Gryphons Bring Thunder

There was an uneasiness in the gym at Rocky Mount with four minutes to play in the half.  Hunt was making crisp passes, their shots were tickling the twine and their defense was forcing Rocky Mount into several turnovers..  Even though they trailed by 14 the Gryphon  defense had kept them in the game to this point or the score could have been worse.

Then it happened.  All of a sudden Rocky Mount's pressure defense started tipping those passes to other Gryphons and Rocky Mount finished the second quarter on an 18-0 run to lead at the half 32-28.  During the second half they extended the run all the way to 79-47 before the end of the bench played the final three minutes.  Rocky Mount remains unbeaten in conference play and 17-3 overall as they rain all over Hunt 85-58.

Levon Brutus score 15 of the Gryphons first 21 points and after that had all the help needed to secure the win.  Brutus finished with 19.  Terrill Hilliard finished with 22 points 19 in the second half.  K J Peoples solid 13 point performance.  The real Gryphon winners tonight were the guards off the bench who continue to apply pressure to Hunt maybe even better defense than the starters.  The Hines brothers Mason and Michael hardly ever allowed Hunt to cross mid court with the ball. Hunt finished the night with 30 turnovers to only 17 for RM.  The Gryphons won the rebounding battle 32-29. One more Gryphon win or one more loss by Nash Central will clinch first and the #1 seed in sectional play for the Gryphons.  Daniel Westbrook lead Hunt scoring 19 but he was the only double digit scorer.

The girls game was all Rocky Mount as the big Two J'Kyra Brown and Tia Hudgins scored 20 and 18 to lead the way.  This team faced a box and one defense with man to man on  J  and a zone on the other four and at other times a triangle and 2 with Brown and Alexus Cooper getting the man to man coverage.  Cooper scored but six points but tonight Sophomore Carmen Richardson just may have had her best varsity game scoring 12 points.  If this team is to advance deep into the playoffs they must have more than Brown and Hudgins to depend on the scoring and tonight that dependable person was Richardson.

The Lady Gryphons forced 33 turnovers while having 19 themselves but they also win the rebounds 35 to 28.  Danisha White scored ten to lead Hunt.

Rocky Mount remains unbeaten in conference play and 18-2 overall  but in conference they must keep winning to stay a step ahead of Northern Nash.  There is three games left in the regular season and it seems we are heading for a head on collision with Northern the final regular game of the season.  Lady Gryphons pulverize Hunt 75-28

Wrestling Champs

The Rocky Mount Gryphon Wrestling Team won the team title in Big East Wrestling Saturday on their home floor.  Wrestling is like Tennis and there is a team portion and individual.  Saturday's conference championship is the team title.  They wrestled five matches and won five times beating Northern Nash in the final match to win the title.

Thursday night at Chic-Fil-A at Cobbs Corner the Gryphon Baseball team will have a fund raiser.  You need to get a coupon from any Gryphon coach or baseball players in order for the proceeds of your purchase  to come the the baseball team.  The time is from 5-8pm.  This season the Gryphons will be extremely young but surprisingly pitching depth will be much better than last year when it was Moss and Johnson and pray for rain.  No, they don't have any one to replace Benton Moss but the #4 and 5 pitchers will be much better than last season.  The question on offense is who will replace the Berry Twins hits in the lineup.

Tonight Hunt come to Rocky Mount for conference basketball.  Hunt boys needs a win to keep their hopes a live of finishing second and getting a home game in the opening round of the sectionals in the boys game.  They are tied with Nash Central at 4-2 in the conference but they still have RM Tonight and Nash Central to play.  Rocky Mount won by four points at Hunt so this will be a game that the Gryphons will have to play well to win.  Should they do so they have three games left an and they would be against the #4-5-6 teams in the conference race.

The girls must keep winning in order to stay a shoulder  length in front of Northern Nash.  Regardless of even if they are 9-0 heading into the last game with Northern if the Lady Knights keep winning the last game of the season at Northern would determine the #1 seed.  Everyone else in conference is beating up themselves.  Hunt, Southern Nash  and Fike are all 2-4 and Nash Central 1-5 in conference play so it's down to a two horse race with four games to go.

This years Conference tournament is at Northern Nash and that will be in progress in two weeks.  The Lady Gryphons to win the title and Tournament would have to beat Northern twice in seven days at Northern to win the regular season and tournament title.