Time To Say Goodbye

My vision when I was 25 years old of retirement was I would play 18 holes of golf every day that I wanted to and would go see the grand kids when ever we wanted.  Today I don't even own a set of golf clubs.  The closer I get to that wonderful words Social Security Benefits the less I want to retire.  Yet I find my life busier today than ever before.

There was a time when Charles Aslston was riding with me when doing games on the radio and he had his Gryphons Grapevine.  I talked him in letting me do a commentary about once a week on his blog.

I have always tried to be positive with every comment  I have ever said.  One of the first comments on the Gryphons Grapevine was the year Terrell Hudgins won the North Carolina NCHSAA Male athlete of the year. There was a baseball game with Rocky Mount and Northern Nash at Northern that night and Terrell and the Rocky Mount group who went with Terrell were late getting back that night.  Northern delayed the game until he was able to get back from receiving the award in Chapel Hill.

• Northern did not have to do that but that was a true act of sportsmanship well worth pointing out.

I can't remember all the state championships I have covered and didn't pay to see it.  I have truly been blessed.

I find it hard to believe that teenage boy that had trouble finding the words to call up or look at girls and ask for dates has become this loud mouth that I have become because radio taught me to project.  I use to have trouble that every mistake I made troubled me but in order to continue you have to keep going.  If you keep going those listening may not even know you made a mistake.

Has it all been worth while?  Pat and I were in Wal-Mart one day standing in line and a lady behind me in line asked me if I was the man that did the games on TV.  She said to me thank you So much for what you do.  I am too old and to slow to go to the games and you covered my grandson who goes to SouthWest Edgecombe and you were doing their football game.  I was able to watch him play and you even talked about him. I want to thank you for letting me watch him play.

I had a tear in my eye as we walked to the car but I was ready to go find another game to do.  I hope what I have done had been a blessing to someone whether it was this blog or any radio or TV.  It is time for me to slow down.  You may not believe this but working a full time job and then going to do a game on radio,TV or PA is work.

Today  will be my last blog.  Once little league baseball ends in a couple of weeks I will no longer do radio or TV.  I hope if they will continue to have me that I keep doing North Carolina Wesleyan football and basketball PA and Rocky Mount high baseball.

I have so  many to thank who have feed me information in order to give you information that I have used on this blog.  It is a network of people indeed.

I hope we will see each other at a ball game and that's the way It is Monday May 29th 2017

A Look Back At The Gryphons Sports Year

The sports year is now completed and it is time to reflect on the results.  There are some outstanding performances to think about.

Football:  State runners up in 3A.  13-3 record. This season will always have a game that as long as any person is alive to tell about it will be worth telling.  No written information will ever give you the feeling of having been there to see it.  Rocky Mount 34- Havelock 33.

Havelock ahead 17-10 running out the clock with less than a minute to play.  The Gryphon defense holds with 25 seconds to play at the half yard line.  As great of a stand as that was we were still down  No way Jose the Gryphons can win this one.  Havelock figuring a sack or hurry would cause a safety or  an incomplete pass or maybe and interception  rushed everybody and had told the secondary to cover the short pass in front of you because our rush will not allow a deep pass.

Detrelle Revis was open the second he came off the line but instead of going short he was headed long.  Shabios Lynch had no choice throw it now or get sacked.  Revis had to wait for the ball to get to him between the 20-25 yard line wide open.  Then had to turn around and run for glory.  An extra point away from  tying a game we should not win.  Those Havelock fans cheering block that kick is another moment to remember.  Chase Miller the field goal winning kicker from the 2015 state championship needing the extra point to tie motioned to the crowd as if I can't hear you and calmly tied the game with a kick down the middle.  About a half hour later after Havelock has missed and extra point in the third over time there stands Miller the Havelock fans at it again Block that kick and Miller urging them to get louder calmly sends another one down the middle  sending  the Gryphons back to the state championship game for the second year in a row. Gryphon fans in disbelief of what they saw happen and Rams fans asking what happen.

I don't know that I have ever before seen a game that a team had no chance to win an yet they did.

Indoor track brought home two state champions  Keyanna Spivey and Sherrod Greene

Girls basketball was conference champion  undefeated in the conference regular season.  Made it to the Eastern Semi finals this year played at Northern Guilford instead of Fayetteville.  A statement of six playoff games being too many the Lady Gryphons won their opening playoff game 70-9.

Girls tennis was the conference champion advancing to the third round.  I know that third round Round playoff game had the largest soccer crowd .since the new school was built.

Baseball the Gryphons won the conference tournament title and made it to the second round.  Pat Smith stepped down as coach having served two stints and bringing home a state baseball title in 2008.  Then gave a tearful goodbye at the awards banquet.  Thanks coach  for what you have done with Gryphon Baseball.

Boys tennis going unbeaten in conference play making the third round in team play.  Won conference tournament as well as singles champ Tyler Brice and doubles champs in George Shannon and Landon Norwood.  George and Landon were Regional doubles champs.All three players made the final 16 and the doubles team the final eight in the state.

JUCO Pays Off For Carter

There was a time when Junior College fitted a great need in the world of sports.  Players with talent but who did not have the grades could go to Juco get a degree in two years and then at that point decide whether there was a four year college in their future.  Today there are not many so called Junior Colleges left but as community colleges have increased their sports programs there is still a possible way for those who don't quite have the talent to play division I II or even III sports.

There are the so called late bloomers both in the class room and on the playing field.  Two years older their class room work sharper and their athletic skills a notch above their high school ability.  That is the case for a former Northern Nash Baseball player Derrick Carter.  Carter pitched four years at Northern and after his career was over  few offers to play in college and the best  was  Brunswick Community College  in Bolivia.  Two years at BCC and a 7-2 record this season  and now Derrick has a chance to play two more years at Wingate Division  II program

Derick Carter is now on track looking to follow has grandfather and uncle into coaching.  Everything doesn't always go as we plan it.  Derrick Carter has gotten back on track in life.

The last month or so we have seen several local athletes make decisions about where they will spent the next four years of their life in college.  Montre Cash point guard for the Nash Central Bulldogs has committed to Averitt University in Danville Va.  That means he will be coming home to Rocky Mount to play the Battling Bishops once a year.

I don't care how old you are now time flies the older you get.  I can't believe Montre is a senior. Those of you that have been Bulldog basketball fans remember back I can't quite remember if he goes all the way back to the Bulldogs first year as a basketball varsity program or not.  Seems he was three foot tall he was the official score keeper of the basketball book for his Mom Terri Cash.  He wasn't tall enough to see over the score table but he sure knew how to keep a basketball book.  Now it's off to college, I wonder if is to become a basketball coach?

Here is a list of players  who are heading off to college that we have not previously mentioned before.
Kendra Jones  SouthWest Edgecombe Basketball Mt Olive University, Tia Farmer Southwest Edgecombe Basketball UNC Pembroke.  Dawson Harris Tarboro Football Kicker  UNC Pembroke.  Good luck to all in their future.

The new baseball coach at Rocky Mount is Carter Varnell who has served the last two years under Pat Smith as JV coach.  A Rocky Mount grad you made remember Carter was a very good athlete who had a knee injury during his senior season  in football and missed all but the last week of baseball season.

Big East All Conference Softball

Big East Softball coaches have three years of misery as the Big East player of the year is a freshman.  Yes a freshman is the best player in the league and it is  Hunt shortstop Bri Tucker.

Pitcher of the year is Hunt's senior Samantha Waddell.   Hunt makes a clean sweep of All the softball awards when coach Tiffany Rowe wins the coach of the year.

Hunt has six all conference spots being the conference champions and joining Tucker and Waddell are sophomores 3rd baseman Allyson Matthews, senior 2nd baseman Madison Pyle.  Junior catcher Julianne Etheridge and Hannah Williams senior centerfielder.  Hunt Honorable Mentions player is Destiny Norris freshman 1st baseman.

Fike the second place team earns  four all conference selections.  Senior c.f./p Erin Pitchey, LeAnn Pittman soph p/3b/1b,  Bailee Summerlin  junior 2b, Elizabeth Secrest fr of/c/3b.  Fike's honorable mention player is Tameron Taylor Sr of.

