Trojans End Gryphon Season

The opening drive of the game gave the Gryphons a clue that they had a chance to move the football on South Johnston until the Gryphons ran out of downs near the twenty five. The Trojans first drive also showed Rocky Mount that it was going to be a hard night to stop the short pass attack of South Johnston as South Johnston went down the field three straight times in the first half.

The good news for the Gryphons was that Rocky Mount kept the ball away from the Trojans so they could only score three out of three times to lead 21-6 at the half. Rocky Mount scored on their third drive deep into Trojans territory on a Marquavis Alston run to cut the lead to 14-6 with less than three minutes in the half,but South Johnson only needed five plays to go 65 yards for the 21-6 at the half.

It didn't look as if things were going to be much better in the second half as the Trojans took the second half kickoff and wasted little time in making it 28-6 early in the third quarter. Then it seemed that the Trojans tried for the knockout punch and tried a couple of deep passes in which the Trojans misfired and after holding the Trojans the Gryphons streaked down the field to cut the lead to 28-12 on a Jordan Ford Run.

The Gryphons tried an onside kick but it was ruled the Gryphons touched the ball before it went ten yards and yet the Gryphons got the ball back holding South Johnston for the second straight time.

The fourth quarter saw the Gryphons faced with a fourth and fifteen at their own thirteen yard line. Collins Cuthrell acted as if he was going to rugby kick the ball which has become the fade in college football but instead stopped turned and threw to a waiting Jordan Ford on a screen pass and Jordan went sixty five yards before the Trojans tackled him at their twenty two yard line. The Gryphons punched it in and for a moment the South Johnson fans sat dazed at Rocky Mount went for two to cut it to a one touch down game and failed and that left the score at 28-18.

The killer play of the night was the return on the Squibb kick which was fielded near the thirty two yard yard and before the runner was down they were inside our twenty five yard line. It was easy pickings from there and South Johnston lead 35-18 and the Gryphons never scored again.

The Gryphons finish the season 7-5 and three of their losses came at Hertford who beat and old Nemesis of both us 54-10 in Western Alamance. Hertford County is 13-0 on the season. Southwest Edgecombe who was muddied out tonight stands at 11-0 and tonights loss to South Johnston is 12-1. That's a combine 36- 1 record in three of our five losses are to very good teams.

Southern Nash Spotted Hunt a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and preceded to beat Hunt 20-10. Good going Firebirds.

Tarboro Took care of business beating Roanoke Rapids 45-7 to advance to round three. North Edgecombe cracked unbeaten Crestwell 40- 6.

All three Edgecombe County schools are still playing and Southern Nash now carries the banner for Nash County.

Here is a heads up on my Sunday blog we will feature the fifteen greatest plays of the 21st century for Gryphon football who went during the first decade of this century 93-36. That occurred even after the 2000 team went 3-8 and 2001 5-6.