Gryphon Basketball Begins Friday

Mike Gainey will begin basketball season for the first time in six years with the entire team when the first game is played. The success of the football team in the recent past has prevented basketball from practicing in the preseason with the whole squad. Gainey has had his whole team all this week in preparations for the season opener Friday.

Both the boys and Pam Gainey's girls will be in the Knightdale High tournament which will have four girls and four boys teams tournament.

The boys with the influx of three transfer players should be the odds on favorite to win the first Big East basketball regular season title. The girls have already had a season ending injury to to the probable starting point guard which dampens hopes.

Early season looks: Carolina Basketball the defending national champions in college basketball already have a lost on the season to Syracuse who is no slouch. Sure seems to me that the Heels have a team full of 6 feet ten inch players that weight one hundred eighty five pounds. Point guard looks like another concern. Down year in Chapel Hill so they will probably will only win twenty two this year.

We will get a real good look at Duke tonight as they play in the semi finals of the Preseason NIT in New York. If I had to guess right now Duke is better than carolina but not by much. Duke does have better guards.

In Raleigh N C State is off to a 4-0 start. The past few years State has had a really good front line and poor guard play. This year the guards are better but not by much. Eighteen wins would be a great season for the Wolfpack.

E C U what more needs to be said. Basketball power Campbell has already beaten the Pirates. I just don't understand why year in and year out football and baseball hold their own in Greenville but basketball takes a back seat.

Saturday Tar heel football visits the Wolfpack with a Florida bowl game on the line for the Tar Heels. All indications are that the Heels should dominate. Why Don't I think so? State is terrible on defense but Carolina is not that good on offense. The Carolina defense scores more points than it's offense but State can move the ball. Don't be surprised if there is move blue in the stands than red.

First time In Six Years

Rocky Mount High School's football ball team will not practice on Thanksgiving day for the first time since 2003. Regardless of what happens the rest of the way for any team still playing, to me Thanksgiving Friday was the bench mark that you have had an excellent season. Rocky Mount was three and two during those Friday after Thankgiving games.

How about Edgecombe County: All three high schools are still alive in their divisions.

Just maybe the biggest game in the state Friday night will be played in Pinetops. Two time defending State champions Reidville will make a visit to rural Edgecombe County to take on SouthWest Edgecombe. The winner here will be the odds on favorite to win it all in two more weeks.

Tarboro as a number six seed has a home game Friday. Whiteville upset First flight and as a seven seed will travel.

North Edgecombe hits the road for the first time traveling to Jones County. who would have ever thought in mid September that the Warriors would still be playing football now.

Big East Lone Survivor Southern Nash will make a trip down I-95 and get off on exit 40. Grays Creek will be a stiff test for the Firebirds. If I recollect Southern has not made it to the third round since 1991. I do remember that distinctly. The second round matchup that year was against Hertford County and the game was played at Southern in a driving rain storm. Southern won 18-14. I was in the booth calling the game for Hertford County.

Speaking of Hertford County they have a matchup Friday night against Havelock our old Big East conference member friends. Hertford has won both playoff games without their starting quarterback who is recovering from hairline fracture in his shin. His replacement just threw five touchdown passes this past week against Western Alamance.

Thanksgiving on this blog we will give you the top ten games of the decade in Gryphon football.

Bits And Pieces

I don't know if you saw this on channel five sports Thursday night or not but the "Extra Effort Award" winner last week was Mary Katherine Price from Fike. Most of the time when any athlete is high lighted it is because of athletics. Prince not only is the the best tennis player in the conference but she has never had a grade below an A in high school. She is the president of three clubs at Fike that she is in. I recommend going on line and viewing this story. It is a good one.

Both Hunt and Rocky Mount soccer teams lost to Jacksonville by 5-0 scores in the soccer playoffs. Jacksonville lost on Friday in the semi-finals in the state by a 2-1 score. Good grief. How good do you have to be to win a state title.

The State 2-AA football championship may be played in Pine Tops Friday night. SouthWest Edgecombe host Reidsville the two time defending champion who has won 45 in a row. I think
Sandra Langley probably needs to get with Mike Gainey and move that game to the RMAC. There could be 10,000 there for that game and with their field in a mess that might be a good move.

Terrell Hudgins regular season career came to a close Saturday as he keeps adding records. He had ten catches for 144 yards which is the 28th time in his career he has had at least 100 yards in a game. He caught a touchdown pass for the 33rd time in a game. Thinking back, I don't think he has played in but 42 games. If you remember he broke his foot and missed I think two games his freshman year.

