Top Dogs Advance

Hunt the Number  one seed in Big East had to contend with county rival Fike in the semi finals of the Big East tournament and had to grind away to advance to the final beating Fike 77-59 while in the night cap host and number two seed Rocky Mount played the number three seed Southern Nash and both played about as sloppy of a first half as you can get tying 19-19.  The Gryphons came out and smoked Southern in the third period scoring 30 while holding Southern to 15 and that was enough to get Rocky Mount into Friday night's final winning 66-52.

Hunt had four scorers in double figures with Josh Willingham leading the way with 22, Justin Jefferson 16'Keenon Tabron 13 and Quan Kent 11.  Fike countered with two double figure scorers MyQuan Gooding 14 and Trevon Virgil 12.  Both teams collected 31 rebounds but Fike's  down fall was they committed 21 turn overs  while making Hunt miscue only 12 times.

Hunt jumped to a 20-6 first quarter lead and Fike never got any closer than seven at any time rest of the night.  Hunts wins their 19th with only three losses and Fike after starting 12-0 fall to 18-7 with all seven losses coming at the hands of Big East teams.

Rocky Mount had to rely on the rebounding advantage  getting 44 to only 20 by the Firebirds.  Emmanual King scored 19 points 13 rebounds.  Shooting guard Asaiah Alston   scored 19 and he almost got a double double getting 9 caroms.  Donte Battle rounded out the double double game getting 11 points and 13 boards.

Southern was lead by Bryan Vines  who had 15 points and Aaron Newkirk was the Firebirds rebound leader getting 6. Both teams on the night had 17 turnovers.

Fike and Southern Nash now must wait for the playoff seeding on Saturday to see where they go while Rocky Mount and Hunt have one more game Friday night in Big East finals at 7:30.  Rocky Mount and Northern Nash meet in the girls finals for the fifth year in a row.  I'll be working the girls game for TV while Wes Bradshaw will do the boys game.

After one round of the state 3-A wrestling championship  Rocky Mount who sent Six wrestler to Greensboro five are winners in their opening matches giving Rocky Mount  12 points which is good for fifth.  Southern Nash is 14th with six points.
Wilson Smith  RM 120 pounds wins by fall--- Rahshaun Elliot RM 145 wins 5-2---Joseph Cooper RM 145 wins 6-1---Keyaad Coley RM 195 wins 10-3---Jeffery Person RM 285 wins 3-2 OT.  The only Gryphon loser was Enciso Jorge who lost 3-2.

Dakota Medina SN 106 lost by fall---Jordan Decosse SN won 4-0---Clinton Whitaker SN 145  lost by fall---Ryan Ashley SN 220 won 2-0.

Steven Joyner NC 170 won by fall.  All other Nash County wrestlers lost their opening match and fall into the losers bracket where they will try to work their way back up to at least 3rd.  I can't tell you for sure but Rocky Mount is in position to finish as high ss they have ever finished in wrestling.