The inaugural Rocky Mount Gryphon Fooball Jamboree gave me the opportunity to see eight teams in our state. There is 330-plus more that I have no idea what they have, so for me to vote in a poll would be picking teams out of a hat.
I carried a chain on the sideline last night and and except for 15 minutes while I was trying to get my share of the chicken away from Charles Alston, I saw every team up close and personal.
Officials also use scrimmages to find their groove and pass rule changes along to the teams as the game goes along. The biggest change I saw during the scrimmage was that the refs were reminding coaches that only three are allowed in the box this year instead of five as in the past.
The box is the area between the 25-yard lines where players must stay two yards off the sidelines . Coaches roam in that box, but this year only three are allowed in that space instead of five.
I thought the Rocky Mount Booster Club did a great job with the chicken plates and having the tent set up for people to eat. I hope that attendance was good enough that this becomes an annual event. The Rocky Mount Athletic Complex, with the parking it has, is a great venue for an event like this.
I thought the field looked in great shape considering how in looked in May. Limiting the use on the complex has surely helped.
Here is my poll of the eight teams that took part in the head knocking that went down last night at the Complex.
1. Rocky Mount:
- Justin Barnes was my biggest surprise as to how much he has improved at quarterback. You know the Gryphons have not finished a season since Terrell Hudgins graduated with the quarterback they started the season with. This is a deep team at quarterback. I guess when you have been to at least the third round of the playoffs or more for three years in a row without Terrell Hudgins, they have always been deep at quarterback.
- I just don't know why colleges are not knocking down Nick Hahula's door. Last night, he made a 53-yard field goal with 10 yards to spare.
- The Gryphons will have to play at least the first two games without Brian Goodwin in the lineup. He will not have enough practice time. If Brian stays healthy, he will never wear Carolina blue for Mike Fox. How good an athlete is Brian? I think he is a better football player than baseball player!
2. Wilson Fike:
- The fans who already assume that SouthWest Edgecombe and Rocky Mount will play for the conference championship had better take notice. Richie Pridgen's club is for real.
3. West Montgomery:
- One of B. W. Holt's old stomping grounds has a solid football program. They held their own against everybody last night.
4. Durham Riverside:
- They have a Div. I quarterback
- Unfortunately, they need help in the line
5. Oxford Webb:
- John Hammett's club is going to be solid in their league.
- Last night was the first time that I had seen John since he left Rocky Mount in 2003.
- For those of you who didn't recognize him, he has lost over 100 pounds.
- I think I found the weight that he lost.... on me.
6. Northern Nash:
- Chad Smith has the program moving in the right direction.
- The Knights have almost doubled the number of players they had on the field last night over what they put on the field at anytime last year.
- I doubt whether they will finish with five wins, but they will deserve everyone's respect as they leave the field each Friday night.
- Last year, they never left the field knowing they had more points than the other team.
7. South Central:
- There was talk last night that this is the year that they take down Greenville Rose.
- Good luck! I'll take Rose by 50 - sight unseen.
8. Orange County:
- Orange County wore all Orange last night. (imagine that)
- They win the ugly team uniforms award.
I know that football in August is hard to do. Rocky Mount is in the midst of their greatest run in school history - since the back-to-back state titles in 1962 and 1963.
Show your support next Friday night and every Friday night this fall.
See you there!
