You know when ever your star player almost outscores the other teams total you know a stomping is on the way and the undefeated girls of Northern Nash remain so after they open the 3-A playoffs with a 60-31 victory over Morehead. Kiana Thomas scored 27 for Northern as they advance to round two Monday night at home when they will take on Walter Williams from Burlington.
Northern Nash boys were the only Big East team playing in the first round with a losing record and Adam Renner's shot at the buzzer missed and Northern's basketball season is over as they lose 49-48 to Southern Lee.
If there was any question about whether the Big East having all the teams jammed together would pay off in the playoffs it hasn't. Being so even almost every boys team was on the road and they all lost.
Rocky Mount made a good account for themselves but both the boys and girls season has ended on this the first day of the playoffs. Rocky Mount boys trip to Gibsonville to play Eastern Guilford was close but no cigar as the Gryphons lose 78-74. The girls played a higher seed in Corinth Holders and the Lady Gryphons came close but lose 46-43. The boys finish 12-8 and the girls are even at 10-10. I think considering the first day of practice for the Lady Gryphons was the day after senior forward Tiara Hinton was killed in an auto accident this team has a heavy heart all year.
Hunt boys the conference champion and Hunt girls who are rather good except they are in the same conference with Northern Nash's girls both win impressively against conference foes Hunt girls beat Fike 61-46 and they travel to Chapel Hill Monday while Hunt boys beat Nash Central 63-45. The Bulldogs could not get a rebound.
Southern Nash big moment this season was beating Rocky Mount in Rocky Mount and it was uphill rest of the way. A trip to Cardinal Gibbons ends the FireBirds season 78-52.
Fike gave a good account for themselves but in the end another Big East team loses 76-68 at Northern Guilford.
Nash Central girls traveled to Havelock and once again the Big East comes up on the losing end 58-45.
We worried all year about all the teams having no height and every one of the so call just alike teams fall in the opening round. Hunt the top boys team looks to host Northern Guilford Monday while the two tallest teams in Big East girls Northern Nash and Hunt move on to Monday playoff basketball.
Hunt boys and girls each played a Big East team. The other boys teams were 0-4 and the girls were 1-2 against other conference competition.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Friday, February 27, 2015
Basketball Saturday
Yes, there will be basketball on Saturday for every team in our area that qualified for the playoffs. The NCHSAA had to make an executive ruling that was not what the schedule called for and here is what they have decided.
There will be basketball on Saturday for all the teams that did not go to school on Friday. About 10% of teams have gotten their first round in and that leaves everybody else to play Saturday. If the weather is too bad in your area then Sunday can be a first round playoff game only. All first round games have to be finished by end of Sunday and only first round games.
Monday will be the second round and the third round or sectional finals will be Tuesday night. Wednesday will be news conference day in Fayetteville for the teams winning three games. Starting Thursday four games will be held per night in both the Crown Coliseum and Crown Arena. The times and scheduling has not been posted for how early or how late the games will go starting Thursday.
Back to the Saturday action since most everyone has forgotten who they are playing and here is the time as we know it right now.
Rocky Mount boys seeded 18 travel to Eastern Guilford seeded 15th and the game will be played at 5pm
Rocky Mount girls seeded 28th travel to 5th seeded Corinith Holders game time is 5pm
Southern Nash Boys seeded 28th travel to Cardinal Gibbons 5th seed game time 4:30
Nash Central seeded 27th boys travel to Big East champions Hunt 6th game time 5:30
Nash Central girls travel to Havelock time unknown
Fike girls at Hunt 4pm
Fike Boys at Northern Guilford 5:30PM
Northern Nash Girls host Morehead at 4pm and Northern Boys host Southern Lee at 6:pm..
The state did allow any team not in school today to hold a practice considering for some that they have not held a practice or been together as a team since the last night of the regular season which was two weeks ago tonight.
There will be basketball on Saturday for all the teams that did not go to school on Friday. About 10% of teams have gotten their first round in and that leaves everybody else to play Saturday. If the weather is too bad in your area then Sunday can be a first round playoff game only. All first round games have to be finished by end of Sunday and only first round games.
Monday will be the second round and the third round or sectional finals will be Tuesday night. Wednesday will be news conference day in Fayetteville for the teams winning three games. Starting Thursday four games will be held per night in both the Crown Coliseum and Crown Arena. The times and scheduling has not been posted for how early or how late the games will go starting Thursday.
Back to the Saturday action since most everyone has forgotten who they are playing and here is the time as we know it right now.
Rocky Mount boys seeded 18 travel to Eastern Guilford seeded 15th and the game will be played at 5pm
Rocky Mount girls seeded 28th travel to 5th seeded Corinith Holders game time is 5pm
Southern Nash Boys seeded 28th travel to Cardinal Gibbons 5th seed game time 4:30
Nash Central seeded 27th boys travel to Big East champions Hunt 6th game time 5:30
Nash Central girls travel to Havelock time unknown
Fike girls at Hunt 4pm
Fike Boys at Northern Guilford 5:30PM
Northern Nash Girls host Morehead at 4pm and Northern Boys host Southern Lee at 6:pm..
The state did allow any team not in school today to hold a practice considering for some that they have not held a practice or been together as a team since the last night of the regular season which was two weeks ago tonight.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Weather Hits Everybody
The high school basketball playoffs are on the verge of having sometype of drastic measures taken in order to get just one game in. Once again school is out in this area and that leaves us game less Friday. There are many schools Friday especially in the southeast are are attempting to go to school in some cases two hours delays but many are playing first round games against teams still out Friday which kills their opportunity to play.
We are to the point that the NCHSAA must make some decisions. First would be a decision directly in opposite of what the NCHSAA stands for, money! Most all playoff games the the NCHSAA get a major cut of all the gate and round one games is the least. They could drop first round games and announce Saturday a new bracket 1/16- 2/15 and cut to two games making it to the regional. That would require playing games Saturday whether your school went to school on Friday or not and just maybe playing second round games on Sunday or Monday.
If they are willing to play games Sunday like last year they could stay with the regular three game bracket and play Saturday-Sunday and Monday. The 3-A regional boys start Tuesday which would require for those who advance four straight days of basketball without much practice in the last two weeks.
Spring sports like basketball have not gotten any practice in since Mother Nature took control of our roads. Rocky Mount was suppose to have had a practice game Thursday with the opening of the season next Tuesday. Baseball is a game that pitchers need more throwing to build up strength in their arm and at this point no body is building strength in this weather.
The basketball playoffs regardless of what path they wind up taking will be filled with teams looking like it is the first practice of the season and this year we may get a champion who's record may just be above 500.
Baseball just might have many games early where the losing team scores 10 runs on walks from pitchers who haven't thrown a strike in practice all spring or winter which ever is correct. Hitters will have no rhythm and ground balls may go through many legs before the wall stops them.
College baseball has seen baseball games snowed out cancelled or move 500 miles just to get a game in. Like high school it might be April before we see what your team may be like after they have played and practiced enough to say this is what our team is.
We are to the point that the NCHSAA must make some decisions. First would be a decision directly in opposite of what the NCHSAA stands for, money! Most all playoff games the the NCHSAA get a major cut of all the gate and round one games is the least. They could drop first round games and announce Saturday a new bracket 1/16- 2/15 and cut to two games making it to the regional. That would require playing games Saturday whether your school went to school on Friday or not and just maybe playing second round games on Sunday or Monday.
If they are willing to play games Sunday like last year they could stay with the regular three game bracket and play Saturday-Sunday and Monday. The 3-A regional boys start Tuesday which would require for those who advance four straight days of basketball without much practice in the last two weeks.
Spring sports like basketball have not gotten any practice in since Mother Nature took control of our roads. Rocky Mount was suppose to have had a practice game Thursday with the opening of the season next Tuesday. Baseball is a game that pitchers need more throwing to build up strength in their arm and at this point no body is building strength in this weather.
The basketball playoffs regardless of what path they wind up taking will be filled with teams looking like it is the first practice of the season and this year we may get a champion who's record may just be above 500.
Baseball just might have many games early where the losing team scores 10 runs on walks from pitchers who haven't thrown a strike in practice all spring or winter which ever is correct. Hitters will have no rhythm and ground balls may go through many legs before the wall stops them.
College baseball has seen baseball games snowed out cancelled or move 500 miles just to get a game in. Like high school it might be April before we see what your team may be like after they have played and practiced enough to say this is what our team is.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
History Found In Canisters
If you played football for Rocky Mount High School in the years 1967-68 and 69. The orginal 16 or 8 millimeter film canisters have been found and containing all game footage from those years. The film is in better condition than what you might expect but look that is old time film almost fifty years old and it has been found in an attic.
If you happen to be someone that would like to prove to your grand children that you did actually play football this might be for you. This is certainly history of Rocky Mount High School.. The holder of this film has found this tucked away in and attic and really isn't sure what needs to be done with it.
Contact Mike Pearce at 908-3084.
Didn't we just talk about this about five weeks ago or so. NC State had beaten Duke and students stormed the court and the WolfPack was on the verge of moving up in the high rent district of the ACC a place that WolfPack fans desperately want to return to.
The emotion of the Duke victory State lost six of the next eight games but they have worked their way back to respectability. Their victory over Carolina that other team State wants to be like has State standing in the very same spot they stood five weeks ago. They have the keys to the pent house in their hands all they have to do is beat the teams they should beat which could be the next two games at Boston College and at Clemson a team that ripped them in one of those six losses after the Duke win.
Pack fans the most important game this year is Saturday at Boston College. A lost to the last place team in the ACC would destroy all they have worked for to get back in the NCAA picture.
Those of you let's get rid of Roy folks after the Pack's win on Wednesday I think the entire Carolina season and future for rest of the season lies in the foot of Marcus Paige. You can say all you want but Carolina Goes as Paige goes and anybody that can't practice everyday because of the constant pounding on this foot can't be prepared on even in physical shape to play college basketball the way it needs to be played. It is hard for fans who sits in the stands to know what a small injury does to any player.
I sit here on my IPAD the ground is covered in little more than an hour after the snow Started and schools are closed again Thursday which kills another day for playoff basketball but there is another issue the fact that players have not practiced in about two weeks. Who can possibly be in shape. If they go to play the first day back in school when ever that might be then players will be susceptible to pulled muscles and injury. This year is quickly becoming the year that the playoffs were cancelled.
You know that will never happen.
If you happen to be someone that would like to prove to your grand children that you did actually play football this might be for you. This is certainly history of Rocky Mount High School.. The holder of this film has found this tucked away in and attic and really isn't sure what needs to be done with it.
Contact Mike Pearce at 908-3084.
Didn't we just talk about this about five weeks ago or so. NC State had beaten Duke and students stormed the court and the WolfPack was on the verge of moving up in the high rent district of the ACC a place that WolfPack fans desperately want to return to.
The emotion of the Duke victory State lost six of the next eight games but they have worked their way back to respectability. Their victory over Carolina that other team State wants to be like has State standing in the very same spot they stood five weeks ago. They have the keys to the pent house in their hands all they have to do is beat the teams they should beat which could be the next two games at Boston College and at Clemson a team that ripped them in one of those six losses after the Duke win.
Pack fans the most important game this year is Saturday at Boston College. A lost to the last place team in the ACC would destroy all they have worked for to get back in the NCAA picture.
Those of you let's get rid of Roy folks after the Pack's win on Wednesday I think the entire Carolina season and future for rest of the season lies in the foot of Marcus Paige. You can say all you want but Carolina Goes as Paige goes and anybody that can't practice everyday because of the constant pounding on this foot can't be prepared on even in physical shape to play college basketball the way it needs to be played. It is hard for fans who sits in the stands to know what a small injury does to any player.
I sit here on my IPAD the ground is covered in little more than an hour after the snow Started and schools are closed again Thursday which kills another day for playoff basketball but there is another issue the fact that players have not practiced in about two weeks. Who can possibly be in shape. If they go to play the first day back in school when ever that might be then players will be susceptible to pulled muscles and injury. This year is quickly becoming the year that the playoffs were cancelled.
You know that will never happen.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Dire Straits For High School Basketball Playoffs
Tuesday was lost for playoff games and Wednesday has joined in as both Wilson and Nash County schools are closed tomorrow. If school is in session Thursday and Friday then the playoffs will go three straight nights which surely could be a major advantage for the home teams. Reality tells us that the home team has all the advantages regardless of playing three straight nights over every other night.
This weather forecast has nothing in it that would make anyone think there will be school for the rest of the week. If that happens then the first possible day for basketball playoffs will be Saturday. Last year basketball was allowed on Sunday for the first time in history. So if games are played Saturday and Sunday that still leaves the championship for Monday which is suppose to be press conference day at the Crown Complex in Fayetteville.
There is still one other possible disaster for the basketball playoffs. Suppose this Wednesday night Thursday weather turns into a major storm and there is no way to get any basketball in before Monday. The regional is suppose to start Tuesday with 3-A boys in the Coliseum and 2-A girls in the arena. If the first round of the sectional are played Monday what happens then?
There will be two rounds yet to play and Thursday would be first day for the regional. I could see a triple header Thursday and Friday in Fayetteville and maybe play enough games Saturday to play the Championship of the Regional on Sunday. This is of course contingent on no bad weather next week.
Here is another option drop teams in sectional seeded 17 through 32 and it only takes two games to win sectional. The Big East boys would not get to play would be Rocky Mount, Fike, Nash Central and Southern Nash. The girls would lose Fike, Rocky Mount, and Nash Central.
This weather just may cause some unusual circumstances and all of it depends on how deep the snow or ice is by Dark Thursday night.
This weather forecast has nothing in it that would make anyone think there will be school for the rest of the week. If that happens then the first possible day for basketball playoffs will be Saturday. Last year basketball was allowed on Sunday for the first time in history. So if games are played Saturday and Sunday that still leaves the championship for Monday which is suppose to be press conference day at the Crown Complex in Fayetteville.
There is still one other possible disaster for the basketball playoffs. Suppose this Wednesday night Thursday weather turns into a major storm and there is no way to get any basketball in before Monday. The regional is suppose to start Tuesday with 3-A boys in the Coliseum and 2-A girls in the arena. If the first round of the sectional are played Monday what happens then?
There will be two rounds yet to play and Thursday would be first day for the regional. I could see a triple header Thursday and Friday in Fayetteville and maybe play enough games Saturday to play the Championship of the Regional on Sunday. This is of course contingent on no bad weather next week.
Here is another option drop teams in sectional seeded 17 through 32 and it only takes two games to win sectional. The Big East boys would not get to play would be Rocky Mount, Fike, Nash Central and Southern Nash. The girls would lose Fike, Rocky Mount, and Nash Central.
This weather just may cause some unusual circumstances and all of it depends on how deep the snow or ice is by Dark Thursday night.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Playoffs Start Tuesday? SNOW?????
WEATHER HAS DONE IN TONIGHT'S STATE BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS 1ST ROUND.!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday basketball teams were allowed to practice even though schools had been iced in since early release on Monday. So starting the playoffs on Tuesday gives teams an opportunity to at least go over a scouting report on their first round foes. I am sure as much as anything Saturday was a run and condition day as much as shooting since nobody has been able to see a back yard basketball goal or the inside of a gym all week.
What happens if because of expected snow Tuesday school lets out early or even if no school Wednesday? The basketball playoffs starting on Tuesday this year has already taken what has been a game day away and if school gets out early for weather goodbye Tuesday night basketball. If school takes in Wednesday that leave four days through Saturday to play three playoff games. Oh yeah another system is coming Wednesday night. Have you ever heard two games on Saturday. Unusual things happen when playable days disappear.
Northern Nash will host a doubleheader with the unbeaten Lady Knights 21-0 #2 seed facing Eden Morehead 10-12 #31 seed and then the boys 9-12 #14 seed host Southern Lee 13-9. How will the long layoff effect every team but you hope that of all the teams least effected would be the Lady Knights. They had a few injury issues that now might play in their favor. Northern's boys have been the best team in Big East over the last four weeks but record wise Southern Lee could compete.
Hunt will try this double header deal with their girls 17-5 #13 seed facing Fike #20 seed 10-12. The last time these two teams were on the court Fike won. Don't care who you are playing any conference foe in the first round is bad but when it is your top rival this needs to be a third round matchup. Hunt boys 15-7 #6 seed in east will host Nash Central 13-9 and #27 seed in tournament. This must be let's pick on Hunt day as the state is sending Hunt up against two conference mates who will be fired up not only for the first round but they are playing a conference enemy that both Fike and Nash Central should know a lot about.