He will play at least one more as Elon meets Richmond in the first round of the division one FCS playoffs at Richmond.

Appalachian State is back to try to retake the title Richmond won last year.

North Carolina meets N C State Saturday with the Chic-fil-A bowl on the line for the Heels. This will be a game of two defenses. One (Carolina's) has gotten better while States defense can't stop anybody.

Michigan losing to Ohio State Saturday finished 1-7 in the Big Ten.

I would suspect Tim Tebow will win the Heisman Trophy but I think this is a year that any body could win it. Voting for the Heisman is like voting for the top twenty each week. If you don"t see them play, how can you vote for or against anyone or team?

New Orleans and Indianpolis remain unbeaten in pro football. I just don't think Indy will make it to the Super Bowl.

Look what happen to Oakland when they put an average quarterback in the game. They finally gave up on Russell and won. If they keep their defense and get at least an average quarterback next year they could be trouble for San Diego in the AFC West.

Thursday we will high lite the top games of the decade in Gryphon football.

Greatest Gryphon Plays Of The Decade

The finish of this year's football season has brought to a close maybe the best decade of football in Gryphon History.The 60's produced two State titles and it is hard to not say the 60's wasn't the best. This decade the first of the 21 st Century has produced more victories than any other 93. If not the best decade this one has been outstanding.

I proposed a question to Wes Bradshaw and Charles Alston. What are your top ten plays of the decade? Between the three of us we have come up with fifteen of what we are calling the Greatest Gryphon Plays Of the Decade.

15

Derrick Downey's 100 yard interception return against Hunt in 2003. Last play of the game, Rocky Mount leads by two touchdowns Hunt goes for end zone and Downey picks off the pass at the goal line and streaks for a touchdown. It is the only play of 100 yards or more in Gryphon history.

14

Jordan Ford's 95 yard kickoff return to open the 2008 game at Hunt. Big crowd on hand, in fact most of them were still in line buying tickets at Hunt when Ford fielded the kick. This play shocked Hunt and the Gryphons rolled 44-6.

13

Jason Tyler's 99 yard touchdown pass to Brandon Arrington. It is the longest play from scrimmage this decade. Who would think that you would try to pass on your own one, but B W Holt did and in 2005 Gryphon history is made against Kinston.

12

Terrell Hudgins 88 yard pass to Will Johnson at Rose in 2004. This play showed the Gryphons that they could play with Rose a team that had dominated them the last ten years. The 41-33 Gryphon win was the first sign that the 2004 Gryphons were going to be special

11

Nick Hahula's 84 yard run against Western Alamance in the Eastern Finals in 2007. Hahula on a championship stage showed everyone he was more than just the Gryphon kicker.

10

Demetric Marshall's 86 yard run from scrimmage against Hunt. The Gryphons are being shutout against Hunt. One run and the whole game changes and the Gryphons come from behind to win. This is part of Marshall's 2,100 yard rushing season and 30 touchdowns both Gryphon records.

9

Mike Mason's catch and run of a Terrell Hudgins pass in 2002 against Hunt. a simple pass, throw it out to the sidelines and let Mason Run. He did 74 yards later the Gryphons scored the only points to be scored in this defensive dominated game.

8 and 8A

Collins Cuthrell is part of two plays on one drive that leads to maybe the most exciting ending to a Northern Nash - Rocky Mount game. Northern leads 12-7 and the Gryphons are driving. Cuthrell rolls left, he is swamped by two Northern defenders and he is on the way down for a sack when he flips the ball over his shoulder to a waiting Marquavis Alston who streaks from the 23 to the five. Four plays later on fourth down from the four yard line Cuthrell once again rolls left and is hit at the three yard line but somehow gets the ball to the goal line and a Gryphon Victory.

7

Defeat is at hand. Down 19-17 to Southern Nash with only 75 second to play. The 2009 Gryphon team finds a way as Collins Cuthrell hits a wide open Jordan Ford for a 60 yard touchdown pass. Pandemonium breaks out from the field to the stands and in the pressbox as the Gryphons win their first late minute game of the decade.

6

The opening game of the 2002. Rocky Mount travels to Byrd who just the year before embarrassed the Gryphons in Rocky Mount. Byrd dedicated the press box to their legendary coach Bob Paroli. There was no one on Byrd's side thought they would lose to the Gryphons. The Gryphons lead most of the game but a fourth quarter rally by Byrd gets the score to 20-19 Gryphons. Byrd goes for the win but a team play by the Gryphons defense stops the two point conversion. Gryphons win 20-19. This play is the turnaround that the Gryphons needed to get started their run this decade.

