Monday is the beginning of the new school year sports season. The glamour sport is football but soccer, cross country, volleyball, women's golf and tennis all start their seasons too. In every case every team or indivual sport everyone right now thinks they can win a championship.
In every case every single player will dedicate themselves to their sport. The very first time each player performs in action some will be better than others while some not so good. As the season progresses some of the better performers will improve and some of those who were not that good in the beginning will bring their level of performance that will make them proud. Some will never improve more than one of he worse on the team.
Whatever level our kids will be there is a common thread in each. Some will give up never expecting to improve. Those that stick it out to the end will have a deep love for what they do. Their is something in their soul that everyday they will go to practice to get better regardless of their performance level. When their season is over those who stuck it out will have a swelling in their heart knowing they did their best.
All sports have something in common. Every time their is an event parents, family and friends will be the only people there to watch them. Football of course is the exception. Every sport except football no one will be their to watch. So every time an athlete improves few will know of it. Parents will watch as if it is life or death regardless of the level of their child. When the event ends tears of joy for the winners and pride of those who tried their best.
Once each season ends champions will be named. Allstars recognized and it will be time to begin the process all over again in winter sports. Those who are there when there sport ends will all be better for their experiences. They will all be able to say I finished something I started. Sports is one of the great teachers in life. You can take the easy way out and quit. Nothing is accomplished by quitting.
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Who Is Really A Super Star
This weekend the final of the so called majors golf championships is being played out in Pennslyvania. Last year at this time Jordan Speith was the sensation of golf and was the heir apparent to be the next Tiger Woods.
Exceptional athletes regardless of the sport generally speaking play their sport at a higher level than most other players everyday. It seems in the golf world when players hit hot streaks they stay hot for about six weeks. What is a hot streak. Just about any professional golfer can shoot 70-72 with their eyes closed every day. If they can't they will not make the cut week after week. The Jason Days of the world throw in a 65 almost every weekend.
When the great ones are in that zone they make every putt. They make those 35 footers that break three feet. They don't miss anything inside five feet. The putter makes the dough. If you ever notices during those hot putting streaks the great one's will last about six weeks. There are exceptions to the rule Like a Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus who never had bad stretches. A bad week was 10th place. You hardly ever heard where Jack or Tiger missed a cut.
Jordan Speith started out like the latest great sliced bread. Yet he has his weeks where he plays like he has never played golf before. Most of the time it is because his putter is not saving him. Tiger Woods could hit a golf ball three thousand miles but he was not that accurate a driver but what he could do is make every putt.
Most all the the great ones these days hit it a country mile. When the putter is working they are great.
The putter makes up for those wild tee shots. Probably the longest hitter on tour is Dustin Johnson. I am glad he finally won a major because he has been so close and yet either his putter or the rule book have cost him in the past. He could probably have at least four majors if he could putt.
Today golf equipment is so advanced that if you can't hit it 300 yards and keep it out of the deep rough you can't shoot 67 everyday. The Majors are most of the time played on the so call tough courses where anything in the 60's is good. Most of the time the great ones each week are making the putts. This week because it is called a major the winner will be called a great one.
Exceptional athletes regardless of the sport generally speaking play their sport at a higher level than most other players everyday. It seems in the golf world when players hit hot streaks they stay hot for about six weeks. What is a hot streak. Just about any professional golfer can shoot 70-72 with their eyes closed every day. If they can't they will not make the cut week after week. The Jason Days of the world throw in a 65 almost every weekend.
When the great ones are in that zone they make every putt. They make those 35 footers that break three feet. They don't miss anything inside five feet. The putter makes the dough. If you ever notices during those hot putting streaks the great one's will last about six weeks. There are exceptions to the rule Like a Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus who never had bad stretches. A bad week was 10th place. You hardly ever heard where Jack or Tiger missed a cut.
Jordan Speith started out like the latest great sliced bread. Yet he has his weeks where he plays like he has never played golf before. Most of the time it is because his putter is not saving him. Tiger Woods could hit a golf ball three thousand miles but he was not that accurate a driver but what he could do is make every putt.
Most all the the great ones these days hit it a country mile. When the putter is working they are great.
The putter makes up for those wild tee shots. Probably the longest hitter on tour is Dustin Johnson. I am glad he finally won a major because he has been so close and yet either his putter or the rule book have cost him in the past. He could probably have at least four majors if he could putt.
Today golf equipment is so advanced that if you can't hit it 300 yards and keep it out of the deep rough you can't shoot 67 everyday. The Majors are most of the time played on the so call tough courses where anything in the 60's is good. Most of the time the great ones each week are making the putts. This week because it is called a major the winner will be called a great one.
Friday, July 29, 2016
McCarthy To Coach East-West Soccer in 2017
Long time soccer coach at Northern Nash Joe McCarthy has been named the 2017 East coach during the East West All Star boys soccer game during the North Carolina High School Coaches Association convention next July.
Rocky Mount's Jason Battle will assist Scotland County's Richard Bailey during the football game next year.
During the 2015/16 school year I announce that Nash Central basketball coach Renny Taylor had won from the Sons Of The American Revolution the History teacher of the year award. He received the award this month in Charlotte. Read the story in this week's Nashville Graphics.
During my blog yesterday I stated that the Gryphon football team needed to stay healthy as last year's team seemed whenever a player went down someone was there to pick them up. Yes the rumors are true Sherrod Green has a broken hand in a non-football injury. He should miss the first three games.
The Brian Goodwin watch continues as the Major League trade deadline approaches. Trea Turner started in centerfield for the Washington Nationals Wednesday getting three hits in what could be Brian's place in the outfield. He is doing everything he can to get other teams to notice as he hit home run number ten on the season which is Syracuse's number two HR hitter. He is hitting 293 with 25 doubles tops on the Chiefs. Sure looks like no room in Washington for Brian Goodwin and the clock ticks on the trade deadline.
Benton Moss is 5-7 in the Florida State League in Port Charlotte Florida. His ERA is 4.17 having pitched 99.1 innings. He has given up 95 hits and struck out 92. Benton has walked 27 batters in 99 innings which is a desire of every pitcher to keep men off base by the free pass. Any thing under three per nine innings is excellent Benton stands at 2.45 per nine innings pitched.There is no reason at this point that AA is next stop up the ladder next year for Benton Moss.
Collins Cuthrell is not having the season he needed to be noticed by any major league team. His averaged is 211 with eight home runs which is the leader at Florence Kentucky. Since Florence is not a team associated with any major league team and Collins' year is not what he expected this is probably the last month coming up of his playing career. Might coaching be next.
Hobbs Johnson headed Monday to Iowa where he would like to pitch for the rest of the summer to stays in the eyes of all major league teams after being cut by Milwaukee last month. Thursday his named appeared on the roster of Sioux City X's. The Explorers are in the American Associations which is an independent league where all players looking to impress major league teams just like Collins Cuthrell has been doing with Florence Kentucky.
How fleeting is success. Just two months ago Whit Merrifield was the talk of Kansas City. He had acquired the nickname two hit Whit referring to getting two hits every game. Wednesday Kansas City sent Merrifield back to Omaha after batting just 170 in July. There is hope in Kansas City's eyes for Merrifield as they announced he would be back in September if not before.
Rocky Mount's Jason Battle will assist Scotland County's Richard Bailey during the football game next year.
During the 2015/16 school year I announce that Nash Central basketball coach Renny Taylor had won from the Sons Of The American Revolution the History teacher of the year award. He received the award this month in Charlotte. Read the story in this week's Nashville Graphics.
During my blog yesterday I stated that the Gryphon football team needed to stay healthy as last year's team seemed whenever a player went down someone was there to pick them up. Yes the rumors are true Sherrod Green has a broken hand in a non-football injury. He should miss the first three games.
The Brian Goodwin watch continues as the Major League trade deadline approaches. Trea Turner started in centerfield for the Washington Nationals Wednesday getting three hits in what could be Brian's place in the outfield. He is doing everything he can to get other teams to notice as he hit home run number ten on the season which is Syracuse's number two HR hitter. He is hitting 293 with 25 doubles tops on the Chiefs. Sure looks like no room in Washington for Brian Goodwin and the clock ticks on the trade deadline.
Benton Moss is 5-7 in the Florida State League in Port Charlotte Florida. His ERA is 4.17 having pitched 99.1 innings. He has given up 95 hits and struck out 92. Benton has walked 27 batters in 99 innings which is a desire of every pitcher to keep men off base by the free pass. Any thing under three per nine innings is excellent Benton stands at 2.45 per nine innings pitched.There is no reason at this point that AA is next stop up the ladder next year for Benton Moss.
Collins Cuthrell is not having the season he needed to be noticed by any major league team. His averaged is 211 with eight home runs which is the leader at Florence Kentucky. Since Florence is not a team associated with any major league team and Collins' year is not what he expected this is probably the last month coming up of his playing career. Might coaching be next.
Hobbs Johnson headed Monday to Iowa where he would like to pitch for the rest of the summer to stays in the eyes of all major league teams after being cut by Milwaukee last month. Thursday his named appeared on the roster of Sioux City X's. The Explorers are in the American Associations which is an independent league where all players looking to impress major league teams just like Collins Cuthrell has been doing with Florence Kentucky.
How fleeting is success. Just two months ago Whit Merrifield was the talk of Kansas City. He had acquired the nickname two hit Whit referring to getting two hits every game. Wednesday Kansas City sent Merrifield back to Omaha after batting just 170 in July. There is hope in Kansas City's eyes for Merrifield as they announced he would be back in September if not before.
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Daggers Will Fly At Gryphons Now
It is a wonderful thing to be able to say I am a champion. Come Monday Rocky Mount High School Gryphons will no longer be the champions of 3A football but the defending 3A champions. Every team that plays the Gryphons this season will have a little more jump in their step when they take the field because there will be a respect paid to the champs. Every team now knows that Rocky Mount has proven they can win the big ones. Every team will give a supreme effort to be the team to knock off the champs. They don't want to be embarrassed by the champs.
Often forgotten when you continue to win each Friday night is how close you came to losing. Ten minutes left in the state championship game the Gryphons trailed 21-14. The truth be told they trailed in every playoff game except the Eastern Finals when they ran into an over confident Eastern Alamance team that the Gryphons slapped in the face early and Alamance had no answer for the Gryphon speed.
Looking even further they trailed almost every game in conference play at some point. Seemed the defense took a quarter to get their stride and the offense just kept pounding on everyone and that pounding takes it's toll after a while.
There is always luck that falls your way. Thought knowing in the fourth quarter we were going to win over south Johnston and heard that Havelock had fallen and another home game coming. Did not hurt at all to play Eden Morehead at home and then took the last play of the game to win after trailing by 9 points in the fourth quarter. I think the crowd at the Morehead game was the biggest crowd ever at the new stadium.
Early on Sherrod Green was the fullback but switching him to middle linebacker only and Nick Bynum to fullback was probably the move of the year. Made both the offense better and the defense more solid. We found out in the state championship game just how good Forest Bell was at quarterback. He was as they say the field general who directed the Gryphons as Jason Battle wanted without mistakes. Seemed every time someone got hurt there was somebody who stepped in to fill a hole.
The fourth year even Jason Battle made great strides as coach. No longer was this team losing games because of penalties of sportsmanship both on the field and sidelines. He made changes in his coaching staff and maybe the biggest was from within himself. When you look at Jason's four year record and already a state championship under his belt the Gryphon nation will now have to watch out for the wanna-a -bees looking a coach in 4A. Remember Wake County is building five new high schools in the next few years. why not get a proven winner as your coach?
This team will have to replace the quarterback. That is the biggest hole to fill before the season starts. Stay away from injuries. The line might not be as good as last year. Saw last week in the Telegram where Coach Battle was preaching staying hungry. There is no doubt about that. Last year's team earn several opportunities to play college football because of the exposure they received during the playoffs. Winning brings college coaches to ask why and they come and look. Right now Rocky Mount has a flock of good athletes that will get their looks. The coaches will look deeper if you keep winning. There is where the six or seventh best players are found out about.
Starting Monday the real get ready for 2016 high school football season gets going.
Often forgotten when you continue to win each Friday night is how close you came to losing. Ten minutes left in the state championship game the Gryphons trailed 21-14. The truth be told they trailed in every playoff game except the Eastern Finals when they ran into an over confident Eastern Alamance team that the Gryphons slapped in the face early and Alamance had no answer for the Gryphon speed.
Looking even further they trailed almost every game in conference play at some point. Seemed the defense took a quarter to get their stride and the offense just kept pounding on everyone and that pounding takes it's toll after a while.
There is always luck that falls your way. Thought knowing in the fourth quarter we were going to win over south Johnston and heard that Havelock had fallen and another home game coming. Did not hurt at all to play Eden Morehead at home and then took the last play of the game to win after trailing by 9 points in the fourth quarter. I think the crowd at the Morehead game was the biggest crowd ever at the new stadium.
Early on Sherrod Green was the fullback but switching him to middle linebacker only and Nick Bynum to fullback was probably the move of the year. Made both the offense better and the defense more solid. We found out in the state championship game just how good Forest Bell was at quarterback. He was as they say the field general who directed the Gryphons as Jason Battle wanted without mistakes. Seemed every time someone got hurt there was somebody who stepped in to fill a hole.
The fourth year even Jason Battle made great strides as coach. No longer was this team losing games because of penalties of sportsmanship both on the field and sidelines. He made changes in his coaching staff and maybe the biggest was from within himself. When you look at Jason's four year record and already a state championship under his belt the Gryphon nation will now have to watch out for the wanna-a -bees looking a coach in 4A. Remember Wake County is building five new high schools in the next few years. why not get a proven winner as your coach?
This team will have to replace the quarterback. That is the biggest hole to fill before the season starts. Stay away from injuries. The line might not be as good as last year. Saw last week in the Telegram where Coach Battle was preaching staying hungry. There is no doubt about that. Last year's team earn several opportunities to play college football because of the exposure they received during the playoffs. Winning brings college coaches to ask why and they come and look. Right now Rocky Mount has a flock of good athletes that will get their looks. The coaches will look deeper if you keep winning. There is where the six or seventh best players are found out about.
Starting Monday the real get ready for 2016 high school football season gets going.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
TV Coming To Thursday Night High School Football
The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has been a bastion over the years about live TV coverage of high school events by saying no. You can't turn on a TV now days that ESPN or any of the upstart sports cable channels don't have some high school sports on to fill their 24 hour a day schedule. Around ten years ago the NCHSAA gave Time Warner Cable the exclusive rights to all the football and basketball state championship games.
I am sure many people stayed home during the 3-A state championship football game last December and watched the Gryphons bring home the glory. Both the 2010 and 2012 basketball titles could be watched on Time Warner if you lived within their cable area or go on line and Stream the games.
The NCHSAA has not allowed a live coverage of a regular season sporting event but the money trail is too tempting and starting this year there will be a High School Game Of The Week live on Thursday nights this football season. Now just like the NFL games do, there is a chance that you might hear that say the Rocky Mount at Southern Nash game may get flexed and moved to Thursday night because TV deems it to be an important game from around the state. I am not saying it is going to be a state wide TV but that is an example of what might happen.
Charter/Time Warner have the rights and will be picking the games to be seen. I have not seen a schedule and don't know at this point how they plan on picking the games from around the state. You will of course need to be on the Charter/Time Warner systems to see these games or live stream.
