Team to arrive at Gym about 4:45
It will be a game where the South Point Red Raiders will say their defense came to play state championship football. Today Rocky Mount crosses the fifty yard line only twice while the Red Raider offense felt the soil under their feet to start a drive twice. Field position, a Gryphon fumble, interception and three field goals made by the kid that wore the goat tag for a year ago Thomas Lempereur leads South Point to a 16-7 victory over Rocky Mount denying the Gryphons back to back titles.
The game for the Gryphons was like they were treading in mud all games as the best field position they had all day was their own forty after a Detrell Revis interception return. South Point started on the Rocky Mount side all but twice which tells you how great the Gryphon D played giving up only one touchdown and that occurred after a Gryphon Fumble at their own 24 eventually turn into a 7 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Scottie Lee to Ray Grier which bumped the score to 13-7.
Rocky Mount's offense only moved the ball once all game and it came on their only drive of the game that started at their own 31 and with eight seconds to play in the half. Shabios Lynch hit Shyheim Battle with a 25 yard score and Rocky Mount had a 7-3 halftime lead and had been completely dominated by field position and the Red Raider defense.
A very disappointing crowd of around 4,000 weathered the cold and even icy road conditions as both side had about 2,000 people no where near the internet talk that South Point would fill one side of the stadium.
South Point had 199 yards rushing in the game all but about ten came on the Rocky Mount side of the field. The only pass they completed was the seven yard td for a total of 206 yards. Rocky Mount rushed for 27 yards once quarterback sacks were subtracted and passed for 91 for 118 total offense. If there was ever a game in which a team defense bottled the other them up today was it as the Red Raiders who only allowed the Gryphons across the 50 twice.
Sherrod Green was named the Gryphons defensive player of the game while Shabios Lynch was the offensive performer. Even in defeat the fans need to be at the gym to support this team on their arrival. I will post as soon as there is a time set for their return. I am sure they will stop on the way back to eat so as soon as they know arrival time I'll feed it to you.
Rocky Mount finishes 13-3 while South Point wins their 5th football title their first since 2009
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23 comments:
The 11 a.m. start with 30 degree temperature led to a very disappointing turn out and environment on both sides. I just as well go back to playing the championship games at the higher seed home field and have a packed crowd vs a 3/4 empty Stadium in a dead environment. There is just nothing like Friday night football at 7:30 p.m..
Wow where do you start? Poor quarterback play poor offensive play-calling, poor coaching decision. Give credit to the Rocky Mount defense as they kept the team in the game. The Rocky Mountains just looked tentative and out of sorts all game. Yes Southpoint has a very good defense but Rocky Mount did not help things with their tentative and lethargic play. Have to wonder if 11 a.m. start did not help things very much. Very disappointing play based off the season leading up to today. South Point was not that much better but just executed and very well-coached.
Rocky Mount has more athletic team and probably seven out of 10 times wins but today South Point had the Revenge factor and looked like they wanted it more. I have not seen a Rocky Mount team in the last two seasons look as tentative as they did today on offense. They pick the wrong time to lay an egg.
I'm still trying to get over going for it 4th and 17 from your own 35 with six and a half minutes still remaining in the game only down by 6. One of the stupidest decisions when you're still in the game with plenty of time. The rocky mount defense had shown it could stop South point all game long. That decision led to South Point's final three points on the field goal with three minutes to go. That decision was the final nail in the coffin and help lead to Rocky mount's demise.
One of the poorest coached poorest played games I have seen in a long time.
Why even bring the band if the band is not going to play during the game? The Belmont band played constantly and acted like they wanted to be there.
Horrible environment for a championship game. Three-quarters empty Stadium 11 a.m. in the morning and below freezing temperatures. On top of that the gryphons come out slow and unenthused. Horrible experience. What a big difference in environment compared to last year in Chapel Hill when nearly 7,000 Rocky Mount alumni showed up to support the Gryphs in their Championship win.
It's one thing to play decent and lose to a better team but when you play poorly and lose to a weaker opponent that is another. Belmont was not that much better it was just that Rocky Mount played so poorly on offense. Rocky Mount look like they did not want to be there. Very disappointing to see that.
RM looked content today just making the championship game. It showed in their play and I think the Rocky Mount fans and alumni felt the same way as the turnout was just not there compared to the state championship last year in Chapel Hill.
I posted the other day with my take on South Point. I said if they got going on all cylinders it would be a long game for RM if not it would be a close game. SP did not get going on all cylinders. They only completed one pass and the QB was off his mark the entire game. Their defense is for real and got after RM. Call them the weaker team all you want, but after watching this defense play, they will make any good offense look sub-par.
I am officially done...as long as battle is coaching at Rocky Mount....will not spend my money and time to witness ignorance. We didn't run our regular offense at all. Pass..Pass..Pass !!! We are not a pass first team !!! This dumb ..stupidly coached loss rest squarely on the narrow shoulders Head Coach Blunder !!! I am officially done !!!
News and Observer reporting 2,947 attended game.
Even when RMT quarterback had open field to run acted tenative and cut back into Red Raider line. Led to several sacks.Several errant passes into ground. Fumbles by QB and interception really hurt in getting any offense started. Constantly having to play behind the chains. Put a lot of pressure on RMT defense.
Reading Battle post game cmoments indicates Rocky Mount contentment to just make championship.
South stuck to their bread and butter offense and did enough to win. Rocky Mount did not .. South coach outcoached Battle ...
People traveled too far and spent too much $$$$$ for contentment and settle ....
Coach Battle should not be criticized in any way after holding this team together under some trying circumstances this year. Congrats on a great season.
Last year when Rocky Mount won the State Championship, Coach Battle was the greatest coach ever. He has done an outstanding job this year. He doesn't deserve some of the comments he has received on this blog today. Give him credit for what he has done and stop criticizing him for what you think he didn't do. There is always next year. Go Gryphons!!!
Gotta take the bad with good ... Can't take all good.
Would like to have seen #31 Revis, #9 Richardson and #44 Greene on offense more today when it was evident Gryphons were struggling on offense. They made great things happen on offense when needed this season. Especially true of Revis. He is a playmaker and should utilize him as much as possible.
Return kickoff by SP to RMT 32 to start 2nd half was huge. SP made adjustment on offense in 1st series after half by going to spread. Spread RMT D out and handed off to FB for 4-6 yard gains. Led to eventual TD. That was big momentum swing for SP. Credit SP coach for that smart adjustment.
You can't just explain away or just over look incompetence. This was the last game a lot of these young men will ever play again. Coaches will have their jobs next year.
Very disappointed to see the negative talk about the state championship game. Coach Battle and his staff have been to back to back title games. Before last season, there has not been a title game since the 60s. Along the way, we have had many great coaches (Wiggins, Kelley,, Holt) and many great players (Bill Merrifield,Michael Doyle, Otis Sanders, Mike Mabry, Terrell Huggins, Brian Goodwin, Collins Cuthrell) just to name a few. Were these guys bad coaches and players. I don't think so. The bottom line is that state titles are hard to come by. Period. Coach Battle has done a fantastic job. His teams have provided the community with moments that should make this town Qextremely proud. There is nothing incompetent about about the last 2 seasons at RM. it's simply been great. It's easy to sit in the stands and be an armchair quarterback. The are many who coach from the stands. The bleacher coaches are there for a reason as well as Coach Battle is on the sidelines for a reason. Congrats to Coach Battle, the staff, and those amazing football players.
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