Catawba’s Roach, McAfee, Wingate’s Beford named Football Players of the Week

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- The South Atlantic Conference has announced its Football Players of the Week. Earning honors for the week ending on October 14 are Catawba quarterback Brad Roach, Catawba linebacker Charles McAfee and Wingate place kicker Jonathan Beford. Roach was named Offensive Player of the Week, McAfee Defensive Player of the Week and Beford was tabbed Special Teams Player of the Week.

Roach, a 6-6, 245-pound junior from Williamston, N.C., threw for a career-high 335 yards and three touchdowns as Catawba upset No. 15 Carson-Newman 24-22. The Williamston High School graduate completed six of his nine third down passes, converting five for first downs. After trailing 16-10, Roach led the Catawba Indians to consecutive scores and completed a key 28-yard pass on third down and 10 to set up an eight-yard TD strike with 4:20 left in the third quarter to give the lead for good.

McAfee, a 6-0, 210-pound sophomore for Charlotte, N.C., recorded a career-best 14 tackles, including 10 solo hits in Catawba's win over nationally-ranked Carson-Newman. McAfee and the Catawba Indians limited the Eagles to 143 rushing yards, the lowest by the Eagles since 1997. The Vance High School alum also made a pair of stops behind the line of scrimmage.

Beford, a 5-9, 160-pound junior from Charlotte, accounted for a pair of fourth-quarter field goals that proved to be the winning margin as Wingate defeated Lenoir-Rhyne 27-21. The Olympic High School product was perfect on the day as he made both his field goal attempts (25 and 22 yards) and converted all three of his extra-point attempts.

The SAC Football Players of the Week are selected by a vote of the league's sports information directors.

Pictured, from left: Brad Roach, Charles McAfee and Jonathan Beford.