The old question of does carrying a game live on radio or TV hurt attendance at any game. There use to be a day when AM radio was the only source of any high school sporting event. Many AM radio stations through out North Carolina are day time station which means they sign off at sunset or reduce power. Many recorded football on Friday night and played the game back on tape Saturday mornings. The early 70's when FM stations came along and had no restriction of signing off it was then possible to carry high school games on the radio live.
I think what high school athletic directors learned was the better the team the better the attendance. When your team from what they heard through radio was good fans tend to come watch live. Games with threat of rain were the games hit by low attendance. I think that is true whether you have radio coverage or not.
You may have noticed to soften the throng of high schools that might protest live TV on Friday night the games will be on Thursday. Do you remember several years ago when ECU had the first Friday night college game on TV and coaches and administration bellowed to ECU from stealing potential patrons to high school games? Least for now Thursday night TV football has a path to least resistance. Wait to they try to expand to Friday's.
Rocky Mount High School will be hosting a football scrimmage on August 11th. Details will follow later.
Rowan County wins the NC American Legion state tournament beating Union County 3-2 to go unbeaten in the tournament. It is their 9th state title tying Gastonia and one behind Wilmington with 10 titles.
I am sure many people stayed home during the 3-A state championship football game last December and watched the Gryphons bring home the glory. Both the 2010 and 2012 basketball titles could be watched on Time Warner if you lived within their cable area or go on line and Stream the games.
The NCHSAA has not allowed a live coverage of a regular season sporting event but the money trail is too tempting and starting this year there will be a High School Game Of The Week live on Thursday nights this football season. Now just like the NFL games do, there is a chance that you might hear that say the Rocky Mount at Southern Nash game may get flexed and moved to Thursday night because TV deems it to be an important game from around the state. I am not saying it is going to be a state wide TV but that is an example of what might happen.
Charter/Time Warner have the rights and will be picking the games to be seen. I have not seen a schedule and don't know at this point how they plan on picking the games from around the state. You will of course need to be on the Charter/Time Warner systems to see these games or live stream.
The old question of does carrying a game live on radio or TV hurt attendance at any game. There use to be a day when AM radio was the only source of any high school sporting event. Many AM radio stations through out North Carolina are day time station which means they sign off at sunset or reduce power. Many recorded football on Friday night and played the game back on tape Saturday mornings. The early 70's when FM stations came along and had no restriction of signing off it was then possible to carry high school games on the radio live.
I think what high school athletic directors learned was the better the team the better the attendance. When your team from what they heard through radio was good fans tend to come watch live. Games with threat of rain were the games hit by low attendance. I think that is true whether you have radio coverage or not.
You may have noticed to soften the throng of high schools that might protest live TV on Friday night the games will be on Thursday. Do you remember several years ago when ECU had the first Friday night college game on TV and coaches and administration bellowed to ECU from stealing potential patrons to high school games? Least for now Thursday night TV football has a path to least resistance. Wait to they try to expand to Friday's.
Rocky Mount High School will be hosting a football scrimmage on August 11th. Details will follow later.
Rowan County wins the NC American Legion state tournament beating Union County 3-2 to go unbeaten in the tournament. It is their 9th state title tying Gastonia and one behind Wilmington with 10 titles.
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Parent Student Meeting Monday Night August 8th
Over the past several years the The North Carolina High School Athletic association has required that all parent and students planning on playing any sport in a high school must attend a require meeting. The meeting for all fall sports at Rocky Mount high school will be Monday night August 8th in the gym. This meeting is mandatory for both a parent or guardian plus the student athlete.
Monday is the first day of try outs for fall sports at Rocky Mount High. Here is the times for each and their first practice.
Cheerleading- Coached by Shira Parrish will be from 6-8 pm
Cross Country- Coached by Dee Davis will be at 7:30am at Battle Park
Football-Coached by Jason Battle starts at 5:30-8:30pm
Golf- Coached by Michael Morris 3pm at Northgreen Country Club
Soccer- unnamed coach- 1st session 7:30 am and second session 10:30am to 12:30pm
Tennis-Coached by Barry Nettercutt 8:00 -10:00am
All players must be eligible and meet the NCHSAA and Nash-Rocky Mount Eligibility Requirements. You must have an updated physical before the first practice.
I am sure all other Nash County schools have the same requirements and their own practice times scheduled. Call the school for the student/Parent meeting and first practice schedule at your school.
I have another athlete left off the playing college sports somewhere in the fall of 2016. Jack Wellenhofer Rocking Mount is heading to UNC Charlotte where he will play football.
The North Carolina State American Legion State Tournament started Monday with one unbeaten Rowan County and three with one loss Caldwell County, Whiteville and the host team Union County. The Legion whenever there is an even number still alive the undefeated team plays too. The afternoon game saw Whiteville take on the host team Union County. This one went just seven innings as the host were not very hospitable to Whiteville the team who lost for the first time Sunday night. Whiteville goes home losing 14-3.
Rowan County as the lone Undefeated team can knock Caldwell County out making Tuesday the Day Union County has to beat them twice. Should Caldwell County win Rowan County gets a bye In Tuesday first game and Union County and Caldwell play for the right to play Rowan for the title
Tuesday. Should Rowan lose they would have lost their having to lose twice Tuesday.
Down 5-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning Rowan plates four runs to take an 8-5 lead. Caldwell loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the ninth but a double play ends Caldwell County tournament and this sets up Union County the Host team having to beat Rowan County twice in order to win the state championship. Should Rowan win the first or second it would be their ninth all time state championship.
Monday is the first day of try outs for fall sports at Rocky Mount High. Here is the times for each and their first practice.
Cheerleading- Coached by Shira Parrish will be from 6-8 pm
Cross Country- Coached by Dee Davis will be at 7:30am at Battle Park
Football-Coached by Jason Battle starts at 5:30-8:30pm
Golf- Coached by Michael Morris 3pm at Northgreen Country Club
Soccer- unnamed coach- 1st session 7:30 am and second session 10:30am to 12:30pm
Tennis-Coached by Barry Nettercutt 8:00 -10:00am
All players must be eligible and meet the NCHSAA and Nash-Rocky Mount Eligibility Requirements. You must have an updated physical before the first practice.
I am sure all other Nash County schools have the same requirements and their own practice times scheduled. Call the school for the student/Parent meeting and first practice schedule at your school.
I have another athlete left off the playing college sports somewhere in the fall of 2016. Jack Wellenhofer Rocking Mount is heading to UNC Charlotte where he will play football.
The North Carolina State American Legion State Tournament started Monday with one unbeaten Rowan County and three with one loss Caldwell County, Whiteville and the host team Union County. The Legion whenever there is an even number still alive the undefeated team plays too. The afternoon game saw Whiteville take on the host team Union County. This one went just seven innings as the host were not very hospitable to Whiteville the team who lost for the first time Sunday night. Whiteville goes home losing 14-3.
Rowan County as the lone Undefeated team can knock Caldwell County out making Tuesday the Day Union County has to beat them twice. Should Caldwell County win Rowan County gets a bye In Tuesday first game and Union County and Caldwell play for the right to play Rowan for the title
Tuesday. Should Rowan lose they would have lost their having to lose twice Tuesday.
Down 5-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning Rowan plates four runs to take an 8-5 lead. Caldwell loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the ninth but a double play ends Caldwell County tournament and this sets up Union County the Host team having to beat Rowan County twice in order to win the state championship. Should Rowan win the first or second it would be their ninth all time state championship.
Monday, July 25, 2016
Area One Gone In Legion Tournament
Opening Day was Friday for the 2016 North Carolina American Legion State Baseball Tournament. Pitt County representing Area One East and the top seed of the East. Garner the West division champion and the number two in the east both took the field at Wingate University.
It would turn out to be a great day for Area One as Pitt County opened the tournament Friday morning and they only took seven innings to devour Caldwell County 13-3. Game two saw Area One rep Whiteville defeating High Point 7-6 in extra innings. The third game of the day Rowan County clipped Wilmington 7-4 and the night cap Garner beat the host team Union County 9-4. A very good day for Area One.
Saturday starts with the four losers on Friday starting the day off with Caldwell County ending Wilmington's tournament 5-2. The second game Union County remained alive easing High Point back home 6-2. The afternoon session saw Rowan County win the first winners bracket game 7-2 over Pitt County. Garner joined the one time losers to Whiteville 12-4. Two days into the state tournament and six teams remain two are unbeaten Whiteville and Rowan County and four are now in the losers bracket Caldwell County, Pitt County, Garner and Union County.
Only three games on Sunday as two losers brackets games during the afternoon and the two unbeatens get prime time. It took extra innings but Pitt County is knocked out 10-9 by the host team Union County. The second game is the end of the line for Garner as they fall 4-3 to Caldwell County. Bad day all around for Area one as the state tournament is over. Last night Rowan County beat Whiteville 10-1. The four teams left are Rowan County, once beaten Whiteville, Union County and Caldwell County. All four teams are in action today, no bye for the unbeaten team.
As promised I did leave off a few athletes who will be playing college sports. Nick Bynum and JaQuez Johnson-Rocky Mount-Football-Shaw.
The Sports section of the Raleigh News and Observer did and article in their sports section featuring Rocky Mount High and their chances of repeating as 3A state football title. It was a good read.
Speaking of great articles Josh Walfish's article in the Sunday Rocky Mount Telegram concerning innings being pitched by high school pitchers was right on. I read an article several years ago by Doctor James Andrews the noted surgeon who perform the first so called Tommy John surgery. He says that every pitcher needs three months of non-throwing once a season is complete for rest to the arm.
One thing that has happened to our society when we dedicate our life to one sport at ten years old is we don't know other sports that we might be good in. A good example of one sport not using all your muscles. Right after my freshman football season in high school I thought I was in excellent physical condition. First day of basketball practice I was aching and gassed after all the different drills in basketball over football. Let your kid play anything they want to. Most of the time they will let you know the ones they don't like. You may find trying to become great in baseball only to see your child might have been a better player in soccer.
It would turn out to be a great day for Area One as Pitt County opened the tournament Friday morning and they only took seven innings to devour Caldwell County 13-3. Game two saw Area One rep Whiteville defeating High Point 7-6 in extra innings. The third game of the day Rowan County clipped Wilmington 7-4 and the night cap Garner beat the host team Union County 9-4. A very good day for Area One.
Saturday starts with the four losers on Friday starting the day off with Caldwell County ending Wilmington's tournament 5-2. The second game Union County remained alive easing High Point back home 6-2. The afternoon session saw Rowan County win the first winners bracket game 7-2 over Pitt County. Garner joined the one time losers to Whiteville 12-4. Two days into the state tournament and six teams remain two are unbeaten Whiteville and Rowan County and four are now in the losers bracket Caldwell County, Pitt County, Garner and Union County.
Only three games on Sunday as two losers brackets games during the afternoon and the two unbeatens get prime time. It took extra innings but Pitt County is knocked out 10-9 by the host team Union County. The second game is the end of the line for Garner as they fall 4-3 to Caldwell County. Bad day all around for Area one as the state tournament is over. Last night Rowan County beat Whiteville 10-1. The four teams left are Rowan County, once beaten Whiteville, Union County and Caldwell County. All four teams are in action today, no bye for the unbeaten team.
As promised I did leave off a few athletes who will be playing college sports. Nick Bynum and JaQuez Johnson-Rocky Mount-Football-Shaw.
The Sports section of the Raleigh News and Observer did and article in their sports section featuring Rocky Mount High and their chances of repeating as 3A state football title. It was a good read.
Speaking of great articles Josh Walfish's article in the Sunday Rocky Mount Telegram concerning innings being pitched by high school pitchers was right on. I read an article several years ago by Doctor James Andrews the noted surgeon who perform the first so called Tommy John surgery. He says that every pitcher needs three months of non-throwing once a season is complete for rest to the arm.
One thing that has happened to our society when we dedicate our life to one sport at ten years old is we don't know other sports that we might be good in. A good example of one sport not using all your muscles. Right after my freshman football season in high school I thought I was in excellent physical condition. First day of basketball practice I was aching and gassed after all the different drills in basketball over football. Let your kid play anything they want to. Most of the time they will let you know the ones they don't like. You may find trying to become great in baseball only to see your child might have been a better player in soccer.
Sunday, July 24, 2016
New Members Join Wesleyan Hall Of Fame
It is for sure of one thing if you play sports at North Carolina Wesleyan College and your team wins a National Championship you can count on your team being elevated to the North Carolina Wesleyan Hall Of Fame 17 years after it happens. That is going to happen to the 1999 baseball team who became the second Battling Bishops baseball team to win it all.
1989 the Mike Fox led Battling Bishops won the DII National Championship and in 2006 the entire team was named to the Hall Of Fame. Can't leave out any National Champions so it is now a tradition at NCW that 17 years after you win it you get in. So during the Homecoming weekend on October 15th the 1999 team will join 1989 in the North Carolina Wesleyan Sports Hall Of Fame.
Charlie Long's first team went 42-9 and on June 1st 1999 beat St Thomas 1-0 to win the National Championship. The history of Division II baseball it is still the only 1-0 championship game. Expect a big crowd for the ceremonies as the entire team is expected back to Rocky Mount and here is a list.
Robbie Adams Kevin McNeil
Tim Autry James Pitney
Barry Blake Jon Rardin
Pat Bullard Scott Robeson
Nick Buonocore Dan Salax
David Capabianco Brett Schultz
Ryan Crammer Jason Sigley
Jim Faraci Jed Snead
Russ Fink Jeremy Stewart
Sean Flemming Carl Wheeless
Buddy Hernandez Mike Wilchinski
Chris Johnson Taylor Williams
Daniel Johnson Brian Woolston
Andy Jones Tim Wright
Steve Ladlick Joel Yednock
Jon Markle Head Coach Charlie Long
Jason Maurer Asst Coach Ernie Jones
Andrew McFarland Asst Coach Jerry Edwards
It would be mighty hard to put a team in the Hall Of Fame without the coach being in there too especially since he is still coaching at Wesleyan. Charlie Long who has been at North Carolina Wesleyan since 1991 and took over for Mike Fox as baseball coach in 1999. He has won 429 games as coach, one national championship. He has been USA South Coach of the year three times. His coaching record in the D II playoffs is 16-9. He trails only Mike Fox on the all times wins list at North Carolina Wesleyan. Of course he of one of two coaches to lead a Wesleyan team to a national championship.
The final person heading to the Hall Of Fame is Ernie Jones who came to Wesleyan in 1991 to finish out his college baseball career. Once Charlie Long took over the baseball program in 1999 Ernie came back to be an assistant coach and was with Charlie for more than 400 wins and the National Championship. Between his Wesleyan playing days and coaching 17 years. Ernie has been a part of 10 conference regular season or tournament titles. Six NCAA bids, three regional championships and three world series appearances. During his 17 years as an assistance coach that is the longest tenure assistant coach in the history of Wesleyan.
Hall Of Fame weekend is October 15th.
1989 the Mike Fox led Battling Bishops won the DII National Championship and in 2006 the entire team was named to the Hall Of Fame. Can't leave out any National Champions so it is now a tradition at NCW that 17 years after you win it you get in. So during the Homecoming weekend on October 15th the 1999 team will join 1989 in the North Carolina Wesleyan Sports Hall Of Fame.
Charlie Long's first team went 42-9 and on June 1st 1999 beat St Thomas 1-0 to win the National Championship. The history of Division II baseball it is still the only 1-0 championship game. Expect a big crowd for the ceremonies as the entire team is expected back to Rocky Mount and here is a list.
