Hines And Defense Shine

The third year of the Dickie Schock era at Rocky Mount  begins and for the third straight year  the Gryphons start on the road and around 6.30 looked as if the Gryphons had made a trip for nothing like Schock's first game at Northern Durham in 2009.

Friday night lightening chase the Gryphons off the field during warm ups but the storm past in time for the game to kickoff at eight instead of 7.30.  If you recall the Gryphons made the trip to Northern Durham in 09 only to watch a flood fall just 15 minutes before kickoff and they had to return on Saturday to play the first game with Schock as coach.

Couple of items of business.  I am not sure that anyone at Bunn has looked at the visitors bleachers at all this summer.  One of them had weeds that had grown through seats and was at least two foot taller than the seats.  I have not seen a mosquito all summer and I found out tonight why.  They have all moved to Bunn.

Just about ten minutes before the kickoff a down pour started and the opening the the 2011 Gryphon season was underway, the Gryphons took the opening drive of the game and smartly drove 80 yards  in the down pour as Mason Hines gobbled up 70 of the 85 yards the Gryphons collected on the drive and finished the drive off with a 12 yard Touchdown.

Darren Lewis kicking off this season for the Gryphons  squibbed all of them and on this wet night his first kickoff pinned the Bunn Widcats on their 11 yard line.  The Gryphon defense held them inside the ten and the snap on the punt sailed through the enzone and the Gryphons lead 8-0. The ensuing kickoff Mason Hines  scooped up a really good kickoff that had been kicked from the 20 at the 15 yard line and preceded to run straight up the middle and 85 yards later the Gryphons lead 16-0 after Michael Hines added the two point conversion.  All of this took a total of just six minutes and one seconds in the pouring rain and the Gryphons looked like world beaters and then the rained stopped  and so did both offenses.

Up until the last play of the third quarter Rocky Mount would only add thirty yards of offense . While the offense stumbled the defense  would hold Bunn to about 100 yard rushing and passing on the night and the Gryphons would get two ints and Darrin Lewis  a big lineman grabs one as the Gryphons are about to sack Montrell Cook the Bunn  quarter back for a safety but he throws the ball in desperation and it goes straight up in the air and lands in Lewis's hands who is standing on the goal line for a touchdown. Then on the final play of the third quarter Mason Hines gallops 73 yards for his third touchdown of the night and  the Gryphons pitch a shutout 30-0 over Bunn.

Hines has 17 carries for 170 yards to lead the way.  Rocky Mount for the third year in a row under Dickie Schock wins their opener and head to Bertie next week who beat Gates County 26-24.

Both Nash Central and Northern were rained out with Tarboro and Beddingfield and will play Monday night.  If there was one score to make you think what's going on.  Southern Nash Shuts out SouthWest Edgecombe 43-0.  WOW.

Hunt beat Eastern Wayne 48-6, D H Conley routs Fike 48-14, North Edgecombe tramples South Creek 56-6.

High School football is off and running.  Glad to see that Football Friday's opening they still have Bernie Capps saying "It's Football Friday".  There is no telling the last time Rocky Mount played a football game when Bernie was not there. Doug Pickette patrolled the sidelines as the Gryphon trainer.