Mabry Named "Telegram" Play of Year

The sports staff of the Rocky Mount Telegram released their all area team Sunday and Rocky Mount took the top two awards as Tashawn Mabry was named player of the year and Mike Gainey the area coach of the year.

Joining Mabry on the first team were team mates Detrail Jenkins and Billy Young. Nash Central's Dominque Holloway and North Edgecombe's Montrezl Harrell are also on the first team. Harrell is destined to be the next big basketball recruit from this area as he makes the team as a sophomore.

Darius McKnight of the Gryphons made the second team.

Baseball continues the Easter Tournament in Four Oaks as they play in the semi finals at 4.30 Monday afternoon. Coach Kent Cox by virtue of pitching his #3 starter Saturday can use either Benton Moss or Hobbs Johnson in Monday's game and both if necessary to try to get to Tuesday finals.

Sandra Bullock has been the headlines for the past couple of weeks due to her separation from hubby Jesse James. You can forget hearing about Bullock for the next week for sure as Tiger Woods comes out of hiding to play golf this week at the Masters. He has a new conference at 2.00pm Monday and then he tries to win the Master later in the week.

College baseball this past weekend N C State beat Virginia the #1 team in the country two out of three. Yes, Virginia #1 in the nation and fourth in the ACC. Go figure.... This upcoming weekend State and Carolina play in Chapel Hill. If the ACC tournament stated today State would be in and Carolina would not make it. Who ever would have figured the best team in Chapel Hill was the football team.

Duke goes after the National championship in basketball Monday night against Butler. Yes Butler the school that Hickory high in the movie Hoosiers won the title. Now Butler goes six miles up the road to play for the national title in a football dome. Yes, the goal is the same height in the dome as it is in Butler's arena.

Monday night is the seventy first national championship game in NCAA history. This will mark the twenty first time a team from the Triangle has played in the championship game. Extended it out even further thirty four times a team from North Carolina has been in the final four. Twice we sent two teams in one year. 1977 when UNC Charlotte was robbed by and lost to in the Semi

to Marquette. Then Carolina lost in the finals. The second time was 1991 when Carolina and Duke both made it to the final four. Carolina lost in the semi's and Duke beat Nevada Las Vegas for the title. Monday night's Duke victory will be the 11th title for Tobacco road.

Duke 68 Butler 56