Any time you say Cardinal Gibbons you think of state championships in soccer, volleyball but they are only average in basketball when compared to other Gibbons sporting teams. Gibbons 16-6 #5 seed will host Southern Nash 12-10 Seeded #28. Southern had the most disappointing finish of all Big East teams. Anybody see the correlation between N C State a want-a-be when they beat Duke they have been so so since. Since Southern beat Rocky Mount a team the Firebirds would die to beat Rocky Mount in any sport. Their emotions were so high that it effect rest of their season? They have only been 2-4 since beating the Gryphons. This is a good matchup for Southern.
Fike 15-7 #22 seed in East will travel to Northern Guilford 16-6 #11 seed. Winnable game for Fike but guess who they are in the bracket with Hunt/Nash Central. The Big East sectional tournament could continue into later in the week.
Nash Central girls 12-10 #27 seed travels to Havelock 14-7 #6 seed. The early years of Nash Central this would have been a conference game. I think Nash Central this year is in the Northern and Hunt shadow. Better than their record, could be interesting game.
Rocky Mount will send both of their teams west with the girls 10-9 #28 seed stopping thirty miles down the road at Corinth Holders 17-5 #5 eastern seed. Here until the end of the season for the Lady Gryphons will totally be in the hands of how the guards handle the ball. If the Lady Gryphons guards
play well they may play deep into the week. If not the season ends. The boys 12-7 # 18 are as quick as anybody and handle the ball about as good as any Mike Gainey team. Shot selection and rebounding are this teams Achilles heel. Eastern Guilford 18-4 #15 seed will be waiting in Gibsonville for the Gryphons. Strong on the boards every game and this Gryphon team could play all week.
All doubleheaders will start at 6pm and single games at 7pm. Northern is the only home team in the county playing so let's go watch a ball game.
Saturday basketball teams were allowed to practice even though schools had been iced in since early release on Monday. So starting the playoffs on Tuesday gives teams an opportunity to at least go over a scouting report on their first round foes. I am sure as much as anything Saturday was a run and condition day as much as shooting since nobody has been able to see a back yard basketball goal or the inside of a gym all week.
What happens if because of expected snow Tuesday school lets out early or even if no school Wednesday? The basketball playoffs starting on Tuesday this year has already taken what has been a game day away and if school gets out early for weather goodbye Tuesday night basketball. If school takes in Wednesday that leave four days through Saturday to play three playoff games. Oh yeah another system is coming Wednesday night. Have you ever heard two games on Saturday. Unusual things happen when playable days disappear.
Northern Nash will host a doubleheader with the unbeaten Lady Knights 21-0 #2 seed facing Eden Morehead 10-12 #31 seed and then the boys 9-12 #14 seed host Southern Lee 13-9. How will the long layoff effect every team but you hope that of all the teams least effected would be the Lady Knights. They had a few injury issues that now might play in their favor. Northern's boys have been the best team in Big East over the last four weeks but record wise Southern Lee could compete.
Hunt will try this double header deal with their girls 17-5 #13 seed facing Fike #20 seed 10-12. The last time these two teams were on the court Fike won. Don't care who you are playing any conference foe in the first round is bad but when it is your top rival this needs to be a third round matchup. Hunt boys 15-7 #6 seed in east will host Nash Central 13-9 and #27 seed in tournament. This must be let's pick on Hunt day as the state is sending Hunt up against two conference mates who will be fired up not only for the first round but they are playing a conference enemy that both Fike and Nash Central should know a lot about.
Any time you say Cardinal Gibbons you think of state championships in soccer, volleyball but they are only average in basketball when compared to other Gibbons sporting teams. Gibbons 16-6 #5 seed will host Southern Nash 12-10 Seeded #28. Southern had the most disappointing finish of all Big East teams. Anybody see the correlation between N C State a want-a-be when they beat Duke they have been so so since. Since Southern beat Rocky Mount a team the Firebirds would die to beat Rocky Mount in any sport. Their emotions were so high that it effect rest of their season? They have only been 2-4 since beating the Gryphons. This is a good matchup for Southern.
Fike 15-7 #22 seed in East will travel to Northern Guilford 16-6 #11 seed. Winnable game for Fike but guess who they are in the bracket with Hunt/Nash Central. The Big East sectional tournament could continue into later in the week.
Nash Central girls 12-10 #27 seed travels to Havelock 14-7 #6 seed. The early years of Nash Central this would have been a conference game. I think Nash Central this year is in the Northern and Hunt shadow. Better than their record, could be interesting game.
Rocky Mount will send both of their teams west with the girls 10-9 #28 seed stopping thirty miles down the road at Corinth Holders 17-5 #5 eastern seed. Here until the end of the season for the Lady Gryphons will totally be in the hands of how the guards handle the ball. If the Lady Gryphons guards
play well they may play deep into the week. If not the season ends. The boys 12-7 # 18 are as quick as anybody and handle the ball about as good as any Mike Gainey team. Shot selection and rebounding are this teams Achilles heel. Eastern Guilford 18-4 #15 seed will be waiting in Gibsonville for the Gryphons. Strong on the boards every game and this Gryphon team could play all week.
All doubleheaders will start at 6pm and single games at 7pm. Northern is the only home team in the county playing so let's go watch a ball game.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
ACC Basketball Hard To Endure
Benton Moss the former Rocky Mount Gryphon and now senior baseball pitcher for the UNC Tar Heels is among 53 ACC Athletes who has won the ACC Weaver-James-Corrigan Post graduate scholarships. Moss who's intentions are professional baseball after baseball season in the spring will be named and honorary winner.
I hope you didn't try to endure the Louisviile - Miami game on Saturday and then turned around and tried to watch the Virginia -Florida State game Sunday night. If you are proud to call yourself an ACC fan the brand of basketball in those two games makes the 12-10 State-Duke ACC tournament game of the sixties had more offensive action. Those of you that remember the 7-0 at the half Duke - Carolina game in the 70's that finished up 47-40 had more offense in the final half over both those games this weekend combined.
Virginia's close to the vest offense is only saved by a defense that shut Florida State down even when Virginia had a starter missing when the game started. Lost two with ten minutes left over two heads colliding and Still Florida State couldn't whip a depleted team. FSU is still hoping to make the NCAA's. Who's kidding who.
Yet it seems when you get past the top three there seems to be a whole conference full of kidders who think they ought to be in NCAA's. FSU and Clemsom are 7-8. Pitt., NC State, Miami are all 7-7 and each can give you reasons why they should be in. Syracuse 8-6 but trying to stave off the NCAA infractions committee by bowing out of this year's playoffs so how guilty are they?
Louisville, Pitt and Syracuse have given everyone in the ACC that says Kentucky couldn't go undefeated in ACC every reason to say UK can't.
Virginia has lost but once but I don't know how. Notre Dame can score points and just might have the team to last the longest in the NCAA's. If Duke can stay close they have a habit of nailing threes to pull out victory. I don't think that is a good in the long run. Louisville can't shoot which seems to be a disease many teams in the ACC have. Carolina at times can be pushed around as if they have no strong players.
If you have tickets to this year's ACC tournament in Greensboro no need to get a hotel. Most of the basketball action should put you to sleep.
Carolina did a find job with the service for Dean Smith. I thought Roy Williams pointing up to heaven to thank Dean for an assist in his life was perfect.
I hope you didn't try to endure the Louisviile - Miami game on Saturday and then turned around and tried to watch the Virginia -Florida State game Sunday night. If you are proud to call yourself an ACC fan the brand of basketball in those two games makes the 12-10 State-Duke ACC tournament game of the sixties had more offensive action. Those of you that remember the 7-0 at the half Duke - Carolina game in the 70's that finished up 47-40 had more offense in the final half over both those games this weekend combined.
Virginia's close to the vest offense is only saved by a defense that shut Florida State down even when Virginia had a starter missing when the game started. Lost two with ten minutes left over two heads colliding and Still Florida State couldn't whip a depleted team. FSU is still hoping to make the NCAA's. Who's kidding who.
Yet it seems when you get past the top three there seems to be a whole conference full of kidders who think they ought to be in NCAA's. FSU and Clemsom are 7-8. Pitt., NC State, Miami are all 7-7 and each can give you reasons why they should be in. Syracuse 8-6 but trying to stave off the NCAA infractions committee by bowing out of this year's playoffs so how guilty are they?
Louisville, Pitt and Syracuse have given everyone in the ACC that says Kentucky couldn't go undefeated in ACC every reason to say UK can't.
Virginia has lost but once but I don't know how. Notre Dame can score points and just might have the team to last the longest in the NCAA's. If Duke can stay close they have a habit of nailing threes to pull out victory. I don't think that is a good in the long run. Louisville can't shoot which seems to be a disease many teams in the ACC have. Carolina at times can be pushed around as if they have no strong players.
If you have tickets to this year's ACC tournament in Greensboro no need to get a hotel. Most of the basketball action should put you to sleep.
Carolina did a find job with the service for Dean Smith. I thought Roy Williams pointing up to heaven to thank Dean for an assist in his life was perfect.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
State Champion
Tonight in Greensboro at 8:05pm 126 pound Rocky Mount Gryphon Wilson Smith won the State Championship by beating Aydan Arroyo of North Buncombe in a decision 10-4. Smith dominated the second period scoring six points and holding a 8-0 lead.. The Gryphon Sophomore will now join the wall of champions in the gym at Rocky Mount as he finishes his outstanding season at 53-3
Ryan Ashley 220 pounder from Southern Nash won the consolation bracket and takes home third place in the state Wrestling championships.
Hunt 15-7 the top seed from the Big East is seeded sixth will host Nash Central 13-9 27th seed Monday night to kick off the 2015 boys state championships. The price you pay when all six teams from your conference are in the tournament some where some of the six have to square off in early games.
Northern Nash 9-12 seeded 14th the Big East #2 will be playing a home double header Monday with the girls as the boys host Southern Lee 13-9 and a 19th seed.
The Big East 3rd seed is taken by Rocky Mount 12-7 18th seed and they will hit the road traveling to Eastern Alamance 15th seed and 18-4.
Fike 15-7 22nd seed will travel as the Big East four seed to Northern Guilford 11th seed and 16-6.
Southern Nash 12-10 is in and they are the lowest seeded boys team at 28th and they have one of the shortest travels as they head to Raleigh to take on Cardinal Gibbons 16-6 and the 5th overall seed.
Northern Nash 21-0 will be seeded # 2 and don't go jumping up and down, it means nothing when comparing to the other unbeaten team Eastern Wayne all it does is protect both teams from each other until the Regional finals if both make it that far. The will host Monday night Morehead the 31st seed and 10-12 on the season so look for a double header at Northern Monday night.
It always seems that the NCHSAA tries their best to stick it to the Big East and they have again. Hunt 17-5 the 13th seed will host cross town rival Fike 10-12 and the 20th seed. Hunt is the 2nd seed from Big East and Fike is the 3rd seed. Thanks NCHSAA!
Nash Central 12-10 is in as the 27th seed and travel to Havelock 14-7 and the six seed in the east.
Rocky Mount 10-9 is seeded 28th and makes the trip to Wendell to play Corinth Holders 17-5 and the sixth seed in the east.
Now would somebody try telling me how the conference 3rd seed has to play our conference #2 while our number four is seeded lower than our number five seed? There will be a Big East basketball tournament after all. Hunt Girls will host Fike Monday while the Hunt boys host Nash Central.
Ryan Ashley 220 pounder from Southern Nash won the consolation bracket and takes home third place in the state Wrestling championships.
Hunt 15-7 the top seed from the Big East is seeded sixth will host Nash Central 13-9 27th seed Monday night to kick off the 2015 boys state championships. The price you pay when all six teams from your conference are in the tournament some where some of the six have to square off in early games.
Northern Nash 9-12 seeded 14th the Big East #2 will be playing a home double header Monday with the girls as the boys host Southern Lee 13-9 and a 19th seed.
The Big East 3rd seed is taken by Rocky Mount 12-7 18th seed and they will hit the road traveling to Eastern Alamance 15th seed and 18-4.
Fike 15-7 22nd seed will travel as the Big East four seed to Northern Guilford 11th seed and 16-6.
Southern Nash 12-10 is in and they are the lowest seeded boys team at 28th and they have one of the shortest travels as they head to Raleigh to take on Cardinal Gibbons 16-6 and the 5th overall seed.
Northern Nash 21-0 will be seeded # 2 and don't go jumping up and down, it means nothing when comparing to the other unbeaten team Eastern Wayne all it does is protect both teams from each other until the Regional finals if both make it that far. The will host Monday night Morehead the 31st seed and 10-12 on the season so look for a double header at Northern Monday night.
It always seems that the NCHSAA tries their best to stick it to the Big East and they have again. Hunt 17-5 the 13th seed will host cross town rival Fike 10-12 and the 20th seed. Hunt is the 2nd seed from Big East and Fike is the 3rd seed. Thanks NCHSAA!
Nash Central 12-10 is in as the 27th seed and travel to Havelock 14-7 and the six seed in the east.
Rocky Mount 10-9 is seeded 28th and makes the trip to Wendell to play Corinth Holders 17-5 and the sixth seed in the east.
Now would somebody try telling me how the conference 3rd seed has to play our conference #2 while our number four is seeded lower than our number five seed? There will be a Big East basketball tournament after all. Hunt Girls will host Fike Monday while the Hunt boys host Nash Central.
Smith Wrestles For State Title Tonight
Rocky Mount High's Wilson Smith won his 126 pound semi final match by fall and will now compete for the State Championship tonight in Greensboro. Smith's teammate Alexander Henderson has lost in the consolation round 9-3.
Southern Nash's two wrestlers still alive for third both won their first matches and can still take third in the state in their weight class. Clinton Whitaker 145 won his match 6-4 in a decision and in the 220 class Ryan Ashley won by fall.
Clinton Whitaker lost his second match of the day. Ashley in the 220 category won in a decision 6-4 while Whitaker Lost 17-9. Whitaker finishes the State championships 2-2 and Ashley is still fight for the third spot. He will have to win two more matches today to do so.
Ryan Ashley has won his next match by fall in the third period to advance to the championship of the consolation 220 pound bracket. When you get in that loser bracket you wind up playing extra matches and Ashley has won again 9-8 and now has earned his way to the 3rd place match.
Southern Nash's two wrestlers still alive for third both won their first matches and can still take third in the state in their weight class. Clinton Whitaker 145 won his match 6-4 in a decision and in the 220 class Ryan Ashley won by fall.
Clinton Whitaker lost his second match of the day. Ashley in the 220 category won in a decision 6-4 while Whitaker Lost 17-9. Whitaker finishes the State championships 2-2 and Ashley is still fight for the third spot. He will have to win two more matches today to do so.
Ryan Ashley has won his next match by fall in the third period to advance to the championship of the consolation 220 pound bracket. When you get in that loser bracket you wind up playing extra matches and Ashley has won again 9-8 and now has earned his way to the 3rd place match.
Smith's Made It To Final a Four
Rocky Mount sophomore Wilson Smith wrestling in the 126 pound bracket in the State championship has won his first two matches the first by fall and his quater final match a 5-0 victory will now wrestle Saturday in the semi finals.
Rocky Mount sent four wrestlers to Greensboro and only one other wrestler is still alive but not in the championship bracket. Alexander Henderson wrestling in the 160 pound division lost by fall in his opening match but won a 7-4 decision in the first round in the consolation bracket. Kenard Johnson 182 pounds lost by fall and 2-0 in overtime. Sedrak Sheppard lost twice by fall. Northern Nash heavy weight wrestler Jamie Williams wrestling at 285 pounds lost his opening match by fall and his final match lost a 2-1 decision.
Southern Nash sent two wrestlers to Greensboro and both won their opening matches. Clinton Whitaker wrestling at 145 won a 16-9 decision and in this quarter final match lost an 11-6 decision.
The Firebirds 220 pound wrestler Ryan Ashley won his first match by fall. His second match in the quarterfinals was one of the last matches of Friday night as it didn't end until 10:55pm. Ashley found himself down 4-0 with a minute to the end and was able to cut the final score to 5-3.
The match was as late as it was due to the fact the state championships had to wait until noon Friday because of the weather that we have had this week. The Big East sent seven wrestlers to the state tournament and oddly enough none wrestled in the same weight bracket.
Wilson Smith is the only wrestler still alive to win his weight division 126 while Ashley, Whitaker and Henderson will be wrestling Saturday for top five spots in the state. Team wise Rocky Mount has ten points while Southern Nash has six points after the first day of competition.
Rocky Mount sent four wrestlers to Greensboro and only one other wrestler is still alive but not in the championship bracket. Alexander Henderson wrestling in the 160 pound division lost by fall in his opening match but won a 7-4 decision in the first round in the consolation bracket. Kenard Johnson 182 pounds lost by fall and 2-0 in overtime. Sedrak Sheppard lost twice by fall. Northern Nash heavy weight wrestler Jamie Williams wrestling at 285 pounds lost his opening match by fall and his final match lost a 2-1 decision.
