High Schools Sports Cranking Up

It is only the first week of August and every high school in the area is preparing in every sport to crank up the real games for August 15th start.  Football of course has scrimmages line up before the August 19th first football game.

August 10 Northern Nash has a scrimmage at Lee County.

Southern Nash will be at Rocky Mount along with a third team and will scrimmage August 11th at 6pm.

August 15th boys soccer season starts when Northern Nash visits Bunn.  Rocky Mount travels to Rose.

August 16th Southern Nash skips over to Bunn while North Pitt open soccer season at Nash Central.

Volleyball season begins August 15th when Southern Nash  visits Smithfield Selma.

Conley visits Northern Nash on the 16th

Rocky Mount has a home match with Ayden Grifton at 5pm on the 19th just before the football team on Friday at home against South Granville.

Rocky Mount Academy begins the second season under Terrell Hudgins as they host Bethel Christian from Kinston.  This is a non conference game for the Eagles.  Football being the  so called money making sport that help supplement all the other sports will not conclude the regular season until the First Friday night in November.  By that time Cross Crountry, Tennis, Volleyball and soccer wil be well into their playoffs before football even starts the playoffs.

The biggest regular season football game in the history of North Carolina Wesleyan College will be the home opener for the Battling Bishops on September 10th.  They will host the Division III defending National Champions Mount Union.  It will be the second game Of the season as the Bishops open the season September 2nd at Stevenson.

The Fog is Clearing

Yesterday on this blog I mention that Britt Johnson had been named the Interim baseball coach at Lander.  This all came about one day last week and I had been holding off saying anything at all until I knew for sure where interim stood in Britt Johnson case.

You would think interim means you will fill in until Lander decides what direction they will go to find a new coach.  After serving with Kermit Smith at Lander and the Bearcats having made the College World Series two of the last three years Kermit Smith was a hot commodity and Division One teams hoping to improved their baseball program came looking.  Kermit Smith was scooped up by Appalachian State University.

Any time any team is successful it is not only the head coach but those who work for him as well as players who make it all work.  You would think the coach would bring his staff with him since he is familiar with their work ethic.

So in order to make sure Lander is not left out to dry Britt has acted as head coach waiting for Lander to decide which way they would go.  They also had schedule baseball camps that needed to be taken care of.  I can tell you Lander has been silent the last few days with no information at all coming from them since the announcement that Britt was named interim coach.

The waiting is over. Tuesday Kermit Smith announced on Twitter that "Baseball" Britt Johnson will be joining his staff at App State.  Too early to say which assistants job it is right now but we can now say that "Baseball will be coaching D1 Baseball.  WAY TO GO "BASEBALL".

The University of North Carolina has responded to the allegations which have been hanging over campus for nearly five years from the NCAA.  I haven't read any of pages but it doesn't appear Carolina is not  admitting to too much.

Trade Deadline Passes

The Washington Nationals went out over the weekend and picked up their top priority a closer to go with what might be the best starting rotation in the National League.  They did it without giving up one top prospect or main line player.  The result Brian Goodwin is still property of the Washington Nationals playing in Syracuse New York.

Syracuse is in last  place in the International League so I would suspect the first chance now for Brian Goodwin to make it to the Major Leagues will come in September when AAA players get called up and Brian is on the Nationals 40 man roster.

Hobbs Johnson pitched one inning over the weekend playing for his new team the Sioux City Explorers.  He gave up one run on two hits.  He hasn't pitched in over a month since being cut by the Milwaukee Brewers.  He just joined Sioux City Thursday so to pitch one inning is a big step in his effort to get picked up by another major league team.

Britt Johnson was named the interim head baseball coach of Lander University.   Britt has come a long way in a short time from being a high school baseball player who only had two at bats in his high school career and got one hit.

He coached Babe Ruth while in college and was assistant at Nash Central and helped with Post 58.  He went to Lander without a job to be a Volunteer.  He has done every dirty job that had to be done.  His dedication to want to be a college baseball coach paid off when he became a paid assistant for Kermit Smith.  The last three years he has been assistant and third base coach.

I am not sure whether there is a search for a head coach or whether Britt will be the head coach for next year which if that happens will be a trial to make it a permanent arrangement.  Regardless Britt has earned his chance and good luck as Lander Baseball goes toward.

