These were the best performances by local college and NFL football players last week

Anthony Johnson, Buffalo - South Pointe grad stepped up for the Bulls in a big win over Toledo, the defending Mid-American Conference champs. Johnson had two touchdown catches and the Bulls (7-1) scored 24 unanswered points in the second half for a 31-17 win. Johnson finished with four grabs for 83 yards, including a 34-yard scoring catch early in the second quarter and a 32-yard TD catch in the third that tied the game at 17.

Brandon Plyler, Concord (W.Va.) - the former Fort Mill Yellow Jacket and junior wide receiver caught six passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns during the Mountain Lions’ 48-34 loss to UNC Pembroke. He reeled in a 30-yard score in the first quarter and adde a 14-yard TD grab in the fourth. Plyler’s 33 catches is a new season-high (with three games left); likewise for his five touchdown catches.

Farrika Grier, South Carolina State - Grier only got three carries during the Bulldogs’ 30-19 win over Delaware State but he reached the end zone on two of them. The former Lancaster Bruin finished with five yards and two scores, his second and third TDs of the season. He also made a tackle.

Jerry Howard, Georgia Tech - Howard has found the end zone and he’s not leaving it. The Northwestern grad scored a touchdown for the third straight game, during the Yellow Jackets’ 28-14 loss to Duke. Howard led his team with 62 yards on 12 carries, scoring on a 2-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Nick McCloud, North Carolina State - South Pointe’s McCloud had a busy afternoon during the Wolfpack’s 41-7 loss to Clemson. The junior cornerback made a team-high 10 tackles and broke up two passes.

Scott Robinson Jr., South Carolina State - true freshman from South Pointe started at strong safety and had a productive game during the Bulldogs’ home win over Delaware State, notching a team-high seven tackles and intercepting a pass in the third quarter, his second college football pick.

Markell Castle, Newberry - senior receiver from York caught five balls for 56 yards and a touchdown during Newberry’s 29-13 win over Limestone. Castle’s 17-yard touchdown catch opened the scoring early in the first quarter and helped the Wolves build a lead they never relinquished.

Steven Gilmore Jr., Marshall - Gilmore, from South Pointe, saw his most extensive college action yet, making seven tackles, including one for a loss, during the Thundering Herd’s 31-7 win over Florida Atlantic.

Ken’darius Frederick, Limestone - transfer from The Citadel made his first college start, recording a team-high nine tackles from his cornerback position during the Saints’ 29-13 loss to Newberry.

Ali Shockley, Ellsworth Community College - Northwestern’s Shockley says he piled up 18 tackles, including 14 solo efforts, during the Panthers’ loss to Iowa Central. Shockley, a sophomore defensive back/linebacker hybrid, is one of the top tacklers in junior college football this season.

Jordan Helms, North Greenville - former Nation Ford Falcon caught five passes for 48 yards, including a seven-yard TD grab in the fourth quarter of the Crusaders’ 44-21 loss to nationally-ranked Valdosta State. Helms also recorded a tackle.

Other locals’ performances

Malik Williams, Appalachian State - Williams, from Chester, caught a six-yard pass as the Mountaineers dropped Louisiana-Lafayette 27-17.

Antonio Dawkins, Bluefield College (Va.) - Fort Mill’s Dawkins made four tackles during the Rams’ 50-17 loss to University of the Cumberlands.

Jamah Mitchell, Campbell - Northwestern grad and defensive lineman made a tackle during the Camels’ 38-21 loss to Monmouth.

Markees Watts, Charlotte - true freshman from Lancaster made a tackle during the 49ers’ 21-13 loss to Middle Tennessee State.

Logan Rudolph, Clemson - Northwestern’s Rudolph made a tackle during the Tigers’ win over N.C. State.

Derion Kendrick, Clemson - the South Pointe grad and true freshman had his best college game yet for Clemson, catching two passes for 24 yards and returning a kickoff 40 yards during the Tigers’ 41-7 blowout of N.C. State.

B.T. Potter, Clemson - South Pointe grad hit eight kickoffs against N.C. State, with seven going for touchbacks. The Wolfpack had zero kickoff return yards against Potter and Clemson.

Chandler Kryst, Coastal Carolina - defensive back from Fort Mill made four tackles, including one for a loss, and broke up a pass during the Chanticleers’ 24-13 win over UMass.

Myles Prosser, Coastal Carolina - York grad kicked off four times during Coastal’s win over UMass.

Dillon Howie, Concord (W.Va.) - Indian Land grad made a tackle during the Mountain Lions’ loss to UNC Pembroke.

Donavan Perryman, Furman - Rock Hill grad and linebacker made eight tackles during the Paladins’ 38-25 loss to Samford. Perryman is Furman’s second-leading tackler with 47 through six ball games.

David Loughry, Greensboro College - former Indian Land QB completed 3-of-10 passes for 52 yards with two interceptions during the Pride’s 42-6 loss to Methodist College (N.C.). He also ran the ball six times for 12 yards in the first college football action of his career.

DeAngelo Huskey, Guilford College - South Pointe’s Huskey made a tackle during the Quakers’ 38-35 loss to Hampden-Sydney.

Christian Steele, Guilford College - Steele, from Northwestern, recorded a tackle against Hampden-Sydney.

Caliph Brice, Hutchinson Community College (Kans.) - Northwestern grad Brice made four tackles and blocked a kick during Hutchinson’s 45-7 juco football win over Dodge City.