Southern Nash sent two wrestlers to Greensboro and both won their opening matches. Clinton Whitaker wrestling at 145 won a 16-9 decision and in this quarter final match lost an 11-6 decision.
The Firebirds 220 pound wrestler Ryan Ashley won his first match by fall. His second match in the quarterfinals was one of the last matches of Friday night as it didn't end until 10:55pm. Ashley found himself down 4-0 with a minute to the end and was able to cut the final score to 5-3.
The match was as late as it was due to the fact the state championships had to wait until noon Friday because of the weather that we have had this week. The Big East sent seven wrestlers to the state tournament and oddly enough none wrestled in the same weight bracket.
Wilson Smith is the only wrestler still alive to win his weight division 126 while Ashley, Whitaker and Henderson will be wrestling Saturday for top five spots in the state. Team wise Rocky Mount has ten points while Southern Nash has six points after the first day of competition.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Bracketology
I was just messing around at lunch time and went on the NCHSAA.org website and you can pull up the State wrestling championships. You can actually watch each wrestler's match as if it were on game tracker and every time there is a score or the end of a period the screen will change. So I am watching the Gryphons Wilson Smith match and he is up 2-0 and all of a sudden his match disappears from the screen. I then looked at matches complete and Wilson Smith the Gryphons 126 sophomore wrestler has won his first match of the day by pin but as they say in wrestling by fall at 47 seconds. Too bad I can't just sit here and watch all our wrestlers all day.
If you think back for those of you old enough in 1990 you had never heard the word cell phone. This past 25 years our lives have changed drastically and yes with all this technology our children are smarter than we were. They may not be developed brain wise to understand how the world operates but they sure know how to use a computer. Since there has hardly been any basketball what so ever this week the computer can just about tell us before the Saturday deadline what the brackets are going to be in the state basketball playoffs.
If you have been a watcher over the last several years of ESPN's bracketology first four in last four out you know that it changes every day due to who played last night and who won and loss. Since there has been no high school basketball this week the bracketology has not budged one bit and highschoolot.com has their brackets set and if they hold true come 2pm Saturday Monday night there will be a massive game at Northern Nash.
Bracketology says all six Big East boys teams are in by virtue of all of their overall records. Northern has the only losing record but by being 2nd in the Big East they are safe. Hunt the Big East champ will be seeded 6th, Northern Nash 15th and by making the top 16 both will earn home games Monday. Rocky Mount is slotted 18, Fike 22, Nash Central25/26/27th and Southern Nash 29th.
That is a wonderful thing that all six get in but you know like I know that there has been some match ups in the first round that for some reason the State ignores conference against conference and lets the chips fail where they may. Now when you were looking at Northern 15th and Rocky Mount 18th Northern as the second seed from the Big East is viewed because of record as the last seeded number two team. Rocky Mount because of record is a three seed and 18th would match Rocky Mount and Northern against each other Monday night at Northern.
Does anybody think that is fair for anybody? I doubt it. This weather situation we have had this week unless you practiced on Saturday February 9th you have not had a practice since Rocky Mount slaughtered Northern on the 8th. School shutdown early Monday preventing any after school activities and there hasn't been any school since to prevent any organized practice.
Undefeated we already know Northern Girls will be at home and depending on a tie breaker they could play a 3-16 team Monday or a 10-12 team. Can you imagine the crowd at Northern Monday night if RM/NN boys do wind up facing each other?
The rest of the Big East girls the computer is showing Hunt 13th and they just might grab Fike 20th in the first round. Nash central is pegged by the computer 27th and Rocky Mount 28th so five teams look in for the Big East. Northern would have home court advantage throughout the sectional and Hunt would get at least one home game. Everybody else hits the pavement for road games Monday. I will post as soon as I can the official bracket sometime this afternoon and we will be able to tell how accurate the bracketology computer is to the real results.
If you think back for those of you old enough in 1990 you had never heard the word cell phone. This past 25 years our lives have changed drastically and yes with all this technology our children are smarter than we were. They may not be developed brain wise to understand how the world operates but they sure know how to use a computer. Since there has hardly been any basketball what so ever this week the computer can just about tell us before the Saturday deadline what the brackets are going to be in the state basketball playoffs.
If you have been a watcher over the last several years of ESPN's bracketology first four in last four out you know that it changes every day due to who played last night and who won and loss. Since there has been no high school basketball this week the bracketology has not budged one bit and highschoolot.com has their brackets set and if they hold true come 2pm Saturday Monday night there will be a massive game at Northern Nash.
Bracketology says all six Big East boys teams are in by virtue of all of their overall records. Northern has the only losing record but by being 2nd in the Big East they are safe. Hunt the Big East champ will be seeded 6th, Northern Nash 15th and by making the top 16 both will earn home games Monday. Rocky Mount is slotted 18, Fike 22, Nash Central25/26/27th and Southern Nash 29th.
That is a wonderful thing that all six get in but you know like I know that there has been some match ups in the first round that for some reason the State ignores conference against conference and lets the chips fail where they may. Now when you were looking at Northern 15th and Rocky Mount 18th Northern as the second seed from the Big East is viewed because of record as the last seeded number two team. Rocky Mount because of record is a three seed and 18th would match Rocky Mount and Northern against each other Monday night at Northern.
Does anybody think that is fair for anybody? I doubt it. This weather situation we have had this week unless you practiced on Saturday February 9th you have not had a practice since Rocky Mount slaughtered Northern on the 8th. School shutdown early Monday preventing any after school activities and there hasn't been any school since to prevent any organized practice.
Undefeated we already know Northern Girls will be at home and depending on a tie breaker they could play a 3-16 team Monday or a 10-12 team. Can you imagine the crowd at Northern Monday night if RM/NN boys do wind up facing each other?
The rest of the Big East girls the computer is showing Hunt 13th and they just might grab Fike 20th in the first round. Nash central is pegged by the computer 27th and Rocky Mount 28th so five teams look in for the Big East. Northern would have home court advantage throughout the sectional and Hunt would get at least one home game. Everybody else hits the pavement for road games Monday. I will post as soon as I can the official bracket sometime this afternoon and we will be able to tell how accurate the bracketology computer is to the real results.
Cameron Crazies Understood
I think if you saw the pregame prayer on ESPN when Duke honored Dean Smith you saw why sports is such a great avenue of entertainment. Both North Carolina and Duke coaches, players managers and team doctors all knelt to one knee for a moment of silence for one of the greatest colleges basketball coaches of all time. The Cameron Crazies student were in total silence for a man that not one student in the crowd ever saw coach a game against Duke.
Sports is a way to go in all out combat against another player or team that when the game ends both sides can walk away in most cases healthy ready to play another day. While that combat is in progress you learn to respect your opponent because they can do on certain plays their objective better than you can. All during a game each side goes back and forth winning and losing each play and then all of a sudden time runs out and the game is over.
One sides celebrates a great victory while the other side suffers a great loss. There is always next game to help you get over the pain of a loss and for the winner he had better be on his game or the next game will be a loss for him.
The generals in sports are the coaches. Some generals win more battles than others. When two great generals collide it is like a chess match moving players here and there to help your side win. Despite how much Duke says they hate Carolina or Carolina says they hate Duke there is an understanding on both sides that both schools have great weaponry not only for this upcoming battle but every time you have ever met. You respect what they have, what they have had and what they will have when the next battle occurs.
Sports is the recognition that a player or coach or team can beat me at times but at times I can beat him. In order to do what he does I know he will win battles against me and I will win some off him. Sports is also the denial that while I am playing him I can not tell him he is beating me. If he knows I know he is winning then he has really won while the battle rages. I can't let him have one second of admission by me that he is winning. I can do that when it is over.
We as fans can be involved for one side or the other but we too must also know that we can't let my neighbor think he is winning while the game is in progress or even more the buildup leading up to the game. I can't let him think that he knows I know he's going to win.
Wednesday both sides acknowledged at the same time that one of the great generals was a great general something we couldn't say while he was coaching because if we acknowledge he was he had us beat. Those students ever how loud they can be understood that a giant of a man who coached for the other side needed their respect and they gave it.
You may remember I have spoke of this before when leaving Carter-Finley after Carolina had won 17-9. Right this second I forget the year. The game had gone down to the wire so every fan was there to the last second. Filing out took some time and I looked back and saw several players on both sides on one knee at mid field praying together. I made the comment then that is what is so special about sports you could fight hard during the game but when it is over shake hands, pray together or go have a beer together.
Wednesday night was one of those moments that I was glad I got to see it but it would have been that much better to have been in the building to live it. Then I could have been part of the 2 million people thirty years from now will say " I was there the night Duke honored Dean Smith".
Sports is a way to go in all out combat against another player or team that when the game ends both sides can walk away in most cases healthy ready to play another day. While that combat is in progress you learn to respect your opponent because they can do on certain plays their objective better than you can. All during a game each side goes back and forth winning and losing each play and then all of a sudden time runs out and the game is over.
One sides celebrates a great victory while the other side suffers a great loss. There is always next game to help you get over the pain of a loss and for the winner he had better be on his game or the next game will be a loss for him.
The generals in sports are the coaches. Some generals win more battles than others. When two great generals collide it is like a chess match moving players here and there to help your side win. Despite how much Duke says they hate Carolina or Carolina says they hate Duke there is an understanding on both sides that both schools have great weaponry not only for this upcoming battle but every time you have ever met. You respect what they have, what they have had and what they will have when the next battle occurs.
Sports is the recognition that a player or coach or team can beat me at times but at times I can beat him. In order to do what he does I know he will win battles against me and I will win some off him. Sports is also the denial that while I am playing him I can not tell him he is beating me. If he knows I know he is winning then he has really won while the battle rages. I can't let him have one second of admission by me that he is winning. I can do that when it is over.
We as fans can be involved for one side or the other but we too must also know that we can't let my neighbor think he is winning while the game is in progress or even more the buildup leading up to the game. I can't let him think that he knows I know he's going to win.
Wednesday both sides acknowledged at the same time that one of the great generals was a great general something we couldn't say while he was coaching because if we acknowledge he was he had us beat. Those students ever how loud they can be understood that a giant of a man who coached for the other side needed their respect and they gave it.
You may remember I have spoke of this before when leaving Carter-Finley after Carolina had won 17-9. Right this second I forget the year. The game had gone down to the wire so every fan was there to the last second. Filing out took some time and I looked back and saw several players on both sides on one knee at mid field praying together. I made the comment then that is what is so special about sports you could fight hard during the game but when it is over shake hands, pray together or go have a beer together.
Wednesday night was one of those moments that I was glad I got to see it but it would have been that much better to have been in the building to live it. Then I could have been part of the 2 million people thirty years from now will say " I was there the night Duke honored Dean Smith".
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Sweet Homecoming
Wednesday night was senior night at North Carolina Wesleyan College and it was also play for Kay night as NCW held their night for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. So the men took to the court first at 5:30 hosting Methodist College and former State Champion Point guard for the Rocky Mount Gryphons Tabias Hilliard running the controls for Methodist.
Hilliard was one of three players to score 15 points as Methodist beats NCW 80-69. Hilliard was 6-9 shooting including 3/4 from three point land and had four assist. Conference wise Methodist is now while 7-6 while NCW fell to 6-7 and the Battling Bishops close out their regular season Sunday at Ferrum. The conference tournament is next week.
This week highschoolot.com gave their opinion that with this being the second year in a row in which weather has played havoc with the conference tournaments it was time for all high school conferences to do away with conference tournaments. Asking high schools to do away with their conference basketball tournaments is like asking the ACC to stop having the ACC tournament.
The bigger the ACC gets team wise now at 15 the least enjoyable it is for those who love to go to three days and seven games of basketball the way it use to be. Now with five days eleven games it is hard on anybody's body. We all know why the ACC had a tournament from the first year of the league. The four North Carolina schools could fill up Reynolds Coliseum for three straight days and bring in plenty of loot for all conference members. The Clemson's of the world never won a game but they got their share of the gate receipts.
High schools are the same especially in these times the conference tournament are more important than ever. Whenever you can catch the host team being one of the very best in the tournament large crowds show up and all the money in the end is split with all members.
High school tournaments do give the underdog one last shot to redeem their season. It is possible that the last place team or any team that feels they have improved as the season went on and are playing their best ball of the year but are not an upper crust team can win their tournament and work their way into the state playoffs.
The ACC no longer is win to get in but now if we win a couple it might puts us in the top 68 to make the NCAA tournament. So basketball tournaments whether it is a Thanksgiving Tournament, Christmas or end of the year conference is nothing more than a money maker. Why don't you go ask the Glaxo Tournament at Broughton at Christmas to not have one next year and they will kick you out of the place.
Don't care where the tournament is or at what level they all make money. You find one that doesn't and there won't be one next year. High schools need income to support all their athletic programs and conference basketball tournaments are one of their top money makers. The best way to make money is play about three home games during the state football playoffs. Just go ask Tarboro how much money they made during their five years of glory.
As long as there is money to make there will be season ending conference basketball tournaments whether they effect the state playoff seeding or not. Ask any Big East athletic director now how are they going to support athletics next year without this years tournament money and most will answer. Go out to the community and beg for help.
Hilliard was one of three players to score 15 points as Methodist beats NCW 80-69. Hilliard was 6-9 shooting including 3/4 from three point land and had four assist. Conference wise Methodist is now while 7-6 while NCW fell to 6-7 and the Battling Bishops close out their regular season Sunday at Ferrum. The conference tournament is next week.
This week highschoolot.com gave their opinion that with this being the second year in a row in which weather has played havoc with the conference tournaments it was time for all high school conferences to do away with conference tournaments. Asking high schools to do away with their conference basketball tournaments is like asking the ACC to stop having the ACC tournament.
The bigger the ACC gets team wise now at 15 the least enjoyable it is for those who love to go to three days and seven games of basketball the way it use to be. Now with five days eleven games it is hard on anybody's body. We all know why the ACC had a tournament from the first year of the league. The four North Carolina schools could fill up Reynolds Coliseum for three straight days and bring in plenty of loot for all conference members. The Clemson's of the world never won a game but they got their share of the gate receipts.
High schools are the same especially in these times the conference tournament are more important than ever. Whenever you can catch the host team being one of the very best in the tournament large crowds show up and all the money in the end is split with all members.
High school tournaments do give the underdog one last shot to redeem their season. It is possible that the last place team or any team that feels they have improved as the season went on and are playing their best ball of the year but are not an upper crust team can win their tournament and work their way into the state playoffs.
The ACC no longer is win to get in but now if we win a couple it might puts us in the top 68 to make the NCAA tournament. So basketball tournaments whether it is a Thanksgiving Tournament, Christmas or end of the year conference is nothing more than a money maker. Why don't you go ask the Glaxo Tournament at Broughton at Christmas to not have one next year and they will kick you out of the place.
Don't care where the tournament is or at what level they all make money. You find one that doesn't and there won't be one next year. High schools need income to support all their athletic programs and conference basketball tournaments are one of their top money makers. The best way to make money is play about three home games during the state football playoffs. Just go ask Tarboro how much money they made during their five years of glory.
As long as there is money to make there will be season ending conference basketball tournaments whether they effect the state playoff seeding or not. Ask any Big East athletic director now how are they going to support athletics next year without this years tournament money and most will answer. Go out to the community and beg for help.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Schools Out Wednesday So Is Basketball
There always has to be a plan and if school had of been in session Wednesday which it is not the Fike/ Rocky Mount double header which was planned Monday and Tuesday which never came off because of the weather will not happen Wednesday either. If it could have happened and games had of been played then the Hunt boys and the Northern girls would have hosted Thursday's semis but of course that is off.
Every Big East team now stands on their regular season record for Saturday's NCHSAA bracket seeding. The Boys Hunt will be the number one seed from Big East and Northern Nash will be the Number two. Rocky Mount by winning both their games last week moves up to capture the three seed. Everyone else is at the mercy of their overall record which should give Fike a spot. Southern Nash and Nash Central now play the waiting game to see if their season is good enough to make the top 32 in the east.
Northern Nash girls are safe they will either be seeded one or two in the east depending on the draw with Eastern Wayne as the only unbeaten teams. Should they get through to the Regional they should be in a bracket to play the regional final if both make it that far. Hunt girls will be safe finishing second. The big question of the seeding for both Fike and Rocky Mount will be in the eyes of the state who gets 3rd over the other. Nash Central will be the team wondering if they have played their last game of the season or not. The Lady Firebirds already know now they will not win a game this season.
