Gryphon Duo Regional Winners

If your last name is Brice then there is a good chance you know a little something about tennis.  Chandler Brice along with her older sister made it to the state doubles in 2013.  Both are the daughters of Albe and April Brice.  Many years Albe was the head tennis pro at Belmont tennis facility.  This year without big sister Chandler will be returning to the state doubles tournament in Burlington on Friday with new teammate Eliza Fike.  This past weekend the Gryphon duo won the 3-A regional doubles championship in Wilson at Barton College.

We have discussed this in the past about how certain areas do good in certain sports.  The Big East just doesn't grow tall girls in this area which  can lead to bad situations in basketball and surely volleyball. Normally to be good in basketball there has to be an outstanding player on one of our teams. This past weekend the three members of the Big East began play in the state 3-A volleyball tournament.

When compared to other top notch volleyball schools height is the great divider.  Simply speaking none of the Big East schools have height.  Those that do most of the time the taller girl is not athletic enough blocking the other teams shots or offensive minded enough for the other team to fear being killed by a slam over the net.  A tall player having a free shot at the net is one of those situations the girl on the receiving end dreads.  The Big East simply doesn't have and has really never had a player or group of players who could dominant the net that is needed in volleyball.

Fike the top seed hosted Eden Morehead who was not the top team in their own league.  If they played in the Big East they would be as Morehead beat Fike 3-0 to advance.  Hunt the Big East #2 also hosted Saturday and like their cross town rivals fell to a lower seeded team but they did win a game losing to Cleveland 3-1.  Northern Nash the lone team that had to hit the road had a long ride back from Cedar Ridge as they fell 3-0.  The three teams representing the Big East lost by a combined 9-1.  It seems this is just the way it is when Big East plays in the volleyball playoffs.  This is not the first time this has happened. 

It kind of sounds like the Nash County soccer tournament.  Tonight starts the Big East boys soccer tournament as the 3/6 4/5 matches will be played today.  Northern Nash the 3 seed host the Number six seed Nash Central.  The winner of this game gets the #2 seed Fike Golden Demons at Fike on Tuesday.  The 4th seed Rocky Mount will host Southern Nash this afternoon and the winner draws Hunt Tuesday night at Hunt.  The championship game will be played at top seed still  playing.