About Travis

Travis Sawchik has covered local sports for The Suns News since June 2005. Before coming to Myrtle Beach, Travis worked for the Rocky Mount Telegram (N.C.). He is a graduate of The Ohio State University.

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Have a question about Chanticleers athletics? E-mail your questions to tsawchik@thesunnews.com and he'll do his best to answer them here on the blog.
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« October 2007 | Main | December 2007 »

November 30, 2007

Simpson lands another invite

CCU's Jerome Simpson -- the active FCS touchdown receptions leader (44) -- has received an offer to play in the East-West Shrine Game, Coastal coach David Bennett said Friday.

Simpson has already accepted an invite to play in the Hula Bowl on Jan. 12. The East-West game follows a week later. See Saturday's Sun News for more details.

Mack released from scholarship

CCU basketball coach Cliff Ellis announced Friday that point guard Joshua Mack has asked and been granted his release from the men's basketball team.

Mack was averaging just 13 minutes and one point per game this season, after earning Big South Freshman of the Year honors last season. Mack averaged 12.3 points per game last season.

Mack played four minutes against Houston on Monday and was not at practice Thursday.

Read more in Saturday's edition of The Sun News.

November 29, 2007

Week in review

After being out of town for a few days here is a brief CCU roundup ...

Brian Ashley resigned as the CCU women's golf coach Wednesday in regard to a ``secondary'' violation of NCAA rules: Here is the CCU release. No word on what that violation is as of yet ...

Coastal football may have landed an heir to Jerome Simpson here and Former CCU soccer star Joseph Ngwenya has joined Alemannia Aachen of the German Second Division soccer league for training and a change to tryout with the Budesliga Club. Ngwenya scored the tying goal in the Houston Dynamo's 2-1 win over New England in the MLS Cup on Nov. 18.

Also, CCU Volleyball (Kelsie Mauck) and women's basketball (Olivia Irick) have each added a player during the early signing period.

We'll have more on Page 2 in tomorrow's paper

November 21, 2007

All-conference team

This was released yesterday ... but in case you missed it we present the Big South all-conference selections

2007 Big South Football All-Conference Teams

FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE

OFFENSE                                                                                             

QB      Brock Smith, Jr.,

Liberty

RB       Rashad Jennings, Jr.,

Liberty

RB       Mike Tolbert, Sr., Coastal

Carolina

WR     Jerome Simpson, Sr., Coastal

Carolina

WR     Duvaughn Flagler, Sr., Gardner-Webb

WR     Dee Brown, Jr.,

Charleston

Southern

TE       Chris Luck, R-Sr.,

Liberty

OL       Stephen Sene, R-Sr.,

Liberty

OL       Eddie Pinigis, Sr.,

Liberty

OL       Marshall Ausberry, R-Sr.,

Liberty

OL       Demario Deese, Jr., Gardner-Webb

OL       Britt Leggett, R-Jr., Coastal

Carolina

DEFENSE

DL       Brian Johnston, Sr., Gardner-Webb

DL       Steve Ackley, Sr.,

Liberty

DL       Tommy Lloyd, R-Sr., VMI

DL       Adrain Grady, R-Sr., Coastal

Carolina

LB       Jada Ross, R-Sr.,

Charleston

Southern

LB       Vince Redd, R-Sr.,

Liberty

LB       Mario Brown, Jr., Gardner-Webb

LB       Stevie Ray Lloyd, Sr.,

Liberty

DB      Marrio Norman, R-Jr., Coastal

Carolina

DB      Patrick Calvary, Jr.,

Liberty

DB      Brandon Autry, R-Soph., Coastal

Carolina

DB      Cedric McGowan, Soph., Gardner-Webb

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK       Noah Greenbaum, Sr.,