I mention the other day talking about how The late Charles Alston knew every record in every sport for Rocky Mount. Mike Gainey provided me with some dates of both Pam Gainey's 300th coaching victory and his 200th. Tuesday sitting watching the white on the ground outside I used this blog to look up both their records. Since Feb 3rd 2009 Mike Gainey's Gryphons have won two state titles and a total of 129 wins and only 36 losses. Pam is 85-34 since recording number 300 on 12-3-2010.
Knowing that this could be a magical year for Grover Battle and the Lady Knights of Northern Nash I asked Patricia Haggerty last week if she knew Grovers over all record. Do you know how hard it is to keep up with such records if your school doesn't have a Charles Alston doing it.
Every Big East team now stands on their regular season record for Saturday's NCHSAA bracket seeding. The Boys Hunt will be the number one seed from Big East and Northern Nash will be the Number two. Rocky Mount by winning both their games last week moves up to capture the three seed. Everyone else is at the mercy of their overall record which should give Fike a spot. Southern Nash and Nash Central now play the waiting game to see if their season is good enough to make the top 32 in the east.
Northern Nash girls are safe they will either be seeded one or two in the east depending on the draw with Eastern Wayne as the only unbeaten teams. Should they get through to the Regional they should be in a bracket to play the regional final if both make it that far. Hunt girls will be safe finishing second. The big question of the seeding for both Fike and Rocky Mount will be in the eyes of the state who gets 3rd over the other. Nash Central will be the team wondering if they have played their last game of the season or not. The Lady Firebirds already know now they will not win a game this season.
I mention the other day talking about how The late Charles Alston knew every record in every sport for Rocky Mount. Mike Gainey provided me with some dates of both Pam Gainey's 300th coaching victory and his 200th. Tuesday sitting watching the white on the ground outside I used this blog to look up both their records. Since Feb 3rd 2009 Mike Gainey's Gryphons have won two state titles and a total of 129 wins and only 36 losses. Pam is 85-34 since recording number 300 on 12-3-2010.
Knowing that this could be a magical year for Grover Battle and the Lady Knights of Northern Nash I asked Patricia Haggerty last week if she knew Grovers over all record. Do you know how hard it is to keep up with such records if your school doesn't have a Charles Alston doing it.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Big East Tournament Has About Had It
So we know for sure that there is no school on Tuesday and another day of the basketball ball is sunk. I doubt there is any school on Wednesday and if that occurs forget the Tournament for this year. If and the way this ice looks that is a big if they get into school Wednesday about the only way to save the tournament would be play two sites both days Wednesday and Thursday. Hold the finals Friday at Fike. The problem of course who plays where on Thursday to could be a problem. So the 2015 Big East Tournament is hanging on a finger nail.
NC State's win at Louisville gets the Pack on the inside of the 68 trying to get in the NCAA tournament. The Pack needs to keep winning if they are going to stay on the Northside of the in crowd. Clemson, Pitt, State, Miami all have similar conference records so if any of the four get hot down the stretch they can work themselves in while any team wins one lose one rest of the way will work themselves to NIT or worse.
Duke and Carolina seems safe for the NCAA but Carolina just two weeks ago was playing like a final four team but now like a team with a flat tire. Anybody noticed Duke hasn't lost since they cut the player loose from the team.
I like Virginia a lot. They play good defense but here is what I hate about them. I call it the Dave Odom Disease. When Odom had Tim Duncan and Randolph Childress at Wake Forest the Deacs should have scored 90 points per game but instead he coached close to the vest in fact I heard him say once is all a coach should ask for is to keep the games close and have a chance to win the game in the end.
That also means you have a chance to lose. Virginia likes to keep the games in the fifties and sixties which means any good team like Duke will be in the game in the end and as it turned out Duke scored three straight trips down court and won the game at Virginia. Virginia should be trying to score more points and blow people out. I truly see Virginia and Notre Dame as the ACC's hope for final four and Duke as an outside shot.
I don't really like Kentucky all that much, Louisville can't shoot outside, you had better watch out for Gonzaga. I have a feeling this NCAA tournament is wide open.
NC State's win at Louisville gets the Pack on the inside of the 68 trying to get in the NCAA tournament. The Pack needs to keep winning if they are going to stay on the Northside of the in crowd. Clemson, Pitt, State, Miami all have similar conference records so if any of the four get hot down the stretch they can work themselves in while any team wins one lose one rest of the way will work themselves to NIT or worse.
Duke and Carolina seems safe for the NCAA but Carolina just two weeks ago was playing like a final four team but now like a team with a flat tire. Anybody noticed Duke hasn't lost since they cut the player loose from the team.
I like Virginia a lot. They play good defense but here is what I hate about them. I call it the Dave Odom Disease. When Odom had Tim Duncan and Randolph Childress at Wake Forest the Deacs should have scored 90 points per game but instead he coached close to the vest in fact I heard him say once is all a coach should ask for is to keep the games close and have a chance to win the game in the end.
That also means you have a chance to lose. Virginia likes to keep the games in the fifties and sixties which means any good team like Duke will be in the game in the end and as it turned out Duke scored three straight trips down court and won the game at Virginia. Virginia should be trying to score more points and blow people out. I truly see Virginia and Notre Dame as the ACC's hope for final four and Duke as an outside shot.
I don't really like Kentucky all that much, Louisville can't shoot outside, you had better watch out for Gonzaga. I have a feeling this NCAA tournament is wide open.
Monday, February 16, 2015
Doing All They Can
Whenever school gets out early because of weather any after school activities are cancelled so that eliminates any Big East Basketball tournament for tonight. If there is any chance school takes in tomorrow on a delay they may try the two games at Rocky Mount and Fike like they were shooting for tonight. If we get anywhere near the type weather they are calling for tonight and know the temperature is only going to be 35 once this week and a couple of nights this week in the single digits what ever falls today will be with us for a while I doubt this tournament goes off this week. Hoping it does!!!!!
Hope you have already heard that the Big East is doing everything possible to get the basketball tournament in this week. Two locations Rocky Mount High and Fike High will try to get two days worth of Tournament in tonight.
It is really sweet that all four games of both Monday and Tuesday are teams that both the boys and girls play each other. Tonight since Rocky Mount boys play Nash Central on Monday and Rocky Mount girls play Nash Central Tuesday they are now trying to play both games Monday at the higher seed which in this case is Rocky Mount in both games. Same thing is happening at Fike where they are not only suppose to be the tournament host but they are seeded higher than Southern Nash and they play tonight at Fike. Both locations the girls start at five and the boys right after.
The closer we get to Monday afternoon the worse the forecast is for this wintery weather may start Monday afternoon so despite trying all they can there is no guarantee there will be any games tonight. So what happens if school is missed for at least a couple of days this week. The Tournament might get cancelled all together? Remember the state playoff seedings will be announced sometime Saturday afternoon so the way this season has unfolded for the boys a Southern Nash, a Rocky Mount all think they can win this tournament so if they don't get the tournament in they all will rely on their regular season record to get an at large bid.
Should they just get games in tonight and none rest of the week a six seed like Nash Central could if they upset Rocky Mount improve their at large bid while Rocky Mount would hurt their seeding. If we do get four to six inches of anything over night there is a good chance there might not be any school for the rest of the week.
Former Gryphon Collins Cuthrell was the Peach Belt player of the week last week after ripping apart opposing pitching. Cuthrell who transferred from Barton to UNC Pembroke batted 11-19. Had three doubles, five home runs, 16 rbi,12 runs scored and also walked 5 times. Those are the kind of numbers most players have for the entire season much less one week. UNCP swept a doubleheader from 8th rank Columbus State on Saturday to run the Braves record to 9-0. Cuthrell in the double header was 7-9 three doubles and a homer. Opposing pitchers are throwing beach balls to him right now.
Rocky Mount Gryphon sophomore Wilson Smith has won his second straight eastern regional 126 pound wrestling title. He has qualified to wrestle next week in the state finals. Three other Gryphons made the top four to qualify. Sedrak Sheppard 3rd at 170, Alexander Henderson 4th at 160 and Kenard Johnson 4th at 182.
Southern Nash has two wrestlers who both lost regional championship matches Saturday. Ryan Ashley 220 and Clinton Walker 145. Northern Nash will be sending Jamie Williams to the states after finishing 3rd in the heavyweight division.
Hope you have already heard that the Big East is doing everything possible to get the basketball tournament in this week. Two locations Rocky Mount High and Fike High will try to get two days worth of Tournament in tonight.
It is really sweet that all four games of both Monday and Tuesday are teams that both the boys and girls play each other. Tonight since Rocky Mount boys play Nash Central on Monday and Rocky Mount girls play Nash Central Tuesday they are now trying to play both games Monday at the higher seed which in this case is Rocky Mount in both games. Same thing is happening at Fike where they are not only suppose to be the tournament host but they are seeded higher than Southern Nash and they play tonight at Fike. Both locations the girls start at five and the boys right after.
The closer we get to Monday afternoon the worse the forecast is for this wintery weather may start Monday afternoon so despite trying all they can there is no guarantee there will be any games tonight. So what happens if school is missed for at least a couple of days this week. The Tournament might get cancelled all together? Remember the state playoff seedings will be announced sometime Saturday afternoon so the way this season has unfolded for the boys a Southern Nash, a Rocky Mount all think they can win this tournament so if they don't get the tournament in they all will rely on their regular season record to get an at large bid.
Should they just get games in tonight and none rest of the week a six seed like Nash Central could if they upset Rocky Mount improve their at large bid while Rocky Mount would hurt their seeding. If we do get four to six inches of anything over night there is a good chance there might not be any school for the rest of the week.
Former Gryphon Collins Cuthrell was the Peach Belt player of the week last week after ripping apart opposing pitching. Cuthrell who transferred from Barton to UNC Pembroke batted 11-19. Had three doubles, five home runs, 16 rbi,12 runs scored and also walked 5 times. Those are the kind of numbers most players have for the entire season much less one week. UNCP swept a doubleheader from 8th rank Columbus State on Saturday to run the Braves record to 9-0. Cuthrell in the double header was 7-9 three doubles and a homer. Opposing pitchers are throwing beach balls to him right now.
Rocky Mount Gryphon sophomore Wilson Smith has won his second straight eastern regional 126 pound wrestling title. He has qualified to wrestle next week in the state finals. Three other Gryphons made the top four to qualify. Sedrak Sheppard 3rd at 170, Alexander Henderson 4th at 160 and Kenard Johnson 4th at 182.
Southern Nash has two wrestlers who both lost regional championship matches Saturday. Ryan Ashley 220 and Clinton Walker 145. Northern Nash will be sending Jamie Williams to the states after finishing 3rd in the heavyweight division.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Moss Climbing Up Carolina Wins list.
URGENT--------URGENT--------URGENT--------URGENT------URGENT
The Big East basketball Tournament is taking drastic action due to the impending bad weather moving in Monday night. Rocky Mount High will host a double header Monday night starting at 5pm. The Gryphon girls seeded 4th will host 5th seeded Nash Central at 5pm and the boys 3rd will host 6th seeded Nash Central. At the same time Southern Nash will travel to Fike where they will play a double header at Fike. In case there is no school Tuesday at least the games through Tuesday will be in.
UNC senior pitcher Benton Moss former Gryphon pitched five innings in the first game of a UNC double header Saturday recording 9 strike outs and gave up two runs as North Carolina has opened their 2015 baseball season winning three times this weekend. Moss won his 20th career game pitching for the Tar Heels. There have been rumors floating around that Moss might be the first pitcher out of the bullpen on Friday ACC games. Hard to imagine not putting a pitcher on the hill in conference play who will winning at nearly a 75 winning percentage.
Friday night I ran into Mike Gainey doing his athletic directors work before the girls game with Northern Nash and I ask him a question. " Are you or Pam close to another milestone game in the wins column?" He replied" I have no idea". My response " Who would have that info where I can look it up.?" Without thinking " Charles Alston".
There is no doubt that when he was alive Charles Alston was Mr. Gryphon Sports information director for Rocky Mount. Gainey's response tells for all of us it is hard to believe that Charles has been gone from us three years.
Monday night the Rocky Mount Gryphons seeded number three in the Big East Tournament play for the first time since and the only person to know the answer would be Charles Alston. They play a Monday game instead of being first or second and getting a bye. If they are to win the Big East Tournament they must win three times this week.
The Gryphons 5-5 12-7 seeded third start the action Monday 6pm at Fike against the team that faltered down the stretch Nash Central 3-7 13-11 who will be the sixth seed. The night cap Monday will feature the home team Fike 5-5 15-7 the four seed against Southern Nash 4-6 12-11 at around 7:30.
The RM/NC winner will play Northern Nash the two seed 6-4 9-12. The F/SN winner gets the top seed Hunt 7-3 15-8 in the other semi. I think what times for the games on Wednesday will depend whether Fike is still alive. If there has ever been a chance for one of the Monday teams to win the tournament this year is it.
I misspoke about the Lady Gryphons beating Fike twice during the regular season which they split and the tie breaker was who had the best record against the top two teams and Fike victory over Hunt Friday gives Fike the three seed and Rocky Mount the four.
Tuesday Fike 5-5 10-12 will take on Southern Nash 0-10 and 0-23. The night cap will be Rocky Mount 5-5 10-9 the four seed against Nash Central 3-7 12-12 the five seed. The F/SN winner gets Hunt the two seed 7-3 17-6 Thursday night in the semis. The RM/NC winner get undefeated Northern Nash 10-0 21-0.
The Carolina Classic North Carolina all star team has been announce and no player for the Big East made it. I think it is strange that no one from Northern Nash Kiana Thomas the leader of the unbeaten Northern Nash Knights was left off. No Big East boy is on it either.
The Big East basketball Tournament is taking drastic action due to the impending bad weather moving in Monday night. Rocky Mount High will host a double header Monday night starting at 5pm. The Gryphon girls seeded 4th will host 5th seeded Nash Central at 5pm and the boys 3rd will host 6th seeded Nash Central. At the same time Southern Nash will travel to Fike where they will play a double header at Fike. In case there is no school Tuesday at least the games through Tuesday will be in.
UNC senior pitcher Benton Moss former Gryphon pitched five innings in the first game of a UNC double header Saturday recording 9 strike outs and gave up two runs as North Carolina has opened their 2015 baseball season winning three times this weekend. Moss won his 20th career game pitching for the Tar Heels. There have been rumors floating around that Moss might be the first pitcher out of the bullpen on Friday ACC games. Hard to imagine not putting a pitcher on the hill in conference play who will winning at nearly a 75 winning percentage.
Friday night I ran into Mike Gainey doing his athletic directors work before the girls game with Northern Nash and I ask him a question. " Are you or Pam close to another milestone game in the wins column?" He replied" I have no idea". My response " Who would have that info where I can look it up.?" Without thinking " Charles Alston".
There is no doubt that when he was alive Charles Alston was Mr. Gryphon Sports information director for Rocky Mount. Gainey's response tells for all of us it is hard to believe that Charles has been gone from us three years.
Monday night the Rocky Mount Gryphons seeded number three in the Big East Tournament play for the first time since and the only person to know the answer would be Charles Alston. They play a Monday game instead of being first or second and getting a bye. If they are to win the Big East Tournament they must win three times this week.
The Gryphons 5-5 12-7 seeded third start the action Monday 6pm at Fike against the team that faltered down the stretch Nash Central 3-7 13-11 who will be the sixth seed. The night cap Monday will feature the home team Fike 5-5 15-7 the four seed against Southern Nash 4-6 12-11 at around 7:30.
The RM/NC winner will play Northern Nash the two seed 6-4 9-12. The F/SN winner gets the top seed Hunt 7-3 15-8 in the other semi. I think what times for the games on Wednesday will depend whether Fike is still alive. If there has ever been a chance for one of the Monday teams to win the tournament this year is it.
I misspoke about the Lady Gryphons beating Fike twice during the regular season which they split and the tie breaker was who had the best record against the top two teams and Fike victory over Hunt Friday gives Fike the three seed and Rocky Mount the four.
Tuesday Fike 5-5 10-12 will take on Southern Nash 0-10 and 0-23. The night cap will be Rocky Mount 5-5 10-9 the four seed against Nash Central 3-7 12-12 the five seed. The F/SN winner gets Hunt the two seed 7-3 17-6 Thursday night in the semis. The RM/NC winner get undefeated Northern Nash 10-0 21-0.
