Carson-Newman’s Good, Lopez, Mars Hill’s Randolph, Wingate’s Merkerson Named Football Players Of The Week

ROCK HILL, S.C. --- The South Atlantic Conference Football Players of the Week have been announced for the week ending September 28, 2009. Mars Hill College running back Jonas Randolph and Carson-Newman quarterback Alex Good were named Co-Offensive Players of the Week; Wingate safety Tylan Merkerson was named Defensive Player of the Week; and Carson-Newman kicker Carlos Lopez was named Special Teams Player of the Week.

Randolph, a sophomore running back from Daleville, Ala. (Daleville HS), rushed for 232 yards with a pair of first-half touchdowns. Randolph got his 232 yards on 44 attempts to lead the Lions. The 44 rushes broke Randolph's previous school record of 43 rushing attempts set against St. Augustine's College on September 14, 2009.

Jonas Randolph

Alex Good

Tylan Merkerson

Carlos Lopez

Good, a senior from Greensboro, N.C. (Southern Guilford) rushed for 203 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown to lead the Carson-Newman Eagles to a 23-20 win over visiting Newberry in torrential rains on Saturday in Burke-Tarr Stadium. Good rushed for 82 yards in the fourth quarter, including carries of 34 and 25 yards, as well as setting up the Eagles game-winning field goal with 37 seconds left. He also had a 6-yard TD run in the second quarter to give the Eagles a 17-0 lead. He became the first Eagle to rush for over 200 yards since he went for 209 against Newberry in the 2008 meeting.

Merkerson, a senior from Oxford, Ga. (The Asheville School) had two huge interceptions in the Tusculum end zone Thursday, helping the Bulldogs take a 42-31 victory on national television. He added six tackles and one pass break-up.

Lopez, a sophomore from Seymour, Tenn. (Seymour HS) drilled a 35-yard game winning field goal to help the Eagles top Newberry, 23-20, on Saturday afternoon at Burke-Tarr Stadium. He went 3-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 on PATs in a torrential downpour. He was good on kicks from 23, 27, and 35 yards, all from the right side. He became the first Eagle to boot a game-winning kick since 2003, when Angel Gonzalez helped C-N beat Presbyterian, 24-21, as time expired. Lopez also had two touchbacks on six kickoffs. He is 6-for-6 on field goals this season.