Liberty

P          Michael Hanna, Jr., Gardner-Webb

LS      

Dan

Pope, R-Jr.,

Liberty

KR      Tim Maypray, Jr., VMI

PR       Wynton Jackson, R-Sr.,

Liberty

SECOND-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE

OFFENSE

QB      Kyle Hughes, Soph., VMI

RB       Zach Terrell, Jr.,

Liberty

RB       Howard Abegesah, Soph., VMI

WR     Wynton Jackson, R-Sr.,

Liberty

WR     Tim Maypray, Soph., VMI

WR     Dobson Collins, Jr., Gardner-Webb

TE       Ryan Ard, Jr.,

Charleston

Southern

OL       Robert Brown, Sr., VMI

OL      

Rick

y Howell, Sr.,

Charleston

Southern

OL       Ivan Anderson, Sr., Gardner-Webb

OL       Mike Godsil, Jr.,

Liberty

OL       Britt Stone, R-Jr.,

Liberty

DEFENSE

DL       Dennis Justiniani, Sr.,

Charleston

Southern

DL       Colin Dugan, Jr.,

Liberty

DL       Phillip Oboh, Soph., Coastal

Carolina

DL       Jacob Killeen, R-Jr.,

Charleston

Southern

LB       Jeffrey Williams, Fr., Gardner-Webb

LB       Anthony Steele, Sr., Coastal

Carolina

LB       Nick Hursky, Jr.,

Liberty

LB       D.J. Rice, Jr., Coastal

Carolina

DB      Whittmin Reese, Jr., Coastal

Carolina

DB      Ryan Greiser, Jr.,

Liberty

DB      

Dan

iel Cooke, Jr., Gardner-Webb

DB      Okeba Rollinson, R-Jr.,

Charleston

Southern

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK       Nick Ellis, Sr.,

Charleston

Southern

P          Zac Kolegue, Sr.,

Liberty

LS       Matt Hoisington, Sr.,

Charleston

Southern

KR      Dominic Bolden, Jr.,

Liberty

PR       Dobson Collins, Jr., Gardner-Webb

ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

Nick Ellis, K/P, Sr.,

Charleston

Southern

Whittmin Reese, DB, Jr., Coastal

Carolina

Billy Luther, DL, Soph., Gardner-Webb

Ryan Greiser, DB, Jr.,

Liberty

Jacob Rochester, LB, Jr., VMI

Sherman

Burnett, DL, Sr., Presbyterian

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Rashad Jennings, RB, Jr.,

Liberty

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Brian Johnston, DE, Sr., Gardner-Webb

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Jeffrey Williams, LB, Gardner-Webb

COACH OF THE YEAR

Danny Rocco,

Liberty

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Nick Ellis, K/P, Sr.,

Charleston

Southern

November 19, 2007

Monday Morning Quarterback

Last edition of MMQ … but we’ll have some weekly basketball musings beginning next week ….

10. It will be interesting to see if Will Richardson will keep the starting quarterback job next season. He wrapped up 2007 with a solid 13-of-16, 127-yard passing performance. Key numbers: no sacks, one touchdown, no interceptions. In his favor for week Week 1 next year is this: do you sent a freshman on to the field for his first start against a FBS defense and before 100,000-plus fans at Penn State?

9. It’s hard to believe there were no demons for Jerome Simpson after the Super Safety in 2005. But say this, he conquered any that were there as he recorded 27 touchdowns in 24 games since the gaffe.

8. Coastal fans should like the way the Chants wrapped up their season. With no postseason possibilities and little chance at a share of a conference title, CCU responded with some its best practice and play of the season.

7. Coastal will lose some big offensive guns in Mike Tolbert and Simpson, but the good news is all five starters - and their backups - return along the offensive line next season. What was a huge question coming into the season, could turn into a strength with another year for the young group in the weight room.

5. Area of concern? The Chants are losing their starting two defensive tackles, and their immediate backups, on a run defense that ranked near the bottom of the FCS this season. The secondary appears to be in good shape though, with Marrio Norman, Keon Cunningham and Whittmin Reese each slated to return.

4. One would imagine Eric O’Neal will open as the starting tailback next season. It should be fun to watch.

2. Non-football thought? Everyone should be rooting for CCU’s Diana Jepchirchir today at the NCAA cross country championships in Indiana. Her story is one of amazing perseverance.

1. I think Liberty was a playoff caliber-team, but without an automatic Big South bid, they did not have the seven wins against Division I foes needed to make a case for an at-large selection.

Here are the first-round match-ups…

New Hampshire (7-4)

at

UNI (11-0)

Delaware State (10-1)

at

Delaware (8-3)

Eastern Illinois (8-3)

At

Southern Illinois (10-1)

Fordham (8-3)

At Massachusetts (9-2)

Eastern Washington (8-3)

At McNeese State (11-0)

James Madison (8-3)

At

Appalachian State (9-2)

Wofford (8-3)

At
Montana (11-0)

Eastern Kentucky (9-2)

At

Richmond (9-2)

Who ya like?