The Carolina Classic North Carolina all star team has been announce and no player for the Big East made it. I think it is strange that no one from Northern Nash Kiana Thomas the leader of the unbeaten Northern Nash Knights was left off. No Big East boy is on it either.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Great When It Was Needed
Northern Nash's girls basketball team looked squarely into the eyes of their first loss of the season with 3:44 to go. Rocky Mount gave the supreme effort on the year. Couldn't hit the broad side of a barn except for one player Shelby Meeks. Her 7th three of the night gave Rocky Mount a 37-34 lead and then Northern's defense took over. Rocky Mount only got one shot the rest of the game and that took place with four second left. Four straight turnovers and a 25 second spell when Kiana Thomas said follow me. Thomas hit two rebound put backs at 1:47 and 1:27 plus a key rebound at 1:07 and a foul shot to give Northern a 42-37 lead and an undefeated season as they beat the feisty Lady Gryphons 44-37. Northern finishes 21-0 heading to the Big East Tournament in Wilson next week.
Thomas led Northern with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Alexia Hines started out scoring seven points in the first quarter but was saddled with two fouls at the end of the first finished with 12. Rocky Mount out rebounded the taller Knights 32-26 were lead by Meek's 21 points. In the let one get away column Rocky Mount was 9-24 at the foul line while Northern couldn't write home how great they were either only 8-18. Rocky Mount had 26 turnovers for the game but had a shot at victory until the last four. Northern only had ten in the game including none in the fourth quarter.
Rocky Mount drops to 5-5 and after Fike upset Hunt 47-43 are in a tie for third with Rocky Mount but the Gryphons get the third seed in next weeks Big East Tournament having beat Fike in both conference matchups.
The boys matchup found Rocky Mount still twitching about the buzzer beater Northern applied to them three weeks ago and just maybe with a chance to win the top seed and it has been a while since Northern has been in that position they were nervous looking in the beginning and Rocky Mount showed no mercy. Rocky Mount clinches out right third while Northern will settle for the two seed after a Rocky Mount pasting of Northern 89-55. Hunt who had to beat Fike to draw first had little trouble beating Fike 72-49.
Rocky Mount had five turnovers in the first quarter but other wise they could have had a larger than 18-11 first quarter lead. Isaiah Alston went to work in the second quarter scoring 18 first half points just two shy of the Knight half time total. Northern had eight second quarter TO's to go with five in the first and the Gryphons led 38-20 at the half.
Kenaz Cooper took control for Rocky Mount in the second half finishing with 15 points and Northern could do no better than losing the third quarter 22-20. The Gryphons were not finished even when the benches were cleared the Gryphon bench scored 12 points in the last two minutes and put a hurting on Northern.
Isaiah Alston led the Gryphons with 22, Kenaz Cooper 15, Broderick Caudle 13 and Sherrod Green added 12. Lemonte Johnson was the only Knight to hit double figures scoring 14. The final totals on turnovers Northern had 20 while Rocky Mount had 12 for the game throwing the ball away only seven time after the first quarter and even with the lead from 16-20 points the Gryphons push up court on every procession as if the 35 second clock only had three seconds to go.
The Gryphons out rebounded the Knights 43-25 and they had five rebounders with at least five boards. Sherrod Greene and Artavious Richardson lead the way with seven, Thomas Cooper 6, Kenaz Cooper 6, and Isaiah Alston five.
The Big East tournament starts Monday at Fike. Southern Nash got back on the plus side in the win column with a 77-63 victory over Nash Central
Northern Nash Girls and Hunt get byes in the girls Tournament next week while Rocky Mount will face Southern Nash and Fike will faceoff with Nash Central. The RockyMount/Southern winner will draw Hunt in the semis while Northern awaits the Fike/ Nash Central winner
Hunt gets a bye for first and Northern Nash second while Rocky Mount will play Nash Central and Fike meets Southern Nash. The F/SN winner will get Hunt in the semis while Northern Nash rest waiting for either RM/NC
Thomas led Northern with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Alexia Hines started out scoring seven points in the first quarter but was saddled with two fouls at the end of the first finished with 12. Rocky Mount out rebounded the taller Knights 32-26 were lead by Meek's 21 points. In the let one get away column Rocky Mount was 9-24 at the foul line while Northern couldn't write home how great they were either only 8-18. Rocky Mount had 26 turnovers for the game but had a shot at victory until the last four. Northern only had ten in the game including none in the fourth quarter.
Rocky Mount drops to 5-5 and after Fike upset Hunt 47-43 are in a tie for third with Rocky Mount but the Gryphons get the third seed in next weeks Big East Tournament having beat Fike in both conference matchups.
The boys matchup found Rocky Mount still twitching about the buzzer beater Northern applied to them three weeks ago and just maybe with a chance to win the top seed and it has been a while since Northern has been in that position they were nervous looking in the beginning and Rocky Mount showed no mercy. Rocky Mount clinches out right third while Northern will settle for the two seed after a Rocky Mount pasting of Northern 89-55. Hunt who had to beat Fike to draw first had little trouble beating Fike 72-49.
Rocky Mount had five turnovers in the first quarter but other wise they could have had a larger than 18-11 first quarter lead. Isaiah Alston went to work in the second quarter scoring 18 first half points just two shy of the Knight half time total. Northern had eight second quarter TO's to go with five in the first and the Gryphons led 38-20 at the half.
Kenaz Cooper took control for Rocky Mount in the second half finishing with 15 points and Northern could do no better than losing the third quarter 22-20. The Gryphons were not finished even when the benches were cleared the Gryphon bench scored 12 points in the last two minutes and put a hurting on Northern.
Isaiah Alston led the Gryphons with 22, Kenaz Cooper 15, Broderick Caudle 13 and Sherrod Green added 12. Lemonte Johnson was the only Knight to hit double figures scoring 14. The final totals on turnovers Northern had 20 while Rocky Mount had 12 for the game throwing the ball away only seven time after the first quarter and even with the lead from 16-20 points the Gryphons push up court on every procession as if the 35 second clock only had three seconds to go.
The Gryphons out rebounded the Knights 43-25 and they had five rebounders with at least five boards. Sherrod Greene and Artavious Richardson lead the way with seven, Thomas Cooper 6, Kenaz Cooper 6, and Isaiah Alston five.
The Big East tournament starts Monday at Fike. Southern Nash got back on the plus side in the win column with a 77-63 victory over Nash Central
Northern Nash Girls and Hunt get byes in the girls Tournament next week while Rocky Mount will face Southern Nash and Fike will faceoff with Nash Central. The RockyMount/Southern winner will draw Hunt in the semis while Northern awaits the Fike/ Nash Central winner
Hunt gets a bye for first and Northern Nash second while Rocky Mount will play Nash Central and Fike meets Southern Nash. The F/SN winner will get Hunt in the semis while Northern Nash rest waiting for either RM/NC
Lady Gryphons Stand In The Way
Tonight five Northern Nash girls basketball players will play their last regular season game in high school. None of the five played every game as a freshman in fact some were on the JV team but these five will have to go down in the history of Northern Nash girls basketball for their part in the best four years in Northern Girls history despite having a state championship team in the 90's.
Mary Evans, Susie Sykes, Alexia Hines, Kiana Thomas and Jarnese Flowers are part of a basketball program that in the last four years has won 88 games and lost but 8 times. That 22 wins a season and only two losses per.
Their worse of the four years was the freshman year of 2012 when they managed only 20 wins. It is also the year that their most hated rival, beat them four times which were the only losses they suffered the entire season. Just a review Northern beat Rocky Mount in the Christmas Tournament in 2011 but Rocky Mount gave Northern their first loss of the season in January. Then the last games of the season, the next Friday of the conference tournament and the sectional finals on three straight Fridays all went the Gryphons way.
Now sophomore years the Lady Knights run the table and go undefeated in the regular season and they beat those Gryphons three times. Northern will lose their first game of the year in the conference finals in overtime once again to Rocky Mount. Now memory lane Northern and Rocky Mount both win opening sectional games and are scheduled to play each other on a Wednesday at Northern Nash. The Rocky Mount boys have a Wednesday second round game start in Rocky Mount at six and after a victory load up to travel to Northern where the Lady Gryphons do it to the Knights again. 22 wins and 2 losses. Two losses and Rocky Mount wins for a total of all six Northern Nash losses in two years.
Enough is enough. Northern starts the opening game of 2013 losing to Southern Wayne. They would not lose again until the playoffs and that would include beating Rocky Mount four times. They would go unbeaten in conference, conference Tournament and sectionals and make it to Fayetteville where they would run into a West Craven team with a major division one recruit and finish 26-2.
Heading into tonight's game Northern has beaten Rocky Mount twice and stand at 20-0. They have beaten Rocky Mount six straight times. Six of the eight losses the Knights have suffered in the last four years have come from those Gryphons.
The Lady Knights have lost three regular season games in the last four years. They have lost three in the State Playoffs and twice in the conference tournament. This team has gotten better each year and there seems to be only one team in the east that might stop them from heading to Raleigh and the state championship. Eastern wayne is the only other unbeaten in Eastern North Carolina. Tonight their biggest nemisis once again stands in their way for an unbeaten season. Can Rocky Mount give Northern their first loss of the season for the third time in four years?? Will the Lady Knights Stand undefeated in their arch rivals gym?? Game time is 6pm at Rocky Mount.
Mary Evans, Susie Sykes, Alexia Hines, Kiana Thomas and Jarnese Flowers are part of a basketball program that in the last four years has won 88 games and lost but 8 times. That 22 wins a season and only two losses per.
Their worse of the four years was the freshman year of 2012 when they managed only 20 wins. It is also the year that their most hated rival, beat them four times which were the only losses they suffered the entire season. Just a review Northern beat Rocky Mount in the Christmas Tournament in 2011 but Rocky Mount gave Northern their first loss of the season in January. Then the last games of the season, the next Friday of the conference tournament and the sectional finals on three straight Fridays all went the Gryphons way.
Now sophomore years the Lady Knights run the table and go undefeated in the regular season and they beat those Gryphons three times. Northern will lose their first game of the year in the conference finals in overtime once again to Rocky Mount. Now memory lane Northern and Rocky Mount both win opening sectional games and are scheduled to play each other on a Wednesday at Northern Nash. The Rocky Mount boys have a Wednesday second round game start in Rocky Mount at six and after a victory load up to travel to Northern where the Lady Gryphons do it to the Knights again. 22 wins and 2 losses. Two losses and Rocky Mount wins for a total of all six Northern Nash losses in two years.
Enough is enough. Northern starts the opening game of 2013 losing to Southern Wayne. They would not lose again until the playoffs and that would include beating Rocky Mount four times. They would go unbeaten in conference, conference Tournament and sectionals and make it to Fayetteville where they would run into a West Craven team with a major division one recruit and finish 26-2.
Heading into tonight's game Northern has beaten Rocky Mount twice and stand at 20-0. They have beaten Rocky Mount six straight times. Six of the eight losses the Knights have suffered in the last four years have come from those Gryphons.
The Lady Knights have lost three regular season games in the last four years. They have lost three in the State Playoffs and twice in the conference tournament. This team has gotten better each year and there seems to be only one team in the east that might stop them from heading to Raleigh and the state championship. Eastern wayne is the only other unbeaten in Eastern North Carolina. Tonight their biggest nemisis once again stands in their way for an unbeaten season. Can Rocky Mount give Northern their first loss of the season for the third time in four years?? Will the Lady Knights Stand undefeated in their arch rivals gym?? Game time is 6pm at Rocky Mount.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Northern Goes For Both basketball Regular Season Titles
It has been many moons since Northern Nash High school won both the boys and girls basketball titles the same year. It will happen if the Northern boys can come to Rocky Mount and do one simple thing and that is beat Rocky Mount in Rocky Mount which has not happened since 2009. If you go back and look it up I was telling you here on this blog in December that Northern's boys were better than record.
The completion of the Christmas Tournament I predicted that Nash Central didn't handle the ball well enough and thought they would finish last. They had a spurt just like everyone has had and for a while looked like the surprise team in the league but the second time around they have struggled. Southern Nash at one point looked like the best team in the league. Ball handling too has seen their season crumble. Rocky Mount has athletes like they always have but are not very tall. This 22 point comeback at Southern in the fourth quarter just may be what the Gryphons need to get them jump started.
Hunt by far is the best looking team in the league when they have all players playing as a team. They dominate everyone except Northern. Fike has looked great at times but now hopes to finish no better than third. Northern looks like everyone else, they have athletes, and jumpers but no height. What they have is a bunch of seniors that they have pull almost every game out of the fire because of confidence. Henry Drake is probably the coach of the year leading the Knight's turn a round.
We have come down to the final night of the regular where just two weeks ago last could still finish first and first could still finish last. There are only two teams that can win the top seed and as they say Northern Nash is theirs to win. They beat the Gryphons and they are the top seed. Hunt can still take the top spot but only with a Northern loss and a Hunt victory over Fike. I am sure in Rocky Mount and Hunt the gyms will overflow Friday night.
Northern Nash 6-3 9-11 @ Rocky Mount 4-5 11-7: Northern wins they win regular season. If Hunt loses Northern still gets top seed win or lose. Sure sits better if they win going forth in next week's tournament or getting first losing to Rocky Mount and Hunt losing to Fike. . Rocky Mount can still pull a third seed out in this one. The first of the week they weren't sure they would even make the playoffs
Southern Nash 3-6 11-11 @ Nash Central 3-6: What happened to Southern Nash? They were 3-2 during the first round but have lost all four games so far in the second time around. NC has a couple of outstanding players that are just as good as anybody else in the league but this game the loser may not make the playoffs.
There is still of course the chance if Fike beats Hunt, Rocky Mount beats Northern of a three way tie for the top and the way this season has been. It is possible.
Northern Nash 9-0 20-0 girls go for an undefeated season regular season against Rocky Mount 5-4 10-8. Wonder now that Fike at least stayed close if everyone will now try to hold the ball on Northern?
Southern Nash 0-9 0-22 have only two more chances to win a game this year. Nash Central 2-7 11-12 which will be their best chance. Next week in conference tournament at Fike they will get the three seed Rocky Mount who has beaten them three time by at least 17 each game. Nash Central is Southern's shot to win one now.
Fike 4-5 9-12 @ Hunt 7-2 17-5: Fike has fourth for next week and Hunt has second so the only thing being played for Friday is, it is Fike and Hunt "nough" said.
The completion of the Christmas Tournament I predicted that Nash Central didn't handle the ball well enough and thought they would finish last. They had a spurt just like everyone has had and for a while looked like the surprise team in the league but the second time around they have struggled. Southern Nash at one point looked like the best team in the league. Ball handling too has seen their season crumble. Rocky Mount has athletes like they always have but are not very tall. This 22 point comeback at Southern in the fourth quarter just may be what the Gryphons need to get them jump started.
Hunt by far is the best looking team in the league when they have all players playing as a team. They dominate everyone except Northern. Fike has looked great at times but now hopes to finish no better than third. Northern looks like everyone else, they have athletes, and jumpers but no height. What they have is a bunch of seniors that they have pull almost every game out of the fire because of confidence. Henry Drake is probably the coach of the year leading the Knight's turn a round.
We have come down to the final night of the regular where just two weeks ago last could still finish first and first could still finish last. There are only two teams that can win the top seed and as they say Northern Nash is theirs to win. They beat the Gryphons and they are the top seed. Hunt can still take the top spot but only with a Northern loss and a Hunt victory over Fike. I am sure in Rocky Mount and Hunt the gyms will overflow Friday night.
Northern Nash 6-3 9-11 @ Rocky Mount 4-5 11-7: Northern wins they win regular season. If Hunt loses Northern still gets top seed win or lose. Sure sits better if they win going forth in next week's tournament or getting first losing to Rocky Mount and Hunt losing to Fike. . Rocky Mount can still pull a third seed out in this one. The first of the week they weren't sure they would even make the playoffs
Southern Nash 3-6 11-11 @ Nash Central 3-6: What happened to Southern Nash? They were 3-2 during the first round but have lost all four games so far in the second time around. NC has a couple of outstanding players that are just as good as anybody else in the league but this game the loser may not make the playoffs.
There is still of course the chance if Fike beats Hunt, Rocky Mount beats Northern of a three way tie for the top and the way this season has been. It is possible.
Northern Nash 9-0 20-0 girls go for an undefeated season regular season against Rocky Mount 5-4 10-8. Wonder now that Fike at least stayed close if everyone will now try to hold the ball on Northern?
Southern Nash 0-9 0-22 have only two more chances to win a game this year. Nash Central 2-7 11-12 which will be their best chance. Next week in conference tournament at Fike they will get the three seed Rocky Mount who has beaten them three time by at least 17 each game. Nash Central is Southern's shot to win one now.
