Run Of Greatness

 Rocky Mount High's Alexander Knight lost in the state championship match at 145 pounds 4-2 in overtime to finish second today in the NCHSAA State Wrestling Championships.  It was only Knight's second lost all season

I use to have this argument with the late Charles Alston all the time.  Charles loved the fact that Rocky Mount High was a 4-A school.  He loved all those State Championship banners had 4-A Champs on them.  I told him that the only important words on any banner was State Champs and it would not matter if it said 1-A.

Rocky Mount High will be making their 4th consecutive trip to the 3-A Eastern Regional next Friday and I don't hear anyone complaining.  Mike Gainey has built this basketball program into almost Rock Star status. Just Wednesday night after winning game two Gainey loaded up his Gryphons for the trip to Northern Nash to root on the girls against the Lady Knights.  Once the Gryphon fans saw the team down at the stage end a roar erupted of excitement that the Gryphons were in the house.  Not one Northern fan booed them whether out of respect for the defending State Champs or the shock that Elvis was in the house. That Saturday night every year when the brackets come out everyone looks to see whether they are lined up in Rocky Mount's bracket.

During this four year run  to this point Rocky Mount has played 12 sectional games.  How important is winning the conference title and a really good over all record?  Rocky Mount has played 11 of those games in their own gym. The average margin of victory has been 24 points.  The very first game of this four year run against Jacksonville in 2010 was the closes 64-54.  The lone road game was in 2011 in the second game had to travel to Southern Wayne and come home with a 77-73 win.  It helps playing at home in the playoffs.

The Gryphons are 4-1 in the Regional winning both games in 2010 by a total of four points.  65-62 over Northern Guilford and 83-82 over NE Guilford in overtime.  2012 two victories by 20 and 15.  Their two State Titles 84-79 and 68-54.

After last night Rocky Mount as far as polls are concern is the top team left as the #1 team Concord fell.  Next week in Fayetteville Rocky Mount will play West Craven a team that has fallen to the Gryphons all three years heading up to next Friday.  2010 in the second round at RM the Gryphons won 94-66.  2011 in RM the sectional final 101-85 and in the Regional Semi last year 73-53.  You know the coaching staff at WC will not have any problem at all getting the Eagles focused for next Friday.  They have got to be tired of Rocky Mount and will do everything to finally beat the Gryphons.

Their lone loss in this run was in the 2011 semi's at Fayetteville to South Central 70-67.Since 2010 Rocky Mount is 18- 1 in the playoffs.  This has been a great run Mike Gainey has put together and we all hope the run continues but there is one thing about playoffs.  It can end so quickly.

Next week's games in Fayetteville will have Webb High featuring a UNC recruit playing Eastern Alamance.  Rocky Mount and West Craven.  Out west Hunter Huss of Gastonia will meet up with another Gastonia school in Ashbrook.  Statesville will play Harding University.

The Gryphons are no lock to make it to Raleigh.  They will have to be ready.  Rocky Mount now has the target on their back that Coach K at Duke and Roy at UNC always talk about.  They get the supreme effort from everyone that beats them.  The only way to counter another teams supreme effort is to play your very best.  If the Gryphons do that we all should be happy win or lose