Week 2 in the books

For the first time this year, all four Nash County high schools took to the field - the last Friday night in August with two winning and two coming home losers

Southern Nash opened its season, but came up on the short end of a14-8 score with Bunn. Bunn, which is a 2-A powerhouse, had all it could handle from the Firebirds. Even though it is a loss, this game may give Southern folks a reason to feel optimistic after this game.

A team that needs to just feel good about itself regardless of whether it wins or loses is Northern Nash. Tonight may have been one of those games that if the Knights are going to win a few games this year this was one of them. D. H. Conley prevailed 22-11. As a coach, you always want to carry something good out of every game whether you win or lose, and the Knights found a way to come up with 11 points tonight.

The team that made the biggest comeback tonight was Nash Central.

The Bulldogs were embarrassed by Tarboro a week ago, but they found a victory against Smithfield-Selma 28-20. Just maybe last week's humiliation at Tarboro wasn't as bad as it seemed because Tarboro pitched a shutout against Washington 35-0 Friday. People in the 2-A ranks had better pay attention to the Vikings.

I like to watch what people do as they continue their season. Looking at East Forsyth, they rebounded tonight in beating Winston-Salem Reynolds 37-16.

Now let's turn our attention to the Gryphons.

You have to give it to coach B.W. Holt. He knows how to make the Gryphons come out snarling.

Last week by the midpoint of the third quarter, the Gryphons had East Forsyth 43-0, and tonight a very good Hunt team was down 34-0 at the half.

What I really like about the Gryphons' starts is that the other side had "zero" on the scoreboard in both of those scores. In the second quarter tonight, many second-team players had good minutes even before the half against a team we could easily meet again in the playoff.

Even though East Forsyth scored 14 and Hunt was able to score only six, both games were pretty much over when the scores came against the Gryphon defense.

After two games, the Gryphons are averaging 43.5 points per ball game. Last year's team that played in 15 games could only ( I said only) muster 34 per contest.

Is this year's team better than the eastern final team of last year? If two games is enough to make a trend, then the answer is yes. Then why is this team better than last year?

Let's start with the defense. Last year's team had terrific defensive ends, but you can add the entire front four to that list this year. So far East Forsyth and Hunt are averaging just a tad over 2 yards per rushing attempt.

I hardly called any linebackers' names during tonight's game due to the fact that the front four were making all the plays.

It's hard to pass in a game when you jump to a 27-0 lead in the first quarter. So, the Gryphons did most of the passing in the second quarter. Last year was a total gamble putting the ball in the air, but the passing game is better this year.

It is scary to think at how well this team has started off. Tonight, the Gryphons didn't play chop liver but a top 10 3-A team in Hunt at its place.

I know many fans failed to see the first quarter. During a timeout after a Gryphon touchdown, we looked out the press box door and there was 200 or so people still in line trying to get in (metal detector screening slowed the process). It was 27-0 before most of those folks got through the gate.

We have another road game next week as the Gryphons travel to Northern Vance - a 29-7 loser to Southeast Raleigh tonight.

Travel with the team to Vance County. You just might be watching one of the best Gryphon teams ever.

Time will tell ....