Robbie Adams Kevin McNeil
Tim Autry James Pitney
Barry Blake Jon Rardin
Pat Bullard Scott Robeson
Nick Buonocore Dan Salax
David Capabianco Brett Schultz
Ryan Crammer Jason Sigley
Jim Faraci Jed Snead
Russ Fink Jeremy Stewart
Sean Flemming Carl Wheeless
Buddy Hernandez Mike Wilchinski
Chris Johnson Taylor Williams
Daniel Johnson Brian Woolston
Andy Jones Tim Wright
Steve Ladlick Joel Yednock
Jon Markle Head Coach Charlie Long
Jason Maurer Asst Coach Ernie Jones
Andrew McFarland Asst Coach Jerry Edwards
It would be mighty hard to put a team in the Hall Of Fame without the coach being in there too especially since he is still coaching at Wesleyan. Charlie Long who has been at North Carolina Wesleyan since 1991 and took over for Mike Fox as baseball coach in 1999. He has won 429 games as coach, one national championship. He has been USA South Coach of the year three times. His coaching record in the D II playoffs is 16-9. He trails only Mike Fox on the all times wins list at North Carolina Wesleyan. Of course he of one of two coaches to lead a Wesleyan team to a national championship.
The final person heading to the Hall Of Fame is Ernie Jones who came to Wesleyan in 1991 to finish out his college baseball career. Once Charlie Long took over the baseball program in 1999 Ernie came back to be an assistant coach and was with Charlie for more than 400 wins and the National Championship. Between his Wesleyan playing days and coaching 17 years. Ernie has been a part of 10 conference regular season or tournament titles. Six NCAA bids, three regional championships and three world series appearances. During his 17 years as an assistance coach that is the longest tenure assistant coach in the history of Wesleyan.
Hall Of Fame weekend is October 15th.
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Twin Counties Players March On
Now that the North Carolina Coaches Association has now concluded their convention in Greensboro and all the All Stars games are concluded every senior high school players have now finished their high school careers. There are some that will move on to college and continue playing sports. Before I even start I know somewhere along the way I have missed one but here is a list compiled as the year has gone on of those players that are fortunate enough to keep playing varsity sports in college from the Twin county area. If you see one that I have missed please pass it on to me because I don't want anyone deserving be left out.
FOOTBALL:
Marcus Williams- South West Edgecombe -Football- Appalachian State
Antwoin Pittman-North Edgecombe-Football-Winston Salem State
Jacob Hunter- Tarboro-Football- Chowan
Tahj Deans- Southern Nash- Football-East Carolina University
Zack Foster-Southern Nash-Football-North Carolina Wesleyan
Gage Chilton-Rocky Mount Academy-Football-Methodist University
B J Sanders-Rocky Mount-Football-Charleston Southern
Nick Bynum-Rocky Mount-football- Shaw
Ja'quez Johnson-Rocky Mount-Football-Shaw
Jack Wellenhofer-Rocky Mount-Football-UNC Charlotte
BASKETBALL:
Josh Mullins-Nash Central-Basketball-North Carolina A&T
Jahlia Williams-Northern Nash-Basketball- Winston Salem State
BASEBALL:
Jarrett Mobley- SouthWest Edgecombe-Baseball- Pembroke State
Luke Mills-Faith Christian-Baseball North Carolina Wesleyan
Noah Shrock- Nash Central-Baseball- North Carolina Wesleyan
Track And Field:
Nadir Thompson-Southern Nash-Track and Field- North Carolina State
Devonte Hyman-SouthWest Edgecombe-Track and Football-Virginia Lynchburg
Raquan White-Southwest Edgecombe-Track and Field-Virginia Lynchburg
Teyanna Dessaure-Rocky Mount-Track and Field- Mount Olive
Nyanna Edwards-Rocky Mount-Track and Field-Mount Olive
Laneeja Sheppard-Rocky Mount-track and Field- Mount Olive
SOCCER:
Rebekah Beal-Northern Nash-Soccer-Chowan
Hunter Franks-Rocky Mount Academy-Soccer-Louisburg College
SWIMMING:
Jenn Jackson Nash Central-Swimming-Gardner Webb
There is no doubt the Twin County area is a sports mecca. Todd Gurley Tarboro, Montrezl Harrell North Edgecombe, Brian Goodwin Rocky Mount, Benton Moss Rocky Mount, Collins Cuthrell Rocky Mount are all still active in professional sports after their college days. I wonder who in the class of 2016 will join them.
FOOTBALL:
Marcus Williams- South West Edgecombe -Football- Appalachian State
Antwoin Pittman-North Edgecombe-Football-Winston Salem State
Jacob Hunter- Tarboro-Football- Chowan
Tahj Deans- Southern Nash- Football-East Carolina University
Zack Foster-Southern Nash-Football-North Carolina Wesleyan
Gage Chilton-Rocky Mount Academy-Football-Methodist University
B J Sanders-Rocky Mount-Football-Charleston Southern
Nick Bynum-Rocky Mount-football- Shaw
Ja'quez Johnson-Rocky Mount-Football-Shaw
Jack Wellenhofer-Rocky Mount-Football-UNC Charlotte
BASKETBALL:
Josh Mullins-Nash Central-Basketball-North Carolina A&T
Jahlia Williams-Northern Nash-Basketball- Winston Salem State
BASEBALL:
Jarrett Mobley- SouthWest Edgecombe-Baseball- Pembroke State
Luke Mills-Faith Christian-Baseball North Carolina Wesleyan
Noah Shrock- Nash Central-Baseball- North Carolina Wesleyan
Track And Field:
Nadir Thompson-Southern Nash-Track and Field- North Carolina State
Devonte Hyman-SouthWest Edgecombe-Track and Football-Virginia Lynchburg
Raquan White-Southwest Edgecombe-Track and Field-Virginia Lynchburg
Teyanna Dessaure-Rocky Mount-Track and Field- Mount Olive
Nyanna Edwards-Rocky Mount-Track and Field-Mount Olive
Laneeja Sheppard-Rocky Mount-track and Field- Mount Olive
SOCCER:
Rebekah Beal-Northern Nash-Soccer-Chowan
Hunter Franks-Rocky Mount Academy-Soccer-Louisburg College
SWIMMING:
Jenn Jackson Nash Central-Swimming-Gardner Webb
There is no doubt the Twin County area is a sports mecca. Todd Gurley Tarboro, Montrezl Harrell North Edgecombe, Brian Goodwin Rocky Mount, Benton Moss Rocky Mount, Collins Cuthrell Rocky Mount are all still active in professional sports after their college days. I wonder who in the class of 2016 will join them.
Friday, July 22, 2016
Computers
Former N C State Shortstop Trea Turner has been called up to the Washington Nationals as another Nationals player is on the 15 day disabled list. He got the call up in September last year after Syracuse fell out of the AAA playoffs. He almost made the opening day roster back in April but the Nationals sent him back to the Chiefs for defense.
If Turner gets sent back to Syracuse you would have to wonder what in the world is the management thinking. So far since his recall he is hitting 308. He has played short and second and could be used in the outfield if needed. Wednesday night Turner stole home for only the third time in Washington Nationals history however short that history might be.
Where Turner has turned on Major League baseball is what he did before the steal of home. These days computers check and time everything. Tuesday night Turner tripled and the computer said his 270 foot run from home to third base was at 22.4 miles and hour. Now as a fan that watches baseball and have seen turner run live at N C State I know he is fast but how fast is fast? The computers clocked him running at 22.4 miles per hour. Still what does that mean to me an you. 22.4 miles an hour is the third fastest any player has run a triple in Major League Baseball this year. That was Tuesday.
The reason Turner was on third Wednesday night was he got another triple and this time the computers say he ran at 22.7 miles and hour which is the fastest anyone has made it to third on a triple this season. If you go on MLB.com and watch both the triple and the steal of home there is no doubt speed kills.
Trea Turner is the fastest man in major league baseball. Much like just a couple of weeks ago we talked about Whit Merrifield getting the folks in Kansas City excited, DC is koo koo for Trea Turner. His speed can get to grounders that other players let go as hits. Pop ups are catchable almost any where on the field for him.
I doubt that Trea Turner will ever visit a minor league baseball field again unless it is an injury rehab assignment. Turner's good fortune is hindering our very own Brian Goodwin. Brian is tearing up pitching since he has returned from the AAA All Star game. His average is back up to 293 after having dipped to 282 two weeks ago. Brian is an outfielder so Turners who is an infielder/outfielder just may take any opening that could go to Brian.
When you look at the shortstop and centerfielder that have played for the Nationals all season their batting averages are dismal. There is no reason that Turner should not be at short and give Brian his shot in center. Just maybe Turner's success will open the eyes of Washington's management to see why in the world to you keep guys in starting jobs in the majors when your AAA club has replacements to do better than the starters they have now.
Michael Taylor has been the main centerfielder for most of the year. He is hitting 226 while Brian is 293. Brian has driven in 52 runs while Taylor 14. Brian has one triple and none for Taylor. doubles Brian leads 23-10. Stolen bases is 13 out 16 for Goodwin and 10/13 for Taylor. I truly think something is going to happen for Brian Goodwin before the trade deadline August 1st.. He is either going to get traded or they have to bring him up. He's playing a whole lot better than what they have in centerfield now.
If Turner gets sent back to Syracuse you would have to wonder what in the world is the management thinking. So far since his recall he is hitting 308. He has played short and second and could be used in the outfield if needed. Wednesday night Turner stole home for only the third time in Washington Nationals history however short that history might be.
Where Turner has turned on Major League baseball is what he did before the steal of home. These days computers check and time everything. Tuesday night Turner tripled and the computer said his 270 foot run from home to third base was at 22.4 miles and hour. Now as a fan that watches baseball and have seen turner run live at N C State I know he is fast but how fast is fast? The computers clocked him running at 22.4 miles per hour. Still what does that mean to me an you. 22.4 miles an hour is the third fastest any player has run a triple in Major League Baseball this year. That was Tuesday.
The reason Turner was on third Wednesday night was he got another triple and this time the computers say he ran at 22.7 miles and hour which is the fastest anyone has made it to third on a triple this season. If you go on MLB.com and watch both the triple and the steal of home there is no doubt speed kills.
Trea Turner is the fastest man in major league baseball. Much like just a couple of weeks ago we talked about Whit Merrifield getting the folks in Kansas City excited, DC is koo koo for Trea Turner. His speed can get to grounders that other players let go as hits. Pop ups are catchable almost any where on the field for him.
I doubt that Trea Turner will ever visit a minor league baseball field again unless it is an injury rehab assignment. Turner's good fortune is hindering our very own Brian Goodwin. Brian is tearing up pitching since he has returned from the AAA All Star game. His average is back up to 293 after having dipped to 282 two weeks ago. Brian is an outfielder so Turners who is an infielder/outfielder just may take any opening that could go to Brian.
When you look at the shortstop and centerfielder that have played for the Nationals all season their batting averages are dismal. There is no reason that Turner should not be at short and give Brian his shot in center. Just maybe Turner's success will open the eyes of Washington's management to see why in the world to you keep guys in starting jobs in the majors when your AAA club has replacements to do better than the starters they have now.
Michael Taylor has been the main centerfielder for most of the year. He is hitting 226 while Brian is 293. Brian has driven in 52 runs while Taylor 14. Brian has one triple and none for Taylor. doubles Brian leads 23-10. Stolen bases is 13 out 16 for Goodwin and 10/13 for Taylor. I truly think something is going to happen for Brian Goodwin before the trade deadline August 1st.. He is either going to get traded or they have to bring him up. He's playing a whole lot better than what they have in centerfield now.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Nash County Allstars Shine At East West
Basketball played two games on Monday. Soccer had another two games on Tuesday. The only Nash County athlete to play in any of the four games Monday and Tuesday was Rebeka Beal of Northern Nash.
Tonight Zach Foster quarterback of Southern Nash was joined by teammate Jaquay Mitchell wide receiver. Nick Bynum of Rocky Mount provided a third Nash County performer.
Defense dominates this football game as after the dust had settled the girls soccer game last night scored more goals than touchdowns were scored in the football game through the first three quarters. Last night three goals were scored in a 2-1 win by the east. By the end of the third quarter only three field goals had been able to put points on the board. The East led 6-3.
Fireworks by the East and by the Southern Nash Duo. Zack Foster finds his former teammate Jaquay Mitchell on a 65 yard pass completion and the East leads by more than a touchdown early in the fourth quarter 13-3. A stout east defense forces a West punt which the east brings to the west Red Zone. From five yards out Rocky Mount's Nick Bynum scores and the east midway through the fourth leads 20-3 and they would be the final score.
Southern's Jaquay Mitchell with his long bomb reception for a east touchdown proved to be the longest play of the game is named the Offensive MVP of the game. Mitchell had three catches for 88 yards and the first east touchdown while Nick Bynum was the leading rusher in the game carrying the pigskin 12 times for 66 yards and a touchdown. Zack Foster being the passer on the Mitchell touchdown all three players from Nash County did their part in both East touchdowns
The east wins four of the five allstar games played this week.
During Legion season Post 58 had several volunteer coaches including Will Edwards. Will a graduate of Rocky Mount High is a rising sophomore at Chowan College. His freshman year he pitched in 12 games starting 5. His record in the spring was 0-4 with a 6.93 ERA. He was in the Legion dugout for the first few games until he joined the Fayetteville Swampdogs.
So far this summer Will Edwards has pitched in 11 games totally 15 innings. His record is 0-2. He has joined his former teammate at Rocky Mount and Chowan Cody Smith who is also pitching in Fayetteville. Cody after being named the left hander pitcher of the year in the CIAA this spring has pitched 37 innings for the Swamp Dogs. His ERA is 4.58 and he has a 1-4 record this summer.
The Swamp Dogs play in the Coastal Plain league. Blake Helms is pitching for Fuquay Varina in the Carolina Virginia Colleigiate League. We told you last week that he made the CVCL All Star team and since had pitched one time since then. Blake's incredible season is still going strong. He has completed two games in seven appearances. He has now pitched 36 innings and only given up two earned runs. His ERA the last time we talked was based on 29 innings and two runs which was .061 but has dropped to .050. So far this summer Blake is throwing BB's
Tonight Zach Foster quarterback of Southern Nash was joined by teammate Jaquay Mitchell wide receiver. Nick Bynum of Rocky Mount provided a third Nash County performer.
Defense dominates this football game as after the dust had settled the girls soccer game last night scored more goals than touchdowns were scored in the football game through the first three quarters. Last night three goals were scored in a 2-1 win by the east. By the end of the third quarter only three field goals had been able to put points on the board. The East led 6-3.
Fireworks by the East and by the Southern Nash Duo. Zack Foster finds his former teammate Jaquay Mitchell on a 65 yard pass completion and the East leads by more than a touchdown early in the fourth quarter 13-3. A stout east defense forces a West punt which the east brings to the west Red Zone. From five yards out Rocky Mount's Nick Bynum scores and the east midway through the fourth leads 20-3 and they would be the final score.
Southern's Jaquay Mitchell with his long bomb reception for a east touchdown proved to be the longest play of the game is named the Offensive MVP of the game. Mitchell had three catches for 88 yards and the first east touchdown while Nick Bynum was the leading rusher in the game carrying the pigskin 12 times for 66 yards and a touchdown. Zack Foster being the passer on the Mitchell touchdown all three players from Nash County did their part in both East touchdowns
The east wins four of the five allstar games played this week.