November 16, 2007

Towson signs four-year deal

CCU athletic director Warren Koegel said Friday he has received a contract back from Towson, agreeing to a four-year contract to play Coastal Carolina football. Coastal will host Towson in 2008 and 2011 and travel to Towson in 2009-10.

CCU bball lands another recruit

The Chants have signed Mario Edwards, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard, out of Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Fla., which is CCU coach Cliff Ellis' hometown. 

Edwards is the fourth signee for the Chants' 2008 class. Rashard McGill (6-7 forward), Samuel McLaurin (6-4, guard) and Dexter Moore (6-2 point guard) each signed on Wednesday.

November 14, 2007

CCU signs two recruits

Rashard McGill and Samuel McLaurin, each of Gadsden High School (Fla.), signed with Coastal Carolina on Wednesday, which marked the beginning of the early signing period.


McLaurin said earlier this month after he made a verbal to the Chants that he was also being recruited by Florida State, the College of Charleston and Charleston Southern. McLaurin averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds per game as a junior. McGill averaged 12 points per game. McLaurin was also being recruited by Florida State, the College of Charleston and Charleston Southern. McLaurin averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds per game as a junior. McGill averaged 12 points per game last season.

November 12, 2007

Jack Attack

Coastal Carolina returns to action at 7 p.m. Tuesday against Campbell. The Chants return to the court after a rout of North Greenville with the nation's leading scorer, Jack Leasure. Leasure's 34-point opening night places him No. 1 in the country two slots above USC's O.J. Mayo.

Monday Morning Quarterback

A little bit of this and a little bit of that …

10. The Chanticleers could have packed it in after losing to Liberty, which sealed the school’s first losing season and set the Flames in great position to win the Big South. But the Chants responded with what Jerome Simpson called ``a great week’’ of practice and played their most disciplined game of the season against Gardner-Webb. CCU had just one penalty for five yards. A welcomed change for the Chants who average 58 yards in penalties per game this season.

9. Speaking of Simpson he is going out with a bang, six touchdowns in three games to bring him within seven scores of Jerry Rice (50). Not bad company. I think some NFL team is going to be very happy taking him in the middle rounds. I agreed with a fellow member of the press who compares his skills to former Michigan State star Charles Rogers. Rogers was the No. 2 pick in the 2003 draft. He was thought to be a Pro Bowl-talent before injuries and attitude derailed his career.

8. Simpson has 43 touchdowns in his career -- I errantly gave that to him earlier this week, how prophetic. If Simpson gets two more at Charleston Southern -- where he no doubt has some unfinished business -- he’ll have averaged a touchdown per game in his career, which is pretty special.

7. Maybe his height will hurt him, but Mike Tolbert deserves a look from an NFL team. He is averaging 10 yards a carry in conference season.

6. Who knows if Tyler Thigpen will be the next Tony Romo or if he is out of the NFL in a few years, quarterback is such a difficult position to project. But I think the Vikings regret letting him go at this point. Journeyman Brooks Bollinger started for an injured Tarvaris Jackson on Sunday for the Vikes, but was held to 16-of-26 passing for 176 yards and a pick. He only had seven passing yards in the first half. And Jackson has not been good.

5. Speaking of Thigpen, Brodie Croyle, who is No. 2 on the Kansas City Chiefs depth chart above Thigpen, replaced a shaken up and shaky Damon Huard on Saturday. Croyle completed 17-of-30 passes for 162 yards and an interception. Croyle could be the starter going forward and if that experiment fails might Thigpen see time late this season? Unlikely but one would figure he will get a long look next training camp.

4. The Chanticleer defense, which has been embattled much of the season, came up with its finest performance of the year, limiting a red-hot Gardner-Webb offense to 14 points, and holding the Bulldogs to 128 yards on the ground.

3. It was pretty cool that CCU coach David Bennett allowed senior Ren McKinnon to take the first snap Saturday. By all accounts McKinnon is a great guy and if he had stayed healthy this season may very well have pushed for the starting quarterback job after a solid preseason.

2. If I were in charge of student seating, the CCU students would be placed directly behind the visitor’s bench next season. It works to great effect at Liberty and James Madison, and next to the fervent CCU band -- which earned a warning Saturday for excessive song Saturday-- could give the Chants a greater edge on their home field.

1. The Chants are now the biggest Gardner-Webb fans in the Big South, if the Bulldogs can upset Liberty on Saturday -- which looks highly improbable -- the Chants would take a share of the conference title for a fourth straight season.