It's Football Time

Visited the New Rocky Mount High School today to watch the Volleyball team play their first home match and they were able to sweep Roanoke Rapids 25-19-25-20-25-10 to win their first match on the home floor.  Got my first look inside the school and it is very impressive.  The front Atrium is huge.  The gym is bigger than I thought it would be but did not count the seats to see how many can sit.  The girls Tennis team had a match going on as we drove into the campus with C B Aycock and football was practicing on the practice field.  Never seen that much sports going on at the same time on campus before.

Let's get down to business.  There is another new coach in the area this year and it is Keith Parisher at North Edgecombe.  The Warriors open the football season hosting South Creek and of course you say who in the world is South Creek.  That is of course the old Roanoke High in Robersonville.  I'll take South Creek in this one 26-13

Northern Nash at Beddingfield:  I think the Knight's will have enough defense to win this one.  Like yesterday it will be interesting to see how good Northern's offense is and whether they  can score.  If it is a 13-7 type score the good news will be Northern played well on defense and the bad news not very good on offense.  This game could go a long ways in telling us how good Northern could be.  I'll take the Knights 19-13.

One side of Edgecombe County there is a new coach just getting his head coaching career in gear while at the other end one beginning his last.  Raymond Cobb will introduce his final Cougar football team at SouthWest.  They will be hosting Southern Nash.  I believe last year was just one of those years when everything that could go bad did for SWE and if they stay healthy they will be the same old Cougars that SWE has been under Cobb.  I'll Take the Cougars 26-13.  Too much lost in the backfield for the Firebirds to be clicking this early.

New Stadium, new school and a new head coach.  Rocky Mount will put it all on display Friday night as there will be an open house where you can get a look inside from 5-7PM and then venture over to the football field.  Jason Battle's first team will host Bunn.  Bunn is getting a lot of attention from the Raleigh media.  If you remember last year the Gryphons were underdogs and whipped Bunn 30-0 in the pouring rain at Bunn.  This one is the hardest game to call of all of them in the area opening night.  I think the Gryphons eck this one out 21-20.

Now the game of the night.  Three time defending 2-A State Champs Tarboro host Nash Central.  If I were a betting man I believe I would put a lot of money on Tarboro not winning four in a row state championships.  Some where the streak has to end but that has nothing to do with this game.  I think up front is where the Bulldogs win this game.  Pound-Pound-Pound the smaller Vikings.  This is one of those games as long as it is close  it will be a good result for everyone regardless of who wins.  Bulldogs 35- Tarboro 21

Head Knocking Starts Friday

This Friday night opens the high school football season and it is time for the annual here is what I think rankings of the Big East football teams:  Most of the preseason poles have Hunt winning but after that  Nash Central and Fike I have seen picked second through fifth.  One says second the next says fifth.

1.  Hunt:  When you have been at one school as long as Randy Raper has been west of Wilson you know he has established the way he wants to do things.  I can assure you Raper has proven over the umpteen years he has been with the Warriors that he has figured out how this high school stuff works.  His average team will win eight games and if like last year he is above average he just might go undefeated until the East Final.  This year probably one of those eight win years which will probably be good enough to finish first in the Big East. Big East Record 5-0

2. Nash Central:  Gone is Jalen Hendricks and who do you put at quarterback to replace him ?  Just maybe the best athlete in the conference.  You have a running back at quarterback there is no doubt I would run the option.  Nash Central has the best defense in the league.  I suspect they will begrudge giving up points. It it weren't for clock mismanagement last year Nash Central could have played in the East Finals instead of Hunt.  Look for the Bulldogs to win seven or eight during regular season.  Big East record 4-1

3. Fike:  The end of last season the Golden Demons were coming on strong  and I suspect that will carry over this year.  That being said 2-3 in the conference in what is proving to be the toughest football league in  in the east will be about what I am looking at Fike.  Look for Fike to snare seven wins during the regular season.

4.  Northern Nash:  There is no doubt that four through six could change places very easily.  The Knights will have a solid defense  but their biggest question is  can they score enough points to win.  Last year they held Tarboro in check but couldn't score enough to win.  If they have that same problem this season they could fall below fourth.  Conference record  2-3

5.  Southern Nash:  I thought the Firebirds didn't get very far with the backfield they had last year  and the entire running brigade is gone due to graduation.  Rebuilding time in southern Nash County.  I see a total of four wins for the Firebirds including a 1-4 Big East Record.

6. Rocky Mount:  Jason Battle has his work cut out to bring life back to the best football program in the Twin Counties during the first decade of the 21st century.  Wins are not always the indicator whether the program is heading in the right direction.  This team needs to win early and stay healthy.  I can see four wins  and one of those this year will be a conference win.  1-4 in Big East.

We will get our first taste of what might come to pass as Friday night as almost everybody hits the playing field.  Rocky Mount's Tom Suiter will once again anchor the WRAL-TV's football Friday for the 32nd year.