Graduate glance

By Gabe Whisnant
Published in Sports on September 21, 2004 1:56 PM

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Coleman, Sutherland cheering collegiately

Two area graduates -- Hallie Coleman (Wayne Country Day '03) and Tara Sutherland (Charles B. Aycock '04) are currently cheering collegiately at the Division I level.

Coleman is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina, while Sutherland is a freshman at East Carolina University.

Coleman, a tumbler and stunter for the varsity Tar Heels squad, was on the junior varsity squad last season and broke all the metacarpus bones in her hand early on during basketball season. She healed in time for the end of basketball and traveled to cheer in her first road football game on Sept. 11 at Virginia.

"That was very exciting," said Coleman, an exercise and sports science major. "Our team has a lot of talent, and we are going to be going to nationals this season."

Sutherland made her debut on the Pirates' squad on Sept. 11 in Greenville when ECU hosted Wake Forest

Currently in her 12th year of cheering, Sutherland is on the "all-girl" squad that cheers at home football games, makes a lot of the public appearances and will cheer at some basketball games. At Aycock, Sutherland was a three-time All American and All Conference high school cheerleader and an Honor Graduate.

"Things are going well so far," said Sutherland, who is undecided on her major. "Because it was the first game, we had practice every day, so that was hectic. The fans are ten times more excited than high school fans. That's one of the biggest differences."

Local talent

at WSSU

Goldsboro graduates Matthew Warren (5-11, 250) and Joseph Johnson (5-10, 175), along with Eastern Wayne alumnus Maurice Reed (5-9, 170) are currently playing important roles on Winston-Salem State's football team this season.

Warren, a red-shirt junior transfer from Hampton University, is a bruising, blocking fullback for the Rams and has started in each of the Rams first three games this season.

"He's a tenacious blocker and is probably the strongest guy on the team pound for pound," WSSU assistant coach Linwood Ferguson said. "He can run and he has good hands ... kind of a throwback fullback."

WSSU's backfield features the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Offensive Player of the Year, Martin Hicks. Warren graduated from Goldsboro in 2000.

Reed (5-9, 170), a red-shirt sophomore and a member of Eastern Wayne's 2001 graduating class, is starting at cornerback. He entered the offseason as a running back, but has effectively made the move to the defensive backfield. Reed had an assist in the Rams' 20-13 win over Virginia Union last Saturday.

"He's a smart player and a shut-down corner," Ferguson said. "He's a real coachable guy that's done a great job for us."

Johnson (5-10, 175), a 2002 graduate of Goldsboro is a red-shirt freshman defensive back. Johnson gained 10 pounds over the summer and should push for playing time this year at corner and will also see time on special teams.

The Rams (1-3) travel to Bowie State (Md.) on Saturday.

Artis ready

for sophomore season

Goldsboro graduate J.J. Artis will play a key role in the Princeton (N.J.) University defensive backfield this season as a sophomore. Artis, along with junior Charles Bahlert, will likely compete for a starting role at cornerback in the early season and both will see considerable time according to Tigers' Sports Information Director Craig Sachson.

Artis had two solo tackles in Princeton's season-opening 35-18 win over Lafayette (Pa.). last Saturday

Artis started a handful of games last season and will especially be a key asset again this season in Princeton's "nickel" defensive packages. The six-foot, 195-pounder was one of the Tigers' best coverage players on special teams and looks poised to continue in that role again this season.

"He really got down field and made a lot of open field tackles," Sachson said. "It's amazing how many plays he made last season."

Speck scores twice

at Averett

Charles B. Aycock graduate and Mount Olive College freshman midfielder Stephany Speck tallied the first two goals of her college career in the Trojans' 12-0 win at Averett on Sept. 9.