Schedule Changed For Labor Day Weekend

I found out last night at the football scrimmage that the football game at home against Northampton- East scheduled for Friday, Sept. 4 has been moved to Thursday night, the 3rd instead.

Here is where things get complicated.

The JV game will now be played also on Thursday here in Rocky Mount. In essence, a double header that day. For anyone who says that's great, and that it gives me a full three-night holiday weekend is correct. However, yours truly will have a busy night doing PA for the JVs and then spitting out the Gryphon facts with Wes Bradshaw on 1390 AM.

The JVs will play at 4 p.m. and varsity will begin at 7.

Tonight starts the 2009 high school football season as every team as it stands right now thinks they can win the state championship. After tonight, half the teams will start to rethink what went wrong while the other half will at least go one more week undefeated.

Here is my look at what I see as the new Big East 3-A begins play tonight except for Rocky Mount.

Rocky Mount : 8-2 overall 5-0 in Big East. This team is still very good, maybe this year they will only last to second or third round in playoffs which any other team in the league would take. Playing in the Eastern finals two of past three years and 71 wins over the last six years have spoiled the Gryphon Nation. You can’t be great every year.

Hunt: 9-2 overall 4-1 in Big East. Since Randy Raper has been the coach at Hunt, you can count on one thing - they will run the ball. During this six -year run where Rocky Mount has handled them rather easily, it has come because Hunt did not during that period have a passer who could complete passes. If they can find a quarterback who can pass when they need to, it takes the pressure off the running game. In every season there is a point where someone will stop what you do best, in Hunt's case, that is the run. If they can pass any at all, they could go deep in the playoffs.

Southern Nash: 5-6 overall 2-3 in Big East. The coaches picked the Firebirds to finish second. They have a strong line returning and a capable stable of running backs. Including Rocky Mount and Hunt, all the teams in this league will be very close together. When you are equal someone has to step forward. I think Southern will be in the middle never quite stepping forward.

Northern Nash: 5-6 overall 2-3 in Big East. If there is a team that takes a major step forward this year it will be Northern Nash. They were in just about every game for awhile last year. They are improved, but when you have won only one game on the field in the last two seasons, any win is an improvement. I expect Northern to take a giant step.

Fike: 6-5 overall 1-4 in Big East. This to me is the mystery team of the league. They could finish second or last. Fike is a fumble recovery from being good or and interception away from being bad.

Nash Central 4-7 overall 1-4 in Big East. Once again a goal line stand and the Bulldogs could be as good as any team. Southern Nash, Fike and Northern Nash could all flip-flop. Anywhere from 3-2 to 0-5.

If these numbers would hold up all six teams could make playoffs. I predict at least a .500 record for all in non-conference play. The non-conference wins help each ones playoff picture.

I don't think this league overall is as strong as any of the four years they had in the NEW 6. This year could be a year where 3-2 ties for first much like one of the ACC football divisional races did last year.