Heartbreaker Ends Athletics On Campus

There are times when the weather plays factors in sports and today the wind blew about 15 to 20 miles per hour out of the west so the team shooting at the east goal should have the advantage.  Defending the east goal in the first half Rocky Mount held White Oak scoreless and White Oak returned the favor by shutting out the Lady Gryphons for the first half.

A defensive lapse only five minutes into the second half gave White Oak the lead as  the White Oak shooter found herself one on one with Ty Hardy the Lady Gryphon goalie and chipped a shot over her head into the net.  The Lady Gryphons tied the game eleven minutes later when three times during the second half the White Oak goalie punted the ball outside of the 18 yard line.  After the second she received a warning from the side referee and when she did it the third time the Gryphons got a free kick from the 18 yard line and Syndey Browder faked a run at a shot and Casey Cooke slammed a shot into the net to tie the score at one all.

The next five minutes the Gryphons pressured the White Oak defense but at about the fifteen minute mark to go in the game White Oak took ball control and only  once did Rocky Mount threaten the goal while White Oak was constantly attacking at the net.  Once the clock stopped at the two minute mark and the head referee took over the time White Oak attacked the Gryphon goal and a misplay on a header went straight to a White Oak open shooter to give them a 2-1 lead with about 1:40 to play in the game.  Rocky Mount never crossed midfield for the remainder of the game.

The first half saw White Oak control the ball about 60% of the time and up to the 15 minute mark the 60/40 rate stayed at about the same but the last 15 minutes belonged to White Oak and they advance to play in round three.

The Lady Gryphons never had the ball enough in the second half to get any help from the still blowing wind.  The Lady Gryphons lose for the third time this year and oddly enough all three were at home.   It also marks the last sporting event to be played at the old school campus with all of the sports games played next year being on the brand new  campus.

The only Rocky Mount High athletes still in action are the track and field members that made it to the Regional which will be held this weekend at Swansboro High School but the host school oddly enough  is White Oak.