Highschoolot.com is expanding their high school coverage this high school football season and they have come out with their top 15 for this year in the WRAL.TV viewing area.  Middle Creek is number one, Rocky Mount is 7th and Tarboro 9th in their preseason forecast.

I don't really get into all the hype when players are rated high and are going to be the next great college player.  I want to see them in action and the same in preseason polls about how good teams are going to be.  I know you can look at what players did last year and how many are coming back and be hopeful about the coming season.  One injury or one player not fitting in can cause a team never to reach potential.

It Is ECU's Time

Those of you that were around in the mid 1970's know that probably one of the greatest College administrators Of his time was Leo Jenkins at East Carolina University.  He had the audacity to
ask for a medical school for Eastern North Carolina.

Those in Raleigh and Chapel Hill fought tooth and nail  to keep it from happening but just maybe the tilt in ECU's favor was NC State scratching ECU's back that if we get a Veterinary  school we will vote for you to get a medical school.  Down right politics at it's best.  At the time ECU was just one of the other schools in the UNC system.

Today Pitt Memorial no longer but Vidant is now the epicenter of medicine in Eastern North Carolina.  One square mile from the hospital  medical clinics are every where.   The city of Greenville has gone from a town about the size of Kinston 15,000 to over taking Rocky Mount as it hits 60,00 and still growing.

Today ECU no longer just one of the other UNC campus's to the second largest in the system.  It will probably be hard to pass NC State in the number of students because ECU is about out of real estate while State has lots of acreage in the centennial campus left untouched.

Many years now ECU has begged the ACC for membership.  The TV set world the ACC needed and already with four schools in state what could ECU give to the ACC.   So the  Pirate nation has gone to anybody in any conference that would have them.

Both candidates running for governor looking votes have both sent letters to the Big 12 and giving their thumbs up for ECU admission.   There are 22 Power Five conferences schools smaller than ECU.  There are not many that have grown at the rate ECU has.

ECU has a top rate football stadium filled every Saturday.  Not many baseball teams play in any thing better than the Pirates.  Basketball has never got out of the shadow of the Triangle but the Big 12 is a football conference first so the Pirates could hold their own.

ECU has played second fiddle long enough.  It's time for the Power Five for ECU!!!!!  Texas and Oklahoma the Pirates need your votes.  If they come ECU's way everyone else in the Big 12 will follow.

Everybody Today Is Undefeated

Monday is the beginning of the new school year sports season.  The glamour sport is football but soccer, cross country, volleyball, women's golf and tennis all start their seasons too.  In every case every team or indivual sport everyone right now thinks they can win a championship.

In every case every single player will dedicate themselves to their sport.  The very first time each player performs in action some will be better than others while some not so good.  As the season progresses some of the better performers will improve and some of those who were not that good in the beginning will bring their level of performance that will make them proud.  Some will never improve more than one of he worse on the team.

Whatever level our kids will be there is a common thread in each.  Some will give up never expecting to improve.  Those that stick it out to the end will have a deep love for what they do.  Their is something in their soul that everyday they will go to practice to get better regardless of their performance level.  When their season is over those who stuck it out will have a swelling in their heart knowing they did their best.

All sports have something in common.  Every time their is an event parents, family and friends will be the only people there  to watch them.  Football of course is the exception.  Every sport except football no one will be their to watch.  So every time an athlete improves few will know of it. Parents will watch as if it is life or death regardless of the level of their child.  When the event ends tears of joy for  the winners and pride of those who tried their best.

Once each season ends champions will be named. Allstars recognized and it will be time to begin the process all over again in winter sports.  Those who are there when there sport ends will all be better for their experiences.   They will all be able to say  I finished something I started.  Sports is one of the great teachers in life.  You can take the easy way out and quit.  Nothing is accomplished by quitting.

Who Is Really A Super Star

This weekend the final of the so called majors golf championships is being played out in Pennslyvania.  Last year at this time Jordan Speith was the sensation of golf and was the heir apparent to be the next Tiger Woods.

