The Old Barn Went Out In Style

It has been the home for Rocky Mount High School basketball for nearly 12 lustrums.  John Wayne asked Judge Parker in the movie Rooster Cogburn how long was a Lustrum?  The answer five years.  During that time the old lady called the Gryphon Gym has seen four boys teams bring home banners that proudly hang on her walls.  Her walls are decorated with individual State Champions throughout the schools sports history.  Conference championship banners, banners honoring legends who went on to greater basketball as high as the pros.  There is even one of the best athlete in North Carolina in 2005.  Her walls are full.  If more banners are to be hung, there needs to be a bigger wall.

Friday night was suppose to be the last games but Mother Nature decided that the old barn needed to have one more so Hertford County closed school early Friday due to possible tornado's just so the Rocky Mount High School gym could have two days of glory instead of that Final Friday night.

So neighbors from all across Rocky Mount jammed into the old barn Friday night to witness Northern Nash and Rocky Mount play for the fifth time in a season.  This night there had never been a more important game in the history of Northern  Nash -Rocky Mount girls sports.  A trip to Fayetteville and the 3-A girls Regional hung in the balance.

Basking in victory after a solid win over their most bitter rival people stay on the floor more than an hour to celebrate and just stand on the floor.

Saturday a not so bitter rival Hertford County came to play a game which meant as much to them as a victory for us could possible be.  Since Rocky Mount has been at the 3-A level Hertford County has been a consistent foe in just about every sport and for the most part the Gryphons have held the upper hand.  Like the Northern Nash girls were thinking  on Friday  The Bears knowing what victory could provide wanted badly to win the last game ever at the old Rocky Mount gym.

The Gryphons boys did what they were suppose to do and took care of business  as they posted a 14 point victory and they too will join the Ladies in Fayetteville but on Wednesday instead of Tuesday. Game times are now set.  The girls are in action on Tuesday night at 7.00pm against undefeated West Craven in the Crown Coliseum.  Wednesday the boys will play at 7pm in the Coliseum and once again against West Craven.  Note yesterday I reported the girls were playing in the Arena, not so as they too will play in the big house

The Gryphon Gym did all it could  the last weekend of it's Gryphon life.  Made sure the girls beat hated Northern Nash with every seat taken.  Then the game on Saturday  the game that wasn't suppose to be,  nearly played to a packed house.  The old Lady was good to the Gryphons one more time and ushered the two Gryphon teams  to another level of competition.  There is nothing more that we could ask of her except host a State Championship celebration in 13 days like we did in 2010.  It would be nice to celebrate one more time.