Former local high school players advance in the big leagues
The Lowcountry continues to be a pipeline to the Cincinnati “Jungle"
The Cincinnati Bengals claimed former Hanahan High School track and football star Chris Brown off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys. The Bengals play their home games at Paul Brown Stadium, which is also known as the “Jungle.”
Brown will be the third player on the Bengals roster who traces his roots to the Lowcountry if he makes the team. The other two players are wide receiver A.J. Green from Summerville and defensive end Carlos Dunlap from Fort Dorchester. Both Green and Dunlap are Pro-Bowl players.
Brown is the ninth receiver signed to the Bengals’ 90-man offseason roster as the Bengals try a quality WR to complement Green.
The 23-year-old Brown was not taken in the 2016 NFL draft after an impressive career at Notre Dame. But he signed to a three-year, $1.62 million contact with the Cowboys a few days later.
Brown showed great promise during the Cowboys preseason training camp but broke his foot. He was placed on the “waived-injured” list. He landed on the team’s injured reserve list after going unclaimed by the rest of the teams in the NFL.
Brown, 6-2, 193, caught 48 passes for 597 yards and four touchdowns his senior season with the Fighting Irish. His career numbers in South Bend included 104 catches for 1,410 yards and six TDs.
Loy sets personal best
Former Bishop England track and field standout Griffie Loy, who now competes for Navy, set a personal career best in the shot put in the recent Army-Navy track and field Star Meet in West Point, N.Y.
Loy putted the shot 58-111/4 to win the event in the meet against the Midshipmen’s rival. His previous personal best 58-11/2 was at last winter’s Patriot League Indoor Championships.
Loy, who graduated from Bishop England in 2013, is a co-captain for the Midshipmen. He’s arguably the best shot putter in the Patriot League indoor and outdoor championships the past two seasons. He also earned Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America All-East honors last year.
Loy had a brilliant career at Bishop England, starring in football and track and field.
Loy was the state champ in the shotput and discus in 2012, and repeated in both events his senior year, with a put of 57-1. He set a state record in the discus with a throw of 196-6, which broke the state record by 11 ½ feet. It was the fifth best prep throw in 2013. His state record still stands.
Cox signs with College of Charleston
Former Bishop England student Tomas Cox signed with the College of Charleston on National Signing Day earlier this month.
Cox, a 5-11 defender, played for four years at the South Carolina Battery Academy, suiting up for the U14, U16 and U18 squads. Cox took a gap year to travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he played soccer in an entirely new culture and added an international flourish to his game.
“Tomas is a tough, tough player,” coach Roger Lundy said in a press release. “This is a versatile player, he’s primarily a left back, but he could also play left midfield or center back or center midfield. He’s grown up around some of the best competition out there, and he just loves to play the game.”