During Legion season Post 58 had several volunteer coaches including Will Edwards. Will a graduate of Rocky Mount High is a rising sophomore at Chowan College. His freshman year he pitched in 12 games starting 5. His record in the spring was 0-4 with a 6.93 ERA. He was in the Legion dugout for the first few games until he joined the Fayetteville Swampdogs.
So far this summer Will Edwards has pitched in 11 games totally 15 innings. His record is 0-2. He has joined his former teammate at Rocky Mount and Chowan Cody Smith who is also pitching in Fayetteville. Cody after being named the left hander pitcher of the year in the CIAA this spring has pitched 37 innings for the Swamp Dogs. His ERA is 4.58 and he has a 1-4 record this summer.
The Swamp Dogs play in the Coastal Plain league. Blake Helms is pitching for Fuquay Varina in the Carolina Virginia Colleigiate League. We told you last week that he made the CVCL All Star team and since had pitched one time since then. Blake's incredible season is still going strong. He has completed two games in seven appearances. He has now pitched 36 innings and only given up two earned runs. His ERA the last time we talked was based on 29 innings and two runs which was .061 but has dropped to .050. So far this summer Blake is throwing BB's
State Tournament Set
The 2016 North Carolina American Legion State Tournament is set after all area championships were decided Monday night. The opening game of a four game day will start Friday morning at 9:30. The area one one game playoff was Monday night and Pitt County won by a 12-2 score and by winning earned the championship of Area One. The schedule Friday:
9:30 am. Caldwell County number two from Area Four will play the champion of Area Three High Point.
12:30pm. Whiteville number Two from Area Two will play the Champion of Area One Pitt County
3:30pm. Rowan County number two from Area Three will play the champion of Area Two Wilmington
7:00pm. Garner the number two from Area One will play the champion of Area Four Union County. Union County is also the host team who would have been in the tournament as the host team but won their area.
Monday night in the East West All Star games in Greenboro there were two twenty point wins. The West Girls beat the East 105-85 while the East Boys beat the West 118-98.
Tuesday in girls soccer the East Girls beat the West by a 2-1 score. The boys game ran into weather delay five minutes into the game with the East leading 1-0. Finally resuming the East wins 3-2. The football game is tonight closing out the week of the East West All Star Games.
All of these all star games are part of the NC High School Coaches Association state convention. Once all the coaches return home fall sports practices will begin on Monday August 1st and the first high school football games will begin on Friday night August 19th.
Nash Central will open on the road at Tarboro
Corinith Holders will visit Northern Nash
North wood will travel to Southern Nash
The defending 3-A state champions Rocky Mount Gryphon's will host South Granville. High school football starts 30 days from today.
9:30 am. Caldwell County number two from Area Four will play the champion of Area Three High Point.
12:30pm. Whiteville number Two from Area Two will play the Champion of Area One Pitt County
3:30pm. Rowan County number two from Area Three will play the champion of Area Two Wilmington
7:00pm. Garner the number two from Area One will play the champion of Area Four Union County. Union County is also the host team who would have been in the tournament as the host team but won their area.
Monday night in the East West All Star games in Greenboro there were two twenty point wins. The West Girls beat the East 105-85 while the East Boys beat the West 118-98.
Tuesday in girls soccer the East Girls beat the West by a 2-1 score. The boys game ran into weather delay five minutes into the game with the East leading 1-0. Finally resuming the East wins 3-2. The football game is tonight closing out the week of the East West All Star Games.
All of these all star games are part of the NC High School Coaches Association state convention. Once all the coaches return home fall sports practices will begin on Monday August 1st and the first high school football games will begin on Friday night August 19th.
Nash Central will open on the road at Tarboro
Corinith Holders will visit Northern Nash
North wood will travel to Southern Nash
The defending 3-A state champions Rocky Mount Gryphon's will host South Granville. High school football starts 30 days from today.
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Living Out A Dream
They say that Parents live out their dreams through their children. We see it every day on a ball field or gym. There are some parents that love that little league game more than their kids do. They might be looking for that college scholarship for their child or they just might be wanting their children to be what they were not when they came along.
All Four of my children are now through college. Stephanie didn't play sports but was a dancer so we did the dance scene while she grew up and even went to college for dancing. Today with two children both into travel soccer in Wake Forest. Her husband works for the RailHawks in the youth programs so her family is soccer 24 hours a day.
Amy played softball and ran cross country in high school but was never a serious competitor. This year she had her first child and works for Wake Med and the YMCA of Wake County where she specialized in health care. Her husband is a banker in Raleigh and loves those Demon Deacons.
Morgan found out early that she had a health condition that she would not be able to play sports so she took part as manager for at one time or other during her high school days, football, basketball, volleyball, softball. She even went to Campbell on a partial scholarship being the manager of the Campbell Volleyball team. Now looking for a job in sports management but working for the fourth summer with the Rocky Mount Parks and Rec.
Brooks ran cross country, track and field and tennis during his high school career, Joined the N C State Mountain bike team in college and spent his first six years in coastal management until bitten
by the coaching bug. He has started from nothing in Triathlon coaching and his company All Out
Multi Sports has a equipment sponsor that provides all his athletes with any clothing needed just like all others athletes have in college of pro.
He has the ability to tell others how to swim, run and ride a bike better. He coaches all ages from doctors to teenagers. A recent race he had seven athletes running in five age groups and all seven finished first or second or third in their age group. Top three get up to the podium to receive a metal. He has caught the attention of other athletes wanting to know how they can be better.
Brooks is in the midst of conducting a camp that he is coaching at the United State Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs Co. The top U23 Tri athletes from the United States will be working with him. U 23 is the future athletes who one day might bring home gold for the US in Triathlon events. On the world stage the US is way behind others so they are working hard with our best in the nation under 23.
A typical work day is 4000 meter swim in the morning. Two to three hour bike ride midday and a 5-8 mile run in the evening. If you saw the Olympic swimming trials that were on TV just a week ago those swimmers that are on the Rio team are there every day but will be leaving shortly to go to Rio to adjust to the seas level breathing compared to Colorado Springs 5,000 foot elevation.
One day this week he took his athletes to Pike's Peak which is 12 miles from the Training Center. Whether you run or ride a bike Pike's Peak is a killer. The start is 9,390 above sea level and at the top 14,115 feet. It is 12.42 miles to the top. The grade upward averages 7 degrees and at max is 10 degrees. It seems as if you are going straight up. There are 156 turns on the way.
I have three pictures. The first is his security badge to get into the training center. One of two full size Olympic Pools at the the training center and the third Brooks working with his athletes on their bikes.
All Four of my children are now through college. Stephanie didn't play sports but was a dancer so we did the dance scene while she grew up and even went to college for dancing. Today with two children both into travel soccer in Wake Forest. Her husband works for the RailHawks in the youth programs so her family is soccer 24 hours a day.
Amy played softball and ran cross country in high school but was never a serious competitor. This year she had her first child and works for Wake Med and the YMCA of Wake County where she specialized in health care. Her husband is a banker in Raleigh and loves those Demon Deacons.
Morgan found out early that she had a health condition that she would not be able to play sports so she took part as manager for at one time or other during her high school days, football, basketball, volleyball, softball. She even went to Campbell on a partial scholarship being the manager of the Campbell Volleyball team. Now looking for a job in sports management but working for the fourth summer with the Rocky Mount Parks and Rec.
Brooks ran cross country, track and field and tennis during his high school career, Joined the N C State Mountain bike team in college and spent his first six years in coastal management until bitten
by the coaching bug. He has started from nothing in Triathlon coaching and his company All Out
Multi Sports has a equipment sponsor that provides all his athletes with any clothing needed just like all others athletes have in college of pro.
He has the ability to tell others how to swim, run and ride a bike better. He coaches all ages from doctors to teenagers. A recent race he had seven athletes running in five age groups and all seven finished first or second or third in their age group. Top three get up to the podium to receive a metal. He has caught the attention of other athletes wanting to know how they can be better.
Brooks is in the midst of conducting a camp that he is coaching at the United State Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs Co. The top U23 Tri athletes from the United States will be working with him. U 23 is the future athletes who one day might bring home gold for the US in Triathlon events. On the world stage the US is way behind others so they are working hard with our best in the nation under 23.
A typical work day is 4000 meter swim in the morning. Two to three hour bike ride midday and a 5-8 mile run in the evening. If you saw the Olympic swimming trials that were on TV just a week ago those swimmers that are on the Rio team are there every day but will be leaving shortly to go to Rio to adjust to the seas level breathing compared to Colorado Springs 5,000 foot elevation.
One day this week he took his athletes to Pike's Peak which is 12 miles from the Training Center. Whether you run or ride a bike Pike's Peak is a killer. The start is 9,390 above sea level and at the top 14,115 feet. It is 12.42 miles to the top. The grade upward averages 7 degrees and at max is 10 degrees. It seems as if you are going straight up. There are 156 turns on the way.
I have three pictures. The first is his security badge to get into the training center. One of two full size Olympic Pools at the the training center and the third Brooks working with his athletes on their bikes.
Monday, July 18, 2016
Down Right Awsome
If you didn’t like the final round of The Open you just plain don't like golf. Two golfers went nose to nose. Phil Mickelson flirted on Thursday with the lowest score ever in a major as he came within a lip out of shooting 62.
Henrik Stenson and Michelson played the final 36 together. Saturday Stenson shot 68 while Michelson a 69. Leading by one heading into Sunday's round what those that were at Royal Troon or watched on tv saw the greatest final round duel in golf history. Phil Michelson scrambled his way to a 65. Just one shot out of the lead before the day began a 65 has to be the winning score but Stenson made a 65 seem light years behind.
Stenson's 63 ties Johnny Miller who shot 63 in the final round of the US Open in 1973. Miller's 63 was a come from behind while Henik Stenson's led by one when the day started. Michelson finishes three shots back and 11 shots ahead of third place. The duel at Troon was spectacular to watch.
Tom Brady has finally spoken and he will now serve the four game suspension for deflate gate. 18 months after NFL Commissioner Roger Godell announced that footballs were tampered with during a playoff game between New England and Indianapolis and from the investigation New England was fined a million dollars and Tom Brady was suspended.
Legal pandering kept Brady on the playing field for the entire 2015 season. You know if I was innocence I would go bankrupt to clear my name.
Tonight will be a one game playoff game between Pitt County and Garner for seeding purposes only as both PC and Garner are the Area One East and West champions and both are headed to the State American Legion Tournament this weekend in Wingate.
Pitt County won their series with Wayne County two games to none after getting rained out Friday and Saturday night and Wayne County conceded since with Sunday night the deadline for completion and having to win three games and having lost the first game of the series they could not win three games.
Different story in Apex who won game one 6-5. Game two went to Garner 12-2 and Saturday night's game got to the third inning when rain came with Garner leading 2-1. That game was completed Sunday night and by agreement the winner Sunday night would take the West Division.
Starting out already leading 2-1 Garner jumped to a 7-1 and 10-2 lead before Apex scared Garner to death. Down 12-9 Apex scored three times in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game. Garner plated one in the ninth and then had to hold off Apex who had the tying run on third and winning run on second when the game ended. Garner 13 Apex 12.
Henrik Stenson and Michelson played the final 36 together. Saturday Stenson shot 68 while Michelson a 69. Leading by one heading into Sunday's round what those that were at Royal Troon or watched on tv saw the greatest final round duel in golf history. Phil Michelson scrambled his way to a 65. Just one shot out of the lead before the day began a 65 has to be the winning score but Stenson made a 65 seem light years behind.
Stenson's 63 ties Johnny Miller who shot 63 in the final round of the US Open in 1973. Miller's 63 was a come from behind while Henik Stenson's led by one when the day started. Michelson finishes three shots back and 11 shots ahead of third place. The duel at Troon was spectacular to watch.
Tom Brady has finally spoken and he will now serve the four game suspension for deflate gate. 18 months after NFL Commissioner Roger Godell announced that footballs were tampered with during a playoff game between New England and Indianapolis and from the investigation New England was fined a million dollars and Tom Brady was suspended.
Legal pandering kept Brady on the playing field for the entire 2015 season. You know if I was innocence I would go bankrupt to clear my name.
Tonight will be a one game playoff game between Pitt County and Garner for seeding purposes only as both PC and Garner are the Area One East and West champions and both are headed to the State American Legion Tournament this weekend in Wingate.
Pitt County won their series with Wayne County two games to none after getting rained out Friday and Saturday night and Wayne County conceded since with Sunday night the deadline for completion and having to win three games and having lost the first game of the series they could not win three games.
Different story in Apex who won game one 6-5. Game two went to Garner 12-2 and Saturday night's game got to the third inning when rain came with Garner leading 2-1. That game was completed Sunday night and by agreement the winner Sunday night would take the West Division.
Starting out already leading 2-1 Garner jumped to a 7-1 and 10-2 lead before Apex scared Garner to death. Down 12-9 Apex scored three times in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game. Garner plated one in the ninth and then had to hold off Apex who had the tying run on third and winning run on second when the game ended. Garner 13 Apex 12.
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Legion 2016 Review
I don't know how any one cannot be optimistic about the future status of Coleman Pitt Post 58 baseball in 2017. I has been a frustrating year oh so close to winning each night against the best in the area. There is one thing we need to remember was the age of this team. I took each player and without knowing exactly how old each really was I gave each player that graduated in 2016 and gave them an age of 18. Those graduating in 2017 an age of 17 and graduating in 2018 an age of 16 and even one is not scheduled to graduate until 2019 I gave him 15 years old.
Using that formula this year's team averaged 16.8 years old. You must remember that this is senior legion and the age of players is 17 and 18. Our team average was not even old enough to play senior Legion. You would assume then that this team if those eligible to come back we will be much improved just because we will be a year older.
The last ten years travel ball has been the biggest stealer of legion talent and there are several in this area playing travel ball who have committed to D1 colleges that next summer will not need to showcase themselves as they have already made their college choices. What they will need to do is play legion to stay in shape for the summer so when they hit their college campus and fall practice starts they will be ready to make an impact for their college teams.
There is no doubt that Rocky Mount legion baseball for the last seven years or more has been kept alive by two men Hank Jones as head coach and Joe Bell as Athletic Officer has been there nine years. Hank has kept the stadium in playing shape as well as coached the team. Joe has handled the administrative end and kept it in order as well as run concessions and what these two have done to keep Legion ball alive in Rocky Mount there is no way those that show up to watch have any idea the work these two have given to Rocky Mount Legion. Because we do have Legion Field we have a field that Legion ball has top priority on the field. Not one team in Wake County can tell you where their next home game will be played.
Times change and Hank has children just getting into the prime of their sports careers heading toward high school. Every parent doesn't want to miss a minute as their children play sports. Could you blame Hank if he has something more important to him. Joe's last child graduated high school this year and off to Carolina he will go. Listening to Pop, Forest probably will not play any baseball while in college and his return to Legion next summer is doubtful. Could you blame Joe if his interest wanes as his nest at home becomes empty and he and Amy start to go to the lake more next summer.
I hope both come back. The Ramsey Brothers Cameron and Spencer have been able assistants to Hank on the field but Joe has had no one helping him on game night. We need desperately for the future of Legion in Rocky Mount for someone to step forward and be backups or in training to take over for the day when the lake looks better than the legion field. If there are no replacements for these two then it doesn't matter how good we could be next year with out the gate being unlocked.