Third place belongs to Southern Nash who gets four all stars. Senior shortstop Kayla Moore, Sr 3b Katie Hill, senior 1b Olivia Lamm and freshman pitcher Cardigan Ewers.  The Lady Birds honorable mentions player is Elizabeth Collie fr 3b/ rd

Nash Central has three spots for 4th place.  Haley Baker Sr utility,  Cara Schrock fr Utility and Zhatterica Cherry fr c.  Honorable mentions belongs to Katya Fox fr 1b/c

Northern Nash has three slots and it starts with Sr ss Madison Lamprecht,  Jenna McKenny Soph P and Destiny Cheeseman fr 3b.  Northern's honorable mention performer is Emily Garner Jr 1b.

Rocky Mount rounds out the field with one all star Sr shortstop Jessica Little.  Honorable mentions goes to Destiny Morton.

They may have moved the ACC tournament away  from North Carolina for this year but tell the Big Four North Carolina members of the ACC.  Duke has won the D bracket beating Clemson and Virginia.  Wake is 1-0 while State and Carolina both are 1-0 and play each other tonight for the right to win B bracket.  From what I have seen on TV so far I doubt the attendance average for all games is less than a 1000.  Even the Louisville game against Notre Dame only had maybe 3 thousand.  The ACC is taking a great hit financially by moving the tournament from the Triangle.

Big East Soccer All Conference

Rocky Mount the conference Soccer champs have the Big East offensive player of player of the year in senior Sarah Bland.  There are two co-defensive players of the year in Bryson Lee from Hunt and Anna Thompson of Nash Central. Two coaches share the coach of the year award.  League  champ Rocky Mount Head coach Richard Oxendine and Nash Central coach Ryan Ruiz.

Soccer has a first team  and second team All conference  and honorable mentions.  1st team members are:

Sarah Bland Sr Forward Rocky Mount
Lee Bryson Sr goal keeper  Hunt
Anna Thompson Jr goal keeper Nash Central
Emilee Futrell Sr Midfielder Fike
Barkley Browder Sr Midfielder Rocky Mount
Erin Cooke Sr Midfielder Rocky Mount
Megan Westbrook Sr Midfielder Hunt
Linzi King Jr forward Nash Central
Reily Nelson Jr defender Fike
Jessie Van Arx Sr Foward Hunt
Anne Elliot Taylor  Jr Midfielder Fike

Second Team:
Carson Browder Freshman Midfielder Rocky Mount
Katie Moss Sophomore Midfielder Rocky Mount
Claire Dixon jr  Midfielder Fike
Caroline Keeter Sr Forward Fike
Harley Marshall Sr Midfielder Northern Nash
Morgan Loflin Sr  defender Hunt
Anna Vick Sr Defender Rocky Mount
Nefthali Gonzalez soph Forward Southern Nash
Mallory Roughton Freshman  Midfielder Nash Central
Kylar Wiggins Freshman Forward Northern Nash
Jenna Gill Jr Forward Southern Nash

Honorable Mentions
TySha Arrington Jr goal keeper Rocky Mount
Jah'Asia Pernell Soph goal keeper Fike
Mallory Sullivan Sr Forward Hunt
Hailey Dinota Soph Defender Nash Central
Kelsey Hutchison Soph defender Northern Nash
Kyle's Herron Jr Defender Southern Nash

Big East 2017 All Conference Baseball Team

Now that all teams have finished with all playoffs it is time to name the players that were the best during the Big East baseball season.

Rocky Mount Gryphon David Harrison has been named the Big East  player of the year.  He was also a candidate for pitcher of the year but during conference play he was on a tear hitting and  this as well as pitching swayed the vote as player of the year.

Hunt pitcher Bryson Worrell is the pitcher of the year leading the Warriors to the conference championship. Finishing first the coach of the year goes to Hunt's Jon Smith.

Joining Worrell on Hunt's all conference team is Ty Galloway senior catcher, senior third baseman Thomas Bell.  Outfielder/pitcher Josh Fuller a junior, Parker Garris senior outfielder/pitcher and Neil Lewis senior second baseman.  Honorable Mentions from Hunt is senior Conner Griffin.

Second place Rocky Mount the conference tournament champions have three other members besides David Harrison are centerfielder/pitcher Josh Pittman senior, Jarmar Ellis junior outfielder /catcher and freshman pitcher/third baseman Ben Seracki.  Spencer Ramsey is on the honorable mentions team.

Third place Southern Nash has three all stars.  Freshman AJ Jones second base, junior pitcher Trevor Mills and DH and Ryan Marlowe senior center fielder.  Honorable Mentions for the Firebird is senior catcher Dawson Sikes.

Fourth place Fike earns three spots.  Shortstop/pitcher Dwight Daniels senior, Hunter Stokely freshman catcher/third baseman/first
Baseman.  The third all star from Fike junior pitcher/outfielder/third baseman Jaylyn Melton. Honorable Mentions from The Golden Demons is Zack Pittman sophomore utility player.

Nash Central earns three spots and they will start with Payton Bass junior centerfielder, junior catcher Chase Minshew and Colby Carter junior left fielder.  The Bulldogs honorable mention player is senior pitcher/outfielder Cameron Taylor.

Northern Nash has one player in junior catcher Silas Gonzalaz a and their honorable mentions player is Aaron Gerlach  sophomore first baseman.

I don't know if this has ever happened before three freshman are all conference.  Ten seniors finish their high school careers as all stars., eight juniors.

Some Times All The Parts Fit

I totally agree with Patrick  Mason on his article  in the Sunday Rocky Mount Telegram about pitch counts and that it's intent is correct but the  juggling the rule to fit  the playoff schedule is off base. I think maybe the last ten years or so the NCHSAA has gone to the two out of three format in the regionals play.  Where the NCHSAA or even the NCISAA is wrong is playing a fourth round on Monday or Tuesday and starting a two out of three by the weekend.

I can only see the regionals which are still played on the team's campus's  involved played on a Monday-Wednesday and Friday.  That gives a rain date for all three games.  The NCHSAA playoff format requires eight wins to be a state champion.  Is that necessary?  Talk about adding to pitch counts.  Teams have played all year by a certain rule but in order to meet the schedule set up by the state that rule is amended to meet their schedule.  Why not start the playoffs a week earlier.  Take away conference end of the season tournaments.  If in order  for teams to fill out the required number of games have a conference tournament the first week of the season?

Baseball season really last only 10 weeks  and if you play two games a week that 20 games.  Having to win eight baseball games should add five  more weeks not four. We all know why this is MONEY.  I think anyone who attended the Rocky Mount girls soccer game in the third round or the first game there is certainly was a difference in the crowd.  That game against Jacksonville maybe had a thousand people.  Was there 150 at their first round game?  The expenses were the same including travel expense of the visiting team.  You know making money does not mean how much you took in but how much do we have after expenses.  I am sure after expenses the state got nothing in that first round loss while Rocky Mount paid the expenses.

I have always been an advocate of one less round in all sports.  No 3-8 football team should be in a playoff game going up against a top team losing by 40 or more with the clock running.  Is that truly a playoff game.  Get rid of one round in every sport but maybe Tennis.  I think they have it right  there mixing the Duel early in the week and singles and doubles towards the end of the week.
 Now let's talk about this pitch count deal and how Faith Christian had enough parts to make it work for them.

Anybody remember I think it was 2007 when Northern Nash had to win a fourth round game on a Monday and Used their best pitcher Tyler Joyner to win it.  There was no pitch count back then but when the two out of three that started I think on a Wednesday with CB Aycock The coaching staff did not pitch Joyner because they thought about his safety and future over winning. that was the right call but the Knights just didn't have enough pitching without him.

Faith was faced with the same problem pitching their best Landon Roupp early in the week to make it to the championship series.  The difference they had enough quality arms to win the state championship anyway.

The Patriots played 25 games altogether throwing 2,424 pitches on the season or 96.96 every game.  Where the timing was right Roupp pitch 11 times throwing 915 pitches or 37% of all their pitches.  Next was Jacob Pridgen  pitched 12 times and 619 pitches or 25.55% of all pitches thrown.  Third most was Alex Crosby 8 games 439 pitches or 18.11%.  Fourth was Justin Powell 258 pitches 10.64.  Roupp, Pridgen and Powell are seniors and threw 73.92% of all pitches thrown all year by Faith.  That left the other four pitchers to throw 3.97 % of the pitches and none  of those players are seniors.