Fike 4-5 9-12 @ Hunt 7-2 17-5: Fike has fourth for next week and Hunt has second so the only thing being played for Friday is, it is Fike and Hunt "nough" said.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Playoff Projections Holy Smoke
These days with computers computing team ratings and how they are expected to finish rest of the season the early returns are in and Highschoolot.com is projecting all six boys basketball teams from the Big East will make the state playoffs. How can they even consider that and the answer has to be everyone in the league has an overall winning record. Right now the only team not over 500 on the year is Northern Nash and they very well just might win the regular season title. The projections show Hunt as the four seed, Fike 11th,Northern Nash 21st, Nash Central 24th, Southern Nash 26th and Rocky Mount 28th. So tonight's action could shift some of those seeding around but as long as a team doesn't go rest of the season without a win everyone has a chance to make the playoffs.
The magic continues for the red hot Knights of Northern Nash. Northern held a three point half time lead gave it away to trail 50-44 after three quarters. Like they have done the last three weeks Northern's confidence down the stretch they think they are going to win and they have gone to Fike and scored with less than five second left to beat Fike 64-63. Northern if they beat Rocky Mount Friday will win the top seed in the Big East Tournament since they have beaten Hunt both times they played this season.
Hunt had their mid season discipline issues which they seemed to have clear up and tonight you could not convince Nash Central that Hunt has any issues Hunt swamps Nash Central 64-44 setting up their game Friday night with Fike that if Hunt wins they might get the top seed pending Northern Nash's outcome with Rocky Mount.
Rocky Mount still has a shot at third in the Big East standings after beating Southern Nash 78-73. Rocky Mount needs to beat Northern and hope Hunt beats Fike and they could secure third having beaten Fike in both games during the season. Southern loses their fourth conference game in a row and drop down to a tie for fifth with Nash Central so they meet Friday playing for last place after each was just tied for first three games back.
Five of the six girls teams look secure. Northern Nash is going to be either first or second along with Eastern Wayne who is also undefeated. Hunt will be seeded 12th, Rocky Mount 20th, Nash Central 27th and Fike gets in at 31 so they are on the edge of falling out so let's see who improved their seeding and who is a bubble team now.
You had to expect to finally find somebody that was going to try to hold the ball on Northern Nash. The have beaten everyone in conference by an average of 23 points so tonight Fike takes their time when attacking on offense and at the end of the first quarter Northern only led 5-2. It was 12-6 at the half and by games end Fike has been as close as anybody but still no cigar as Northern Nash wins number 20 without a defeat as they beat Fike at Fike 35-27. It is the lowest scoring output of the season for Northern but it's a win.
Hunt if they can keep winning are looking at a home game in the first round and they get'er done beating Nash Central 49-35. Both Fike and Nash Central even though the computers are showing them in right now they need a win Friday or a win next week in the conference tournament.
Rocky Mount girls clinched third beating Southern Nash 64-47. Rocky Mount best Fike in both matches this year so if they both finish 5-5 Rocky Mount get the third seed.
The magic continues for the red hot Knights of Northern Nash. Northern held a three point half time lead gave it away to trail 50-44 after three quarters. Like they have done the last three weeks Northern's confidence down the stretch they think they are going to win and they have gone to Fike and scored with less than five second left to beat Fike 64-63. Northern if they beat Rocky Mount Friday will win the top seed in the Big East Tournament since they have beaten Hunt both times they played this season.
Hunt had their mid season discipline issues which they seemed to have clear up and tonight you could not convince Nash Central that Hunt has any issues Hunt swamps Nash Central 64-44 setting up their game Friday night with Fike that if Hunt wins they might get the top seed pending Northern Nash's outcome with Rocky Mount.
Rocky Mount still has a shot at third in the Big East standings after beating Southern Nash 78-73. Rocky Mount needs to beat Northern and hope Hunt beats Fike and they could secure third having beaten Fike in both games during the season. Southern loses their fourth conference game in a row and drop down to a tie for fifth with Nash Central so they meet Friday playing for last place after each was just tied for first three games back.
Five of the six girls teams look secure. Northern Nash is going to be either first or second along with Eastern Wayne who is also undefeated. Hunt will be seeded 12th, Rocky Mount 20th, Nash Central 27th and Fike gets in at 31 so they are on the edge of falling out so let's see who improved their seeding and who is a bubble team now.
You had to expect to finally find somebody that was going to try to hold the ball on Northern Nash. The have beaten everyone in conference by an average of 23 points so tonight Fike takes their time when attacking on offense and at the end of the first quarter Northern only led 5-2. It was 12-6 at the half and by games end Fike has been as close as anybody but still no cigar as Northern Nash wins number 20 without a defeat as they beat Fike at Fike 35-27. It is the lowest scoring output of the season for Northern but it's a win.
Hunt if they can keep winning are looking at a home game in the first round and they get'er done beating Nash Central 49-35. Both Fike and Nash Central even though the computers are showing them in right now they need a win Friday or a win next week in the conference tournament.
Rocky Mount girls clinched third beating Southern Nash 64-47. Rocky Mount best Fike in both matches this year so if they both finish 5-5 Rocky Mount get the third seed.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Nash Central Names Their Man
Having not won a football game in over two seasons Nash Central has taken their time in order to pick the right man for the job to bring Bulldog football back to respectability. Their pick is a BW Holt protege from the era when Holt at Rocky Mount. Today Nash Central has named Chris Lee as the new head football coach of the Bulldogs.
Lee spent six years on the staff of BW Holt and served as head JV football coach. He ran the offense while now Gryphon Baseball coach Kent Cox ran the defense. Their six years together under the Holt regime the JV team at Rocky Mount won 54 games while losing but 5.
Any coach worth his salt and hoping one day to be a head coach has to make decisions. Lee having applied at Louisburg High thinking that Holt would never leave Rocky Mount took the job and has spent six years at Louisburg posting a 36-35 record. Little did he know that in less than six months Holt would leave Rocky Mount and if still at Rocky Mount a real possibility that he would have been the leading candidate. Lee still attends church in Red Oak and has many friends and family in the area.
Many in our area today are in mourning, with the loss of former UNC basketball coach Dean Smith. Many of the ways to play the game of basketball are on display every time you watch a game can be attributed to Dean Smith.
Team huddles at the foul before foul shots, diving on the floor going for loose balls, pointing at the passer after you made a basket from an assist from your teammate. The main one was the college time clock. Yes the famed four corners which Rocky Mount's Phil Ford ran to perfection can be see coming from Coach Smith. Not because they just stood and held the ball because the Tar Heels scored so easily from it. During the height of the four corners North Carolina always lead the nation in scoring and today with a time clock scoring is way down to those four corner days.
Throughout my career I interviewed many famous coaches but Dean Smith was not one of them and I only met him once in my life. I use to work for a gentleman that when you enter the Smith Center has his name is on that plaque where donors who gave money to build the Smith Center.
He had eight ticket on the eighth row across from the Carolina bench. Those eight seats stretched from the midcourt to the foul line He also gave me his parking pass which at the Smith Center there are not many parking spots close to the entrance. His pass was on the left side on the hill beside the Smith Center. As we unloaded my mini-van about an hour an a half before a game with Clemson we were trying to figure out how to get down the hill and a gentleman who had parked two spaces beyond where we were standing goes by and it is Dean Smith. We spoke and as we walked down the hill together, he was wearing a Carolina warm up suit had idle chit chat about the weather. I didn't want to lay on him an interview as we walked and hour and half before a game.
We went toward the main entrance and he went in a side door but as we were walking in I said to my wife Pat that he didn't have his own private parking space either in the building or right beside a private door. I have always thought since that day maybe 25 years ago Dean Smith didn't consider himself special.
He just thought of himself as a teacher and coach.
Lee spent six years on the staff of BW Holt and served as head JV football coach. He ran the offense while now Gryphon Baseball coach Kent Cox ran the defense. Their six years together under the Holt regime the JV team at Rocky Mount won 54 games while losing but 5.
Any coach worth his salt and hoping one day to be a head coach has to make decisions. Lee having applied at Louisburg High thinking that Holt would never leave Rocky Mount took the job and has spent six years at Louisburg posting a 36-35 record. Little did he know that in less than six months Holt would leave Rocky Mount and if still at Rocky Mount a real possibility that he would have been the leading candidate. Lee still attends church in Red Oak and has many friends and family in the area.
Many in our area today are in mourning, with the loss of former UNC basketball coach Dean Smith. Many of the ways to play the game of basketball are on display every time you watch a game can be attributed to Dean Smith.
Team huddles at the foul before foul shots, diving on the floor going for loose balls, pointing at the passer after you made a basket from an assist from your teammate. The main one was the college time clock. Yes the famed four corners which Rocky Mount's Phil Ford ran to perfection can be see coming from Coach Smith. Not because they just stood and held the ball because the Tar Heels scored so easily from it. During the height of the four corners North Carolina always lead the nation in scoring and today with a time clock scoring is way down to those four corner days.
Throughout my career I interviewed many famous coaches but Dean Smith was not one of them and I only met him once in my life. I use to work for a gentleman that when you enter the Smith Center has his name is on that plaque where donors who gave money to build the Smith Center.
He had eight ticket on the eighth row across from the Carolina bench. Those eight seats stretched from the midcourt to the foul line He also gave me his parking pass which at the Smith Center there are not many parking spots close to the entrance. His pass was on the left side on the hill beside the Smith Center. As we unloaded my mini-van about an hour an a half before a game with Clemson we were trying to figure out how to get down the hill and a gentleman who had parked two spaces beyond where we were standing goes by and it is Dean Smith. We spoke and as we walked down the hill together, he was wearing a Carolina warm up suit had idle chit chat about the weather. I didn't want to lay on him an interview as we walked and hour and half before a game.
We went toward the main entrance and he went in a side door but as we were walking in I said to my wife Pat that he didn't have his own private parking space either in the building or right beside a private door. I have always thought since that day maybe 25 years ago Dean Smith didn't consider himself special.
He just thought of himself as a teacher and coach.
The Finish Line Is Clearer
There was that outrageous possibility that after Friday night's action the boys Big East basketball could have been heading into the last week with a six way tie for first or last depending on your view at all teams 4-4.
Some normalcy resulted in Friday's action as all the 4-3 teams beat the 3-4 teams so as we head to the final week of the regular season for the first time this year we know that Rocky Mount, Nash Central and Southern Nash cannot win first. How do we know that? Three teams are tied at 5-3 and Tuesday Northern Nash Fike play each other and then on Friday Fike and Hunt play. Somewhere along the way at least one team has to be 6-4 or better eliminating RM, NC and SN from first. We head this week for the first time knowing that teams when they line up this week will be playing for position for the tournament and just maybe for any playoff hope.
Rocky Mount 3-5 10-7 @ Southern Nash 3-5 11-10: Rocky Mount at one point was 2-1 in the league but has lost four of last five. Southern was 3-2 and just 10 days ago looked like best team in the league. There is a very good chance the loser of this game fails to make the playoffs. Would it be right to say this will be a dog fight?
Northern Nash 5-3 8-11 @ Fike 5-3 15-5: This is the Tuesday game for first place. One of these two will be no worse than a tie for first depending on the Hunt outcome. Northern has won 5 of 6 and is this week lead team as being the best team in the league. Fike has the league's best over all record. This game still leaves the loser in jeopardy of falling back into the second division.
Hunt 5-3 13-8 @ Nash Central 3-5 12-9: Hunt seems to get the easy game of the night as they watch
Northern Nash and Fike fight it out at Fike. A victory by Hunt and they for sure play for the top seed Friday pending the Fike /Northern Nash outcome.
Rocky Mount girls 4-4 9-8 @ Southern Nash 0-8 0-21. Facing Northern Nash Friday this is the game the Lady Gryphons can clinch 3rd in league play if they can count on help from Northern Nash. Southern playing Rocky Mount and Nash Central this week is last hope for a victory during regular season.
Northern Nash 8-0 19-0 @ Fike 4-4 9-12: an undefeated regular season will have to happen will have to happen with the final two games of the season on the road and it starts at Fike. Northern gets both the 4-4 teams battling for playoff position.
Hunt 6-2 16-5 @ Nash Central 2-6 11-9: Don't look now but one of the best women's basketball teams besides those named Eastern Wayne and Northern Nash is Hunt. Right now Nash Central is a bubble team at best standing fifth in the league.
Some normalcy resulted in Friday's action as all the 4-3 teams beat the 3-4 teams so as we head to the final week of the regular season for the first time this year we know that Rocky Mount, Nash Central and Southern Nash cannot win first. How do we know that? Three teams are tied at 5-3 and Tuesday Northern Nash Fike play each other and then on Friday Fike and Hunt play. Somewhere along the way at least one team has to be 6-4 or better eliminating RM, NC and SN from first. We head this week for the first time knowing that teams when they line up this week will be playing for position for the tournament and just maybe for any playoff hope.
Rocky Mount 3-5 10-7 @ Southern Nash 3-5 11-10: Rocky Mount at one point was 2-1 in the league but has lost four of last five. Southern was 3-2 and just 10 days ago looked like best team in the league. There is a very good chance the loser of this game fails to make the playoffs. Would it be right to say this will be a dog fight?
Northern Nash 5-3 8-11 @ Fike 5-3 15-5: This is the Tuesday game for first place. One of these two will be no worse than a tie for first depending on the Hunt outcome. Northern has won 5 of 6 and is this week lead team as being the best team in the league. Fike has the league's best over all record. This game still leaves the loser in jeopardy of falling back into the second division.
Hunt 5-3 13-8 @ Nash Central 3-5 12-9: Hunt seems to get the easy game of the night as they watch
Northern Nash and Fike fight it out at Fike. A victory by Hunt and they for sure play for the top seed Friday pending the Fike /Northern Nash outcome.
Rocky Mount girls 4-4 9-8 @ Southern Nash 0-8 0-21. Facing Northern Nash Friday this is the game the Lady Gryphons can clinch 3rd in league play if they can count on help from Northern Nash. Southern playing Rocky Mount and Nash Central this week is last hope for a victory during regular season.
Northern Nash 8-0 19-0 @ Fike 4-4 9-12: an undefeated regular season will have to happen will have to happen with the final two games of the season on the road and it starts at Fike. Northern gets both the 4-4 teams battling for playoff position.
Hunt 6-2 16-5 @ Nash Central 2-6 11-9: Don't look now but one of the best women's basketball teams besides those named Eastern Wayne and Northern Nash is Hunt. Right now Nash Central is a bubble team at best standing fifth in the league.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
American Proud
When athletes play sports in high school in many cases many of us have no idea what might be in the future of those athletes. We are proud when we see them on future playing fields either in college and for the rare few play professional sports. There are times when some of those athletes do non-athletic actions that even though this is a sports blog those actions are hard to ignore.
Today I am proud to be an American with the action of one former Rocky Mount Gryphon Jeremiah Parvin. Parvin played football and baseball and graduated from RMSH in the late nineties and went on to Davidson College. Once a college graduate Parvin enlisted in the U S Air Force.
Officers Candidate school and flight school and Parvin was assigned to fly the A10C The Warhog. October 28th 2008 now serving a tour of duty in Afghanistan Captain Jeremiah "Bull" Parvin along with his wing support Lieutenant Cavasos were circling their area of responsibility when a call came that six marines were pinned down under heavy fire with injuries. There was no way to get other ground troops to the area so the Warhogs were sent 320 miles or about an hour flight to help support the marines.
The area the marines were pinned down was not on any map at Parvin's disposal plus extreme weather and low cloud cover didn't make finding the marines easy in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan. The marines on the ground were able to help Parvin to find them once he was over head. He could tell through gun fire that the marines were under heavy attack
Flying low Parvin turned on his A-10 Overt exterior lights to help distinguish who was enemy and who was friendly. This also gave the enemy and easy target to shoot at and for over two hours engaged hostile action. During the battle with the attention now on shooting down the A-10's the marines were able to escape to safety. During the battle Parvin destroyed many enemy positions with some as close as forty yards from the marines.
Once the battle was over Parvin's team return to base which was more than a hours flight away. Parvin turned in a normal routine report. Since 2008 Parvin has flown some 280 hours of combat in the war zones and 83 sorties. Those marines saved by Parvin's crew did not think that that mission was your every day run of the mill action.
This past January 29th Parvin now stationed at Moody Air Force base Georgia and now a Major was presented with the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor for his action on that night of October 28th 2008 saving the lives of those six marines. The DFC with Valor was presented by Major General H. D. Polumbo Jr. the commander of the US Ninth Air Force.
His wife Vanessa and father Joe were there along with many others stationed at Moody AFB but also there was USMC Master Gunnery Sargent Richard Wells who was one of the six marines saved that night. Wells stated that it was the first time in his life that he thought 'this is it, we are all going to die, we're not going to make it out of this'''. If it wasn't for him I would not be here today"'.
