First Impressions

School is past the Labor day Holiday so students are now in the routine of life the way it will be until second semester. This week Volley Ball, Tennis and cross country have started conference play while football has a couple more weeks to improve. Soccer begins conference next week.

Soccer seems to be the best team of the fall campaign at Rocky Mount. This team can score having produce 35 goals in eight games while allowing 15. They stand at 6-1-1 on the season after beating Knightdale Tueday 5-1. It will be interesting to see if this team can advance past last years third round.

Volley ball. The Lady Gryphons are quick. They stand at 7-2 heading into the showdown Thursday with Hunt at Rocky Mount. I wish a couple of our five feet nine inch players were closer to six feet and this team could go far. I do think this team can get past the second round syndrome when they always face taller and just as quick teams.

Tennis took it on the chin from Nash Central this week. They call it growing pain. I doubt whether they can repeat as conference champs and may give that back to Fike who thinks we stole it from last year any way. Once the season takes shape they have an opportunity to get better as the season progresses.

Cross country is one of those sports where you have to love it to get better. I have a hard time walking 3.1 miles much less trying to running that far. This team may be much better than anticipated. Cross country is a sport where if you get one second better today than yesterday you have made strides. can't wait to see how the first conference meet went today.

There is an old saying that you are never as good as you think and never as bad as you look. Football has a combination of a tough schedule and inexperience. A small line and not as fast as in the past backs. I would like to see a more straight ahead offense. Quick openers where the line just has to shield block not sustain blocks for three or four seconds. Shotgun on passing downs could help. If the Gryphons pull an upset in the next three games it will be Friday night. They need a big crowd to support them.