Faith won because they were good batting, Pitching and fielding.  Don't care how good a team is a coach has to direct the stars to give their best performances and Faith has that in Greg Clifton.  Something else fell into place and that was the injury bug stayed away from this team and when ever  somebody ached somebody filled in  and the results a state championship.

All the parts fit. 

ACC Week

The Last punishment for the state of North Carolina the ACC tournament moving out of state to Louisvile Kentucky gets underway this week. This year the top four seeds are in pods with two other teams. The Louisville Cardinals are the top seed and share pod A with 8th seed Florida State and the last team in Notre Dame. Pod B is headed by North Carolina joined by 11th seed Boston College and 7th seed North Carolina State.

Wake Forest comes to  Louisville with the third best record in the league.  Miami 6th and Georgia Tech 10th share Pod C.  Virginia heads up Pod D as the fourth best record. Clemson 5th and Georgia Tech 9th round out the pod.

Take a real good look you will notice that the two lowest seeds play each other first.  Let's look at Carolina's bracket.  State and BC play each other first.  If you look at all the pods the  two lowest seeds play each other first.

Each bracket is set up that the loser of each  lowest seed game is eliminated even though they have another game to play.  Should State beat BC each pod is set up that the first game for each top seed is against the lowest seed in each pod.  If overall seedings hold up BC would be out and NC/NCState would play  for the pod championship Friday Night

The two hottest teams in the league are State and BC. How's this for and oddity.  State is 1-5 this year against NC/BC.  They beat the Heels once and were swept by the Eagles.  State played both on the road.

The only way the top seed doesn't win their pod is one of the lower seed wins both.  Should all three in any pod all go 1-1 then the top seed moves to the semi  finals.

The important times this week for every ACC school in North Carolina is Tuesday 3pm State/BC....7pm Duke/Clemson.  Wednesday 3pm Carolina/BC...7pm Wake Forest/Georgia Tech.  Thursday 11am Virginia/Wake Forest...7pm NC State/Carolina.

The outcome of games will determine Saturday.

A Sweep For The Champs

The 2017 NCISAA State Champions played 25 games this season winning 24.  Their lone loss of the season I think you can say  more than made up and got their revenge.  Their lone loss on the season came at the hands of Northside Christian who today lost for the second day in a row to the Patriots.

The Patriots jump out once again early in today's first game or the second game of this Two out of three championship series. Unlike yesterday where when the Northside rally came the Patriots responded to to pull away for a 8-2 victory.

Today turned into a Barn burner that took a championship team to hang on. Tying  run on third a fly ball becomes the state championship out and the Patriots are NCISAA 2A they win 5-4.

No need for A third game.  What can you say about Greg Clifton who left public school to take over the program. He has the best field of any field in Nash County. It seems that every year he has been at FC They have got closer and closer until the mountain top today.  It never hurts to have good players that he has had a hand in making.

WAY TO Go Faith Christian Patriots. State Champions

Track And Field:
Michaela Nelms of  Nash Central  has won the 400 meter dash while Sherrod Greene of Rocky Mount has won the discus.  The Nash Central 4x400  relay team are state champions:  Michaela Nelms, Carisha Leonard, T'Keyah Macklin and Teona Hill

Nash Central Girls finished 6th over all while Rocky Mount girls are 12th. Rocky Mount boys finished 7th.

Here is a list of all Nash County athletes who scored points.
GIRLS:

Girls High Jump-Myia Spivey Nash Central 4th 4.5 points...Brittany Beckford Rocky Mount 2.5 points
Long Jump- London Green Rocky Mount 3rd 6 points
Shot put-Keyanna  Spivey Rocky Mount 4th  5 points
Discus-Keyanna Spivey Rocky Mount 6th 3 points
100 meter dash-Michael Nelms 6th 3 points
4x200 Nash Central 4th Michaela Nelms, Teona Hill, Naudica Howard and T'Keyah Macklin
400 meter dash-Brittany Beckford Rocky Mount 7th 2 points
800 meter run- Carisha Leonard 8th 1 point

1A
100 Meter Dash-  Akira Simmons Rocky Mount Prep 2nd 8 points

BOYS:
Triple Jump-  Shyheim Battle Rocky Mount 5th 4 points
Shot put -Sherrod Greene 2nd 8 points
4x800 relay Rocky Mount 8th 1 point:Maliek Small, Keyonte Williams, Donovan Dickins and Damien Moore
300 meter hurdles- Malcolm Wade Northern Nash 8th 1 point

Need Just One More

Faith Christian wins State Championship sweeping Northside winning today 5-4
Faith Christian is one step away from winning the NCISAA 2A state playoffs after giving Northside Christian Academy their fourth lost of the year.  The Patriots 23-1 got all they needed in the first inning scoring five times which would prove to be enough.

They added one in the second to stretch the lead to six. North side trimmed the lead to 6-2 but FCA put a duce on the board in the top of the 7th taking  away any suspense of any Northside Christian come back.

Saturday Faith can win it all by winning the first game at high noon Saturday and win the series 2-0.  If it takes three games to win that games follows near 3:30.

Keeping up. Northwood led Northern Guilford 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth and NG scored three times to beat the team that knocked out the Gryphons.

Big day in Greensboro as the state 3A track and field  championship will be held.  Maybe 10 miles from where Faith will be playing.


Thursday night Rocky Mount High School had their end of the years sports banquet honoring their athletes  for their play on the field and most of all for their accomplishments in the class room.  The top honor of the night went to Barkley Browder and Artavious Richardson  winning the Triple Crown.  The triple crown honors their academic achievements, athletic and their life on campus.

The scholar athletes of the year were Barkley Browder  and Kevin Pham

The Juan Chesson award that honors the life of former Gryphon Shelton Juan Chesson who displayed leadership, spirit, and loyalty  this year's winner is Michelle Gainey

The athletes of the year were Keyanna Spivey and Sherrod Greene

State Championship Day For Track and Field is Saturday

Nash Central headlines Nash County track stars heading to Greensboro Saturday to take part in the North Carolina 3A  state championships on the campus of North Carolina A&T in Greensboro.  The Bulldogs are hoping for a top five finish in the girls team championship.  Here is a list from all four Nash County schools and those that will be trying to become state champions.

Nash Central:Girls
Myka Hedgepeth 100 Meter Hurdles...Pole Vault
Michaela Nelms  100 Meter Dash...400 meter dash
Carisha Leonard  800 Meters Dash
Myia Spivey        High Jump
4x200 meter Relay
4x400 meter Relay
4x800 meter Relay

Nash Central: Boys
Quante Downing Pole vault

Rocky Mount : Girls
Brittany Beckford  400 Meter Dash....High jump
London Green   Long Jump
Keyanna Spivey  Discus....Shot Put

Rocky Mount: Boys
Shyheim Battle  Triple jump
Sherrod Greene  Discus....Shot Put
Mckenzy Wright  110 Meters Hurdles... 300 Meter Hurdles
4X800 Relay....Josh Harper,Damien Moore, Keyote Williams , Donovan Dickins and Maliek Williams

Southern Nash: Girls
Cassidy Pennington  300 Meter Hurdles

Northern Nash: Boys
Malcolm Wade  300 Meter Hurdles
Brandon Richardson  Long Jump

The meet starts at 8: 30 and hopefully by dark Saturday night  several state champions will be crowned from Nash County and we hope several will be repeat state champions!

Saturday is the last day for all athletics  for Nash County Schools for this school year 2016/2017.  The next events start in August when fall sports for the 2017/2018 year begin.

Faith Christian 22-1 begins their two out of three  NCISAA 2A state championship  baseball playoff in High Point today. They meet Northside Christian 20-3 from Charlotte. 4pm Today noon Saturday and if needed 3:30 Saturday afternoon  GOOD LUCK PATRIOTS!

American Legion Post 58 is having try outs today at 4pm at Legion Field on Howell street.

NOT Again

The Jacksonville Cardinals have been a great power in soccer for many years.  Anyone remember several years ago the Jacksonville boys playing Rocky Mount and the game was played at then the new fields at the sports complex and both teams went tooth and nail inside of two minutes a header  or a accidental bounce off the head of a Cardinal player went in for a 1-0 win.

