Goal Post Still Standing

Earlier this week I made the prediction here on this blog that N.C. State would beat East Carolina and protect the goal post at Carter-Finley Stadium.

The goal post are still standing tonight.

Just two short weeks ago there was doom and gloom in Raleigh. In Greenville, the Pirates had just won what was possibly their biggest game ever and there was talk of a BCS Bowl game.

If Rocky Mount Gryphon fans can take hold of one thing that happened on the football field is that you can't look past anybody.

Were the Pirates already thinking of a BCS bowl game? If they were, that's all they will do as the major bowl for ECU is a distant hope now.

Two weeks ago the Wolfpack may have been the worst team in Div. I football, and today they are the most improved.

Wolfpack in overtime over the Pirates on Greenville's Andre Brown overtime touchdown run, 30-24

In Chapel Hill, Carolina's dreams of playing in its first ACC championship game took a big hit against and old crafty coach Frank Beamer.

The Hokies, with quarterback play which looked like N.C. State until today, stole victory away from Carolina.

Former Rocky Mount Gryphon Stephan Virgil sealed the deal with a late interception for the Gobblers as they moved to 2-0 in the division and in the driver's seat to play for the conference championship.

How much worse can it get for first year Greenville Rose coach Todd Lipe?

During the summer, a Rose football player was critically injured while at a water park. The players were at a team outing when defensive end Garrett Ball hit his head on a water slide. Ironically, Ball served as honorary caption of the team Friday night,

Last week, Rocky Mount put an end the longest scoring streak in North Carolina high school football when it shutout Rose 36-0.

Today word comes that backup running back Jaquan Waller was stricken on the field at Rose's home game last night and has died today.

Waller carried the ball five times for five yards in the game against the Gryphons last week.

Every time a player steps on the field, injury is a possibility on any play. Waller becomes the third North Carolina High School player to die this year from football-related injuries.

There is not a game played in any sport that is worth the life of any person.

My heart is deep with sadness for all of the Rose coaches and players. You know we play Rose as much as we play our own conference members and we all know the coaches as well as any in our own conference.

I send out prayers tonight to the family of Jaquan Waller and to the entire Rose High school community.