V
Practice was the key word for Mark Sanders as he
embarked from the dorm to the football practice field at
Lenoir Rhyne College this summer.
“The coach kept saying that he liked my effort and that I
had a shot at starting," said the affable youngster from
Garinger High School. “I was competing against an All
American wide receiver named Terence Stewart, so I
knew I had my work cut out for me. As the season
progressed, the coach designed two special plays for me
and I alternated with one of the juniors who was playing
ahead of me. After the fifth game, I was a starter."
The Bears did not create any smoke with a 3-8 record
under coach Jim Perry, a former assistant at Furman
University. ,>
But the Little Wonder who ran for nine touchdowns in
high school while making All Conference in trade and field
and football had a great year.
Recruited by A4T, Furman, Gardner-Webb, Catawba,
Livingstone, Presbyterian, and S.C. State, Mark picked
Lenoir Rhyne because he wanted to go to a school with
good academic standards as well as a good athletic
program.
Although the school was a tremendous transition from
his high school because of only 1,500 students, only 50 are
black, he fed he made it academically with a projected 2.7
average and athletically.
In a loss to Newberry, he scored a touchdown on a Hail
Mary pass as he fell in the end zone for a touchdown. The
Bears Idst 31-20.
. fie also ran a 67-yard Dunt return back in a 22-21 win nwr
Presbyterian.
Mark said the players are a lot bigger in college and the
defenses and offenses are much more complicated.
His goal for next year?
“The coach said I had to gain some experience. I feel
that I was successful. The coach said he was impressed
by me.”
His advice for high school seniors?
“Study hard and try to get your grades up,” Marks said.
: “That’s what it is really all about.”
Mark is uncertain of his profession, but said he plans to
: major in computer science or accounting.
; He has been a winner since junior high school and his list
i of trophies include MVP baseball at Hawthorne.
>' Coach’s Award in football at Hawthorne, Coach’s Award
; in track at Gartnger (two years), All Conference fbot
: ball (wide receiver), and All Conference (track).
I * Mark is getting ready for spring practice, saying be
[ can’t wait until March, 'i ' >
“I am looking forward to it,” he revealed. “If I do well
it P>er^’ I ^dll earn my position. That is why lam not playing
rn^tliefans really support us at Lenoir Rhyne,” he added.
^. ^Mark has a blinding 4.3 speed in the 40 and has used his
* quickness to his advantage. • r
He had three receptions for 137 yardB against top rated
; Mars Hill in a game die team lost, 40-7.
Solidly built, Mark is 5-4, 147 pounds, with 42 inch
shoulders, a 31 inch waist, a 28 inch chest and 22 inch
thighs.
Remember his name. We will be hearing more of it as
the years go by.
. Things I would like to see in 1M6:
....’Hie return of Elliot Dunlap to the Olympic High
basketball team. Before the young man was declared
: academically ineligible, be, had great potential. He is a
! super talent. And the team needs him....Roman Phifer get
the scholarship that he truly deserves. The Shrine Bowlers
in North Carolina keep wondering why they can’t win.
Leaving Phifer at home was a big reason. He is one of the
best players in the Southeastern United States. He will
hopefully get a big plum. Beimz Dartial to North Carolina
Number 5 on the UNCC team is
Keith Williams from Queens, New
York, where he played for coach Bab
Cohen at Bayside High School and
averaged 23 points and six assists
per game as a senior.
The human services major is “Mr.
Consistent’' for UNCC. One of the
oldest members of the squad, he
scored 22 against Davidson for his
career high and pulled down six
rebounds against Jacksonville for
his rebounding high.
He set a UNCC record with 15
assists against UNC-Wilmington on
December 28,1985 as a freshman.
He also holds the Sun Belt record
for most steals with seven against
South Alabama on January 31,1985.
He tied UNCC’s Kevin King for the
distinction.
Williams led the squad in steals
last year with 72.
Coach Jeff Mullins called
Williams “my top returnee” with
11.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists
and 2.7 steals per game last year.
“I think we have a good blend of
old and new here,” said Mullins.