Ever since then Rocky Mount always plays the Cardinal and seems always get the short end.  Tonight the Gryphons come up on the short end again after having several break-away shots early either missed or great goalie play by the Cardinals.  The Cards a shot hit the goal post and themselves denied by goal tending go 0-0 at the half.

It took one minute in the second half for a defensive lapse and the Cardinals were in the net for a 1-0 lead.  The Gryphons offense had multiple chances but nothing found the net. Then halfway home in the second   half a midfield kick found the net and it seemed to take the air out of the Gryphons.

Seems the Gryphons found their second wind but nothing could find the net including a scramble around the net with about two minutes left that the goal keeper nearly in order to save a shot almost ran into the net for the save that's how close it was.

So the road ends again at the hands of Jacksonville 2-0

This Friday May 19th tryouts for  the 2017 Coleman Pitt  Post 58 American Legion baseball will take place at 4pm at Legion field on  805 Howell Street in Rocky Mount. This will be a pro style workout.  Catchers should bring their own gear.   Questions need to be answered by Hank Jones at 252-904-4995.  Several members of the Faith Christian baseball will be missing since they will be in High Point for the NCISAA 2A state championship series.

If you are wondering how has Northwood done since beating Rocky Mount baseball last week in the second round of the state playoffs.  Tuesday night they beat Eastern Alamance 1-0 to advance to round four against the top seed in the east Northern Guilford.  The Northwood pitcher Davis Palmero pitched a no hitter.

Not All Rocky Mount Final

There is no doubt when quality teams meet up in the most important game of the year and the game is not decided until the last batter then you have a game to remember forever. Especially when the winning run scores in a way you can say you have never seen before.

Faith Christian met  Westchester Country Day  in a pitchers duel where the first run did not cross the plate until the bottom sixth and a sac fly by the Patriots gave them a 1-0 lead.

Landen Roupp carried a shutout into the 7th only to be rocked by a solo homerun to tie the score heading to the bottom of the 7th.  The Patriots loaded the bases with less than two outs when a pop up was ruled an infield fly rule which means the batter is out and runners advance at their own risk.   Since the batter is out there is no force play so no runner has to run.  The ball is dropped allowing the runner on third to score when the batter was already out and no need to catch the ball.

Faith earns the right to play in in the championship series starting Friday oddly enough being hosted by Westchester Country Day of High Point the team they Beat today.

There was hope for an all Rocky Mount final as Rocky Mount Academy made a long ride to Charlotte to play North side  Christian  and the results will leave the Eagles short of their 2nd state finals in four years.  The Eagles lose 15-6.  It will be a long ride home for RMA.

Faith will face North side Christian starting Friday at 4pm in High Point.  Game Two is set at noon Saturday and if needed game three will follow at 3:30.

The Rocky Mount Gryphons girls soccer team will host A third round 3A soccer match at 5pm Wednesday hosting Jacksonville.

The ACC baseball race  has reached the final weekend of the season with Louisville and North Carolina clinching top seeds in two of the four pods that the tournament is taking on this year.  Even if both teams lost all three games this weekend the Tar Heels and Cardinals are far enough ahead in their division to stay top seed.

Next Tuesday when the tournament gets underway in Louisville the teams will be bracketed with three teams in a bracket so this year the number of teams in the tournament will be 12 and as it stands now Boston College and Pittsburgh will not head to Louisville.  Neither is totally out but probably.

So the three teams in each pod will play round robin in their pod with the winner of each pod moving on the  Semi's on Saturday.  Starting Tuesday you will play two games in four days, if you advance to Saturday Semi final is your third game and the championship game on Sunday.  The biggest idea playing only two games to reach the semi is how do you go with your pitching rotation.  Some where your so call mid week starter will have to get a start if you get all the way to Sunday.  Even with this format the team with the best four starting pitchers will win.

If the tournament started today the pods would be. A Louisville, Florida State and Virginia Tech.  Pod B  North Carolina, Miami and Georgia Tech.  Pod C  Wake Forest, NC State and Notre Dame.  Pod D Virginia, Clemson and Duke.  Virginia Tech, Notre Dame and Duke need to win two out of three this weekend to keep Pitt and BC sitting home next week.

Now the funny business:  What happens if your bracket all three teams go 1-1.  It would take 12 Philadelphia lawyers to say keep Carolina out of the semi finals  With their overall record compared to others in their Pod.  Just hope the teams that are suppose to win do or lose both to take all the what if's out of play.

More Soccer To Be Played

The Lady Gryphons are heading to the third round in the Eastern bracket of the state soccer playoffs..  Southern Lee  proved to be an equal to  the Lady Gryphons in the first half scoring three times while the Gryphons got their share of three goals.

The second half the high octane Gryphons offense got rolling scoring four times while Southern Lee failed to net any shots in the second half. So far in the two playoff games the Gryphons have scored 11 goals or 5.5 scores per game while their four goals against averages two per game while on the season averaged 1.7 scores against.  The offense is right on average through the first two playoff games.

They will be meeting a team that it seems every year they play and they have been a great thorn in the side of the Gryphons. The Jacksonville Cardinals 15-5-3 who were a 5-4 winners  over Chapel Hill last week before the rains came.  Rocky Mount will host Wednesday now stands at 16-4-1.

On the other side of campus the Rocky Mount boys tennis team lost their first match all year and it brings to a close a year of high expectation for next year as the Gryphons lose only one player of this squad who made it to the third Round.  Chapel Hill advances to meet Terry Sanford on Wednesday. Terry Sanford is the second seed in the east.

Final score was 5-1.  The lone point was won by the Gryphons  #2 singles George Shannon.

The only baseball game still being played in Rocky Mount on Tuesday will be at Faith Christian.  The 21-1 Patriots are averaging just a pinch short of 7 runs a game while allowing a taste more than one.  Hard to beat a team with pitching like that.

Rocky Mount Academy might as well take a holiday from school Tuesday as the 13-8 Eagles have a trip to Charlotte to North side Christian Academy. North side is 19-3.

I know you haven't heard much about Legion Baseball so far this spring.  Joe Bell tells me try outs are on hold waiting on Faith and RMA finishing up baseball playoffs.  If you have ridden by Legion Field in the last couple of weeks it has looked like an abandon ball yard.  A lawn mower and other equipment will get the field ready this week.

Find This Interesting

Did anybody notice but I did for the first time Friday when checking to see how the Wesleyan men's tennis team was doing in the DIII playoffs.  High school plays all six singles first and if needed play the doubles to secure a win for any team.  I don't know if this is the way colleges do it all  the time but in the playoffs Wesleyan won all three doubles then all six singles matches started.  Once the first two singles matches were won by the Battling Bishops all four singles matches stop right where they were in their matches.  It takes five points to win a team match and after the two singles that finished first secured the 5th point everyone else stopped.  I would hate to be on the verge of a win and not get credit for it.

All four matches the Bishops were ahead in  so they could have won 9-0.  I thought that odd that a match would stop with a 5-2 in the second set after the Bishops singles player had already won the first set.  I guess I don't pay real good attention to tennis until the playoffs.

Saturday the Bishops lost to Emory University 5-1 to end their tennis season.

Rocky Mount girls soccer 15-4-1 plays their 2nd round Round  match Monday 5pm against Southern Lee 15-5-1   The rain over the weekend has forced the winner of this match into a third round match Wednesday with Jacksonville 15--5-3.  Should Gryphons win they host the Cardinals.

Another big day on campus today as the boys tennis 13-0 the top seed team in the east host Chapel Hill 14-1 fifth seed in East.  The winner Wednesday plays for the east region title and if the Gryphons win Monday they will host.  The two teams in the other bracket Terry Sanford 11-0 the 2nd seed in the east will host Northern Guilford 12-3

Both Rocky Mount Academy and Faith Christian have private school 2A playoff baseball games Tuesday. Faith 21-1 will be home to Westchester Country Day.

RMA. 13-8 has a long ride  to Northside Christian Academy in Charlotte.  The team will be leaving at 11am and no telling what time they will get home.

I Need some help can anybody with Rocky Mount Academy tell me what Pat Smith's record was while at RMA baseball from 2012 through 2015?

It's Not Official Yet

Sitting in the press box watching Rocky Mount baseball opening day beat Roanoke Rapids 2-0.  I was surprised when freshman Ben Seracki took to the hill and shutout the Yellow Jackets for four innings and David Harrison put the finishing touches on the final three innings and a shutout.  My conclusion was this was Roanoke Rapids and we were suppose to win.  I was not impressed only scoring two runs so my thoughts are the old Master Pat Smith will have a hard time winning half the games this year with this bunch.

