Long Ride Home

The expectations of a second state title in three years came tumbling home in the bottom of the seven inning tonight in Shallotte.

West Brunswick Pitcher Jay Gause fires a one hitter a two run homer in the first inning from Collins Cuthrell after Spencer Bell had walked to give Rocky Mount a 2-0 lead.

Benton Moss pitched six inning but tonight the Trojan batters sprayed hits all over the field. Nine of their ten hits came off Benton Moss who left the game after six in a 2-2 tie.

WB scored in the bottom of the first, bottom of the sixth and the bottom of the ninth with single runs to advance to round three with a 3-2 victory over the Gryphons.

Despite being hit all over the place Moss kept the Gryphons in the game with nine strike outs and a couple of walks. Parker Helms made a gem of a defensive of a play after West Brunswick got three hits in the third, Helms threw a runner trying to score out at home to keep the Gryphons ahead 2-1.

The top of the seventh brought on an incident in which Michael Whitehead hit a foul ball and Benton Moss was tossed out of the game. Kent Cox brought Hobbs Johnson in to the bottom of the seventh where three straight runners reached base on a hit , a walk , then a intentional walk. A ground ball was hit to Matthew Berry at first but by the time the throw got home the winning run had scored.

If you have read any of my blogs over the past week I was concerned about the Gryphon hitting and tonight despite giving up ten hits the pitching kept the Gryphons in the game but the bats never got going against an extremely good Jay Gause.

It sure will be a long ride home tonight for the Baseball team.

This makes twice this season a Gryphon team has ended it's season in the playoffs at West Brunswick. Girls basketball lost by four in the second round during basketball season.

If you watch the news tonight on Channel Five then you saw Nash Central's Jasmine Williams win this week's Extra Effort award from Tom Suitor. Jasmine will be competing this weekend in the state track championships where she just might be the favorite to win the high jump.

I don't know what I would do if I didn't have friends. Gene Taylor has be feeding me an inning by inning recap of the Gryphon game. Gene thanks a million. I owe you one.

Northern's Claytor Qualifies For Nationals

Former Northern Nash golfer Daniel Claytor(2009) begins play today in the Division II National Men's golf championship being held in Indiana. Claytor qualified by finishing second in the South/Southeast Regional Division II tournament two weeks ago when in 54 holes he shot 5 under par. Claytor is a freshman at Barton College.

Can Legion Post 58 Repeat as Area 1 champs and make it back back to the state tournament this year being played in Asheboro? The pieces start to fall in place this weekend at head coach Hank Jones holds try outs for this years squad. The try outs will be held @NCWC at 3.00pm Saturday . Jones will be assisted this year by former Gryphon and now JV Baseball coach at Nash Central "BaseBall" Britt Johnson.

Right now only eleven dates with two double header are on the schedule pending the out come of Gryphon baseball's success in the state high school playoffs. If there was one thing learned last year when the schedule was reduced to less than fifteen regular season games, was that with all our teenagers can do these days playing ball every night is not on their priority list. Reducing the schedule gave them free time most nights until the playoffs hit.

If no games are added the first game will be in Wilson at Fleming Stadium on June 8th. Those who attended the playoffs last year remember the fifth game in the playoffs against Wilson last year Post 58 scored two runs to tie and then added one more in the bottom of the ninth to get past Wilson and make it to the eastern finals against Cary.

Most if not all home games this year will return to Gryphon Stadium.

Baseball team pulled out at 12.15 for the journey to West Brunswick and with clearing skies it looks like baseball tonight for the Gryphons. Boy wouldn't this be a good one for the radio?

First pitch is scheduled for 6.00pm at West Brunswick high school. The weather man is promising clearing skys as the day goes on so it looks like BASEBALL TONIGHT for those who can get there

Sports Banquet Thursday

Thursday night starting at 5.00pm all athletes who played any sport at Rocky Mount high school and earned a letter will be recognized. The dinner starts at 5.00pm and the awards portion will start close to 5.45. All athletes meals will be free but all others are $10.

Baseball travels Tuesday in round two of the state 3-A playoffs. The game is scheduled for the first pitch at 6.00pm. If you are a nine to five person and are planning on going you will have to get off early to get there. Can you imagine riding an activity bus that far. Just because of the length of the trip puts this game in jeopardy even before the Gryphons step on the field against a good WB team.

You know in the majors some times the starting pitcher is sent ahead of the team so he will be rested when it is time to pitch.

There is still one week of practice for all area members of track teams that qualified for the state meet this weekend.

Sometimes it pays to just be lucky. I have tried to keep you abreast of my cousin Lauren Doughtie travails on the Futures golf tour. This weekend they were in Kansas and Lauren shot 74 on Friday to be tied for 66th spot after day one.

Saturday through nine holes she was five over for the day heading to miss the cut when Monsoon rains moved in and postponed round two to Sunday. Sunday morning rain was still falling and the tournament cancelled. The tournament decided the top 72 would be paid for their first round scores. Lauren cashes in for the second time this season.

