Area athletes who made a big splash over the weekend:
Danny Coale
Coale already set a freshmen record at Virginia Tech when he caught 36 passes in 2008. That led all Hokies wide receivers, too. So far, he has 10 receptions in three games this season, none bigger than the one he made late in Saturday’s game against Nebraska. That 81-yard catch set up the game-winning touchdown with 21 seconds left in a 16-15 victory. Coale was an All-Examiner lacrosse player at Episcopal High in Alexandria and had a scholarship offer in that sport from Johns Hopkins, among many others. But the Lexington, Va. native wanted to stay closer to home and play football for Virginia Tech, instead. Good choice for the redshirt sophomore, whose No. 11-ranked team is 2-1 headed into Saturday’s showdown with No. 9 Miami.
Mike Caussin
The James Madison senior tight end caught a 65-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter Saturday against Virginia Military Institute, kicking off a career-best 145-yard performance for the former West Springfield standout. Caussin, who entered the season with 41 career catches in JMU’s run-heavy offense, added a 54-yard reception and a 26-yard touchdown catch as the Dukes throttled the Keydets, 44-16. It was the first 100-yard receiving game for the tight end, who caught all three throws from junior quarterback Drew Dudzik (Centreville). Caussin has stormed out of the gate this season, catching six passes for 197 yards and four TDs in Madison’s first two games.
