You Should Have Been There

Every Time you win it just makes the next game bigger. Every ball game has great plays throughout a game but those plays in the important games standout forever.  I don't know if there has ever been a circumstance where you can get any closer to losing than the Gryphons were in Friday night.  Down by 7 and the other team on you one yard line with 30 seconds to go. 

99.9 yards from the goal line and Havelock coaches told their defender to cover the slant. Havelock's thinking is we have rushed the quarterback all night they will not have time to unload a bomb. Revis was so wide open that the defender was a good five yards behind the streaking Detrelle Revis who had to wait on the ball and all he had to do then was not fall down and run like the wind.

Sherrod Green injured for most of the fourth quarter after a helmet hit him in the knee made his longest run of the night in over time 10 yards to tie the game.  He will now have to send in a letter to the Shrine Bowl declining  his opportunity to play in the North Carolina /South Carolina Bowl game next Saturday as he will have something more important to do.  That is a leftover factor from Hurricane Matthew and the state championships being pushed back a week.

The hero of the State championship game last year Chase Miller did it again In Havelock.  How in the world is not every major school in the country at least looking at him.  Early in the season the long snapper was an issue which made Miller look a little wobbly kicking.  Some minor injuries hampered his kicking for much of the season.  Now when we need him most Chase is at the top of his game.

There is no doubt two great defenses took the field against each other.  I was not that impressed with the Havelock offense but I am sure the Havelock fans didn't see much with the Gryphon offense either.  Their quarterback lacked speed and looked to be getting big  yardage several times but we chased him down for six yard gains.  The Rams defense bottled the Gryphon offense all night and including sacks held the Gryphons to less than 100 yards rushing.  Last year in the championship game the Gryphons only got 120 in the game  and yet we won both because of our defense kept us in the game and the passing game came through when we needed it most.

One of the really good things about high school sports is the players put out every ounce that they have in athletic competition and the cost is reasonable compared to what you pay to see a college game or professional game.  The crowd was about one person deep around the stadium as all the seats were filled.  I know the Gryphon fans could have been more but Havelock is a haul for the working man on a Friday Night after work. 

You may have Seen a couple of weeks ago when the announcement was made where the state championship games were going to be played the 3A game was set for 11:05 Saturday morning.  The game's time has been moved to 4pm.

This two year run that Rocky Mount High school has going in football has been some memorable moments we will be meeting a team that will have every reason to seek revenge after we came back in the fourth quarter last season to win the title.

This game is the prime example of never leave a game before it is over.  Many Havelock fans in their cars came back in once they got in their cars turned on the radio and found out  the Gryphons had tied it.  There were several fans on the Rocky Mount side  that left.  I wonder did they know to listen to the Havelock radio broadcast once in their cars or did they drive home thinking the Gryphons lost.