I have never met Major Parvin and probably never will but as an American who is proud of what our country stands for I am proud of his action while standing for that belief. We have so many people serving our country and doing us proud and to think he is from Rocky Mount and on top of that a Gryphon. Major Jeremiah "Bull" Parvin THANK YOU!!!!.
If you would like to read the story you can go to http://globalaviationreport.com/2015/01/30distinguished-flying-cross-with-valor-a-10c-pilo... just google Major Jeremiah Parvin and there are many accounts of the ceremony and there is one that you can watch the presentation. How wonderful this modern world of computers has taken us to we can watch almost anything happening in the world.
Today I am proud to be an American with the action of one former Rocky Mount Gryphon Jeremiah Parvin. Parvin played football and baseball and graduated from RMSH in the late nineties and went on to Davidson College. Once a college graduate Parvin enlisted in the U S Air Force.
Officers Candidate school and flight school and Parvin was assigned to fly the A10C The Warhog. October 28th 2008 now serving a tour of duty in Afghanistan Captain Jeremiah "Bull" Parvin along with his wing support Lieutenant Cavasos were circling their area of responsibility when a call came that six marines were pinned down under heavy fire with injuries. There was no way to get other ground troops to the area so the Warhogs were sent 320 miles or about an hour flight to help support the marines.
The area the marines were pinned down was not on any map at Parvin's disposal plus extreme weather and low cloud cover didn't make finding the marines easy in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan. The marines on the ground were able to help Parvin to find them once he was over head. He could tell through gun fire that the marines were under heavy attack
Flying low Parvin turned on his A-10 Overt exterior lights to help distinguish who was enemy and who was friendly. This also gave the enemy and easy target to shoot at and for over two hours engaged hostile action. During the battle with the attention now on shooting down the A-10's the marines were able to escape to safety. During the battle Parvin destroyed many enemy positions with some as close as forty yards from the marines.
Once the battle was over Parvin's team return to base which was more than a hours flight away. Parvin turned in a normal routine report. Since 2008 Parvin has flown some 280 hours of combat in the war zones and 83 sorties. Those marines saved by Parvin's crew did not think that that mission was your every day run of the mill action.
This past January 29th Parvin now stationed at Moody Air Force base Georgia and now a Major was presented with the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor for his action on that night of October 28th 2008 saving the lives of those six marines. The DFC with Valor was presented by Major General H. D. Polumbo Jr. the commander of the US Ninth Air Force.
His wife Vanessa and father Joe were there along with many others stationed at Moody AFB but also there was USMC Master Gunnery Sargent Richard Wells who was one of the six marines saved that night. Wells stated that it was the first time in his life that he thought 'this is it, we are all going to die, we're not going to make it out of this'''. If it wasn't for him I would not be here today"'.
I have never met Major Parvin and probably never will but as an American who is proud of what our country stands for I am proud of his action while standing for that belief. We have so many people serving our country and doing us proud and to think he is from Rocky Mount and on top of that a Gryphon. Major Jeremiah "Bull" Parvin THANK YOU!!!!.
If you would like to read the story you can go to http://globalaviationreport.com/2015/01/30distinguished-flying-cross-with-valor-a-10c-pilo... just google Major Jeremiah Parvin and there are many accounts of the ceremony and there is one that you can watch the presentation. How wonderful this modern world of computers has taken us to we can watch almost anything happening in the world.
Friday, February 6, 2015
Gryphons Lose Again At Home
The Rocky Mount Gryphons are treading on unknown territory as they have played four home conference basketball game and now they have lost three of them as tonight Fike takes down the Gryphons 80-77. The Warroirs Myquan Gooding led the Golden Demons with 27 as he was the leading scorer in the night.
Rocky Mount got 23 from Isaiah Alston, 16 from future Fayetteville State Bronco football player Broderick Caudle and 13 from Thomas Cooper. Fike ups their conference record to 5-3 while Rocky Mount dips to 3-5
Tonight one of the teams tied at the top stopped the bleeding as Hunt took down Southern who continues to slide. Hunt 59 Southern Nash 52. Hunt continues to hold on to first upping their conference play to 5-3 and Southern who has now lost three in a row drops to 3-5.
The hottest team in the Big East is Northern Nash as they torched Nash Central 80-58 and by doing so stay in the three way tie for first. With a 5-3 record. Northern started out the season losing their first two games but have now won five out of six. Nash Central falls into the three way tie for last at 3-5.
It was a battle for third as 4-3 Fike traveled to 3-4 Rocky Mount and the Lady Gryphons have little trouble with Fike and are now tied for third at 4-4 but the Gryphons hold the tie breaker after Rocky Mount wins 62-35.
Tamara Harper threw down 25 for the Gryphons followed by 15 from Keyanna Spivey. In a losing effort Rebecca Langley led Fike with14
The Lady Knights of Northern Nash keep on with their winning ways. Again tonight they beat another conference foe by more than 20. The 60-37 score propels the Lady Knights to 19-0 on the season and 8-0 in Big East and the regular season top seed in the upcoming Big East Tournament. Nash Central has slowly. been fading toward the bottom of the Big East and they fall to 2-6 and 11-10 overall.
Tonight in the battle of the teams with the best records they all played the teams with the worse records and for the first time this year the team with the winning records beat the teams with the most losses.
Rocky Mount got 23 from Isaiah Alston, 16 from future Fayetteville State Bronco football player Broderick Caudle and 13 from Thomas Cooper. Fike ups their conference record to 5-3 while Rocky Mount dips to 3-5
Tonight one of the teams tied at the top stopped the bleeding as Hunt took down Southern who continues to slide. Hunt 59 Southern Nash 52. Hunt continues to hold on to first upping their conference play to 5-3 and Southern who has now lost three in a row drops to 3-5.
The hottest team in the Big East is Northern Nash as they torched Nash Central 80-58 and by doing so stay in the three way tie for first. With a 5-3 record. Northern started out the season losing their first two games but have now won five out of six. Nash Central falls into the three way tie for last at 3-5.
It was a battle for third as 4-3 Fike traveled to 3-4 Rocky Mount and the Lady Gryphons have little trouble with Fike and are now tied for third at 4-4 but the Gryphons hold the tie breaker after Rocky Mount wins 62-35.
Tamara Harper threw down 25 for the Gryphons followed by 15 from Keyanna Spivey. In a losing effort Rebecca Langley led Fike with14
The Lady Knights of Northern Nash keep on with their winning ways. Again tonight they beat another conference foe by more than 20. The 60-37 score propels the Lady Knights to 19-0 on the season and 8-0 in Big East and the regular season top seed in the upcoming Big East Tournament. Nash Central has slowly. been fading toward the bottom of the Big East and they fall to 2-6 and 11-10 overall.
Tonight in the battle of the teams with the best records they all played the teams with the worse records and for the first time this year the team with the winning records beat the teams with the most losses.
Gryphons Fall In Third Round
Thursday night the Rocky Mount Gryphons 29-2 wrestling team lost in the third round in Union Pines to Swansboro 43-3 by a score of 36-33. Rocky Mount finishes the duel portion of the schedule 29-3 on the year. Fourth Round Swansboro lost to Morehead 30-25 so Morehead will play for the team title Saturday.
Notes on the Super Bowl
I would have to put SB 49 in top five all time. I would also have to rate the final offensive play by the Seahawks as the biggest blunder since Jackie Smith dropped a wide open touchdown pass in the end zone that would have had the Cowboys beating Pittsburgh back in the 70's.
It was not a bad pass at all, in fact when you see the replay from the camera in the upper deck on the same side of the field. I am sure Russell Wilson thought he had a touchdown as he is letting the ball go. The defender played the ball about as well as any defender could or ever has. In fact he defended the play so well even if it was caught the receiver would have been down short of the goal line with the clock running.
I find no fault in the pass itself. I find fault in the decision to throw in the first place. You just made five yards on a run from the six yard line with twenty seconds to play and a time out in your pocket. Just maybe the best running back in the league to carry the ball. If I am scare of time running out on me I surely would have run pass action making New England think is he running or not then let Russell roll with the ball making the defense decide whether to go get Wilson or play the pass. If the pass is covered Wilson could have tossed it in the stands and it is third down if he can't run it in..
I was pulling for the Seahawks because of three N C State players who play for the Hawks. There is one part of the Seahawk team that I don't care one thing for and that is the mouthing off. I do believe that the Seahawk defense thought they had the game won when with three minutes left in the third they led by 10. Sherman got in front of a sideline camera and mouthed off which since I am old school I hate to see in any player.
I think this game is the perfect game for when the quarterback gets too much credit when they win. Tom Brady was 37-50 in the game for 328 yards. I charted throughout the game the length of his passes and of the 50 he attempted 40 never went ten yards beyond the line of scrimmage. 18 never went over the line of scrimmage before being caught.
The MVP from the game should have been one of those scat receivers who caught the ball three yards across the line and ran 15 yards before being tackled. That brings up another point. Seattle had a ten point lead and their so called best defense in football gave up two scores in the fourth quarter. Why so many yards after the catch from those scat back receivers?
Just maybe that elbow injury from Sherman. Shoulder from another and even one going down in the first quarter. A knee from one who got hurt in practice on Friday. Add all that up and the Seahawks secondary was not as great as they are suppose to be. Can't blame the Patriots from exposing a weakness in doing what they had to do to win. My prediction last week was based on injuries to the Hawks secondary and to me lies the winning factor. Not that Brady proved to be the greatest quarterback of all time as the media this week has proclaimed.
So football can be put to bed until the draft or the Combine or until you turn the TV on a sports channel. Football is 365 days a year now.
Notes on the Super Bowl
I would have to put SB 49 in top five all time. I would also have to rate the final offensive play by the Seahawks as the biggest blunder since Jackie Smith dropped a wide open touchdown pass in the end zone that would have had the Cowboys beating Pittsburgh back in the 70's.
It was not a bad pass at all, in fact when you see the replay from the camera in the upper deck on the same side of the field. I am sure Russell Wilson thought he had a touchdown as he is letting the ball go. The defender played the ball about as well as any defender could or ever has. In fact he defended the play so well even if it was caught the receiver would have been down short of the goal line with the clock running.
I find no fault in the pass itself. I find fault in the decision to throw in the first place. You just made five yards on a run from the six yard line with twenty seconds to play and a time out in your pocket. Just maybe the best running back in the league to carry the ball. If I am scare of time running out on me I surely would have run pass action making New England think is he running or not then let Russell roll with the ball making the defense decide whether to go get Wilson or play the pass. If the pass is covered Wilson could have tossed it in the stands and it is third down if he can't run it in..
I was pulling for the Seahawks because of three N C State players who play for the Hawks. There is one part of the Seahawk team that I don't care one thing for and that is the mouthing off. I do believe that the Seahawk defense thought they had the game won when with three minutes left in the third they led by 10. Sherman got in front of a sideline camera and mouthed off which since I am old school I hate to see in any player.
I think this game is the perfect game for when the quarterback gets too much credit when they win. Tom Brady was 37-50 in the game for 328 yards. I charted throughout the game the length of his passes and of the 50 he attempted 40 never went ten yards beyond the line of scrimmage. 18 never went over the line of scrimmage before being caught.
The MVP from the game should have been one of those scat receivers who caught the ball three yards across the line and ran 15 yards before being tackled. That brings up another point. Seattle had a ten point lead and their so called best defense in football gave up two scores in the fourth quarter. Why so many yards after the catch from those scat back receivers?
Just maybe that elbow injury from Sherman. Shoulder from another and even one going down in the first quarter. A knee from one who got hurt in practice on Friday. Add all that up and the Seahawks secondary was not as great as they are suppose to be. Can't blame the Patriots from exposing a weakness in doing what they had to do to win. My prediction last week was based on injuries to the Hawks secondary and to me lies the winning factor. Not that Brady proved to be the greatest quarterback of all time as the media this week has proclaimed.
So football can be put to bed until the draft or the Combine or until you turn the TV on a sports channel. Football is 365 days a year now.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Is It possible?
If you are one of the people who is trying to figure out who is really the best team in Big East boys basketball I have a scenario for you that could make this basketball season unreal. Friday night all the 4-3 teams play all the 3-4 teams and there is a chance and the way this season has gone a real possibility that all six could be tied after Friday at 4-4. All six are fighting for the playoff spots and here is where in playoffs all these 4-4 scenes hurt the league.
Playoff seeding are based on overall record when ever the top team in the conference matches up with other number one seeds. The Big East will be the only conference where the league winner will have three conferences losses. Remember that is as of right now and the conference winner as of right now will be lucky if they don't have four losses. So the Big East will get the worse seeding in every case. There are six conferences in the east so the best the Big East Champions will get is a 6th seed and when you do second -third-fourth they will always be last when compared with others. If four teams are guaranteed to be in the playoffs and the fifth place is hoping overall record gets them in it may not happen this year.
Fike 4-3 13-5 @ Rocky Mount 3-4 10-6: Rocky Mount torched Fike by 19 at Fike the first time around. The Gryphons have been granted a reprieve after knocking off Hunt to get back in the playoff race. After playing four of last five on the road get two out of last three at home. They need to protect home court better than they have so far.
Hunt 4-3 12-8 @ Southern Nash 3-4 11-9: Hunt has personnel issues while Southern has ball handling faults. Southern started out well but has tailed off lately. As close as this race is nobody can afford a loss now because one now may eliminate you from the playoff picture.
Nash Central 3-4 12-8 @ Northern Nash 4-3 7-11: This game is the only 4-3 team at home. Northern is peaking at right time while lately Nash Central has sputtered. Northern is only team in league with losing record but they are also the hottest. No one can afford to lose game which is all of them now.
Nash Central Girls 2-5 11-9 @ Northern Nash 7-0 18-0: The playoffs are fading for Nash Central. Nothing could work better for them other than whipping the BIG DOG. Northern needs to maintain their work ethic priming for the playoffs.
Fike 4-3 9-9 @ Rocky Mount 3-4 8-8: This is a seedings matchup. Third on the line. These two are evenly match. Could be a dog fight.
Hunt 5-2 15-5 @ Southern Nash 0-7 0-20: Southern is at the point where you know they would like for the season to end. That's good news for Hunt trying to hold second plus not getting too far behind Northern just in case disaster strikes the Knights.
*** Final Note today, Look for an announcement soon on the new football coach at Nash Central.***
Playoff seeding are based on overall record when ever the top team in the conference matches up with other number one seeds. The Big East will be the only conference where the league winner will have three conferences losses. Remember that is as of right now and the conference winner as of right now will be lucky if they don't have four losses. So the Big East will get the worse seeding in every case. There are six conferences in the east so the best the Big East Champions will get is a 6th seed and when you do second -third-fourth they will always be last when compared with others. If four teams are guaranteed to be in the playoffs and the fifth place is hoping overall record gets them in it may not happen this year.
Fike 4-3 13-5 @ Rocky Mount 3-4 10-6: Rocky Mount torched Fike by 19 at Fike the first time around. The Gryphons have been granted a reprieve after knocking off Hunt to get back in the playoff race. After playing four of last five on the road get two out of last three at home. They need to protect home court better than they have so far.
Hunt 4-3 12-8 @ Southern Nash 3-4 11-9: Hunt has personnel issues while Southern has ball handling faults. Southern started out well but has tailed off lately. As close as this race is nobody can afford a loss now because one now may eliminate you from the playoff picture.
Nash Central 3-4 12-8 @ Northern Nash 4-3 7-11: This game is the only 4-3 team at home. Northern is peaking at right time while lately Nash Central has sputtered. Northern is only team in league with losing record but they are also the hottest. No one can afford to lose game which is all of them now.
Nash Central Girls 2-5 11-9 @ Northern Nash 7-0 18-0: The playoffs are fading for Nash Central. Nothing could work better for them other than whipping the BIG DOG. Northern needs to maintain their work ethic priming for the playoffs.
Fike 4-3 9-9 @ Rocky Mount 3-4 8-8: This is a seedings matchup. Third on the line. These two are evenly match. Could be a dog fight.
Hunt 5-2 15-5 @ Southern Nash 0-7 0-20: Southern is at the point where you know they would like for the season to end. That's good news for Hunt trying to hold second plus not getting too far behind Northern just in case disaster strikes the Knights.
*** Final Note today, Look for an announcement soon on the new football coach at Nash Central.***
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Rocky Mount Advances To Third Round Wrestling
Big East top seed wrestling team Rocky Mount 27-2 joined second seed Northern Nash at C B Aycock High School where both face opening matches in the first round of the playoffs. Northern faced the host school Aycock while Rocky Mount met Havelock.
Both Big East teams win their opening round matches. Northern beats the host 40-36 while Rocky Mount beat Havelock 41-30. This set up Rocky Mount-Northern squaring off in round two on the mats at Aycock and Rocky Mount advances to round three with a 44-33 win over Northern.
