These Are The Type Games You Practice To Play In

Good news for Gryphon fans stuck in Rocky Mount Friday night.  103.7 WTIB-FM will be broadcasting the game from Havelock.  We need for you to thank the good folks at Speight Trophies as they are sponsoring the game on the radio.

Last week went 3-0 on my high school playoff picks and so far this playoffs 12-1.  Only two teams left from this area and these are the only two games we will pick this week.

Tarboro is back in a Regional Final.  They play a team it seems they have met a lot over this decade of Jeff Craddock. I think an over riding factor in this game is Wallace Rose Hill moves up to 2A in next year's realignment.  WRH much like Tarboro can hang with many 3A schools.

Last week the Viking D saved the day in a 13-7 victory.  I don't think 13 points can win this one.  The Road ends for the Tarboro Vikings WRH 21 Tarboro 13


Rocky Mount 12-2 @ Havelock 13-1:  Looking at who these two teams have lost to you can throw the losses out the door.  The three losses these two teams have are a combined 39-3 looking at the records of West Craven, Southern Nash and Middle Creek. 

There is a beauty to watch a team stumbles  along like the Gryphons did during conference play and I think most who saw them think team attitude was a major factor.  Yes a change was made at quarterback that since the change the offense has found that mojo that had been missing.  Also the change occurred at the moment that the Gryphons were slapped in the face by Southern Lee and the Gryphons found themselves down by 14 midway of the third quarter of the first playoff game.  The entire team faced the reality that if we don't get it done now it is over.  They have been getting it done ever since.

The only loss for Havelock this season happened over two  night period as  they started their game with West Craven but the rains from  Hurricane Matthew ended the game in the middle and when finished  days later West Craven upset Havelock 21-14,  Neither of these two teams have been blown off the field by anybody. 

I think this is the biggest football game Rocky Mount has been in since Western Alamance in 2008.  I not talking about the state championship game not being big but the quality of the program we are facing.   I do admit South Point and all those teams from their conference are just as great of programs as anybody wants to meet but in this Rocky Mount/ Havelock game two teams are meeting playing at the apex of their potential during great periods in their football History.

The winner receives a trip next Saturday to BB&T Stadium for an 11:05 start in Winston Salem.  I have looked on every map site there is and I don't think there is a better way to get to Havelock than this.  Take Hwy 64 east to Highway 11 at Bethel.  Stay on 11 joined by 13 just outside Greenville and turn on 264 E bypass and go around Greenville 264 will turn left in a couple of miles but stay straight until you get to the Mall on your left and ECU on your right  take a left on hwy 43 to Vanceboro which will run you into Hwy 17 bear right and stay on 17 until the you cross the Neuse River and get in the lane getting on Hwy 70 east to Havelock.  Once in Havelock take Webb Blvd which will also show signs to enter Cherry Point.  Go about a mile and the school is on the right.  It's stadium is about the size of Our stadium.  Good traffic it will take 2 hours and 21 minutes.  Good luck with the Greenville 5 o'clock traffic around Christmas.

I could easily see this as an overtime game.  I know Havelock is playing superior football but I'm sticking with the Gryphons 24-21.