5

Donavan Sinclair's punt return against Hunt in 2007. Tied 20-20 in the fourth quarter but momentum is now with Hunt. The Gryphon defense forces a punt. One play the Gryphons go from hanging on to victorious as Sinclair returns the punt to the house and the Gryphons win 27-20.

4

If there was ever a team play of the decade this is it. Rocky Mount leads SouthWest 7-0. The custom during the NEW-6 era was the winner of SouthWest -Rocky Mount would win the conference championship. The Cougars have a fourth down on the Gryphon goal line. There is no forward push and the spot says the Gryphons have held. This victory wins a conference championship and preserves a third undefeated regular season for the Gryphons this decade.

3

Stephan Virgil's punt return against Northern Nash in 2003. Highly favored Rocky Mount is down in the fourth quarter to the Knights. Virgil fields a punt and follows a wall 74 yards to tie the game. The Gryphons go into a feeding frency and on the following kickoff cause a fumble and the Gryphons comeback from the dead to beat Northern.

2

Brian Goodwin's strip of the ball against SouthWest Edgecombe in 2007. Rocky Mount is preserving a 15-12 lead with less than a minute to play. A SouthWest receiver catches a pass and is wide open streaking for the end zone. Goodwin chases him down and in the process strips the ball away and the Gryphons recover at the five yard line. This play preserved the victory, a conference championship and undefeated season.

1

Double Over time. New Bern has just taken the lead on Rocky Mount and Rocky Mount responds and score to cut the lead to 35-34. Everyone at New Bern this night readies themselves for a third overtime but hold the phone. B W Holt goes for the win. Terrell Hudgins rolls right is hit at the one yard line and falls across the goal line. Gryphons pull off upset of New Bern and win conference crown and go unbeaten in the regular season for the first time this decade.

This play by far is the top guts call of the decade. Holt decides to put the blame on his shouders if doesn't work. Instead Gryphon fans realize that they do have a Hall of Fame Coach.

There you have it. What we consider The Greatest Gryphon Plays Of the decade and to this point of the 21 st Century. Have we left any out? Let us know if you have one that needs to be on this list.

There are great efforts made in every game by players. Some because they win games or help win championships become more valuable over time than others.

This Has been A Great Sports Fall.

The football team's lost last night officially ended the fall sports programs at Rocky Mount High. Every sport during the fall advanced beyond the the conference and made the playoffs.

Cross Country; The boys team finished third in the regular season which qualified them to the regional. They didn't finish high enough at the regional to advance to the state.

The girls finished second in the conference which qualified them to the regional and they finished high enough to qualify for the State meet. The girls finished 16th at the state meet.

Volley ball: Undefeated conference play highlighted the Big East champs season. Lost a heartbreaker in the second round of playoffs.

Tennis: Tied Fike for the regular season conference championship. The team lost out in the third round of the playoffs. The doubles team of Lindsey Thomas and Kate Gray advanced all the way to the state doubles title match before losing. Addie Keeter and Caroline Nelson made to the the state championship weekend.

Soccer: Lost four times in 26 matches. Advanced to the third round of playoffs after finishing second to Hunt in the regular season.

Football: Finished second in the regular season. Lost out in second round of state playoffs. Finished season on high note winning four of their last five.

Tomorrow my blog will feature the best plays of this decade in Gryphon football. This program won 93 games in ten years which is nine wins a year. In order to win that many there were some outstanding plays along the way.

Trojans End Gryphon Season

The opening drive of the game gave the Gryphons a clue that they had a chance to move the football on South Johnston until the Gryphons ran out of downs near the twenty five. The Trojans first drive also showed Rocky Mount that it was going to be a hard night to stop the short pass attack of South Johnston as South Johnston went down the field three straight times in the first half.

The good news for the Gryphons was that Rocky Mount kept the ball away from the Trojans so they could only score three out of three times to lead 21-6 at the half. Rocky Mount scored on their third drive deep into Trojans territory on a Marquavis Alston run to cut the lead to 14-6 with less than three minutes in the half,but South Johnson only needed five plays to go 65 yards for the 21-6 at the half.

It didn't look as if things were going to be much better in the second half as the Trojans took the second half kickoff and wasted little time in making it 28-6 early in the third quarter. Then it seemed that the Trojans tried for the knockout punch and tried a couple of deep passes in which the Trojans misfired and after holding the Trojans the Gryphons streaked down the field to cut the lead to 28-12 on a Jordan Ford Run.