Despite what many think of the old gruff  coach, he knows how to win baseball games.  He wins because he teaches the way to play the game and if you the player don't want to play the game the way he teaches you sit.  He does have a method of telling players the facts of their performance which many find hard to deal with in the society of today's children and that they are never told when they do something wrong by their parents.

I truly think after what I saw early the first three or four games that this was going to be a long year and yet they finished second in the regular season and tournament champs.  This team was not capable of those achievements early on until the players figure out Coach Smith's way.  Moms, dads and boys if you listen to the people that know they will lead you to a better life other than protesting  every thing that you don't like or want to do.

Just two years ago the rubber on the mound and home plate were not straight.  The right field line at first base were not straight from home to the right field wall.  He got the money to redo the field a field less than five years old but not a pretty field at all. Even during his first stint at Rocky Mount the field was his baby and worked countless hours every day to keep it in shape.

While getting Dougas Byrd's lineup during their playoff visit one of their coaches made the the comment about how beautiful the stadium was.  Pat at the time was raking around the third base bag  and I pointed to him and said there's the man right there who has made this field this way in two years.

Friday night after the game Pat Smith told the team he would not be returning  next year.  Regardless of who is the next coach those returning players will be able to say they were taught by a great coach.  Pat Smith won a state baseball title in high school in Robersonville.  He won a state title at South Johnson and of course in 2008 at Rocky Mount.

The second time around for Smith at Rocky Mount he was 13-9 last season and 17-7 this season.  He returned  the program around that had fallen on losing ways.  Last year during my last game report I stated that the Gryphons had only one pitcher and the rest were mirrors.  This years team still had one great pitcher and another future great one but the relief staff still had lots of mirrors.  Despite that he was 30-16 the last two years.

There was no doubt David Harrison was the man as he went 8-2 in the season.  His two losses can be attributed to defense lapses.  I don't think he had as good a year this year as he was somewhat wilder but even then he never let a game get away from him.  This year the pitch count rule he didn't finish  games a couple of times due to throwing 105 pitches.

The entire season the bats were soft most of the time and the Gryphons only scored five or more runs 8 times.  Twice during the season pitching gave up three runs or less and lost.  Josh Pittman was a solid leadoff hitter all season.  Jamar Ellis became a solid hitter as the season progressed.  I think the biggest surprise after Ben Seracki 6-4 season was Spencer Ramsey. His junior year missed baseball until well after baseball had started because of the basketball playoffs.  This year basketball finished the same week baseball started and two weeks into the season got his chance off the bench and performed.  His hitting helped get the improvement of the team as well as being a defensive player who could play outfield 3rd, 2nd and first.  Once he got in the lineup he help make this team better.

Pitching threw 9 shutouts in the 17 wins.  There was one game that pitching gave up only one run.  Two games only two and 4 games three. Of those 15 games were 13-2.  Lost two games when the Gryphons score two runs and zero runs.  Yes pitching was better than expected but the defense improved as the season moved forward.  Logan Pearce has cover shortstop for the last two years and his bat came alive down the stretch.

Only six pitchers toed the rubber all year for the Gryphons.  Zack Keeter came from behind the plate and had a couple of saves.  Joernest Petway got two wins and Josh Pittman had one.  I expected this season to unfold with the Gryphons winning one game a week and taking it on the chin in the other.  It happened that way in the playoffs winning the opener and running into a team loaded with power bats.

Yes, this team over achieved.  Sports is all about taking the God given talents that you have and compete against other teams.  There are years when expectations are not very high  but when players zoom past that and wind up 17-7 there is no doubt that the 2017 version of Rocky Mount baseball has a great year!

TRACK And Field Regional Reults

Nash Central girls finish 3rd in the east regional while Rocky Mount girls and boys finish fourth. West Carteret girls win the team competition scoring 108 points while Nash Central scored 69,Rocky Mount 39, Southern Nash 20.

Jacksonville won the regional boys  scoring 79 Rocky Mount 40, Northern Nash 16, Nash Central 10 and Southern Nash 1.

Regional winners: Girls
400 meter dash Michaela Nelms. Nash Central
300 meter dash Cassidy Pennington Southern Nash
4 x 400 Relay Nash Central:  Michaela Nelms, Carisha Leonard, T Keyah Macklin and Teona Hill.
Girls High Jump Myia Spivey Nash Central
Girls High Jump Myia Spivey Nash Central
Girls Pole vault Myia Hedgepeth Nash Central
Girls shot put Keyanna Spivey Rocky Mount

Regional Winners: boys
Shot put Sherrod Green Rocky Mount

Today the Brice family's hearts were split.  Tyler Brice was in Greensboro where he was competing in the 3A singles championships while  Dad Albie Brice assistant tennis coach at North Carolina Wesleyan the Battling Bishops started NCAA DII playoffs today in Atlanta.

Tyler lost in the opening round while the Battling Bishops beat Thomas More 5-0 and now play Emory Saturday.  Emory is the host and they are the top seed in this regional.

Girls soccer has become a victim of the weather. The Lady Gryphons   second round match with Southern Lee has been moved to Monday at 5pm.

The season is over for Gryphons baseball.  Tonight in Pittsboro Northwood bats eliminated the Gryphons in six innings 14-4.  The Gryphons struck first in the first after Josh Pittman and Spencer Ramsey walked Logan Pearced doubled to give the Gryphons a 2-0 lead.

Northwood scored four times in the third to take the lead by games end had hit three homers.  Ben Seracki pitched the first four innings.
Left trailing 7-3 as in the fourth Josh Pittman singled and scored without another hit.

Josh Pittman pitched the 5th allowing two runs.  Joernest Petway started the sixth by the  end of the inning Josh Pittman was back on the mound when the 14th run to end the game 14-4

Northwood hit three homers as each Gryphons pitcher game up one a piece.  Northwood finished with 13 hits.  Josh Pittman had two hits, Logan Pearce a double, Spencer Ramsey and Lane Butler got the Gryphons hit.  The Gryphons finished the season 17-7.

Big East baseball season is over for everyone as Hunt has lost 3-2 tonight to Rockingham County.

Another Chance In Gryphons Sports

Tuesday was probably the greatest day ever for sports on campus at Rocky Mount High School.  Three teams all win home matches in Soccer, tennis and baseball  in the playoffs.

Friday three members the Gryphons tennis team will be in Greensboro as Tyler Brice the Gryphons number one singles player who's lone loss all year was last weekend in the regional finals will be in action Friday morning.

Brice comes from a long line of Brice sisters who have been in the state doubles before.  Sorry to see Brice has a pain in one of his hips
Because if healthy he would have a real shot at making it to the finals.

George Shannon who has teamed with Brice most of year has lost only two matches all year one in singles and once in doubles.  Shannon during the Regionals teamed with Landon Norwood and they swept the Regionals.  Both singles and doubles require two wins Friday to make it to the semi's on Saturday Morning and finals Saturday afternoon.

There are several members of the Nash Central and Rocky Mount track and field teams that have chances to win in their  events and in some cases repeat as state champions such as Michaela Nelms, Keyanna Spivey, and Sherrod Green. Today the eastern Regionals are being held in Swansboro. The first step toward the state championships.

Rocky Mount baseball travels to Pittsboro heading to Northwood high where they play their second round baseball game.  Northwood is 20-4. While the Gryphons are 17-6.

The Gryphons knew that there was a chance of winning every outing when David Harrison pitched all season.  What a surprise that freshman Ben Seracki has had the year he has had.  Harrison can't pitch again this week so Seracki carries the burden.  One thing I like about Ben is he pitches beyond his age.  Zack Keeter is out of action with and injury and he is one of the three relievers that can back up Seracki.

Two big surprises have been Josh Pittman and Joernest Petway who have given the Gryphons several innings of relief and they both might be needed Friday.

Saturday the soccer team will host their second round playoff game taking on Southern Lee.  Time is set for 5pm.

Second Night Not To Delightful

The top two baseball teams in the Big East took advantage of high seedings and home grass to play on.  Night two not one of the Big East teams in action were home and not one is coming home a winner.