Times change no longer is there a round house down by the railroad tracks where four thousand people worked for the railroad in the Rocky Mount area. No longer are any cotton mills who provided housing to employees. Not many people still get a newspaper delivered to their house. The news is on your computer. If we don't want it Legion Baseball will die and become a memory until those who were part of it die out and then it will be forgotten.
I started out as a batboy for Ahoskie Post 102 in 1963. The last ten years legion ball was played in Rocky Mount I have done P A for Post 58. I surely have a place for legion baseball in my heart. I hope someone will step forward for the future and keep it from becoming a memory. We can't expect Hank and Joe to do it all forever.
Using that formula this year's team averaged 16.8 years old. You must remember that this is senior legion and the age of players is 17 and 18. Our team average was not even old enough to play senior Legion. You would assume then that this team if those eligible to come back we will be much improved just because we will be a year older.
The last ten years travel ball has been the biggest stealer of legion talent and there are several in this area playing travel ball who have committed to D1 colleges that next summer will not need to showcase themselves as they have already made their college choices. What they will need to do is play legion to stay in shape for the summer so when they hit their college campus and fall practice starts they will be ready to make an impact for their college teams.
There is no doubt that Rocky Mount legion baseball for the last seven years or more has been kept alive by two men Hank Jones as head coach and Joe Bell as Athletic Officer has been there nine years. Hank has kept the stadium in playing shape as well as coached the team. Joe has handled the administrative end and kept it in order as well as run concessions and what these two have done to keep Legion ball alive in Rocky Mount there is no way those that show up to watch have any idea the work these two have given to Rocky Mount Legion. Because we do have Legion Field we have a field that Legion ball has top priority on the field. Not one team in Wake County can tell you where their next home game will be played.
Times change and Hank has children just getting into the prime of their sports careers heading toward high school. Every parent doesn't want to miss a minute as their children play sports. Could you blame Hank if he has something more important to him. Joe's last child graduated high school this year and off to Carolina he will go. Listening to Pop, Forest probably will not play any baseball while in college and his return to Legion next summer is doubtful. Could you blame Joe if his interest wanes as his nest at home becomes empty and he and Amy start to go to the lake more next summer.
I hope both come back. The Ramsey Brothers Cameron and Spencer have been able assistants to Hank on the field but Joe has had no one helping him on game night. We need desperately for the future of Legion in Rocky Mount for someone to step forward and be backups or in training to take over for the day when the lake looks better than the legion field. If there are no replacements for these two then it doesn't matter how good we could be next year with out the gate being unlocked.
Times change no longer is there a round house down by the railroad tracks where four thousand people worked for the railroad in the Rocky Mount area. No longer are any cotton mills who provided housing to employees. Not many people still get a newspaper delivered to their house. The news is on your computer. If we don't want it Legion Baseball will die and become a memory until those who were part of it die out and then it will be forgotten.
I started out as a batboy for Ahoskie Post 102 in 1963. The last ten years legion ball was played in Rocky Mount I have done P A for Post 58. I surely have a place for legion baseball in my heart. I hope someone will step forward for the future and keep it from becoming a memory. We can't expect Hank and Joe to do it all forever.
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Changes With App State Baseball
Kermit Smith on Thursday was named the new baseball coach at App State. During the first trip to the Division II College World Series by Lander in 2014 I had a chance to shake Kermit's hand when I was introduced to him by Britt Johnson. It really makes no difference to me where Smith goes but what is important to me is his assistant coaches who are friends of mine. Britt Johnson and Jim Leggett both Rocky Mount High School graduates.
Once you get beyond high school it is a dog eat world in sports. If you happen to be lucky enough to be ask by another school to come coach at their place most of the time coaches are fired for lack of wins or maybe they are tangling with the rules more than their school will allow.
If you are asked like Appalachian State has ask Kermit Smith to be their next head baseball coach most of the time the head coach brings with him his staff those people who have helped him earn the job App St has offered Smith. I hope that might be the case for both Britt and Jim. That would be a step up in the world of coaching from DII to DI.
There is also another possible move here. Britt might become the head coach at Lander taking Smith's place. For "Baseball" Britt that is a move up the ladder for him. I don't know what is the better move if it should come to that decision for Britt.
Smith was the head coach at Lander for seven years and during that time had a record of 244-134. Two of the last three years Lander has been in Cary in the DII College World Series. When you are successful people notice especially those in need of a coach.
Britt Johnson joined Smith his first year as a volunteer helper bus driver anything he could get to get into coaching. He has become the head recruiter and third base coach and in charge of the infield on defense. Britt is a testament to doing anything to get started and it has paid off.
Jim Leggett was a volunteer coach at Lander in 2015 and pitching coach this year. He like Britt has done the dirty work to get noticed.
Monday Kermit Smith will formally introduced at Appalachian State and next week there should be some announcements as to Smith's staff in Boone as well as what might occur in Greenwood South Carolina at Lander.
Rocky Mount and Nash County is a hotbed for baseball. We over the years have many that have played at some level in pro baseball and many coaches like Elliot Advent or Billy Godwin have coached major universities. In Johnson and Leggett the trend continues. The question now is where does it continue?
Last night in the Legion playoffs Garner knocked off Apex to tie that series at 1-1 with a 10-2 win in the Area One Western division playoff. Over in the east they were rained out with Pitt County leading 2-0. Both series continue today pending weather.
Once you get beyond high school it is a dog eat world in sports. If you happen to be lucky enough to be ask by another school to come coach at their place most of the time coaches are fired for lack of wins or maybe they are tangling with the rules more than their school will allow.
If you are asked like Appalachian State has ask Kermit Smith to be their next head baseball coach most of the time the head coach brings with him his staff those people who have helped him earn the job App St has offered Smith. I hope that might be the case for both Britt and Jim. That would be a step up in the world of coaching from DII to DI.
There is also another possible move here. Britt might become the head coach at Lander taking Smith's place. For "Baseball" Britt that is a move up the ladder for him. I don't know what is the better move if it should come to that decision for Britt.
Smith was the head coach at Lander for seven years and during that time had a record of 244-134. Two of the last three years Lander has been in Cary in the DII College World Series. When you are successful people notice especially those in need of a coach.
Britt Johnson joined Smith his first year as a volunteer helper bus driver anything he could get to get into coaching. He has become the head recruiter and third base coach and in charge of the infield on defense. Britt is a testament to doing anything to get started and it has paid off.
Jim Leggett was a volunteer coach at Lander in 2015 and pitching coach this year. He like Britt has done the dirty work to get noticed.
Monday Kermit Smith will formally introduced at Appalachian State and next week there should be some announcements as to Smith's staff in Boone as well as what might occur in Greenwood South Carolina at Lander.
Rocky Mount and Nash County is a hotbed for baseball. We over the years have many that have played at some level in pro baseball and many coaches like Elliot Advent or Billy Godwin have coached major universities. In Johnson and Leggett the trend continues. The question now is where does it continue?
Last night in the Legion playoffs Garner knocked off Apex to tie that series at 1-1 with a 10-2 win in the Area One Western division playoff. Over in the east they were rained out with Pitt County leading 2-0. Both series continue today pending weather.
Friday, July 15, 2016
Backside of Baseball Season
The major leagues took their break for the All Star game as well as the AAA. If fact every level has taken time down for the long haul to the finish line.
Trea Turner was called up to the Washington Nationals last week due to an injury to first baseman Zimmerman. Turner over the last couple of weeks has played centerfield in Syracuse some games moving Brian Goodwin to right and left. I doubt Turner will return to Syracuse unless he has an awful time at the plate. That brings on bad news for Brian Goodwin if Turner stays after the Zimmerman 15 day disabled list ends and they play Turner in center in Washington. The MLB trade deadline is coming up at the end of July and Brian Goodwin batting 284 and just back from the AAA Allstar game. Looks like Brian needs a new home in order to get a call to the majors. Washington seems trying everyone possible but Brian.
Benton Moss record in Port Charlotte Florida is 4-6 with and ERA of 4.15. He has now pitched 89 innings striking out 86 giving up 41 runs. He has had outstanding control walking only 21 which is just a tad over two per nine innings. Seems over the last five starts or so Benton is pitching better. A good second half could get him to AA next season.
Collins Cuthrell's batting average had sunk below 200 at one point in Florence Kentucky. He is up to 229 and has hit 8 home runs tied for the team lead and driven in 33 runs which is seconnd on the team to 34. 229 is not going to get the attention of Any major league team.
Heard that Hobbs Johnson was at Post 58 Legion practice last week after being released by the Brewers. His visit paid off for Forest Bell. Hobbs gave Forest a pitching tip which he had learned in Buloxi and Forest got a chance to use the tip at Apex pitching the eighth inning in game one. He gave up no hits in his inning on the mound.
Whit Merrifield has settled into the lead off batter for the Kansas City Royals. 46 games into his major league career he is hitting 290 in 193 at bats.
The Area One Eastern playoffs started Wednesday night and Pitt County beat Wayne County 9-8 to take a 1-0 in the eastern finals. Last night at Mt Olive University Pitt County takes a 2-0 series lead with a 13-4 win.They started a day early after both swept their semi final series. Starting early helps them have at least one spare day in case of a rainout. The first place western division started Thursday night because Garner had to go the full five games with Cary
Garner hosted Apex Thursday and Apex trailing 4-2 comes back and wins 6-5.
Trea Turner was called up to the Washington Nationals last week due to an injury to first baseman Zimmerman. Turner over the last couple of weeks has played centerfield in Syracuse some games moving Brian Goodwin to right and left. I doubt Turner will return to Syracuse unless he has an awful time at the plate. That brings on bad news for Brian Goodwin if Turner stays after the Zimmerman 15 day disabled list ends and they play Turner in center in Washington. The MLB trade deadline is coming up at the end of July and Brian Goodwin batting 284 and just back from the AAA Allstar game. Looks like Brian needs a new home in order to get a call to the majors. Washington seems trying everyone possible but Brian.
Benton Moss record in Port Charlotte Florida is 4-6 with and ERA of 4.15. He has now pitched 89 innings striking out 86 giving up 41 runs. He has had outstanding control walking only 21 which is just a tad over two per nine innings. Seems over the last five starts or so Benton is pitching better. A good second half could get him to AA next season.
Collins Cuthrell's batting average had sunk below 200 at one point in Florence Kentucky. He is up to 229 and has hit 8 home runs tied for the team lead and driven in 33 runs which is seconnd on the team to 34. 229 is not going to get the attention of Any major league team.
Heard that Hobbs Johnson was at Post 58 Legion practice last week after being released by the Brewers. His visit paid off for Forest Bell. Hobbs gave Forest a pitching tip which he had learned in Buloxi and Forest got a chance to use the tip at Apex pitching the eighth inning in game one. He gave up no hits in his inning on the mound.
Whit Merrifield has settled into the lead off batter for the Kansas City Royals. 46 games into his major league career he is hitting 290 in 193 at bats.
The Area One Eastern playoffs started Wednesday night and Pitt County beat Wayne County 9-8 to take a 1-0 in the eastern finals. Last night at Mt Olive University Pitt County takes a 2-0 series lead with a 13-4 win.They started a day early after both swept their semi final series. Starting early helps them have at least one spare day in case of a rainout. The first place western division started Thursday night because Garner had to go the full five games with Cary
Garner hosted Apex Thursday and Apex trailing 4-2 comes back and wins 6-5.
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Goodwin Scores Winning Run
Rocky Mount's Brian Goodwin the starting centerfielder of the Syracuse Chiefs scored the winning run for the International League Allstars tonight in Charlotte after he singled in the fifth reached third on a single and scored on a ground out. The International League won 4-2. Goodwin went 1-3 and had three put outs in centerfield as he played the entire game.
Winston Salem National won the state championship in the 7/8 year old machine pitch little league tournament in Wilson. WSN beat Wilson in the championship game 10-0. The five games that Winston Salem played they gave up seven runs. They gave up six runs in the semi final victory over Rocky Mount 7-6. Just how close was Rocky Mount to winning it all?
Next week is the second dead week of the summer where no high school coaches can have contact with their players for any practice. The reason it is a dead period next week is the NCHS coaches convention in Greensboro and the East West All Star games will be played in basketball, soccer and football.
Monday's basketball where both the boys and girls will play a double header in the Greensboro Coliseum starting at 6:30 for the girls and the boys on Monday July 18th. There are no basketball players from Nash County or the Big East playing in either game.
Tuesday is soccer night as both soccer games will be played at McPherson Stadium at Brian Park and Northern Nash's Rebeka Beal will play for the east in the girls game while Tristan Smith from Hunt will be in the boys game.
Football will close out the all star festivities on Wednesday when they take the field at Jamieson Stadium at Grimsley High School. Zach Foster quarterback from Southern Nash will represent Nash County and the Big East. Beddingfield's Amorris Lile will be be the lone player from Wilson County. Fike's Tom Nelson will be the head coach of the east.
Down two games to one Garner won the last two games in their series with Cary and will now take on Apex for the western division finals in American Legion Area One baseball. The winner will qualify for the state championship tournament this year at Wingate College. Garner was the top seed and Apex number two so the cream rose to the top.
The Eastern Division the top seed Pitt County will meet the second seed Wayne County and the winner of that three of five series will also earn a spot at Wingate. Both East and west winners even though both will have qualified to the state tournament will play a seeding game as to who will be the east number one seed and number two.
Winston Salem National won the state championship in the 7/8 year old machine pitch little league tournament in Wilson. WSN beat Wilson in the championship game 10-0. The five games that Winston Salem played they gave up seven runs. They gave up six runs in the semi final victory over Rocky Mount 7-6. Just how close was Rocky Mount to winning it all?
Next week is the second dead week of the summer where no high school coaches can have contact with their players for any practice. The reason it is a dead period next week is the NCHS coaches convention in Greensboro and the East West All Star games will be played in basketball, soccer and football.
Monday's basketball where both the boys and girls will play a double header in the Greensboro Coliseum starting at 6:30 for the girls and the boys on Monday July 18th. There are no basketball players from Nash County or the Big East playing in either game.
Tuesday is soccer night as both soccer games will be played at McPherson Stadium at Brian Park and Northern Nash's Rebeka Beal will play for the east in the girls game while Tristan Smith from Hunt will be in the boys game.
Football will close out the all star festivities on Wednesday when they take the field at Jamieson Stadium at Grimsley High School. Zach Foster quarterback from Southern Nash will represent Nash County and the Big East. Beddingfield's Amorris Lile will be be the lone player from Wilson County. Fike's Tom Nelson will be the head coach of the east.
Down two games to one Garner won the last two games in their series with Cary and will now take on Apex for the western division finals in American Legion Area One baseball. The winner will qualify for the state championship tournament this year at Wingate College. Garner was the top seed and Apex number two so the cream rose to the top.
The Eastern Division the top seed Pitt County will meet the second seed Wayne County and the winner of that three of five series will also earn a spot at Wingate. Both East and west winners even though both will have qualified to the state tournament will play a seeding game as to who will be the east number one seed and number two.
The Quiet Man Retires
They say that first impressions say a lot. Way back in 1994 this guy that was a swimmer shows up at Wake Forest to play basketball and after watching him play about three times he became my favorite player not playing for NC State.
Tim Duncan who used the backboard on jump shots, blocked shots and if he ran the block down off running with teammates to try to score. I don't know I ever at anytime while in college or 19 years in the pros saw him pump his chest to say look what I have done as many players do these days.
