Wednesday, January 1, 2014

2013 Year In Review

2013 started off when word was received that Tarboro's Kelvin Bryant has been elected to the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. The late 1970's Bryant lead the Vikings on the football field.  The early 80's he gave  many Tar Heel fans pleasure in Kenan and his greatest pro days were with the Redskins in Washington.  Still today an avid Viking supporter.

Late January brought news that Chuck Hinton  the former major leaguer died.  His playing days best were also in Washington for the Senators.

February saw the Northern Nash girls win 21 straight games to start the season and lost for the first time the last game of the regular season to Rocky Mount.  By the end of the playoffs Northern would meet twice more with Rocky Mount the last being in the sectional semi finals.

March brought Rocky Mount boys to the eastern finals in basketball where they had been three of last four years, lost to Webb 68-64.

Rocky Mount Prep having their greatest year  ever made it to the state finals in 1A in Historic Reynolds Coliseum where they will finish second losing 52-41.

J'Kyra Brown Rocky Mount's senior was named the North Carolina High School 3-A basketball player of the year.

Louisville won the NCAA National Championship in college basketball and one of their top reserves was Montrezl Harrell from North Edgecombe.

May saw Rocky Mount junior Jaquell Bryant become state champion in track and Field as he won the state high jump championship.

Rocky Mount Academy made it all the way to the state 2-A Independant baseball finals losing 2 games to none.

June saw North Carolina and NC State make it to the College World Series with two Rocky Mount Gryphons players playing giant roles in getting North Carolina there Benton Moss and Hobbs Johnson. NC State is coached by former Northern Nash player Elliot Avent and Carolina lead by Mike Fox who coached many years by NC Wesleyan.

Mid week of the college World Series saw Hobbs Johnson pitch the game of his life going eight and one third innings of shutout ball to knock out NC State from the World Series.  Within two weeks signs a pro contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The city of Rocky Mount Parks and Recreation won another Tar Heel Little League baseball state title when the National league   11/12 year olds won the title in Williamston.

The Nash County Babe Ruth 13U team won the Eastern State title and lost only one game the entire playoff run which was a semi final lost in the Southeastern Regional.

Rocky Mount and Benvenue Country Club hosted the most important golf tournament since the ACC championship use to be played in Rocky Mount when they hosted sectional qualifying tournament for the U S Amateur Championship in late July.

They missed out in baseball but Rocky Mount Academy won the state title in eight man football in November.  The first state title for RMA in any sport.

Rocky Mount High's Michael Gainey won the NCAE male coach of the year.

What a year was 2013.  Can't wait to see what happens this year.