Rocky Mount will travel to Union Pines Thursday where they will take on Swansboro 43-2.
There has been a shakeup at Hunt as there has been a disciplinary action taken on one of their starters and tonight the Warriors pay the price as Rocky Mount gets revenge on a blowout loss to Hunt at Rocky Mount as the Gryphons win 57-48. Hunt Drops their second conference game in a row and now stands 4-3 in Big East. Rocky Mount ups their record to 3-4 and in back in playoff picture.
Northern Nash gave up an eight point lead in the fourth quarter but scored when they needed to and knocked off Southern Nash 63-61. Northern's win ups their record to 4-3 and a tie for first in the Big East while Southern drops to 3-4 in a three way tie for last.
Fike tonight hosted Nash Central and the Golden Demons didn't act nice toward the Bulldogs as the boys action was 70-55 in favor of Fike.. Fike now jumps to 4-3 in the Big East while Nash Central drops to 3-4. I guess you can see that there is a three way at the top with Hunt, Fike and Northern Nash at 4-3 while Rocky Mount, Southern Nash and Nash Central are 3-4 unbelievable.
Fike girls were not very nice either to the Lady Bulldogs winning 73-63. Fike stands 4-3 in conference play while the Lady Bulldogs tumble to 2-5.. Northern leads at 7-0-Hunt stands at 5-2- Fike 4-3- Rocky Mount 3-4- Nash Central 2-5 and Southern 0-7. The girls action looks like what a normal conference looks like as the season goes forth. Not the boys.
Under the category of a mis-match tonight in girls basketball the undefeated Lady Knights of Northern Nash won their 18th game of the season as they hosted Southern Nash. This was a clash of the winless and the lossless and Northern wins by a 69-19 score.
Rocky Mount girls lose to Hunt 41-40 and drop to 3-4 in Big east while hunt remains two games back of Northern Nash at 5-2.
Both Big East teams win their opening round matches. Northern beats the host 40-36 while Rocky Mount beat Havelock 41-30. This set up Rocky Mount-Northern squaring off in round two on the mats at Aycock and Rocky Mount advances to round three with a 44-33 win over Northern.
Rocky Mount will travel to Union Pines Thursday where they will take on Swansboro 43-2.
There has been a shakeup at Hunt as there has been a disciplinary action taken on one of their starters and tonight the Warriors pay the price as Rocky Mount gets revenge on a blowout loss to Hunt at Rocky Mount as the Gryphons win 57-48. Hunt Drops their second conference game in a row and now stands 4-3 in Big East. Rocky Mount ups their record to 3-4 and in back in playoff picture.
Northern Nash gave up an eight point lead in the fourth quarter but scored when they needed to and knocked off Southern Nash 63-61. Northern's win ups their record to 4-3 and a tie for first in the Big East while Southern drops to 3-4 in a three way tie for last.
Fike tonight hosted Nash Central and the Golden Demons didn't act nice toward the Bulldogs as the boys action was 70-55 in favor of Fike.. Fike now jumps to 4-3 in the Big East while Nash Central drops to 3-4. I guess you can see that there is a three way at the top with Hunt, Fike and Northern Nash at 4-3 while Rocky Mount, Southern Nash and Nash Central are 3-4 unbelievable.
Fike girls were not very nice either to the Lady Bulldogs winning 73-63. Fike stands 4-3 in conference play while the Lady Bulldogs tumble to 2-5.. Northern leads at 7-0-Hunt stands at 5-2- Fike 4-3- Rocky Mount 3-4- Nash Central 2-5 and Southern 0-7. The girls action looks like what a normal conference looks like as the season goes forth. Not the boys.
Under the category of a mis-match tonight in girls basketball the undefeated Lady Knights of Northern Nash won their 18th game of the season as they hosted Southern Nash. This was a clash of the winless and the lossless and Northern wins by a 69-19 score.
Rocky Mount girls lose to Hunt 41-40 and drop to 3-4 in Big east while hunt remains two games back of Northern Nash at 5-2.
Baffled At The Standings
I think everyone is mystified at ACC basketball this year and even on the local level high school basketball. What in the world is going on? Why is it one team can beat a powerhouse one game and lose by twenty to a nobody the next. On the local level why is it that nobody is dominating anybody. Let's see if we can figure this out.
First let's look at the ACC. Now that every network in the world carries basketball on TV every night there is no reason for a player that we will call a top 100 player just go to Duke, Carolina or Kentucky to get on TV 30 times a year. Why, Campbell has been on two national games in January.
Yes all the major powers get three McDonalds All Americans per team but no longer is the bench full of them. They are now going to Wofford, Davidson or to Butler and are not sitting on the bench as freshmen waiting their turn like they would if they were to go to a powerhouse.
Use to be when the season started twelve teams had a chance to win the NCAA championship now 50 could win it. I will use the WolfPack as an example. They are 14-9 and yet if they get hot at the right time they could win the NCAA. Their problem they need to win enough games just to qualify. Even if they are hot they could lose to somebody else in the same boat as them. So now there is no more UCLA breezes through the regional and only has to play two teams to win the title. That first game for everybody will be against a team that could win it all.
There is two weeks left in the high school basketball season and four teams are tied in the standings with a 3-3 record and yet only one game from being in the lead. The most obvious of all answers is there is no team with great size as has been in the past. Hunt the tallest is the leader but everybody in this Big East has athletes that can run, shoot and jump.
Night in and night out every team is lining up and play themselves because everybody looks the same. Tuesday night's game goes down to the wire and Friday you line up against yourself again. Everybody is doing this so much playing teams equal one little lapse and you are blown out.
Miami beats Duke, then loses by twenty to Georgia Tech. Rocky Mount crushes Fike on the road then falls twice at home. We live in a world where because TV pours so much money into it that the ACC stretches from Miami to Chicago to Boston. Travel and playing good teams night in and night out can be hazardous to any team. The new bye word in college basketball should be "just get in".
There is two weeks to go and somebody in the Big East has to decide we are going to take command. The team that wins at least three out of their last four can do it. Should one win all four they surely will be the regular season champ. If it is Rocky Mount that does that they could still tie for the title.
First let's look at the ACC. Now that every network in the world carries basketball on TV every night there is no reason for a player that we will call a top 100 player just go to Duke, Carolina or Kentucky to get on TV 30 times a year. Why, Campbell has been on two national games in January.
Yes all the major powers get three McDonalds All Americans per team but no longer is the bench full of them. They are now going to Wofford, Davidson or to Butler and are not sitting on the bench as freshmen waiting their turn like they would if they were to go to a powerhouse.
Use to be when the season started twelve teams had a chance to win the NCAA championship now 50 could win it. I will use the WolfPack as an example. They are 14-9 and yet if they get hot at the right time they could win the NCAA. Their problem they need to win enough games just to qualify. Even if they are hot they could lose to somebody else in the same boat as them. So now there is no more UCLA breezes through the regional and only has to play two teams to win the title. That first game for everybody will be against a team that could win it all.
There is two weeks left in the high school basketball season and four teams are tied in the standings with a 3-3 record and yet only one game from being in the lead. The most obvious of all answers is there is no team with great size as has been in the past. Hunt the tallest is the leader but everybody in this Big East has athletes that can run, shoot and jump.
Night in and night out every team is lining up and play themselves because everybody looks the same. Tuesday night's game goes down to the wire and Friday you line up against yourself again. Everybody is doing this so much playing teams equal one little lapse and you are blown out.
Miami beats Duke, then loses by twenty to Georgia Tech. Rocky Mount crushes Fike on the road then falls twice at home. We live in a world where because TV pours so much money into it that the ACC stretches from Miami to Chicago to Boston. Travel and playing good teams night in and night out can be hazardous to any team. The new bye word in college basketball should be "just get in".
There is two weeks to go and somebody in the Big East has to decide we are going to take command. The team that wins at least three out of their last four can do it. Should one win all four they surely will be the regular season champ. If it is Rocky Mount that does that they could still tie for the title.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Rocky Mount In Playoff Mode
The Rocky Mount Gryphons are experiencing what they have administered to most teams for the past two decades since I have been living in Rocky Mount. They tended to have the upper hand, made the right decisions down the stretch and made more than their share of clutch shots when needed. Heading into Tuesday nights trip to Hunt the Gryphons find themselves in a win or just maybe not make the playoffs.
Trailing Hunt by two games 4-2 against 2-4 a lost would put the Gryphons at three games back with three to play in order to finish first. The position they stand now it is almost to the point forget first just try to make the playoffs. Trailing four of the teams closes to them in the standing by a single game second place is feasible but a lost to Hunt puts them no closer to second, third,fourth or fifth.
A victory over Hunt would put the Gryphons just one game from first and with the schedule being the way it is somebody would join them in last again. It could be at sunrise Wednesday could have three teams at 4-3 and three at 3-4 with three games to play. The bottom line is unless the Gryphons can take down Hunt this could be their last stand for this season.
Rocky Mount 9-6 2-4 @ Hunt 4-2 12-7: Hunt dominated in Rocky Mount so this will be a tall task for the Gryphons.
The Girls action Rocky Mount 8-7 3-3 @ Hunt 14-5 4-2: when the Lady Gryphons get good guard play they have a shot to beat everyone but Northern. Had Hunt by double digits but could not hold on at home. Now down two games to Northern the Lady Warriors can't lose any more ground.
Nash Central 11-6 3-3 @ Fike 12-5 3-3: The winner could be tied for first but for sure the loser could be two back with three to play.
Nash Central Girls 11-9 2-4 @ Fike 8-9 3-3: Now that Northern leads by two games it is a sprint to the finish line for second. NC is in fifth and if they are to be in it to the finish they need this one.
Southern Nash 11-8 3-3 @ Northern Nash 6-11 3-3: The Firebirds romped by 18 the first time around but right now Northern is the hottest team in the league.
Southern Nash 0-19 0-6 @ Northern Nash 17-0 6-0: Regardless whether it's a boys team or girls this year's conference race is you can switch uniforms and they all look the same except in this game. Switch uniforms in this one and Northern still wins in a Southern Uniform.
Trailing Hunt by two games 4-2 against 2-4 a lost would put the Gryphons at three games back with three to play in order to finish first. The position they stand now it is almost to the point forget first just try to make the playoffs. Trailing four of the teams closes to them in the standing by a single game second place is feasible but a lost to Hunt puts them no closer to second, third,fourth or fifth.
A victory over Hunt would put the Gryphons just one game from first and with the schedule being the way it is somebody would join them in last again. It could be at sunrise Wednesday could have three teams at 4-3 and three at 3-4 with three games to play. The bottom line is unless the Gryphons can take down Hunt this could be their last stand for this season.
Rocky Mount 9-6 2-4 @ Hunt 4-2 12-7: Hunt dominated in Rocky Mount so this will be a tall task for the Gryphons.
The Girls action Rocky Mount 8-7 3-3 @ Hunt 14-5 4-2: when the Lady Gryphons get good guard play they have a shot to beat everyone but Northern. Had Hunt by double digits but could not hold on at home. Now down two games to Northern the Lady Warriors can't lose any more ground.
Nash Central 11-6 3-3 @ Fike 12-5 3-3: The winner could be tied for first but for sure the loser could be two back with three to play.
Nash Central Girls 11-9 2-4 @ Fike 8-9 3-3: Now that Northern leads by two games it is a sprint to the finish line for second. NC is in fifth and if they are to be in it to the finish they need this one.
Southern Nash 11-8 3-3 @ Northern Nash 6-11 3-3: The Firebirds romped by 18 the first time around but right now Northern is the hottest team in the league.
Southern Nash 0-19 0-6 @ Northern Nash 17-0 6-0: Regardless whether it's a boys team or girls this year's conference race is you can switch uniforms and they all look the same except in this game. Switch uniforms in this one and Northern still wins in a Southern Uniform.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Tickled Pink
One of the facts of life about getting old is as you try to teach your children about life as they move along in life you tend to repeat stories. People get tire of the same old stories but today I am going to rehash some of a story from my past because I am just too happy to hold back.
You have heard me say here before about my adventures as the batboy for the Ahoskie American Legion baseball team. My time was 1963-64- 65. During that time I saw several players past through that program that they became greater in sports or life as they continued their journey through life.
I have also told of the story that my father loved high school football and every Friday night we were following Ahoskie High or when the playoffs rolled around our conference champion of the Albemarle conference. So we saw a lot of football through almost all of November every year as I was growing up.
My two favorite players from Legion ball during my time were twins Freddie and Francis Combs from Winfall. In 1962 led by quarterback Francis Combs and halfback Freddie Combs Perquimans High won State football titles in 1962 and 1963. I remember watching Perquimans beat Havelock at the new Ficklen Stadium at ECU when only one side of the stadium was the cement stadium and the far side was bleachers.
The best my memory serves me Freddie on one play took a toss sweep around the left end and broke out in the open with only one man to beat and as that player tried to tackle him Freddie jumped right over top him and continued on for about a 70 yard touchdown. I remember the score as 34-7 Perquimans. I thought Freddie Combs was the fastest man alive. Didn't have stop watches and such to tell us how fast he really was but he could scoot.
On the baseball field Freddie was the shortstop and pitcher. He was a right good pitcher but he had a teammate by the name of Jimmy Hunter on his team so nobody noticed how good he was as a pitcher in high school. He pitched plenty in Legion but boy could he play shortstop.
Both the Combs brothers sign with N C State and Freddie is going to be a defensive back on the football team and play baseball and Francis is going to play baseball. Once I heard my two hero's were going to State right then and there I became a Wolfpack fan. I had liked them all Carolina, Duke, ECU, Wake until the spring of 1964.
Freddie became an All American defensive back for the Pack and appeared on the Bob Hope show when they announced the team nationwide. He also led the nation in punt returns. His senior baseball season he played the outfield in 1968 when the Wolfpack went to the College World Series for the first time.
Over the years about the only time I would see Freddie or Francis was at State football, basketball or baseball games. The spring of 2013 I wrote a story about the Ahoskie Legion team championship season of 1963 and since 2013 was the 50th anniversary of that team I interviewed all those on the team for the article. We spent a good hour talking about life back then.
Today I am tickled pink to know that this past week Freddie Combs was announced to be one of the 2015 inductees into the North Carolina Sports Hall Of Fame. I almost feel like I'm going in the Hall of Fame to know one of my hero's has made it.
You have heard me say here before about my adventures as the batboy for the Ahoskie American Legion baseball team. My time was 1963-64- 65. During that time I saw several players past through that program that they became greater in sports or life as they continued their journey through life.
I have also told of the story that my father loved high school football and every Friday night we were following Ahoskie High or when the playoffs rolled around our conference champion of the Albemarle conference. So we saw a lot of football through almost all of November every year as I was growing up.
My two favorite players from Legion ball during my time were twins Freddie and Francis Combs from Winfall. In 1962 led by quarterback Francis Combs and halfback Freddie Combs Perquimans High won State football titles in 1962 and 1963. I remember watching Perquimans beat Havelock at the new Ficklen Stadium at ECU when only one side of the stadium was the cement stadium and the far side was bleachers.
The best my memory serves me Freddie on one play took a toss sweep around the left end and broke out in the open with only one man to beat and as that player tried to tackle him Freddie jumped right over top him and continued on for about a 70 yard touchdown. I remember the score as 34-7 Perquimans. I thought Freddie Combs was the fastest man alive. Didn't have stop watches and such to tell us how fast he really was but he could scoot.
On the baseball field Freddie was the shortstop and pitcher. He was a right good pitcher but he had a teammate by the name of Jimmy Hunter on his team so nobody noticed how good he was as a pitcher in high school. He pitched plenty in Legion but boy could he play shortstop.
Both the Combs brothers sign with N C State and Freddie is going to be a defensive back on the football team and play baseball and Francis is going to play baseball. Once I heard my two hero's were going to State right then and there I became a Wolfpack fan. I had liked them all Carolina, Duke, ECU, Wake until the spring of 1964.
Freddie became an All American defensive back for the Pack and appeared on the Bob Hope show when they announced the team nationwide. He also led the nation in punt returns. His senior baseball season he played the outfield in 1968 when the Wolfpack went to the College World Series for the first time.
Over the years about the only time I would see Freddie or Francis was at State football, basketball or baseball games. The spring of 2013 I wrote a story about the Ahoskie Legion team championship season of 1963 and since 2013 was the 50th anniversary of that team I interviewed all those on the team for the article. We spent a good hour talking about life back then.
Today I am tickled pink to know that this past week Freddie Combs was announced to be one of the 2015 inductees into the North Carolina Sports Hall Of Fame. I almost feel like I'm going in the Hall of Fame to know one of my hero's has made it.
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