Exceptional athletes regardless of the sport generally speaking play their sport at a higher level than most other players everyday.  It seems in the golf world when players hit hot streaks they stay hot for about six weeks.  What is a hot streak.  Just about any professional golfer can shoot 70-72 with their eyes closed every day.  If they can't they will not make the cut week after week.  The Jason Days of the world throw in a 65 almost every weekend.

When the great ones are in that zone they make every putt.  They make those 35 footers that break three feet.  They don't miss anything inside five feet.  The putter makes the dough.  If you ever notices during those hot putting streaks the great one's will last about six weeks.  There are exceptions to the rule Like a Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus who never had bad stretches.  A bad week was 10th place.  You hardly ever heard where Jack or Tiger missed a cut.

Jordan Speith started out like the latest great sliced bread.  Yet he has his weeks where he plays like he has never played golf before.  Most of the time it is because his putter is not saving him.  Tiger Woods could hit a golf ball three thousand miles but he was not that accurate a driver but what he could do is make every putt.

Most all the the great ones these days hit it a country mile.  When the putter is working they are great.
The putter makes up for those wild tee shots.  Probably the longest hitter on tour is Dustin Johnson. I am glad he finally won a major because he has been so close and yet either his putter or the rule book have cost him in the past.  He could probably have at least four majors if he could putt.

Today golf equipment is so advanced that if you can't hit it 300 yards and keep it out of the deep rough you can't shoot 67 everyday.  The Majors are most of the time played on the so call tough courses where anything in the 60's is good.  Most of the time the great ones each week are  making  the putts.  This week because it is called a major the winner will be called a great one.
       

McCarthy To Coach East-West Soccer in 2017

Long time soccer coach at Northern Nash Joe McCarthy has been named the 2017 East coach during the East West All Star  boys soccer game  during the North Carolina High School Coaches Association convention next July.

Rocky Mount's Jason Battle will assist Scotland County's Richard Bailey  during the football game next year.

During the 2015/16 school year I announce that Nash Central basketball coach Renny Taylor had won from the Sons Of The American Revolution the History teacher of the year award.  He received the award this month in Charlotte.  Read the story in this week's Nashville Graphics.

During my blog yesterday I stated that the Gryphon football team needed to stay healthy as last year's team seemed whenever a player went down someone was there to pick them up.  Yes the rumors are true Sherrod Green has a broken hand in a non-football injury.  He should miss the first three games.

The Brian Goodwin watch continues as the Major League trade deadline approaches.  Trea Turner started in centerfield for the Washington Nationals Wednesday  getting three hits in what could be Brian's place in the outfield.  He is doing everything he can to get other teams to notice as he hit home run number ten on the  season which is  Syracuse's number two  HR hitter.  He is hitting 293 with 25 doubles tops on the Chiefs.  Sure looks like no room in Washington for Brian Goodwin and the clock ticks on the trade deadline.

Benton Moss is 5-7 in the Florida State League in Port Charlotte Florida.  His ERA is 4.17 having pitched 99.1 innings.  He has given up 95 hits and struck out 92.  Benton has walked 27 batters in 99 innings which is a  desire of every pitcher to keep men off base by the free pass.  Any thing under three per nine innings is excellent Benton stands at 2.45 per nine innings pitched.There is no reason at this point that AA  is next stop up the ladder next year for  Benton Moss.

Collins Cuthrell is not having the season he needed to be noticed by any major league team.  His averaged is 211 with eight home runs which is the leader at Florence Kentucky.  Since Florence is not a team associated with any major league team and Collins' year is not what he expected this is probably the last month coming up of his playing career.  Might coaching be next.

Hobbs Johnson headed Monday to Iowa where he would like to pitch for the rest of the summer  to stays in the eyes of all major league teams after being cut by Milwaukee last month. Thursday his named appeared on the roster of Sioux City X's.  The Explorers are in the American Associations which is an independent league where all players looking to impress major league teams just like Collins Cuthrell has been doing with Florence Kentucky.

How fleeting is success.  Just two months ago Whit Merrifield was the talk of Kansas City.  He had acquired the nickname two hit Whit referring to getting two hits every game.  Wednesday Kansas City sent Merrifield back to Omaha after batting just 170 in July.  There is hope in Kansas City's eyes for Merrifield as they announced he would be back in September if not before.