Friday, October 14, 2016

Only One Left Undefeated

It was the only game in town.  It was the only game in the county in fact many surrounding counties as Rocky Mount Academy and Southampton Academy from Courtland Virginia both undefeated at 7-0 and riding on the outcome the top seed probably for the  upcoming at season's end in the NCISAA playoffs.  Both have been recent champs so this game not only is for supremacy in North Carolina Eight Man football this year but creates for the winner to have home field advantage helping the odds for adding another title.

This game will not be pleasant for the Eagles of RMA as they found themselves down 30-0 midway in the second quarter before they crossed the goal line for the first time.   Cutting the lead to 30-6 now needing to stop the Raiders there is always a chance to score many points in eight man but the Eagles could not find a way to slow down SA. The Eagles needed desperately to get into the half down by only 24 but Southampton scored again to lead by 30 at 36-6.

There is coach speak that when you are up by a big margin at the half that they will remind their teams that if we scored 36 in a half that there is no reason that they could do it to us in the second half if we don't come out and play intensely like they did  in the first half.  Coach Terrell Hudgins had to preach to his team that the game is not over if we eliminate the mistakes made in the first half.

The second half was a repeat of the first as Southampton put 20 unanswered points on the board in the third.  RMA scored a single touchdown  in the fourth but The Raiders were just too dominant.   Southampton becomes the only unbeaten team left in eight man football as they torch the Eagles in Rocky Mount 64-12.  Certainly all of the games played already this season gave us no indication of this kind of score.

RMA loses their first game of the season have a chance to recover next week but head to Southampton in two weeks to meet again.

It is official that the homecoming football game which was suppose to be played Saturday  at The Rocky Mount Athletic Complex between Methodist College and North Carolina Wesleyan College has been cancelled and will not be rescheduled.  Wesleyan was able to pick up the pieces midweek after Hurricane Matthew but for Methodist all activities have been cancelled through Sunday. 

If you have ever been on the campus of Methodist I don't remember if it's campus is on any of the banks of the Cape Fear River but it can't be very far away  as of Friday the Cape Fear river crested at 58.5 feet.  Much of their fall sports are in jeopardy for the remainder of the fall season.

Even without a football game to introduce the 2016 North Carolina Wesleyan new members to the Hall Of Fame the show will go on Saturday night  at Edge Gym at 6:30.  The entire squad of the 1999 National Champion baseball team will be inducted. Long time head baseball coach Charlie Long and loyal assistant Ernie Jones will have their names added to the Hall.


Week Of Decision

I don't know if you have noticed this or not with ECU cancelling their game this week none of the Big Four schools are home and all four play the top four teams in the ACC.  Nobody that plays in the ACC that call North Carolina home are favored and they are all underdogs Saturday.  Last week 6-3 to run my guess totals for college football to 45-16.

NC State 4-1 @ Clemson 6-0: I just don't think the Pack is all that bad a club this year but I have no dreams of believing they have a chance in this one.  Last few years these games have been high scoring an I see no reason it will not be that way again.  Clemson 45 Pack 32

North Carolina 4-2 @ Miami 4-1:  Canes put up a fight but fell to Florida State for their first loss of season.  Carolina drowned in their own stupidity.  If you have two runners that Carolina has why do you try to pass in the pouring rain.  They should have run over VT but chose to pass. This could be an interesting game.  Miami pulls it out 34-30

Duke 3-3 @ Louisville 4-1:  Houston losing and Louisville losing a projected top five game against Houston gone they will need to beat everyone on their schedule by 70 to impress the pollster.  Duke is the first team that must face this onslaught. I hope they stay within 35.  Louisville 56 Duke 24

Wake Forest 5-1 @ Florida State 4-2:  Can you believe Wake is 5-1.  FSU coming off off a big rival win over Miami and they may not respect the Deacs and be set up for an upset.  You know Wake has given the Noles trouble in the past.  I can't see them winning in Tallahassee.  FSU 38 Wake 24

Georgia Southern 3-2@ Georgia Tech 3-3:  This is not a gimme for the Rambling Wreck. They have their work cut out for themselves.  GT 37 GS 28

Virginia Tech 4-1 @ Syracuse 2-4:  VT showed everyone in Chapel Hill they are back. So here is a question.  Would the old Frank Beamer teams go to a place like  Syracuse who we can not say they are an average team and lose.  I say no Tech 42 Cuse 24

Pitt 4-2 @ Virginia 2-3:  UVA's first couple of games they were awful but they have turned the corner.  Pitt I still like and think they have no problem in Charlottesville.  38-20 Panthers.

Stanford 3-2 @ Notre Dame2-4:  If you were impressed  with the Irish coaching in Raleigh you didn't see the game I saw.  Kelly stuck to the pass the entire game never gave his team a chance.  Stanford has lost  big two games in a row badly.  Can they rebound against a bad Notre Dame team?  Yes 35 -24 the Cardinals or Trees what ever their mascot is.