2010 draft choices to sign and is competing for time at cornerback.
When teams cut to their 53-man rosters last week, Adams was not among the players released. He will likely see time returning kicks this season. Adams returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown in an exhibition game against the Oakland Raiders on Aug. 29.
The weekend wasn't what another pair of former Bearcats defensive backs had hoped for. Ko Simpson and Jonathan Hefney were released by Detroit as the Lions cut to their 53-man list. Simpson began his career with the Buffalo Bills in 2007 out of South Carolina.
Hefney signed with the Lions' practice squad. Simpson is home in Rock Hill.
"I'm coming off knee surgery and was limited in what I could do in preseason practice,'' Simpson said. "I'm going to work out and let my knee heal, then look around and see which teams are interested in me.''
Former Bearcats running back Arkee Whitlock leads the Edmonton Eskimos in rushing this season. He has run for 689 yards on 118 carries (5.8 YPC) and four touchdowns. He's caught 12 passes for 78 yards and a TD. The Eskimos are 2-7 and in last place in the CFL's West Division.
And there was defensive back Chris Hope, who had a strange incident when he and the Tennessee Titans came to play the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 28.
Hope brought a group of Titans teammates for a cookout and to swim out back in the pool at the home he built for his parents.
The smoke was heavy once the cooking started and a passerby put in a call that the house was on fire.
First to arrive was Bob Davenport, a local magistrate and a member of the Bethesda Volunteer Fire Department. A lot of smoke, but no fire.
VOTES ARE IN: Tuesday was catch-up day for the members of the Tri-County Football Coaches Association and the votes were flying in the packed back dining room at the Front Porch in Richburg.
There were nominations in weeks 0 and 1, but the top players had to wait for Tuesday's meeting to see who won the awards. And added to that, the coaches also voted on the top players from Week 2.
There are a few changes this year because Fort Mill, Nation Ford, South Pointe and York were moved from Class AAAA to Class AAA in the realignment for the state's schools the next two years.
The changes warranted that the awards order had to be changed, and this year they will be called Division I and Division II. Divisions were set on the enrollments of each school.
Clover, Fort Mill, Lancaster, Northwestern, South Pointe and York are in DI. Andrew Jackson, Chester, Indian Land, Lewisville and Westminster Catawba make up DII.
Tuesday's results were:
WEEK 2
Division I
Offensive Player: Tay Hicklin (South Pointe) 22 carries for 198 yards, 4 TDs, 78 yards passing, TD. Honorable mention: B.J. Hinton (Clover); Savion Thoms (Rock Hill). Offensive Lineman: (tie) Chad Burris (Northwestern) 92 percent, Tre McCullough (RH) 92 percent. Honorable mention: Griffin Marsh (CL). Defensive Player: Jadeveon Clowney (SP) 15 tackles, 4 QB pressures, 3 sacks, 3 tackles for loss. Honorable mention: TyDerrick Robinson (N); William Killian (RH). Defensive Lineman: Mitchell Jeter (RH) 9 tackles, 2 fumbles caused, fumble recovery, 2 sacks. Honorable mention: Colby Welker (CL); Collins Mauldin (N); Gerald Dixon (SP). Special Teams: James Jackson (SP) blocked punt with little time remaining to set up the winning TD. Honorable mention: Clover: Aaron Miller (CL); Lamar Mitchell (N); Micah Burklin (RH).
Division II
Offensive Player: Tony McNeal (Chester) 15-28 Passing, 264 yards, 2 TDs. Honorable mention: Rondreas Truesdale (Indian Land); Will Ford (Nation Ford).
Offensive Lineman: JT Boyd (NF) 90 percent, 3 pancakes. Honorable mention: Marc Morris (IL). Defensive Player: Josh Driscoll (NF) 9 tackles, caused fumble. Honorable mention: Neil Williams (CH); Reggie Wyatt (IL). Defensive Lineman: Logan Daughtry (NF) 10 tackles, sack, 2 tackles for loss. Honorable mention: AJ Gordon (IL). Special Teams: Chad Thomas (IL) 5-5 PATs, FG made from 27 yards. Honorable mention: Gary Spence (NF).