Dre Robinson, Johnson C. Smith - the former Rock Hill QB completed 1-of-5 passes for six yards during the Golden Bulls’ 42-9 loss to Shaw.

Denzel Marshall, Johnson C. Smith - Chester lineman started at right tackle for the Golden Bulls against Shaw.

Jay Hood, Johnson C. Smith - Lancaster’s Hood caught a four-yard pass during his team’s loss to Shaw.

Ty’Quarious Miller, Limestone - defensive tackle from Lancaster posted a tackle during the Saints’ 29-13 loss to Newberry.

Malcolm Means, Mars Hill - Means, the former Lewisville standout, made seven tackles during the Lions’ 58-21 loss to Wingate.

Voshon St. Hill, Newberry - South Pointe’s St. Hill ran the ball nine times for 67 yards during the Wolves’ win over Limestone.

Shea Rodgers, Newberry - Indian Land product hit a 28-yard field and three extra points, while averaging 47.7 yards on three punts against Limestone.

Lewis Johnson Jr., Newberry - Lancaster Bruin started at left tackle for the Wolves against Limestone.

Darryl Foster, Newberry - Chester’s Foster made five stops during the Wolves’ win over Limestone.

Nick Yearwood, Newberry - linebacker from South Pointe had a tackle in the win over Limestone.

Quan Caldwell, South Carolina State - Chester’s Caldwell made two catches for 23 yards during the Bulldogs’ win over Delaware State.

Jerome Pettiway, South Carolina State - York grad punted nine times for an average of 35.4 yards per punt during the win over Delaware State. He dropped four punts inside the 20-yard line.

Jaylen McFadden, St. Andrews (N.C.) - true freshman from Lewisville made two tackles and recorded two sacks during the Knights’ 21-17 loss to Point University (Ga.).

Deshawn Davis, Tusculum - former South Pointe receiver made a 16-yard catch during the Pioneers’ loss to Catawba College.

Alex Anderson, Union College (Ky.) - former Northwestern linebacker Anderson made two tackles during the Bulldogs’ 54-21 loss to Pikeville.

Rogan Wells, Valdosta State - top-10 ranked Valdosta State won again, beating North Greenville 44-21 and improving to 8-0. Wells, the former Fort Mill Yellow Jacket, completed 8-of-18 throws for 80 yards and a touchdown, and also had a 20-yard touchdown scamper prior to exiting the game before halftime for unknown reasons.

Zeek Rodney, Wake Forest - South Pointe product made a tackle during the Demon Deacons’ 38-17 loss to Florida State.

Nick Sciba, Wake Forest - former Clover kicker hit a 32-yard field goal and two extra points during Wake’s road loss to FSU.

Detorien Rawlinson, William Penn (Iowa) - York’s Rawlinson made five tackles during the Statesmen’s 26-20 overtime loss to Peru State (Neb.).

Xi Simpson, Wingate - Chester’s Simpson started at right tackle for Wingate, which amassed 534 yards of offense and 58 points during its blowout of Mars Hill.

Kendrick Hicks, Wingate - Rock Hill High linebacker made two tackles, with a half tackle-for-loss, during the Bulldogs’ blowout of Mars Hill.

NFL roundup: Cordarrelle and Ben Watson score TDs

Cordarrelle Patterson, New England - Patterson, the former Northwestern Trojan speedster, returned four kickoffs for 179 combined yards, including a 95-yard touchdown, during the Patriots’ 38-31 win over the Chicago Bears. Patterson also ran the ball once for a four-yard gain and lost a fumble.

Patterson ran a Bears kickoff back for a touchdown early in the second quarter, knifing through the crowd left side, side-stepping a tackler and cutting across the field, then outrunning the kicker for the score. The touchdown was Patterson’s sixth career kick return score in as many seasons, and his first since 2016.

Johnathan Joseph, Houston - Joseph, the Northwestern High grad, made a weird but impressive bit of history against Buffalo last week. Joseph defended two passes against Buffalo, becoming the league’s third-fastest player to reach 175 career passes defended. Only Troy Vincent and Champ Bailey reached 175 quicker than Joseph, a 13-year NFL veteran.

Joseph was busy against Jacksonville this week, notching seven solo tackles and, you guessed it, a pass defended. He’s got 34 tackles in seven games this season.

Benjamin Watson, New Orleans - Watson scored his first touchdown of the season as the Saints beat Watson’s former team, Baltimore, 24-23. The former Northwestern Trojan snagged a 1-yard TD catch in the second quarter, his first of the 2018 season and 43rd of his career.

Watson caught all six passes thrown his direction for 43 yards and the TD catch, which happened to be Saints QB Drew Brees’ 500th career touchdown. The other three NFL QBs to reach that milestone are Tom Brady, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning.

Stephon Gilmore, New England - the former South Pointe star made a tackle and defended a pass during the Patriots’ win over Chicago. Gilmore played 99 percent of the game’s possible defensive snaps.

Jadeveon Clowney, Houston - Clowney was disruptive against Jacksonville, making seven solo tackles, with two tackles-for-loss and two sacks and four QB hits during the Texans’ 20-7 win over the Jaguars. The South Pointe grad has at least one tackle-for-loss in five straight games.

This story was originally published October 23, 2018 at 7:46 AM.