Top-10 performances by local college football players from the weekend of Oct. 31
Jaleel Scott, Ellsworth Community College (Iowa)- Ellsworth got a big win over Kansas juco power Hutchinson with Scott leading the way on offense. The 6-foot-5 former Rock Hill Bearcat caught seven passes for 137 yards and three touchdowns. Scott, a sophomore with interest from a number of FBS schools including Buffalo and Mississippi State, has eight touchdown catches this fall.
Rylan Wells, Jacksonville- Fort Mill’s Wells got the first significant action of his college football career Saturday in a 31-14 loss to Dayton. Wells, a sophomore, came on in relief of starting quarterback Kade Bell and completed 11-of-18 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns. Jacksonville trailed 31-0 by the time Wells entered the game, but he made an impression.
Jacksonville coach and former NFL player Kerwin Bell, said, “I was excited to see what Rylan could do. Kade was banged up and 60 to 70 percent and looking back maybe we should have gone with Rylan. He looked awful cool back there.'”
Mitchell Jeter, The Citadel- Another Rock Hill Bearcat that had a big Saturday, Jeter helped the Bulldogs’ continue their excellent season during a 21-19 win over Mercer. The senior defensive tackle made four stops, with 2.5 sacks and a tackle-for-loss. The Citadel is 6-2 on the back of four straight wins and is undefeated in Southern Conference action. Jeter has seven sacks in eight games this year.
Worth Gregory, East Carolina- Fort Mill’s Gregory celebrated his nomination to the Ray Guy Award watch list by thumping five punts for an average of 44.6 yards, with four downed inside the 20, during ECU’s loss to UConn. Gregory is one of 79 candidates named to the watch list for the annual award given to the country’s top punter. The top-three finalists will be revealed on Nov. 23.
Jatavius Stewart, William Penn (Iowa)- Rock Hill High’s Stewart caught four passes for 68 yards and took a handoff 25 yards for touchdown during William Penn’s 41-40 double overtime loss to NAIA No. 15-ranked Benedictine (Kans.). Stewart has 10 total touchdowns (three rushing, seven catches) in nine games.
Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State- The Cowboys beat Texas Tech 70-53 - it’s not basketball season quite yet - and Rudolph, the former Northwestern standout, completed 21-of-35 passes for two touchdowns and 285 yards, with one interception. Oklahoma State rallied from a 24-7 deficit with Rudolph chucking both TD passes in the first half to help the Cowboys close the gap.
Alstevis Squirewell, Newberry- Great Falls’ Squirewell had a big game during the Wolves’ 52-14 win over Lenoir-Rhyne, recording seven tackles, two for a loss and one sack. Squirewell has 11 tackles-for-loss in nine games this year.
Jeremy Massey, North Greenville- South Poitne grad made six tackles, broke up a pass and intercepted another during the Crusaders’ win over Wingate. Massey’s pick ended a Wingate scoring drive in North Greenville’s red zone during the third quarter.
Lee Wright, Youngstown State- York product made a team-high 14 tackles with a sack during the Penguins’ 23-20 win over Western Illinois. Wright has five sacks in eight games this season from his linebacker spot.
Nick Raszeja, LaGrange (Ga.)- LaGrange fell 38-31 to Maryville (Tenn.), but Fort Mill’s Raszeja had his second straight big game at linebacker, recording 14 tackles, sack and 1.5 tackles-for-loss. Raszeja has 37 tackles in his last three contests.
Other locals’ performances
Ervin Moore, Concord (W.Va.)- Moore, a senior defensive end from Lancaster, made 10 tackles with a sack during Concord’s 30-25 loss to Glenville State. Moore topped 200 career tackles in the game.
Jerome Pettiway, South Carolina State- sophomore punter from York averaged over 42 yards on his five punts Saturday during the Bulldogs’ 34-20 win over Hampton, and also ran a second quarter fake punt 10 yards for a first down that later led to a touchdown.
Nate Casey, Davidson- Westminster Catawba’s Casey made eight tackles with a half tackle-for-loss during the Wildcats’ 39-9 loss to Campbell.
Devin Starnes, Tusculum- Mars Hill beat Tusculum 31-24 with South Pointe’s Devin Starnes making four tackles and a sack in the losing effort.
Arthur Williams, Pikeville (Ky.)- Lancaster’s Williams made seven tackles during Pikeville’s 42-28 win over Union. Desmond Leak - a freshman from Northwestern - made two stops for Union.
Dijuan Ussery, Missouri Western- Ussery caught three balls for 29 yards but Missouri Western fell 24-10 to Division II No. 2-ranked team, Northwest Missouri.
Xavier McFadden, Carson-Newman- Rock Hill High’s McFadden made a tackle and broke up a pass during Carson-Newman’s 69-28 blowout of Limestone.
Tay Hicklin, Georgia Southern- South Pointe’s Hicklin made seven tackles during the Eagles’ 37-13 win over Texas State last Thursday.
Corey Neely, Marshall- South Pointe alum made two tackles during Marshall’s 34-10 win over Charlotte on Saturday.
Devin Pearson, Charlotte- Another South Pointe alum playing safety, Pearson made four stops during the 49ers’ loss to Marshall and Neely.
Tyrell Curry, Eastern Kentucky- EKU’s hopes of an Ohio Valley Conference title were crushed by FCS No. 1 Jacksonville State in a 34-0 loss; Curry, the former Rock Hill High Bearcat, made four tackles in the defeat.
Rod Byers, Clemson- Northwestern grad made one tackle during the Tigers’ 56-41 win over N.C. State on Saturday.
Zeek Rodney, Wake Forest- South Pointe sophomore made three tackles during Wake Forest’s 20-19 loss to Louisville last Friday night.
Tony Godbolt, North Greenville- Fort Mill grad made eight tackles during the Crusaders’ 27-21 win over Wingate.
Andrew Komornik, Gardner-Webb- Nation Ford’s Komornik hit six punts for a 42.3-yard average, with one downed inside the 20 during the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ 14-10 win over Presbyterian.
Landon Ard, South Carolina- South Pointe’s Ard hit all five of his kickoffs during the Gamecocks’ loss to Texas A&M for touchbacks.
Corey Dover, Newberry- York’s Dover made five tackles during Newberry’s win over Lenoir-Rhyne.
Chris Bouyer, East Tennessee State- The Bucs beat NAIA Warner (Fla.) 42-9 and Bouyer, the former Northwestern Shrine Bowl pick, made four tackles.
Gerald Dixon, South Carolina- South Pointe’s Dixon made two tackles during the Gamecocks’ 35-28 loss to Texas A&M.
Gerald Dixon, Jr., South Carolina- Dixon, Jr., also made two stops during South Carolina’s loss to Texas A&M on Saturday.
Abri Tate, Bryant- Nation Ford product made three tackles during Bryant’s 34-33 loss to Holy Cross.
This story was originally published November 2, 2015 at 12:22 PM with the headline "Top-10 performances by local college football players from the weekend of Oct. 31."