Being interviewed after winning NBA championships games he was a hard interview because it was never about him. Just may be the last two weeks of the playoffs he showed his age that he no longer could play at the championship level. Other than the final two weeks he was an all pro more worried about how he could help his teammates over what they could do for him. While others had year long retirement tours he simply walked off the court in his last game praised the team that beat the Spurs and two months later gets the team to announce his retirement.
He was on Spurs teams that won 5 NBA titles. Won the MVP of the NBA twice. He is known at Timmy, The Big Fundamental, Ground Hog Day and Old Man Riverwalk. Played in 1392 games 7th all time. Won more than 1000 games second all time. Third all time winning percentage per games played 69.5. Scored 26,494 14th all time. With Tim it was never about how many I can score. Rebounds 15,091 6th. Blocks 3,020 5th.
He walked softly, but will go down in NBA history as the greatest power forward in the game. While others were making 25 million a year and playing on losing teams Tim Duncan redid his contract so others could join the Spurs. He was about the only reason I watched NBA games when the Spurs were on as the brand of basketball played in the NBA and the actions of the players is not watchable for me. Tim Duncan played the game the way it is suppose to be played. I don't see on the horizon any player that makes me want to watch.
I will miss Tim Duncan.
Tim Duncan who used the backboard on jump shots, blocked shots and if he ran the block down off running with teammates to try to score. I don't know I ever at anytime while in college or 19 years in the pros saw him pump his chest to say look what I have done as many players do these days.
Being interviewed after winning NBA championships games he was a hard interview because it was never about him. Just may be the last two weeks of the playoffs he showed his age that he no longer could play at the championship level. Other than the final two weeks he was an all pro more worried about how he could help his teammates over what they could do for him. While others had year long retirement tours he simply walked off the court in his last game praised the team that beat the Spurs and two months later gets the team to announce his retirement.
He was on Spurs teams that won 5 NBA titles. Won the MVP of the NBA twice. He is known at Timmy, The Big Fundamental, Ground Hog Day and Old Man Riverwalk. Played in 1392 games 7th all time. Won more than 1000 games second all time. Third all time winning percentage per games played 69.5. Scored 26,494 14th all time. With Tim it was never about how many I can score. Rebounds 15,091 6th. Blocks 3,020 5th.
He walked softly, but will go down in NBA history as the greatest power forward in the game. While others were making 25 million a year and playing on losing teams Tim Duncan redid his contract so others could join the Spurs. He was about the only reason I watched NBA games when the Spurs were on as the brand of basketball played in the NBA and the actions of the players is not watchable for me. Tim Duncan played the game the way it is suppose to be played. I don't see on the horizon any player that makes me want to watch.
I will miss Tim Duncan.
Monday, July 11, 2016
Machine Pitch Semi Finals
Four teams went through pool play during the state championships of the 7/8 year old machine pitch baseball in Wilson. The top seed Henderson County went 3-0 and during pool play gave up one run in 12 innings played. That works out to .08 runs allowed per inning. The second seed is Rocky Mount they are also 3-0 in pool play and in 14 innings played allowed 7 runs or .5 runs per inning. Third is Winston Salem National who carries a 3-0 record and in 15 innings gave up 10 runs for a .67 runs per inning. Rounding out the semi finals is the host team from Wilson. Wilson in 15 innings allowed 13 runs or .87 per inning?
Monday night the semi finals were held with the number one seed Henderson County playing the four seed Wilson. The game was set for 5pm to be followed by the 2/3 matchup Rocky Mount against Winston Salem National. Due to games being played at Gillette Park during Monday in other state tournaments going on in Wilson the schedule ran behind and the 5pm game did not start to near 7pm pushing the RM/WSN game back to almost nine start time.
If you have ever had a child play in the old Englewood Coach Pitch in Rocky Mount the maximum number of batters in any inning is 10. If you however get three outs before the ten bat then you have played well in the field and these four teams have proven to be very good on defense in their three round robin games.
The semi finals as is in all tournaments is lose and go home and for the winners a chance to play another day and that day is Tuesday at 4pm at Gillette Park in Wilson. Finally game time arrives and Wilson puts 11 runs on the board while holding Henderson County to 7. So the host team Wilson will play for the 7/8 machine pitch state championship Tuesday on their home court.
The second semi final saw Rocky Mount as the visiting team and in the top of the first failed to score. During pool play Rocky Mount scored 42 runs in 14 innings so zero was a bad start. The bottom of the first Winston Salem struck for three runs. Rocky Mount got one in the second so the second inning now the boys from Rocky Mount need to hold WS scoreless. They did what they needed to do but in the top of the third Rocky Mount failed to score either and trail 3-1 once again needed to hold Winston scoreless.
The bottom of the third Winston plated a single run to make the score 4-1. The top of the fourth and RM is held scoreless and this is no doubt getting down to the last chances and if there is any chance Winston Salem has to be held scoreless in the fourth. Rocky Mount showed the defense needed and headed into the top of the fifth down 4-1.
Time is running out and if it is to be Rocky Mount needs to make a move and they get it. They put a five spot on the board in the top of the fifth to take a 6-4 lead. Once again it is in the hands of the defense to put another blank on Winston Salem. Both these teams have hit the ball very well this weekend and WS puts three up in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead 7-6.
It's last chance time for Rocky Mount. The sixth is blank for our kids and they lost 7-6 in the semi finals of the North Carolina Machine Pitch State Championships. The Rocky Mount 7/8 year olds are the only Rocky Mount Parks and Rec team to win a District in 2016. They finish third in the state. Good job guys!
Monday night the semi finals were held with the number one seed Henderson County playing the four seed Wilson. The game was set for 5pm to be followed by the 2/3 matchup Rocky Mount against Winston Salem National. Due to games being played at Gillette Park during Monday in other state tournaments going on in Wilson the schedule ran behind and the 5pm game did not start to near 7pm pushing the RM/WSN game back to almost nine start time.
If you have ever had a child play in the old Englewood Coach Pitch in Rocky Mount the maximum number of batters in any inning is 10. If you however get three outs before the ten bat then you have played well in the field and these four teams have proven to be very good on defense in their three round robin games.
The semi finals as is in all tournaments is lose and go home and for the winners a chance to play another day and that day is Tuesday at 4pm at Gillette Park in Wilson. Finally game time arrives and Wilson puts 11 runs on the board while holding Henderson County to 7. So the host team Wilson will play for the 7/8 machine pitch state championship Tuesday on their home court.
The second semi final saw Rocky Mount as the visiting team and in the top of the first failed to score. During pool play Rocky Mount scored 42 runs in 14 innings so zero was a bad start. The bottom of the first Winston Salem struck for three runs. Rocky Mount got one in the second so the second inning now the boys from Rocky Mount need to hold WS scoreless. They did what they needed to do but in the top of the third Rocky Mount failed to score either and trail 3-1 once again needed to hold Winston scoreless.
The bottom of the third Winston plated a single run to make the score 4-1. The top of the fourth and RM is held scoreless and this is no doubt getting down to the last chances and if there is any chance Winston Salem has to be held scoreless in the fourth. Rocky Mount showed the defense needed and headed into the top of the fifth down 4-1.
Time is running out and if it is to be Rocky Mount needs to make a move and they get it. They put a five spot on the board in the top of the fifth to take a 6-4 lead. Once again it is in the hands of the defense to put another blank on Winston Salem. Both these teams have hit the ball very well this weekend and WS puts three up in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead 7-6.
It's last chance time for Rocky Mount. The sixth is blank for our kids and they lost 7-6 in the semi finals of the North Carolina Machine Pitch State Championships. The Rocky Mount 7/8 year olds are the only Rocky Mount Parks and Rec team to win a District in 2016. They finish third in the state. Good job guys!
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Onward 7/8 Year Old All Stars
The Rocky Mount Parks and Recreation Department 7/8 year old All stars have swept through their third round robin game in the state championships in Wilson at Gillette Park after a 14-1 victory over Mountaineer. The three games in round robin play the kids from Rocky Mount won by scoring 42 runs while giving up only 7 runs.
The tie breaker system is base on total runs given up in the number of innings played. The Rocky Mount team has given up seven runs in 15 innings played which is less than a run that should get the seeded as the number two team in the final four. The semi finals start 5pm Monday and the second game follows at 7pm. The two winners meet at 4pm Tuesday for the State title in the 7/8 year old machine pitch state title. Rocky Mount will play in the second game at 7pm against Winston Salem.
Tonight in Apex Coleman Pitt Post 58 season came to an end losing in seven innings 10-0 to be swept three games to none in the semi finals of the Area One western division. Apex pounded out 13 hits holding P 58 to just four. Josh Pittman, Zack Keeter, Cameron Taylor and Tyler Sherrod collected. The hits. Only one Post 58 runner reached second off starting pitcher James Hooks who pitched all seven innings for Apex.
Other Legion playoff scores:
Garner-Cary no score reported as of this posting tied 1-1 pending Sunday outcome
Apex 10 Rocky Mount 0 Apexs wins series 3-0
Pitt County 10 Kinston 3 Pitt County wins 3-0
Wayne County 8 Wilson 1. Wayne County wins3-0
They play with a pitching machine which allows that the two things each team has to be good at is hitting and defense. 14 runs per game show this team can hit and giving up only 7 shows they know how to play defense.
The tie breaker system is base on total runs given up in the number of innings played. The Rocky Mount team has given up seven runs in 15 innings played which is less than a run that should get the seeded as the number two team in the final four. The semi finals start 5pm Monday and the second game follows at 7pm. The two winners meet at 4pm Tuesday for the State title in the 7/8 year old machine pitch state title. Rocky Mount will play in the second game at 7pm against Winston Salem.
Tonight in Apex Coleman Pitt Post 58 season came to an end losing in seven innings 10-0 to be swept three games to none in the semi finals of the Area One western division. Apex pounded out 13 hits holding P 58 to just four. Josh Pittman, Zack Keeter, Cameron Taylor and Tyler Sherrod collected. The hits. Only one Post 58 runner reached second off starting pitcher James Hooks who pitched all seven innings for Apex.
Other Legion playoff scores:
Garner-Cary no score reported as of this posting tied 1-1 pending Sunday outcome
Apex 10 Rocky Mount 0 Apexs wins series 3-0
Pitt County 10 Kinston 3 Pitt County wins 3-0
Wayne County 8 Wilson 1. Wayne County wins3-0
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Grit But Down 0-2
Tonight Coleman Pitt Post 58 hosted Apex Post 124 in game two of the western division of area one semi finals. Trey Wells took the mound for Post 58 and pitched the best he has pitched all year for Coleman Pitt through four innings. He allowed three hits and did not walk a batter but the fifth inning ran out of gas and walked three batters and one scored. Back out for the sixth a lead off hit worked his way to third on two wild pitches and a James Hook Sac Fly. A walk and enter Zack Keeter and after a stolen base Esteban Valanzia lashed a single which tie the game.
Coleman Pitt scored first in the second on a Reid Johnston double, an Apex error got him to third and a two out out single by Dawson Sikes gave P 58 a 1-0 lead. Tied 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth Logan Pearce singled, Reid Johnston walked and both scored on a Forest Bell double to right center.
Keeter in three and one third innings held Post 124 in check until a miscue in the ninth cost P 58 dearly. Alex Simpson deliver a sac fly for run number four and that was enough to win game two 4-3.
Both Wells and Keeter held Apex to seven hits while Post 58 had eight on the night. The bottom line when Apex needed a productive at bat they got it while P 58 squander opportunities. Jake Gregory gave Apex their second night that their starting pitcher gave them eight innings and for the second night in a row Drew Buckholtz cleaned up the ninth.
Apex now leads two games to none and can close out the series Sunday in Apex at 7pm. There is one thing for sure the further this group for Post 58 plays together they keep getting better and better. As they say they are playing just good enough to lose.
Other Legion Playoff scores
Cary 8 Garner 6 games tied 1-1
Apex 4 Rocky Mount 3. Apex leads 2-0
Pitt County 9 Kinston 4 completion of last night's rain delay
Pitt County 10 Kinston 0 Pitt County leads 2-0
Wayne County 6 Wilson 4. Wayne County leads 2-0
The Rocky Mount Parks and Rec 7/8 year old machine pitch all star team won last week the district four tournament and qualified for the state tournament which started today in Wilson at Gillette Park. The State tournament is a three game round robin. Today the Rocky Mount stars played twice winning their opening game 15-2 over Coulwood-Oakdale. They played a second game in the afternoon beating Cherryville 13-4.
They will play their final game of the three round robin games at 9am Sunday morning. Regardless of the Sunday outcome they have qualified for the semi finals on Monday. The semi's are a one and done if you lose. Should they win Monday they would play for the North Carolina Little League State title Tuesday.
Coleman Pitt scored first in the second on a Reid Johnston double, an Apex error got him to third and a two out out single by Dawson Sikes gave P 58 a 1-0 lead. Tied 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth Logan Pearce singled, Reid Johnston walked and both scored on a Forest Bell double to right center.
Keeter in three and one third innings held Post 124 in check until a miscue in the ninth cost P 58 dearly. Alex Simpson deliver a sac fly for run number four and that was enough to win game two 4-3.
Both Wells and Keeter held Apex to seven hits while Post 58 had eight on the night. The bottom line when Apex needed a productive at bat they got it while P 58 squander opportunities. Jake Gregory gave Apex their second night that their starting pitcher gave them eight innings and for the second night in a row Drew Buckholtz cleaned up the ninth.
Apex now leads two games to none and can close out the series Sunday in Apex at 7pm. There is one thing for sure the further this group for Post 58 plays together they keep getting better and better. As they say they are playing just good enough to lose.
Other Legion Playoff scores
Cary 8 Garner 6 games tied 1-1
Apex 4 Rocky Mount 3. Apex leads 2-0
Pitt County 9 Kinston 4 completion of last night's rain delay
Pitt County 10 Kinston 0 Pitt County leads 2-0
Wayne County 6 Wilson 4. Wayne County leads 2-0
The Rocky Mount Parks and Rec 7/8 year old machine pitch all star team won last week the district four tournament and qualified for the state tournament which started today in Wilson at Gillette Park. The State tournament is a three game round robin. Today the Rocky Mount stars played twice winning their opening game 15-2 over Coulwood-Oakdale. They played a second game in the afternoon beating Cherryville 13-4.
They will play their final game of the three round robin games at 9am Sunday morning. Regardless of the Sunday outcome they have qualified for the semi finals on Monday. The semi's are a one and done if you lose. Should they win Monday they would play for the North Carolina Little League State title Tuesday.
Friday, July 8, 2016
The Playoffs Begin
Tonight the North Carolina area semi finals got underway all across North Carolina in American Legion baseball. Rocky Mount Post 58 who earned a third seed in Area One Western division semi finals traveled to Apex the team that was number two in the division. Both teams have been off since they both earned byes in the first round for a week now.
Now that we are in the playoff we must note that Coleman Pitt had a winning record 8-6 this season with one of the youngest teams in the state. We have on our roster three rising juniors who should be junior legion and not one returning from college on our roster. Apex our host tonight has five returning college player. In essence we are a team of 16 and 17 year olds for the most part taking on 17 and 18 year olds.
Cameron Taylor took to hill for Coleman Pitt and got into the sixth inning before he ran into serious trouble. He goes 5 2/3 innings giving up six runs all earned and eight hits. Noah Shrock pitch 1 2/3 giving up one hit and Forest Bell pitched the ninth.
