How many teams win 10 games in a season? Now five years into his tenure as Rocky Mount High's football coach Jason Battle after a 13-3 season and a second place finish in 3A football standings with a coaching record of 51-17. Any coach who can maintain a 75 % winning total throughout his coaching career is on the verge of on legendary talk by the time they hit twenty years coaching. Now I want to be as honest as possible with you. How many people just two years ago foresaw Jason Battle leading any team to two state finals.
The night Rocky Mount hosted the jamboree with Goldsboro, Southern Nash and Western Harnett I talked with Battle on the field and he was showing the signs of stress as the defending state champions and the fan expections of winning another this season.
Already the season was full of injuries as Sherrod Green had broken his hand in a weight lifting injury. He would miss the first three and a half games. Who was going to be the quarterback to replace Forest Bell the offensive player of the game in the state championship game? Just maybe he saw this team as a far cry from the level of the 2015 squad.
A opening night shutout and a a third quarter lead against Middle Creek one of the best teams in the state gave hope to the 2016 Gryphons were rounding into form. A persistent mishandling of the ball created some uncomfortable moments as the season progressed. A trip to Greenville leaves all Gryphons fans thinking that this team just might.
Then there is a month of average football playing where it looks as if the Gryphons are going to have trouble winning the Big East. Southern uses senior night and and inspired play from the Firebirds to win the conference crown.
Then there is a first round third quarter melt down that faced with 20 minutes to rally or start basketball season the Gryphons find the focus missing for a month. A victory over Southern Nash and Southern Guilford send the Gryphons to a miracle finish and an another shot at state championship glory.
The Havelock game battered and bruised the Gryphons so they head to Winston Salem not as healthy as last year. They once again drop the ball on the ground three times losing one and an interception takes away two drives that gave South Point more field position.
Many fans left Winston wondering why the Gryphons went for it on fourth down four times in their own territory only making it once. You know for a coach that has won 75% of his games there is a good chance he knows the health of his team as well as how they stack up against the team across the line and he knows if you can't control the ball you may not get it back. Keeping the ball was a major need in this game and the South Point defense would not allow the Gryphons any yardage to take away the Gryphon championship. The only fourth down call I can question was the 4th and 17 with six minutes left. I'm punting and looking for my defense to get me the ball back.
I heard one of their players during the handshakes told our guys "we know how you feel". Referring to last year. Revenge was a major factor in this one. Any time any teams has great runs of winning you never know when the well runs dry. This team just maybe over achieved. Appreciate what this team has done. No telling when the next championship game will be.
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3 comments:
The purpose of preparation is to..."PREPARE"!!! The South Point coaching staff were prepared and stayed true to their identity. We looked unprepared, unorganized, and lost. Now you run players and plays all week. On game day the players are blind sided by plays that where not practiced. You run your plays and only change or make adjustments when you are stopped. But just like in the Rose game last year the they changed the offense and defense for one player. ..and it was embarrassing. I know how it feels to play in a State Championship and win or lose. My coach made a contract with us,"I will always prepare you to compete and will take the responsibility for that process". The seniors and their team only wanted and opportunity to run what they practiced. If your coaches don't believe in... you how can you compete !!!!
The Gryphons on Saturday was not the team I had seen for 85% of the season. Yes the Red Raiders had a part to do with that but our conservative play on 1st 2 possessions set the tone. Even our 4th and 1 runs looked tentative. I have not seen a Rocky Mount offense look as tentative the last 2 years as I did on Saturday. Usually the Rocky Mount backs are delivering the blows and not the other way around. Early start, Friday prep schedule at AT&T, lethargic crowd, cold weather, etc. ...? Disappointing finish. I thought the Gryphons still had the athletes and talent to win it this year.
Delay of games by offense after change of possessions, timeouts on offense due to formatoon, personnel changes, enough players on field, play clock running down...
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