The Gryphons tried an onside kick but it was ruled the Gryphons touched the ball before it went ten yards and yet the Gryphons got the ball back holding South Johnston for the second straight time.

The fourth quarter saw the Gryphons faced with a fourth and fifteen at their own thirteen yard line. Collins Cuthrell acted as if he was going to rugby kick the ball which has become the fade in college football but instead stopped turned and threw to a waiting Jordan Ford on a screen pass and Jordan went sixty five yards before the Trojans tackled him at their twenty two yard line. The Gryphons punched it in and for a moment the South Johnson fans sat dazed at Rocky Mount went for two to cut it to a one touch down game and failed and that left the score at 28-18.

The killer play of the night was the return on the Squibb kick which was fielded near the thirty two yard yard and before the runner was down they were inside our twenty five yard line. It was easy pickings from there and South Johnston lead 35-18 and the Gryphons never scored again.

The Gryphons finish the season 7-5 and three of their losses came at Hertford who beat and old Nemesis of both us 54-10 in Western Alamance. Hertford County is 13-0 on the season. Southwest Edgecombe who was muddied out tonight stands at 11-0 and tonights loss to South Johnston is 12-1. That's a combine 36- 1 record in three of our five losses are to very good teams.

Southern Nash Spotted Hunt a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and preceded to beat Hunt 20-10. Good going Firebirds.

Tarboro Took care of business beating Roanoke Rapids 45-7 to advance to round three. North Edgecombe cracked unbeaten Crestwell 40- 6.

All three Edgecombe County schools are still playing and Southern Nash now carries the banner for Nash County.

Here is a heads up on my Sunday blog we will feature the fifteen greatest plays of the 21st century for Gryphon football who went during the first decade of this century 93-36. That occurred even after the 2000 team went 3-8 and 2001 5-6.

Ready To Rumble

Round two of the state high school playoffs is only twenty four hours away and for the first time in almost two years in playoff football Rocky Mount enters a playoff game as the underdog.

The fourth round game at Western Alamance in 2007 and the third round game also against W A in 2006 are the only playoff games since 2006 that the Gryphons are not the favorite. The Gryphons lost both the 2007 game 50-37 and 06 game 41-37.

South Johnston plays host to the Gryphons in round two and according to The Fanstatic 50 the 11-1 Trojans will only be a one point favorite against the 7-4 Gryphons. I think the Trojans schedule has a lot to do with that, having played only two teams all year with winning records.

South Johnston will throw the ball maybe forty times in this game so it will be vital for the Gryphons to create a pass rush. During the season the Gryphons have very few sacks mainly due to the fact the Gryphons have not played a team that throws the ball.

All you have to due is recollect to last year in the eastern finals when West Craven threw 52 times and beat the Gryphons. However the Trojans don't have a quarterback or receiver like they faced in West Craven last year.

As is this Gryphon team's nature. I am picking the Gryphons 21-17

The other bracket game to look to will be the Douglas Byrd traveling to West Brunswick. This is the game where the SJ/RM winner meets in round three. If the Gryphons pull off the upset Friday night they would get a home game in the third round against Byrd. If West Brunswick wins the SJ/RM winner travels to Shallotte on Thanksgiving Friday night. Don't be surprised if the Gryphons play home one more time this year.

If you have seen me in my gold Chevy luv pickup truck since football season started then you know my parking pass into the back gate to RMAC is dangling on my review mirror. Even though last Friday night we thought was the last home game my parking pass will be dangling until the season is over.

When the playoffs are over the Big East in their first year will finish with a winning record since all three teams won in the first round. Hunt will host Southern Nash Friday night for the second time this year. Whichever team loses will not count as a lost for the conference since they are playing each other.

SouthWest Edgecombe is home Friday facing Northside out of Jacksonville. I think the Cougars will not be stuck in the mud like last week.

Tarboro visits Roanoke Rapids and even on the road in the second round Tarboro should advance easily.

North Edgecombe will play in a second round game for the first time in a long time as they travel to Creswell. Creswell is 11-0 and NE is only 6-4 but the Fantastic 50 is favoring the Warriors by seven.

Chris Lee will play in the second round with his Louisburg football team. Lee who left Rocky Mount in January to become head football coach at the burg is 9-3 this year and is traveling to East Bladen Friday. EB is 12-0.

Radio time for the pregame show on am 1390 begins at 7.00pm. Please go to Four Oaks and support this improving Gryphon football team. If you decide to stay home we will have the kickoff at 7.30.