Post 58 took a 1-0 lead in the second on a lead off Noah Shrock single, a Forest Bell single a wild pitch and an error at second. The lead was short lived as Apex scored twice on a walk,double and sac fly. P 58 retook the lead in the third when Colby Carter Walked, Logan Pearce line a double across the third base bag and a ground out by Tyler Barrett scored one and the second came home on a Shrock single.
The score stood 3-2 until the bottom of the sixth when Apex scored four times on four hits. Nothing crossed home after that but post 58 had their shot. The eighth they had runners on first and second when John Michael Kelly sent what looked like a hit toward second but the defensive play of the game by their second Baseman knocked the ball down and scooped a throw to second and 58 was denied. Final Apex 6 Rocky Mount three.
Noah Shrock had three hits and Logan Pearce two led the night. Jake Isbell pitched 8 innings for Apex giving up the nine hits but only two earned runs. Game two is Saturday night in Rocky Mount at 7pm. From about the fourth inning on the skies threaten rain but it was two outs in the ninth before there was even lightening in the distance. Never one drop of rain all night. Got back home and the lights were out coming in by the Community College and looked like a rough night here.
Other Area One day playoff action Friday night
Garner 3. Cary 0 Garner leads 1-0 in games
Apex 6 Rocky Mount 3 Apex 1-0 in games
Wayne Co 11 Wilson 5 Wayne Co leads 1-0 in game
Pitt Co 6 Kinston 3. Game suspended by rain
Now that we are in the playoff we must note that Coleman Pitt had a winning record 8-6 this season with one of the youngest teams in the state. We have on our roster three rising juniors who should be junior legion and not one returning from college on our roster. Apex our host tonight has five returning college player. In essence we are a team of 16 and 17 year olds for the most part taking on 17 and 18 year olds.
Cameron Taylor took to hill for Coleman Pitt and got into the sixth inning before he ran into serious trouble. He goes 5 2/3 innings giving up six runs all earned and eight hits. Noah Shrock pitch 1 2/3 giving up one hit and Forest Bell pitched the ninth.
Post 58 took a 1-0 lead in the second on a lead off Noah Shrock single, a Forest Bell single a wild pitch and an error at second. The lead was short lived as Apex scored twice on a walk,double and sac fly. P 58 retook the lead in the third when Colby Carter Walked, Logan Pearce line a double across the third base bag and a ground out by Tyler Barrett scored one and the second came home on a Shrock single.
The score stood 3-2 until the bottom of the sixth when Apex scored four times on four hits. Nothing crossed home after that but post 58 had their shot. The eighth they had runners on first and second when John Michael Kelly sent what looked like a hit toward second but the defensive play of the game by their second Baseman knocked the ball down and scooped a throw to second and 58 was denied. Final Apex 6 Rocky Mount three.
Noah Shrock had three hits and Logan Pearce two led the night. Jake Isbell pitched 8 innings for Apex giving up the nine hits but only two earned runs. Game two is Saturday night in Rocky Mount at 7pm. From about the fourth inning on the skies threaten rain but it was two outs in the ninth before there was even lightening in the distance. Never one drop of rain all night. Got back home and the lights were out coming in by the Community College and looked like a rough night here.
Other Area One day playoff action Friday night
Garner 3. Cary 0 Garner leads 1-0 in games
Apex 6 Rocky Mount 3 Apex 1-0 in games
Wayne Co 11 Wilson 5 Wayne Co leads 1-0 in game
Pitt Co 6 Kinston 3. Game suspended by rain
Legion Starts Round Two
Coleman Pitt Post 58 baseball team will start round two tonight after having a bye in the opening round as Cary beat Durham 10-0 Thursday after beating Durham 2-1 Wednesday in round one to advance to play the top seed Garner tonight. While Garner #one will host Cary#four Rocky Mount will be heading to Apex to take on Post 124 in the 2/3 match up.
Coleman Pitt and Apex split during their two regular season games with each winning at home. It was more difficult for Post 58 to win at home as both teams struggled for 12 innings until Logan Pearce hit brought home the winning run 3-2.
Apex had little trouble with the Post 58 pitching in Apex scoring 16 runs in seven innings. The good news was Rocky Mount hitting did get six runs on their own so they did show ability to score runs. Both teams will be fully rested as play begins at 7pm in Apex.
Game two will be played Saturday night at Legion Field and a third game for sure will be necessary as this is a 3 out of 5 series. Back to Apex Sunday and if needed back in Rocky Mount on Monday. If it goes five games a third trip will be required on Tuesday afternoon. This schedule is of course pending the weather.
The Eastern Division also begins tonight as the top team Pitt County will host Kinston who this week beat Ahoskie twice to secure the four seed . The 2/3 match up will have Wilson traveling to Wayne County as the east division will be playing their 3 out of five at the same time as the Western a Division.
I think the baseball game Sunday night might be the best thing that has ever happened to Major League Baseball. ESPN coverage was excellent with all the tid bits of information about the base and those that defend our country there.
There are rumors after seeing the success that baseball had that the NBA all star game may be moved to Fort Bragg. This would punish Charlotte and North Carolina for the non action by the general assembly to change HB2. Now that the NBA has dug themselves in a hole telling a state what they needed to do. A business telling a state what their laws should be.
The NBA can move the game to Fort Bragg Federal Property and if course the U S military has no such rule as HB2. I think it is funny where we all do what we want that is convenient to us. As you know the military has a no God in the military these days and yet in the seventh inning of the baseball game everyone in the stadium sang God Bless America. I don't think the NBA can build a building big enough to have such an extravaganza in such short time. They will lose millions of dollars. We all know that money will win out in the end.
I think the baseball game Sunday night might be the best thing that has ever happened to Major League Baseball. ESPN coverage was excellent with all the tid bits of information about the base and those that defend our country there.
There are rumors after seeing the success that baseball had that the NBA all star game may be moved to Fort Bragg. This would punish Charlotte and North Carolina for the non action by the general assembly to change HB2. Now that the NBA has dug themselves in a hole telling a state what they needed to do. A business telling a state what their laws should be.
The NBA can move the game to Fort Bragg Federal Property and if course the U S military has no such rule as HB2. I think it is funny where we all do what we want that is convenient to us. As you know the military has a no God in the military these days and yet in the seventh inning of the baseball game everyone in the stadium sang God Bless America. I don't think the NBA can build a building big enough to have such an extravaganza in such short time. They will lose millions of dollars. We all know that money will win out in the end.
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Blake Helms Make Summer All Star Team
2015 graduate of Rocky Mount High School Blake Helms has made the 2016 Carolina-Virginia Collegiate All Star game. This summer Blake is playing for Fuquay Varina Twins. So far this summer he has pitched six times pitching 29 innings and has allowed only two earned runs which is a outstanding .061 earn run average.
You may recall Blake pitched for Post 58 in the summer of 2014 but when 58 failed to field a team in 2015 he moved over and pitched in Wilson Post 13. Last spring Helms played at Barton In Wilson and his age would have allowed him another summer of Legion which would have put him back in Wilson since they held his rights of where to play after he played for Post 13 last summer. His great spring in Barton drew the attention of those filling the rosters of summer league teams and he winds up in Fuquay and an All Star.
The All Star game will be played on July 10th at Lenoir Rhyne College in Hickory.
They did get game one of the 4/5 game in Area one eastern division on Tuesday night. Kinston went to Ahoskie and won 9-2 to take a 1-0 lead in the best of three series. Game two was played Wednesday night in Kinston and Kinston won 8-7 to win the series while in the western division got game one in Wednesday night with Cary beating Durham 2-1. Remember round two starts Friday and unless one team wins two straight or if they split then the winner of game one advances.
It seems that there is no such thing as off season any more. 7 on 7 football, travel league baseball, soccer, Lacrosse, and even basketball. There is one week each year called a dead period and that is this week. July 4th through the 10th no coaches should have practice with member of his respective team. The lone week off in the middle of summer.
The third game of Brian Goodwin's three games in Durham the Bulls won their first of the series. Brain was 0-3 with an RBI. The three game series he was 1-9, in four walks three runs scored with and RBI. They start four games in Norkfolk through Sunday and then Brian heads to Charlotte to the International League All Star game July 13th.
You may recall Blake pitched for Post 58 in the summer of 2014 but when 58 failed to field a team in 2015 he moved over and pitched in Wilson Post 13. Last spring Helms played at Barton In Wilson and his age would have allowed him another summer of Legion which would have put him back in Wilson since they held his rights of where to play after he played for Post 13 last summer. His great spring in Barton drew the attention of those filling the rosters of summer league teams and he winds up in Fuquay and an All Star.
The All Star game will be played on July 10th at Lenoir Rhyne College in Hickory.
They did get game one of the 4/5 game in Area one eastern division on Tuesday night. Kinston went to Ahoskie and won 9-2 to take a 1-0 lead in the best of three series. Game two was played Wednesday night in Kinston and Kinston won 8-7 to win the series while in the western division got game one in Wednesday night with Cary beating Durham 2-1. Remember round two starts Friday and unless one team wins two straight or if they split then the winner of game one advances.
It seems that there is no such thing as off season any more. 7 on 7 football, travel league baseball, soccer, Lacrosse, and even basketball. There is one week each year called a dead period and that is this week. July 4th through the 10th no coaches should have practice with member of his respective team. The lone week off in the middle of summer.
The third game of Brian Goodwin's three games in Durham the Bulls won their first of the series. Brain was 0-3 with an RBI. The three game series he was 1-9, in four walks three runs scored with and RBI. They start four games in Norkfolk through Sunday and then Brian heads to Charlotte to the International League All Star game July 13th.
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Legion Playoffs soggy
Area One American Legion playoffs were to begin last night in both the eastern and western division. Tuesday-Wednesday and Thursday the four and five seeds were squaring off in a two out of three playoff. The Eastern front those games will be Kinston traveling to Ahoskie in game one. Kinston hosting Ahoskie Wednesday and if needed back in Ahoskie Thursday. The four/ five game out west is Cary the five seed at Durham for game one, game two in Cary and if needed game three back in Durham. I do know that Cary and Durham were rained out Tuesday so Wednesday night's game is vital for the winner. So far I have seen no score of the Kinston Ahoskie game.
Those two winners will then tangle with the tops seeds in each division. East that's Pitt County who will host the Ahoskie/Kinston winner in game one. The western division number one Garner will host the Cary/Durham winner. These games will start Friday night.
Since these first round games are Tuesday through Thursday and the second round starts Friday that leaves no rainout dates in these 4/5 games. If there should be a one game all tie with a rainout involved then the team that wins game one will advance. That would throw Ahoskie and Durham as the two home teams in game one of those two out of three series with home field advantage in more ways than one. You would think being the higher seed they should be better that the five seeds. Add home to that an any advantage should always go to the home team having any advantage in any series.
The
The other semi final series also starts Friday night in the east Wayne County Host Wilson while in the west division Apex will provide the home field against Rocky Mount. This is a three out of five series so the road team Friday will host Saturday back and forth until one has won three or if rain plays a factor the winner of game one advances if no one wins three by the start of the Area one finals. The weather is suppose to be steamy right on through the middle of next week so steamy most of the time brings storms.
Syracuse beat the Durham Bulls for the second night in a row and Brian Goodwin went 1-3 with a run scored. The last couple of weeks Syracuse has used Trea Turner in centerfield with Brian playing left or right. If I were a betting man I would say that Trea Turner is close to being called up to the Washington Nationals and will play outfield and infield. A player that can play multiple positions is more valuable than one that only plays the outfield.
It didn't take long to decide. Hunt High School has picked Jon Smith the Hunt baseball coach to take over as athletic director and baseball coach. The new football coach is Keith Bynum who for the past 17 years has been a coach in the Hunt Football program. They take over for Stevie Hinnant who retired a couple of weeks back.
I reported maybe a month ago that the job of baseball coach at Nash Central was open. Once Tony Guzzo retired at Christmas Willie Langley was named interim baseball coach. It was a formality but Langley is now officially the head baseball coach at Nash Central.
Those two winners will then tangle with the tops seeds in each division. East that's Pitt County who will host the Ahoskie/Kinston winner in game one. The western division number one Garner will host the Cary/Durham winner. These games will start Friday night.
Since these first round games are Tuesday through Thursday and the second round starts Friday that leaves no rainout dates in these 4/5 games. If there should be a one game all tie with a rainout involved then the team that wins game one will advance. That would throw Ahoskie and Durham as the two home teams in game one of those two out of three series with home field advantage in more ways than one. You would think being the higher seed they should be better that the five seeds. Add home to that an any advantage should always go to the home team having any advantage in any series.
The
The other semi final series also starts Friday night in the east Wayne County Host Wilson while in the west division Apex will provide the home field against Rocky Mount. This is a three out of five series so the road team Friday will host Saturday back and forth until one has won three or if rain plays a factor the winner of game one advances if no one wins three by the start of the Area one finals. The weather is suppose to be steamy right on through the middle of next week so steamy most of the time brings storms.
Syracuse beat the Durham Bulls for the second night in a row and Brian Goodwin went 1-3 with a run scored. The last couple of weeks Syracuse has used Trea Turner in centerfield with Brian playing left or right. If I were a betting man I would say that Trea Turner is close to being called up to the Washington Nationals and will play outfield and infield. A player that can play multiple positions is more valuable than one that only plays the outfield.
It didn't take long to decide. Hunt High School has picked Jon Smith the Hunt baseball coach to take over as athletic director and baseball coach. The new football coach is Keith Bynum who for the past 17 years has been a coach in the Hunt Football program. They take over for Stevie Hinnant who retired a couple of weeks back.
I reported maybe a month ago that the job of baseball coach at Nash Central was open. Once Tony Guzzo retired at Christmas Willie Langley was named interim baseball coach. It was a formality but Langley is now officially the head baseball coach at Nash Central.
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Hobbs Johnson Cut
We reported one day last week that Hobbs Johnson had been released by the Milwaukee Brewers. Unlike the majors when everything that happens is on some kind of report where we know everything that happens to them that is not the case in the minors.
This season the Brewers were trying to convert Hobbs to a short reliever and he went many days between appearances. Now that the news is out I have found where he has been on the seven day disabled list three different times this season. He had won one game without a loss. He pitched in 16 games totaling 25.1 innings. His ERA was 6.04 with 19 strikeouts. Here is where he was having such a hard time. He walked 20 batters.
Any short reliever comes into the game most of the time when another pitcher is in all kinds of trouble with men on base. A left hander Hobbs lived off the strikeout in the dirt but 20 walks in 25 innings tells me he was putting at least one hitter every inning on base by walk.
Now that I have seen the three trips to the injured list and the high walk ratio it seems that the Brewers have decided if he does have an arm issue that it is not one that can be fixed by surgery or they are not willing to gamble it can be fixed at their expense. That is the life in the minor leagues. If you have made the majors then the big clubs are going to pay for everything to make players well.
After last season Hobbs returned to UNC and I hope he returns there until something else pops up with another team. If his arm is ok rememember he was in AA and his year in A ball last year he made the all star team. It would seem to me the Brewers think his future is so so to just drop him like a hot cake. If he is hurt many a player reached levels in sports but never got any higher because injury. In Hobbs case only time will tell.
Rocky Mount product Brian Goodwin is in Durham this week as his team the Syracuse Chiefs are in town to play the Durham Bulls. They are there through Wednesday. Last night Brian went 0-3 with two walks and two runs scored. The Chiefs are in Norfolk this weekend Thursday-Friday-Saturday and Sunday. It is as close as he will be to Rocky Mount for the rest of the season. He is still sitting by the phone waiting for that call to head to the Washington Nationals after the season he is having. He deserves to get that call. He needs an injury in the Nationals outfield.
