Greatest Gryphon Games Of the Decade

How great a game is sometimes depends which side of the scoreboard you sit when the game is over. When you lose you tend to forget the great things that you do to make a game special. Victory lingers in your mind forever. The ten best games of the decade have three Gryphon defeats. One thing to always remember the more important the game is tends to be remember as great long after a really good regular season game has faded in your memory.

10

The final game of the 2003 football season. Rocky Mount heads to Northern Nash as the favorite for the first time in several years. Northern jumps to a 14-0 in the first half. Down 14-7 heading into the fourth quarter a Stephan Virgil Punt return ties the game. The ensuing kickoff the Gryphons cause a fumble on the return and recover deep in Knight territory. The Gryphons waste little time and beat Northern 21-14.

9

The Eastern Finals in 2008. Rocky Mount leads 19-14 heading into the fourth quarter. The Gryphons running the clock out need one more first down and victory is ours. A fumble and West Craven marches down the field to score with 1.10 to play to take a 21-19 lead. Little time was almost enough for the Gryphons as they made it to the twenty two yard line. The only lost on the field all year for the 2008 Gryphons.


8

The opening conference game of the 2004 football season finds Rocky Mount traveling to Rose to take on a Rampant team that has dominated Rocky Mount the last ten years. The first half sees both sides create big plays and exciting scores. The Gryphons pull away in the third quarter only to watch Rose make a dash back and make the game close. This was the first sign that the 2004 Gryphons were going to be special. They beat rose 41-33.

7

The Eastern Finals in 2007. Rocky Mount faces off with Western Alamance for the third playoff year in a row. This game swings back and forth all night. Late fourth quarter Western forges ahead 44-37. Rocky Mount is coming right back down the field until an interception is return for a touchdown. Final score Western Alamance 50- Rocky Mount 37. The final score was in no way a reflection on how close this game was.

6

Heading into the final game of the 2009 season there is a potential three way tie possibility for second place in the new Big East conference. There is a drawing between Rocky Mount, Northern Nash and Southern Nash in case there is a tie. Rocky Mount gets fourth. That means if they lose to Northern instead of second place out right they will be out of the playoffs. Northern plays their best game of the season and has Rocky Mount on the ropes until Rocky Mount scores with 3.1 seconds to play in the game. 15-12 victory sends the Gryphons to the playoffs and Northern out of the playoffs.

5.

It has become a habit in the New-6 conference play that the winner of the Rocky Mount-SouthWest Edgecombe game will win the conference. The fourth year in a row the 2008 game is played on a Monday night at SouthWest. Rocky Mount leads 7-0 and the Cougars are on the goal line with a fourth down. There is no forward progress. The Gryphons hold, will win the conference crown and the 7-0 victory saved an undefeated regular season.

4

The opening game of the 2002 football season Rocky Mount travels to Douglas Byrd. Last season Byrd had embarrassed Rocky Mount at home. Before the game Byrd dedicated the press box to their Hall Of Fame coach Bob Paroli. The Gryphons jump out early and lead right to the end. Byrd scores late and the HOF coach Paroli instead of playing for over time goes for the two point conversion to win in regulation. The Gryphon D holds and escapes with a 20-19 upset win over Byrd. This was the game that put Rocky Mount on their seven year run of winning football.

3

Third Round of the 2006 state playoffs. Rocky Mount finds themselves matched up with Western Alamance for the second year in a row. Another shootout in which Rocky Mount scores with just over a minute to play. WA scores with six seconds to play to pull out the 41-37 victory and make the Gryphon ride home home about as miserable as it can get.

2

SouthWest Edgecombe and Rocky Mount square off in Rocky Mount during the 2007 regular season. Rocky Mount leads 15-12 late in the game. Less than a minute to play and Southwest gets a pass receiver open and is running to victory until Brian Goodwin runs him down at the five yard line and punches the ball free for a teammate to fall on it. Victory is saved.



There is one other game that we need to talk about. It will go down as the one to forget this decade. Rocky Mount leads Philip Rivers' dad Wakefield team 27-0 in the second quarter. A complete collapse by the Gryphons and they lose the playoff game 41-33. Easily the most disappointing game this decade.

Ahhh so many memories but here is the best one of all.

1

2004 conference championship game at New Bern. The up and coming Gryphons are undefeated and lead just about the entire second half. New Bern comes back and ties late in the game at 28-28. The first over time neither side scores but there is a delay over a fumblerooskie play that New Bern tried but failed to execute. New Bern scores first in the second over time and takes a 35-28 lead. Rocky Mount comes right back to make it 35-34. Everyone in the stadium is readying themselves for a third over time. B W Holt says this game is going to be decided right now. He puts the decision squarely on his shoulders to take the blame if we fail and lose. Terrell Hudgins rolls right, is hit at the one yard line but he falls across the goal line and the Gryphons pull off the upset of the decade and for the first time Gryphon fans realize they have a Hall of Fame coach in B W Holt.

I know I left off a few really good games. You have to remember this is only ten games out of 129 played this decade.

I hope you enjoyed the memories. Sunday's blog will name the top fifteen players of the decade.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.