Beddingfield topples Gryphons

The Bruins of Beddingfield made shots early and never slacked up as they out gun the Gryphons at Rocky Mount 91-79. The Bruins nailed three point shots and the end of the first quarter , again at the half and rattled a mid court three pointer at the end of the third which just rimmed out.

Rocky Mount never lead after the first quarter which they trailed 24-18. The half time score was 45-36 but the Gryphons had trimmed the lead to 67-64 after three but could not keep up in the fourth. The Bruins drove to the basket often and when the Gryphons stopped the penetration they kicked out for a three.

Exzavier Cooper lead the Gryphons with 23. Dante Battle followed with 16. Kenyatta Bullock had 12 for the game. Levon Brutus lead the Gryphon rebounders with eight. Rocky Mount won the battle on the boards 40-35 but had more turnovers 13-8.

Pam Gainey started on her second set of three hundred wins as the Lady Gryphons smashed beddingfield in the second half winning 61-37 after having to have a Tia Hudgins shot at the buzzer in order to beat Beddingfield at their place.

The score was just 22-17 Gryphons at the half but the Gryphons outscored the Lady Bruins 39-20 in the second half. Rocky Mount out rebounded Beddingfield 45-22 and also had more turnovers 25-22. The turnover area is one place the Lady Gryphons have to improve.

J'Kyra Brown lead the ladies with sixteen points and she also pulled down nine rebounds. Tia Hudgins was the only double digit scorer for Rocky Mount with 11. Kushunn Seabreeze lead the rebounding pulling down 11.

No time to rest as Rocky Mount is home Wednesday night hosting SouthWest Edgecombe a team which they just played last Friday night.

I was able to confirm with coach Jeff Craddock of Tarboro that he and his coaches and some of his players will appear with me Sunday night on the Stretchlon Sports Show. This will be their third straight year to come on the SSS that Sunday night after the State Championship game. It has become a very good habit.

Tarboro Will Have Their hands Full With Carver

Saturday afternoon at 3.00pm the Vikings of Tarboro High School will go for their second straight championship in 2-A football. I think if they had their choice they would like to return to chapel Hill. Not only is it a shorter trip than Winston Salem but if it were in Chapel Hill they would not be facing Carver in their own back yard.

Winston Salem Carver Yellow Jackets are 13-2 but both of their losses occurred during their non-conference games. Tarboro is undefeated and in order for Carver to make it to Saturday's game they had to knock off undefeated Lincolnton.

Carver averages thirty six points a game, Tarboro thirty seven. The defenses - Carver gives up Sixteen which the Vikes give up thirteen. This seems to be a dead even match up.

Stability is a great thing. The sporting world is being able to keep players. High school sports you are unable to keep same players year after year but you need to work with the next age group coming on board. The stability is the coaching. Coleman Pitt Post 58 has had instability in the coaching area for several years now. They have a new coach just about every year.

Already as winter still is not yet upon us, Post 58 is is gearing up for the summer baseball season. This year they already know that Hank Jones will return next summer and try to carry Nash County back to the State Tournament for the third year in a row. Jones will be back as head coach for the second season.

Jones' life outside of the base field affords him the luxury to spend endless hours helping our youth become better baseball players. Part of that stability thing Jones will lead a baseball camp to be held at Nash Central High school on December 28-29th. It is open to any player in grades 6-12.

Hank Jones has lined up Billy Godwin of ECU, Pat Smith will get off the golf course long enough to teach pitching. Tony Guzzo, Neil Avent, and Billy Best will all teach interested parties interested in becoming better baseball players.

The cost of the camp is $75 if signed up by December 20th. All proceeds from this camp will help keep Legion baseball alive in Rocky Mount.

Getting back to that stability thing Joe Bell took over as the Athletic Director for the legion two years ago. Now that Hank is coming back for his second year as coach Legion, baseball has a foundation from two people who have taken money out of their own pockets as well as their time to see Legion baseball continue. American Legion Baseball is alive and well in Rocky Mount with both of them carrying the banner.