When you look at the brackets Fike was seeded number 32 and as the last team in they got the honor of facing the top seed in the east.  Northern Guilford survive the Golden Demons 7-5.

Southern Nash who finished third in the Big East failed to score while taking a trip to Wentworth in Rockingham County losing 6-0

The Bulldogs of Nash Central did not have the ride that Southern had to Cedar Ridge in Hillsborough but did not score  enough runs losing  4-1.

Hunt the Big East top seed is home again in the second round hosting Rockingham County while the Gryphons will travel to Northwood.  Game Time is set for 6pm Friday but weather forecast Friday and Saturday not good.

Softball has taken the same path as baseball.  Northwood beat Fike 10-4.  Hunt so far the only softball winner 7-4 over Walt Williams.  Grays Creek shutout Southern Nash 8-0.  Both the Firebirds baseball and softball failed to score in either game.

Soccer the Big East is depending on the top two to carry the conference banner. Rocky Mount's victory pushes them into a
Home game Saturday at 5pm as they will host Southern Lee.  Fike edged Walt Williams 3-2 to live to play another day.  Western Alamance took care of business shutting out Northern Nash 6-0

Nash Central had a trip to Unions Pines. The Bulldogs were a 17 seed because Union Pines gets the 15th seedings.  Bulldogs are winners 2-1.

The Big East is so/so day two.  Baseball has the top two still alive.  Softball still has one remaining.  Soccer has  three still in the hunt for a state title.

GRYPHON TRIFECTA

How often in the history of Rocky Mount High School sports have three sports hosted playoff competition on campus like today?  It may have never happened before.  Remember baseball and tennis until the new school played off campus.

Today the Gryphons took advantage of home turf as soccer win their first round playoff match beating Eastern Alamance 4-1.  Tennis playing a second round duel match beat Western Alamance 6-3 and tonight baseball finished up the victory sweep beating Douglas Byrd 4-0.

Soccer scored three times in the first half to lead 3-0 played an even second half with each team scoring a goal.,,Two Gryphons freshman Tatum Janke and Carson Browder each scored a goal and senior Sarah Bland tickled the nets twice got the Gryphon Ladies scores.  The Gryphons will host in round two later this week as Grays Creek and Southern Lee play Wednesday and the winner plays the Gryphons.

Tennis is now in the second round of the state playoffs and today the other end of Alamance County Western tried their luck with the red hot Gryphons Tennis.  The Gryphons advance with a 6-3 victory. They will host Chapel Hill Tuesday in round three.

This Friday Tyler Brice the Gryphons number one singles player will be in Burlington as he is in the final 16 of the singles players in the state.  While Brice in in the singles competition his Doubles partner George Shannon will team with Landon Norwood as they are East Regional champs will be in the final 16 doubles teams.

Gryphon baseball sent David Harrison to the mound and when he reach his pitch count with two outs in the top of the seventh Harrison gave up three hits struck out 13, hit one batter and walked one.  Heading to right field his teammates had staked him to a 4-0 lead.  Ben Seracki came in to strike out the only batter he faced to secure the win.

Lane Butler knocked home the first run after Jake Philbeck reached on an error.  Victor Ward was hit by a pitch to get Philbeck to second for Butler's hit. Josh Pittman brought home the second run of the inning with an rbi single.

The fifth the third run scored after back to back singles by a Spencer Ramsey and Jamar Ellis.  Two outs back to back walks and Jake Philbeck gets the rbi.  The sixth the Gryphons added the fourth and final run when Josh Pittman led off with a triple and his spot scored on a wild pitch.

The Gryphons advance to round two but must wait.  They are in the same bracket as Norwood hosting South Brunswick who play Wednesday.  If Norwood wins the Gryphons travel or if South Brunswick pulls a seedings upset they would come to us.

The Big East top two advance Hunt wins 5-2 while Southern Nash, Nash Central  and Fike all play Wednesday.

Baseball-Softball-Soccer Seedings Are Up

All five Big East baseball teams that have winning overall records have made the state playoffs.  The question I had yesterday could we move past Hunt in the seedings process the answer is no  because all teams have been seeded by their regular season record.  Conference tournament records have not been included.

Hunt 15-7 the regular season champion has a 4th seeding and they will open at home in the first round where they will host Gray's Creek 10-9 13th seed.

Rocky Mount 6th seed 14-6 will host Douglas Byrd 11th seed 12-10 on the year. This game will be played Tuesday night at 6:30 at Rocky Mount High.  Should the Gryphons win they are in the same bracket with Northwood 19-3 3 seed hosting South Brunswick 13-9.  Unless Northwood would lose the Gryphons travel in round two should they win Tuesday night.

Southern Nash 13-9 12 seed  will travel Wednesday to Rockingham County 19-3..   Nash Central 15-7 10 seed will travel 7 seed Cedar Ridge. 16-6.  Fike 12-10 16th seed will travel to top seed in east Northern Guilford 20-2

Gryphon playoff baseball Tuesday night 6:30

Softball playoffs:  Three Big East softball teams have made the playoffs.  Hunt 11-6 draws the five seed and will open at home against Walter Williams 10-9. Fike with a 14-5 record will travel as they are a nine seed because Hunt won the conference .  As a nine seed they travel to 8th seed Northwood 17-5.  Southern Nash 12th seed 12-8 will travel to five seed Grays Creek 16-3.

Soccer Playoffs:  Big East Top seed Rocky Mount 12-4-1 the 2nd seed in the east will host Eastern Alamance 7-8-1 Tuesday afternoon at 5pm.  EA is the 15 seed.

Four other teams from a big East are in. Fike 12+6-2  Big East number two is 7th seed will host 10th seed Walter Williams 8-5-1.  Nash Central 12-7 the 8th seed will host 9th seed Union Pines11-5-1.

Hunt is the nine seed 9-7-2 is on the road at Northwood 8th seed in Midwest 13-5.  Northern Nash is the fifth Big East team in soccer.  The Knights 8-8-1 are traveling a 12 seed to Western Alamance 5th seed in Midwest 11-3-1.

The Gryphons boys Tennis team has a second round home match at 4pm Tuesday against Western Alamance.  A busy day on the campus Tuesday tennis playoffs at 4pm, soccer at 5pm and baseball at 6:30.

He was disappointed when he didn't stay with the Washington Nationals out of spring training but today Brian Goodwin who is on a hot streak the last couple of weeks got the call back to Washington today.  As I write this he is not in the lineup I can See him on the bench As the Nats are in Baltimore.

Busy Week Ahead

I been trying to figure out how these baseball and softball seedings will fall out now that Rocky Mount's upset Hunt who won the Big East regular season championship beating Rocky Mount twice during the regular season but the Gryphons won the tournament.

Winning the tournament Rocky Mount joins all the other east region conference winners plus any other conference tournament upsets last week.  The Gryphons have earned a high seeding and the question now is how high.  If Rocky Mount is now in that same pool  as Hunt and Rocky Mount has a better overall 16-6 to Hunt's 16-8 will they get a higher seed than Hunt?

The seedings for softball and baseball will should be released before 6pm tonight.  The official starting date is set for Wednesday but if weather forecast looks gloomy might get pushed up to Tuesday.  The second round is set for Saturday.  Rumors abound that Max preps will not release the seedings before Tuesday.  If that is the Case how can the first round start Wednesday?

The track and field Regional will be held this weekend at Swansboro High.

Tuesday Rocky Mount Tennis team has their second round duel match hosting Western Alamance.  Friday and Saturday the Eastern Regional Doubles champions George Shannon and Landon Norwood head to Burlington for the state doubles championships.

George who has teamed with Tyler Brice for most of the season and
And he and Landon won the doubles.  Tyler Brice who finished second in the regional singles could not do both so Landon Norwood has filled in nicely.  Brice qualified finishing runner up in the singles regional.

What kind of future do these three have.  Shannon, Brice are sophomores and Norwood is a freshman.

The big news last week from the NCHSAA is the new format for playoffs for all four divisions starting in the fall.  They went to 20% 4A, 30% 3A, 30% 2A and 20 % 1A schools they have reduced the number of  4A and 1A playoff teams from 64 to 48.

This will require first round byes the first week for the higher seeded teams will be a step in the right direction to cut back on five playoff games at least for the 4A and 1A.  It will  still takes five weekends of playoffs complete.