“Our staff is excited about the
- , Keith William*
.Set* UNCC record
possibilities that exist with our
personnel. We are going to have
some depth. But, we don't have
tremendous size. We do have good
athletes." ,
"I think I am much more at ease
now and I have a tremendous
confidence in our coaching staff and '
in my teammates," Williams
Speaking Out '.
" " »
Let’s Assume The
QAA Does Breakup!
Dear Editor,
Let’s assume that the CIAA does
indeed break up and the Northern
Division and Southern Division
schools go their separate ways. How
would this affect the Southern
schools in a new charter league
called the Carolinas Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference, the Tar Heel
Conference, or Interstate Con
ference? Any name would be just as
sweet. FOOTBALL
With five of the members playing
football, you could play four con
ference games and seven non
conference or you could opt to play
each team twice in football with
three non-conference games. That
would give a team like Johnson C.
Smith several options. You could
schedule Northern schools like
Hampton that have good followings
in the South. v ■'
Option A: Your football schedule
would look like this. Let’s take
JCSU, for example, Knoxville Col
srarae ssswr
Gardner-Webb, Fayetteville State,
1 . jpi
Option B: Your foptball schedule
could look like this. Again, let’s
JCSU, for example:
At Home: Livingstone, Winston
Salem State, Fayetteville State,
N.C. Central, Hampton; Away:
. Livingstone, Winston-Salem
State, Fayetteville State, NCCU, and
N.C. AAT.
In basketball, each team could
play each other twice for 14 con
ference games and pick up a pool of
area' teams to play that could in
dude Gardner-Webb, Wingate, Bel
mont Abbey, Mars Hill, Lenoir
Rhyne, Catawba, High Point,
Pfeiffer, Limestone, Allen, Bene
dict. Paine, Morris, Wofford,
Ersklne, Coastal Carolina, Method
ist, Wesleyan, etc.
The time has come for some
changes:
Winston-Salem State, Livingstone,
Johnson C. Smith, North Carolina
Central, Fayetteville State, St. Au
gustine’s, Shaw, and Barber-Scotia
They belong together in a tight
rivalry, packed dose knit con
ference. Play the conference tour
nament at Charlotte or Winston
Salem and you would have the same
excitement you have at the CIAA.
Think about It, folks. North Caro
lina Central fans might think this is
a little small time for them be
cause they are in the best of situa
tions. They are right in the middle of
the conference and they really don't
have to travel much. But their fans
and affinities are definitely In the
i VEmwk
as come to tell1
beth City, Virginia
Union, Bowie, Nor
we can no longer
i. the wasted time
for academics and the frustration of
trying to compete with programs
that have more monies available for
one program than most of the
Southern schools have for their
entire athletic budgets.
Evanuel Jones
THANK YOU
FOR. READING
The Charlotte Port_
n 3 B * B ■ 11 l I fvi 111 BN j • 1 ■ I«I L'B :(fl BN 9. IN 11 * ■
• "11 |lB!ilMJjUjf. a 1 II li n B H i ^ 1 B.’i ■ 11 *B | i ■
pointed out. “I feel relieved out
there and I like the pace that coach
Jeff Mullins has designed. But, I
know we still have a lot to do. I think
react better when I am under
pressure and I am looking forward
to every second of this season and
start.”
“I am having fun again," he said.
“I am really excited about the of
fense coach has set up and I am
involved in it more,” he informed.
“I don’t feel the pressure I felt my
first two seasons,” he added, "be
cause now I can take a shot when I
<r1 ~ **«■ kr ♦1 itV'yT*-* - . ’ •> * W ••’V t"- t
want and run a game plan that I am
used to running. Coach wants us to
shoot if we have an open shot and
that is a tremendous change from
my last two years. Everyone ia in
the Offense and we have a strong
group of players that can come in
and play a number of different
positions. We are a deep ball' club
and the coach is not afraid to
substitute.”
The 49ers take on Wofford Fri
day nighlrin the Mine Shaft at 7:25
p.m. Then on Thursday, January 9,
they travel to the South Florida
Brahamans in Tampa, Florida,
r. i . v r'eNi*■ ^ - . ?.rv'
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