This past Friday night Benton Moss won his fourth game of the season at Port Chatlotte Florida in the Florida State League. His earn run average is hovering right around four per game. A ball is more about pitch count than wins and losses as they like to see you get out of your own mess with runners on base and that can cause high run innings. The reverse of that is if you leave a game ahead the next guy in has a pitch count too and if he has one of those high run innings you might not get a win that you had a chance at when you were taken out of the game.
Collins Cuthrell slumped to below 200 batting average in Florence Kentucky. He is making a good comeback as he has climbed back to 220 in his quest to find a team interested in signing him to a minor league contract.
This season the Brewers were trying to convert Hobbs to a short reliever and he went many days between appearances. Now that the news is out I have found where he has been on the seven day disabled list three different times this season. He had won one game without a loss. He pitched in 16 games totaling 25.1 innings. His ERA was 6.04 with 19 strikeouts. Here is where he was having such a hard time. He walked 20 batters.
Any short reliever comes into the game most of the time when another pitcher is in all kinds of trouble with men on base. A left hander Hobbs lived off the strikeout in the dirt but 20 walks in 25 innings tells me he was putting at least one hitter every inning on base by walk.
Now that I have seen the three trips to the injured list and the high walk ratio it seems that the Brewers have decided if he does have an arm issue that it is not one that can be fixed by surgery or they are not willing to gamble it can be fixed at their expense. That is the life in the minor leagues. If you have made the majors then the big clubs are going to pay for everything to make players well.
After last season Hobbs returned to UNC and I hope he returns there until something else pops up with another team. If his arm is ok rememember he was in AA and his year in A ball last year he made the all star team. It would seem to me the Brewers think his future is so so to just drop him like a hot cake. If he is hurt many a player reached levels in sports but never got any higher because injury. In Hobbs case only time will tell.
Rocky Mount product Brian Goodwin is in Durham this week as his team the Syracuse Chiefs are in town to play the Durham Bulls. They are there through Wednesday. Last night Brian went 0-3 with two walks and two runs scored. The Chiefs are in Norfolk this weekend Thursday-Friday-Saturday and Sunday. It is as close as he will be to Rocky Mount for the rest of the season. He is still sitting by the phone waiting for that call to head to the Washington Nationals after the season he is having. He deserves to get that call. He needs an injury in the Nationals outfield.
This past Friday night Benton Moss won his fourth game of the season at Port Chatlotte Florida in the Florida State League. His earn run average is hovering right around four per game. A ball is more about pitch count than wins and losses as they like to see you get out of your own mess with runners on base and that can cause high run innings. The reverse of that is if you leave a game ahead the next guy in has a pitch count too and if he has one of those high run innings you might not get a win that you had a chance at when you were taken out of the game.
Collins Cuthrell slumped to below 200 batting average in Florence Kentucky. He is making a good comeback as he has climbed back to 220 in his quest to find a team interested in signing him to a minor league contract.
Monday, July 4, 2016
Celebrate Freedom
Once I heard that MLB was bringing a baseball game to Fort Bragg I tried to see about tickets but quickly once I heard it was for military only I knew this was a Sunday baseball game I would watch every pitch. I also attended the Rocky Mount fireworks so that required taping from the point of the ceremonial first pitch in the pregame show until the last pitch of the game.
We are a country of the free. From 1776 until today people from all over the world want to be a part of what we have this thing called freedom. Ever since Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence was read to the Continental Congress on July 4th 1776 and to the public on July 8th we have defended our land twice against Britian, fought among ourselves almost 90 years later. Sent our troops into two wars that were suppose to end all wars. Seems just in the last 50 years our troops have been all over the world in the name of freedom.
The first time ever an official major league game has been played in North Carolina. It took place on Tar Heel soil called Fort Bragg which is home to the largest military Post in the world. Pat and I spent 22 months in Fayetteville and my favorite thing to do was ride on post to Sicily Drop Zone
And watch troops jump as they prepared for what ever they would be called to do. I have rode by the golf course which was the ball field used last night. That was during a time when there was no gates on post but once 9/11 the world has changed.
I hope you saw the pregame from the ceremonial first pitch to the National Anthem. If you didn't have a lump in your throat you must not be an American. Just four months ago the forgotten Post Golf course was turn into a baseball stadium for a night. All the world was able to see what Fort Bragg means to the world.
If nothing else came from this game it surely told you what America is all about. A forgotten piece of property in about 120 days was turned into something the entire world could see that America when we put our minds to it we can do almost anything. It happened right here in our back yard.
We have so many things wrong with the direction that our country heads at times. Yet when we want to we can show how great as a nation we can be. Have a happy and safe 4th. Still have fireworks tonight at Englewood. Don't know of too much more can top Sunday night.
God Bless America.
We are a country of the free. From 1776 until today people from all over the world want to be a part of what we have this thing called freedom. Ever since Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence was read to the Continental Congress on July 4th 1776 and to the public on July 8th we have defended our land twice against Britian, fought among ourselves almost 90 years later. Sent our troops into two wars that were suppose to end all wars. Seems just in the last 50 years our troops have been all over the world in the name of freedom.
The first time ever an official major league game has been played in North Carolina. It took place on Tar Heel soil called Fort Bragg which is home to the largest military Post in the world. Pat and I spent 22 months in Fayetteville and my favorite thing to do was ride on post to Sicily Drop Zone
And watch troops jump as they prepared for what ever they would be called to do. I have rode by the golf course which was the ball field used last night. That was during a time when there was no gates on post but once 9/11 the world has changed.
I hope you saw the pregame from the ceremonial first pitch to the National Anthem. If you didn't have a lump in your throat you must not be an American. Just four months ago the forgotten Post Golf course was turn into a baseball stadium for a night. All the world was able to see what Fort Bragg means to the world.
If nothing else came from this game it surely told you what America is all about. A forgotten piece of property in about 120 days was turned into something the entire world could see that America when we put our minds to it we can do almost anything. It happened right here in our back yard.
We have so many things wrong with the direction that our country heads at times. Yet when we want to we can show how great as a nation we can be. Have a happy and safe 4th. Still have fireworks tonight at Englewood. Don't know of too much more can top Sunday night.
God Bless America.
Sunday, July 3, 2016
First Year Back
The regular season is over for Coleman Pitt Post 58 after making a comeback to life a year removed from not having enough players to field a team. We still are faced with the top players in the area still committing to travel ball. In fact three of the four best pitchers in the county played travel. One was totally travel while we had two players were part time players for Post 58. Another was injured and has not played for anybody this summer. Joe Bell and Hank Jones did everything scheduling wise to let the travel kids play for someone else and that freed up the 16 who dedicated themselves totally to Legion to get Saturdays and Sundays off. They played just one Saturday this Summer.
Coleman Pitt finished 5-3 in conference play and those three losses were twice to Garner by far a much superior team to us and splitting with second place Apex. Cary and Durham we went 4-0 and it is easy to tell why we finished in the middle of the pack. All in all a good return when you think since we did not have a team last year we only had one player with previous Legion experience. Legion is a step up over high school ball since just about every Legion player was an all conference player for the team he played for.
Just like the high school season hitting was our big bug-a-boo. Garner and Apex nailed our pitching in our three losses but the most part our pitching was good enough to keep us in most games but once we gave up four runs in any one game we failed to outslug anybody. This team has three rising juniors in High school next year and three off to college. Everyone else can come back next season. It would be great if those four top pitchers since they will all be seniors in high school this year if they join Legion full time we just might have the team to beat.
16 players totally committed to Legion for the season. Josh Daniels Northern Nash did not finish the year because of an injury. Noah Schrock Nash Central third base, first base and had worked to being our closer on the mound but never could just keep him there needing him for long relief and starter.
John Michael Kelly Nash Central second base, good glove but had a tough summer with the bat. Tyler Sherrod Nash Central, 3rd, 1st pitcher. Streaky at the plate but hit one of the two homers hit by P 58 this season. Cameron Taylor Nash Central was the most reliable starting pitcher all summer. Remember the first inning of the season? Take that inning away and he did all you can ask from a pitcher never got the run support needed.
Tyler Barrett Northern Nash, 1st base,outfielder. Good first baseman for his size. Had his moments at bat including his homer Friday night. Will Hedgepeth Rocky Mount, 2nd baseman good defensive player never found a batting stroke all summer. Forest Bell Rocky Mount,3rd baseman, struggled early with the bat but towards the end of the season was coming around. Logan Pearce Rocky Mount Shortstop. Solid at short all season. This team turned several nice double plays Led by Logan and who ever was at second base at the time. Second best hitter on the team.
Colby Carter Nash Central outfielder. Solid all year in the field. Had his moments at bat but streaky hitter. Josh Pittman Rocky Mount centerfielder. If it was hit in air he had a chance to catch it. Perfect leadoff hitter who gets on base. Trey Wells Tarboro pitcher, Only left handed pitcher of the 16 on staff. Struggled with control. Probably saw more than any other player 1-A ball and Legion is a big step up.
Dawson Sikes Southern Nash catcher and pitcher. Split catching duties with Zack Keeter Rocky Mount catcher and pitcher. Neither player was better than the other to win catching job outright. Keeter came through with more big hits. Luke Mills Faith Christian. Outfield, pitcher. Had moments both batting and pitching. Trevor Mills Southern Nash pitcher. He like so many others on this team is young and can come back next year a year older and more experienced.
Coleman Pitt got a bye in the first round by finishing third. Begins Area One playoffs Friday night when they travel to Apex. They mercy ruled us there. Saturday night game two will be in Rocky Mount. Remember that in Legion that first game is sometimes the most important game because if you run into several days of rainouts and fail for any team to win three games within the day limit of the second round the team that wins the first game advances on.
Coleman Pitt finished 5-3 in conference play and those three losses were twice to Garner by far a much superior team to us and splitting with second place Apex. Cary and Durham we went 4-0 and it is easy to tell why we finished in the middle of the pack. All in all a good return when you think since we did not have a team last year we only had one player with previous Legion experience. Legion is a step up over high school ball since just about every Legion player was an all conference player for the team he played for.
Just like the high school season hitting was our big bug-a-boo. Garner and Apex nailed our pitching in our three losses but the most part our pitching was good enough to keep us in most games but once we gave up four runs in any one game we failed to outslug anybody. This team has three rising juniors in High school next year and three off to college. Everyone else can come back next season. It would be great if those four top pitchers since they will all be seniors in high school this year if they join Legion full time we just might have the team to beat.
16 players totally committed to Legion for the season. Josh Daniels Northern Nash did not finish the year because of an injury. Noah Schrock Nash Central third base, first base and had worked to being our closer on the mound but never could just keep him there needing him for long relief and starter.
John Michael Kelly Nash Central second base, good glove but had a tough summer with the bat. Tyler Sherrod Nash Central, 3rd, 1st pitcher. Streaky at the plate but hit one of the two homers hit by P 58 this season. Cameron Taylor Nash Central was the most reliable starting pitcher all summer. Remember the first inning of the season? Take that inning away and he did all you can ask from a pitcher never got the run support needed.
Tyler Barrett Northern Nash, 1st base,outfielder. Good first baseman for his size. Had his moments at bat including his homer Friday night. Will Hedgepeth Rocky Mount, 2nd baseman good defensive player never found a batting stroke all summer. Forest Bell Rocky Mount,3rd baseman, struggled early with the bat but towards the end of the season was coming around. Logan Pearce Rocky Mount Shortstop. Solid at short all season. This team turned several nice double plays Led by Logan and who ever was at second base at the time. Second best hitter on the team.
Colby Carter Nash Central outfielder. Solid all year in the field. Had his moments at bat but streaky hitter. Josh Pittman Rocky Mount centerfielder. If it was hit in air he had a chance to catch it. Perfect leadoff hitter who gets on base. Trey Wells Tarboro pitcher, Only left handed pitcher of the 16 on staff. Struggled with control. Probably saw more than any other player 1-A ball and Legion is a big step up.
Dawson Sikes Southern Nash catcher and pitcher. Split catching duties with Zack Keeter Rocky Mount catcher and pitcher. Neither player was better than the other to win catching job outright. Keeter came through with more big hits. Luke Mills Faith Christian. Outfield, pitcher. Had moments both batting and pitching. Trevor Mills Southern Nash pitcher. He like so many others on this team is young and can come back next year a year older and more experienced.
Coleman Pitt got a bye in the first round by finishing third. Begins Area One playoffs Friday night when they travel to Apex. They mercy ruled us there. Saturday night game two will be in Rocky Mount. Remember that in Legion that first game is sometimes the most important game because if you run into several days of rainouts and fail for any team to win three games within the day limit of the second round the team that wins the first game advances on.
Friday, July 1, 2016
Good Way To Finish Up
A game that has no meaning what so ever in the final standings for Coleman Pitt Post 58 has turn into a game that tells you exactly why I have liked this bunch this season. This games was suppose to be played at Holly Springs High but was switched to Cardinal Gibbons but the field was unplayable due to this week's thunder boomers. So CP 58 finally found through GPS Athens Drive High school and they brought their bats with them tonight.
It was imperative to try to get this one at least through five innings to make it an official game before dark. Coleman Pitt started Tarboro's Trey Wells who got through the first three innings. His teammates did him a favor and put nine runs on the board. While Cary scored three times. Next to the hill was Rocky Mount's Will Hedgepeth. If there was any concern before the night started was where were the arms coming from to get Rocky Mount through nine innings if this one got that far. Seldom used on the mound Hedgepeth got two innings and Faith Christian's Luke Mills the next two.
This is all the pitching needed this night as Coleman Pitt put up nine more runs from the fourth through seventh and Coleman Pitt puts the mercy rule on Cary and no worry about darkness. Coleman Pitt 16 Cary 5. Ricky Mount pounded out 20 hits a season high and the highlite hit of the night was Northern's Tyler Barrett's home run.
Just last night this team took a shellacking from Garner losing two games by a 16-1 total. There was no side effects or carry over in a negative way as Coleman Pitt finishes the regular season 8-6 and and 5-3 in division play.
Cary and Durham will play each other as they will battle for fourth place and the winner will then start a three of five series against Garner the top seed and that series will begin Friday night. Also Friday night Apex will host Rocky Mount in the 2/3 matchup in a five game series.
It was imperative to try to get this one at least through five innings to make it an official game before dark. Coleman Pitt started Tarboro's Trey Wells who got through the first three innings. His teammates did him a favor and put nine runs on the board. While Cary scored three times. Next to the hill was Rocky Mount's Will Hedgepeth. If there was any concern before the night started was where were the arms coming from to get Rocky Mount through nine innings if this one got that far. Seldom used on the mound Hedgepeth got two innings and Faith Christian's Luke Mills the next two.
This is all the pitching needed this night as Coleman Pitt put up nine more runs from the fourth through seventh and Coleman Pitt puts the mercy rule on Cary and no worry about darkness. Coleman Pitt 16 Cary 5. Ricky Mount pounded out 20 hits a season high and the highlite hit of the night was Northern's Tyler Barrett's home run.
Just last night this team took a shellacking from Garner losing two games by a 16-1 total. There was no side effects or carry over in a negative way as Coleman Pitt finishes the regular season 8-6 and and 5-3 in division play.
Cary and Durham will play each other as they will battle for fourth place and the winner will then start a three of five series against Garner the top seed and that series will begin Friday night. Also Friday night Apex will host Rocky Mount in the 2/3 matchup in a five game series.
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