TONY'S hustle inductees

Saturday afternoon three members of the Rocky Mount tennis team qualified the the state tournament next weekend in Burlington.  George Shannon and Landon Norwood swept through their first three matches until they met up with the doubles team from Fike.  It was a struggle but the Gryphons prevail winning in two sets to win the 3A Eastern Regional at Barton College.  They will try for the state doubles title starting next Friday in Burlington.

Singles player Tyler Brice lost one match in two days and the one he lost was the Regional final.  It is his first singles lost of the season but by finishing second he qualifies for weekends state championships.

I have been covering sports in eastern North Carolina a long time before many of you were born.  During that time I have met many people who are special people in their support of others and their support of athletics.   Many young people who I have watched that I have grown fond of because the way the play the sport they participate  in.  I call those my all hustle team.  Here is a small list of some of some special people in my eyes and two new members to my all hustle team.

Richard Sarmiento :  I don't know if any person has effected baseball in Nash County more in the last 25 years.  His love of baseball with financial backing and his ability of getting others to help.  Many teams have played in tournaments in Cooperstown and was a vital link in Babe Ruth Baseball sending teams to the World Series and almost winning in 2005.

Bill Reece:  Is there anybody in Nash County who does not know Bill.  If there is a ball game tonight some where near he will be there.  Met him when our last daughter Morgan played teeball ball at Englewood  on the same team as Bill's grandson David Williams who by the way is on my all time hustle team and proud to say graduates from Duke next weekend.

Joe Bell:  Have worked with Joe all ten years that I  have done PA for Rocky Mount Legion Baseball.  You just  don't know the time and effort he has given to Legion baseball.  Three children have been involved through the years in Rocky Mount sports an I bet many of their games he has on film.

Don Johnson:  I met DJ in the 80's.  He was at Chowan College  being a ref and I did the PA.  If I remember correctly it was  a Region Ten Junior College tournament and I did any time Chowan played I did radio and any other games did PA.  It is hard to be around DJ without feeling better.  He just had that glow that more people need.

Now my two new all Hustle team members.

Leroy Edwards Southern Nash:  I have maybe seen him play maybe ten games altogether.  I bet  there are many people who when they watch him play never know he has a handicap.  He has learned to over come his disability an play the game of baseball one handed. That's my kind of player.

Logan Pearce Rocky Mount:  I saw him the day he was born as Pat and I are great friends with his mom and dad.  He has through the years been about smallest player in the field but one of the best and he could always hit.  His high high school days he is grown up but this year his hitting has been sporadic but one thing has not left him defense.  He has not allowed his hitting to effect his play.  Made error first game of season and hasn't made one since.  That's my kind of ball player.

Time to starting looking for more people who are friends of athletics and the next hustle ball players!

Is ESPN Dying?

The mad rush by the Power Five conferences to gobble up each other because ESPN was promising  trillions of dollars to have every sporting event on TV may be heading out the door like the clothespin.

There was a day when everyone hung their clothes out on the clothesline  and of course that meant to hold  them on the line you used clothes pins.  Along comes the electric dryer or gas dryer and now for 50 years there is no need to use clothes pins.  Tried to find a clothes pin in a grocery store lately? 

Every new invention at some point in time is replaced by another invention that improved on the first invention and after a while clothes pins are an after thought.  Wood matches replace by Bic lighters. The Sears catalog has been replaced by on line buying.  We can talk all day about the way it use to be  and how it is now.

ESPN had the audacity back in the early 1980's to go for 24 hours a day sports on TV which brought about rodeo, barrel jumping, Spelling Bee, all kinds of fill time while ESPN tried to figure out what to put in front of your eyes worth watching.  Nascar was the first big success brought on by the one  sports channel.  Does any body remember who played in the first college football game on ESPN???  East Carolina at N C State 1982 a 24-22 ECU win.

As ESPN got their feet on the ground they started putting hockey on the air, college basketball and as more games were seen by the audience the more people wanted to see it but times are a changing.  The Direct TV's of the world  which has every channel  you could ever want put ESPN on more cable  homes and the more homes ESPN got greedy and wanted more for their channels that what Discovery could ask the cable companies of the world.  Then there came a point where people had been sucked dry with cable expenses and many have ways to say goodbye to cable and with out subscribers ESPN who had become the Rich kid on the block that wanted more but already had every penny of your money.

In order to offer more football or basketball they convinced colleges to create huge mega conferences with the promise from ESPN that they will pay huge dollars because people want to see Clemson and Boston College and the more viewers the more money we will divide with you. So the greedy themselves colleges fell for this long everlasting  dream that the money tree will last  and every one will be happy ever after.

Now the  poor to keep cable for the high price people have gone to other ways to see TV.  Many are going to the stick which will give you 14 or so local channels and those that are computer savvy know where to find free TV.  It has come to the point Cable is too high I will down grade and take what ever I can get.

Who is hurting most of all from this new TV viewing  by those who have fallen in the trap of cable TV.  ESPN!  They have downsized twice in the last six months.  All of this promise to these mega conferences has to slow down especially if  ESPN has to file bankruptcy in years to come and that is quite a good possibility.

I wonder in just this completed basketball season has ESPN paid up to the ACC yet on what the ACC thinks should be getting in their cut.  If they haven't they may not be getting as much as they think their cut should be.    If the money falls what's going to happen to college having to pay their teams to fly to Miami or Boston.  I wonder then will they hold each school to the 50 million dollar buy out to jump from the conference?

I can see in my crystal ball that the day could the be coming where that eight team ACC could be born again.  South Carolina, Clemson the Big four North Carolina schools, Virginia Tech and Virginia.  I think Maryland will never be in the good graces of the ACC Gods.  If all this comes full circle we will all be wanting C D Chesley back to bring us the ACC.

Gryphons Go AfterTwo Tournament Titles.

Rocky Mount girls soccer team already the Big East regular season champion 9-1 went after the tournament title hosting Hunt while the Rocky Mount boys baseball traveled to Hunt looking for a tournament title after Hunt won the regular season title going 9-1 and the Gryphons were 8-2.

Last week the boys tennis team swept through the Big East tennis tournament sweeping all nine points  in the finals.  Tonight the Lady Gryphons finished off Hunt in a shutout 5-0 to win both of their tournament matches by a combined 14-0.  The Lady Gryphons led 2-0 at the half adding three scores in the second.They will now host starting as early as next Wednesday in the state playoffs and with their record they will get maybe three home games if they keep winning but two for sure.

The conversation since Tuesday has been who between the best two baseball teams in the Big East was who has the best number two starting pitcher. Tonight  at Hunt we found both teams have a quality second man and for Rocky Mount it is freshman Ben Seracki.

Logan Pearce doubles home the tying run in the fourth after Hunt scored in the second inning. .  The fifth Rocky Mount's second  run crossed the plate after Jamar Ellis hit a sacrifice fly and that was all the scoring and the Gryphons by winning the tournament get an automatic bid to next weeks state tournament which will more than likely give them a shot at two home game starting May 10th.

Ben Seracki pitched a complete  game throwing 67 pitches.  He gave up four hits and struck out one and you can see right there it doesn't take many pitches when the other teams goes to the plate swinging the bat and you walk only two batters.

Hunt started Josh Fuller who pitched four and a third innings allowed both runs and four hits.  He did not walk a batter struck out two.  Parker Garris pitched the final two and one third innings surrendering two hits struck out four and walked a batter.

This game was played just under an hour forty and that happens when the pitching doesn't walk many.

Logan Pearce had a double and rbi and a single. Josh Pittman a single, Jamar Ellis had a single and rbi, David Harrison single and  Ben Seracki helped his cause with a hit.

The third conference tournament game was softball and it is the second game of the night to be a one run game as Hunt beats Southern Nash 4-3 in eight innings.

BIG Night In Big East

Game time Rocky Mount at Hunt moved to 6pm

The Rocky Mount boys track and field team won the Big East Championship Wednesday while the Rocky Mount girls finished second breaking their conference championship streak which goes all the way back when the Gryphons were in the Big East 4A conference.

 Rocky Mount after hanging on Tuesday in a 4-3 victory  over Southern Nash will be at Hunt Thursday at 7pm for the Big East baseball tournament title.  This game will not affect either teams standings regardless of who wins.  Hunt is the top seed from the Big East.  They won 3-0 Tuesday using their ace just like the Gryphons did.  Who has the second best pitcher will go a long way in deciding who wins the tournament

The biggest  possible effect from the championship game  is each teams over all record during the state seedings process.  There should be six conferences comprising the so called east bracket and each conference winner will be labeled 1-6.  Starting with seeding 7 they will pick and seed according to over all best record.  There are 16 teams in the state with overall better records than Rocky mount going into Thursday's game  and how many will be in the west bracket and how many in the east.  Rocky Mount just might be seeded 17th and not get a home game but that is not likely especially if they win. Both teams have plenty to play for pride and how many home games either get.

Baseball playoffs begin Wednesday the 10th and the way the state has done the bracket announcements is they probably be released Monday.

Tuesday the third seed in Big East soccer Hunt upset second seed Fike 1-0 to earn their way to a 5pm match Thursday against Rocky Mount.  Rocky Mount stands at 13-4-1 and have scored 99 goals on the year while Hunt 9-7-2 has scored 50 in 18 games.  That's 5.5 goals against 2.77.  If the Gryphons are on their games they could bring home a tournament title.  But, that is why they play the games.

 Like baseball the soccer playoffs  start the 10th and I am sure the Lady Gryphons will get at least one home game and if they survive probably two home games.  Brackets should be out Monday

Friday and Saturday Rocky Mount boys tennis will be sending five members to the regionals for the singles and doubles competition.  Tuesday the team or as it is called the dual playoffs began with Rocky mount advancing to another home game next Tuesday against Topsoil.  Tyler Brice the conference champion in singles along with Langley Salter and Ben Osterhaut will start in a bracket and each win advances them up the ladder.  As long as you win you advance.  Three wins would be needed to qualify for the state and a fourth win would be regional champion. 

 George Shannon and Landon Norwood conference tournament champions in doubles  will go through the same process in the doubles.  How strong is Rocky mount tennis this year?  During the regular season Tyler Bryce and George Shannon were the Gryphons top doubles team.  Brice who has a great shot at winning the regional singles  can not do both so Norwood has joined Shannon and they were good enough to win the conference doubles title.

Good luck to everyone!!!!

Great Day For Gryphons Athletics

Southern Nash coach Todd Brewer the poker player has won every deal this week.  He gambled last night holding his ace For and expected matchup with David Harrison tonight and despite seven errors Monday the Firebirds moved on to Rocky Mount.

Rocky Mount unloaded on Mills in the first getting a leadoff double by Josh Pittman and a bases loaded double by David Harrison scored two runs and again another bases loaded double by Logan Pearce gave Rocky Mount a seemingly unbeatable lead of 4-0 after one.

Southern didn't get Their first hit until the third.  Rocky Mount would only get two more hits off Mills after the three he gave up in the first.  Harrison walked four batters and hit one and the more the Firebirds faced Harrison the more the hits dropped.  Six in 5.2 innings and that dreaded pitch count Harrison was pulled with a runner on first and two outs.

Southern put two runs on the board in the fourth getting  three hits.  They left two runners stranded in the fifth and now in the bottom of the sixth enter Joernest Petway who had pitch the 7th last Thursday at Southern.  Petway walked two batters and in comes Josh Pittman who with two strikes hits Alex Marlowe to trim the lead to 4-3.  Still the bases are loaded.  Pittman gets a strikeout to hold the lead at 4-3.  Southern failed to get the ball out of the infield in the 7th to get the save and David Harrison gets the win.

Rocky Mount advanced to a Thursday night's conference final after Hunt with a compete game from Bryson Worrell beat Fike 3-0.

David Harrison a double and two rbi.  Logan Pearce a double and two rbi.   Leroy Edwards bases loaded single score two for the
Firebird.

Nice crowd got their money's worth as Todd Brewers gamble almost worked.

The opening round of the state tennis playoffs started in Rocky Mount as the Gryphons won all six singles matches on their way to a 7-1 victory over Northwood.  Tuesday May ninth they will host Topsail a 6-3 winner over Western Alamance.

Big East tournament soccer the Rocky Mount girls hosted  Nash Central in the semi finals and the game was stopped early in the second half with Rocky Mount winning 9-0.  Will host championship match Thursday afternoon.

Beating the Weather

Over the past several years the weather has not always been kind to Big East baseball.  There was one year the regular season had so many makeup games the regular season ended on what would have been tournament finals night.  Even had rain during tournament playing one night and rest of the tournament rained out.

We should have  expected this but a line of heavy weather was heading out way Monday night and a wise thing happened. Opening night games were moved up to 5pm.  Northern Nash at Southern Nash  and Nash Central at Fike.

 The big gamble by Southern Nash coach Todd Brewer to hold his ace to Tuesday worked just barely.  Southern best Northern Nash 6-5 to advance to Rocky Mount Tuesday in the semi finals of the Big East.  Northern's season is over.

The first time Southern Nash and Rocky  Mount met. David Harrison beat Southern and Trevor Mills 2-0.  Expect same type low scoring affair.

The other opening night game Fike beat Nash Central 2-1. Fike will now play Hunt Tuesday at Hunt. The loss for Nash Central drops them to 13-10 and no better than 4th in the Big East.  Their chances of making the state tournament next week will now depend on having a better record of All the teams that will be fill out the brackets teams.

The Rocky Mount girls softball team's season ended last night losing to Southern Nash 10-0.  After a 4-1 start in non conference games the Gryphon girls failed to win a conference game.

This has been a nice spring for Rocky Mount athletics. Tennis first place, soccer 1st place.  Baseball second and track and field boys  and girls hope to finish first or second Wednesday during conference championships

Tuesday the Rocky Mount 13-0 tennis team will host the 1st round of the state playoffs.  Undefeated they are the top seed in the east regional and will host Norwood 8th seed and 11-4.  Southern Nash11-4  is in and will travel to Chapel Hill the second seed and 12-1.  Fike 12-4 6th seed the third team from the Big East travels to Northern Guilford 10-3 the 3rd seed.

Rocky Mount High school will be holding awards night for athletics on Thursday night May 18th. Dinner will be served starting at 5pm.Those wishing to attend dinner will be $10. All athletes expecting to receive awards will eat for free but in order to receive any award any athlete might receive must attend to receive them.

The Playoff Road Begins

I am a believer that any team that has an ace pitcher that they can count on holding the opposition to a couple runs or less every game needs to pitch that pitcher the first game of the week.

I read in the Telegram Sunday that Todd Brewer the head coach of Southern Nash was going to hold his ace until Tuesday in what he hopes is a matchup with Rocky Mount again.  You can just about know that Northern Nash will pitch the best they have Monday with the beginning of the Big East baseball tournament.

Northern has nothing to lose.  If they lose Monday, Tuesday or Thursday their season is over.  The only way they will get an invite to the state playoffs is win this week's tournament otherwise their next defeat ends their season.

Rocky Mount has the same dilemma.  David Harrison has pitched  the first conference game every week this season.  Should the Gryphons save him for Thursday.  My answer is no.  Survive and advance. There is no guarantee that Southern will beat Northern any more than Rocky Mount beating either without the best available pitcher on the mound.

This pitch count deal is hard on everybody especially teams  playing three games this week. Any pitchers who throws 30 pitches Monday is out for Tuesday and any pitcher who throws 45 Tuesday is out for Thurday.

I Don't think even though they have lost only once in conference play that Hunt has more than one reliable  pitcher.   If both Rocky Mount and Hunt survive and play Thursday it will be a great gamble to save your best for Thursday.

Who ever wins this tournament will be the team with the second best pitcher in the league on their team against the other teams second best pitcher.  Southern, Fike, Nash Central and Northern will win only if every thrower they have had a great week.

Now why I want to pitch my best early every week.  Suppose there is rain Wednesday and the tournament is cancelled when it rains through Friday.  That puts me in a position my best pitcher has not pitched in two weeks when we start the playoffs. I want him still as close as possible to the same routine as possible when he throws his first pitch in the playoffs next week.

Tonight third seed Southern Nash 5-5 13-9 host Northern Nash 0-10, 5-16. The winner heads Tuesday to Rocky Mount 8-2 14-6.  Fike 4-6 12-11 host Nash Central 4-6 13-9.  The winner plays Hunt Tuesday at Hunt 8-1 15-7.