Carolina baseball is in a lot of trouble now that they were swept by Virginia over the weekend. Boston College with a 13-14 conference record is in seventh place. State is now 12-15 and Carolina is 11-16. Boston College could easily lose all three this weekend at Georgia Tech. State will probably take 2 of 3 from Duke at home. This leaves Carolina having to sweep Florida State to tie N C State. Carolina has the tie breaker with State. If BC loses all three and Carolina sweeps FSU then Carolina could get eighth shooting by BC.

Southern Nash EEKS out Regional Title

Last week on their home track Nash Central dominated the conference track meet but yesterday in the regionals Southern Nash pulled a surprise by beating Nash Central by a single point also on Nash Central's track again.

Southern Nash accumulated 66 points after all the sweating was done on hot muggy day while Nash Central points counted up only 65. Fellow conference member Fike finished third with 53 while Rocky Mount finished in 10th spot with 28 points.

The lone individual champion in any event for Rocky Mount was Winston Hines winning the triple jump.

Lady Gryphon tracksters who won the conference crown finished second to South Central in the girls race for the regional title..

Danita Whitaker won the shot put for the Lady Gryphons and the relay team of Latoya Apllewhite, Marquita Hines, Aerostata Brown, and Zikeena Hines won the 4x400 relay for Rocky Mount.

The 3A- and 4-A state track meet is next weekend.

TV dominates sports schedules but can any one explain to me why with Boston, Orlando, Phoenix and LA as the final four in that all four do not play today as part of a double header? La and Phoenix start play Monday Night. If TV wants ratings then they blew this scheduling. As Forest Gump would say"stupid is that stupid does".

UVA baseball may be the best pitching staff in all of college baseball. The Rocky Mount Gryphons are maybe the best pitching staff in North Carolina high school baseball. What do they have in common? If neither hits the ball the pitchers can't win it by themselves. Virginia got two solid games from their pitchers yesterday and like to lost both games to the Tar Heels. Losing both games yesterday puts the Tar Heels a game behind N C State and 1.5 games behind Boston College to make the ACC baseball tournament. Next week is it for the college baseball regular season.

Unwritten rules- There seem to be many in baseball. During the perfect game last week by Dallas Braden there were words passed between the pitcher and the batter Evan Longoria when the batter tried to bunt in the fifth inning while the perfect game was going on. On this one I say do what it takes to win if the only way to get on base is bunt do it.

About a month ago the same pitcher fussed with Alex Rodriguez after returning to first base on a foul ball he took a short cut across the mound to get back to first. I am with Braden on this one. The pitching mound belongs to the pitcher while he is pitching so I consider this off limits to a batter.

Under The Light's ?

The press has just about shamed LeBron James for his effort in game five of the NBA playoffs. Tiger Woods has gone from the greatest player ever to can't even make the cut in golf. Injuries and their effects on players and teams are hard to figure. Gryphon Basketball Jelled after injuries changed the lineup.

Two very noticeable injuries occurred for the Gryphon soccer team the last ten days of the regular season and scoring has been a chore for them ever since. Today under 90 degree heat the lady Gryphon soccer season ended at the hands of a very opportunistic West Carteret squad who scored with less than ten minutes to play to beat the Gryphons 3-2.

The Lady Gryphons never lead in this one as the Patriots scored at the 21.14 mark in the first half. Five minutes later Rocky Mount responded on a Kelsey Benton pass and a header by Alison Raper notched the score at 16.39 in the half. Raper already slowed by a hugh knee brace went down with 11.34 to go in the half. 6.19 in the half WC lifted a beautiful shot over the out stretched arms of Gryphon Goalie Holly Fryar in the back corner of the goal and lead at the half 2-1.

26.40 to go in the game Sydney Browder got open and tied the game at 2-2. When the twenty minute mark hit the 90 degree weather seemed to hit both teams as each team lost a step and passes up field were not followed by chasing. I realize that if the soccer field had lights a 6.00pm game would still be in the heat but lights would have kept the fans from chasing the shade.

Question: Are we getting back to the point where it is of pride to be a member of the Gryphon Band. Today there was well more than a thousand people jammed into the gym to watch a battle of the bands between Hertford County and the Gryphons. Back during football season there seemed to be less than fifty in the band but now there is a resurgence and after today just maybe the band can get back to the days of band glory of yester year

Baseball has a long trip to make in round two as they head to George Kelly's school at West Brunswick. If you can get to the game Tuesday I don't know any way that can get you there but around two hours twenty minutes. You can't get there from here.

I don't understand how the brackets are set up that two #1's square off in round two. There is an old saying that you play who's next on the schedule. If we survive Tuesday there is a good chance of being back home Friday but that depends on how the brackets works itself out.

The Big East won three of Four in the opening round. To me that tells me that despite the gryphons running away with the conference this year Hunt and Fike are not bad at all.

Bulldogs Boys-Gryphon Girls Seek Track Titles

Saturday is the final day of track season this year as all those that have qualified both individual and teams go for Titles Saturday.

Friday was not a good day in Cary for local tennis players. Michael Bracket of Northern Nash drew a short straw and got the defending state champion in the first round of singles play losing 6-1-6-0.

Southern's doubles team of Res Bosshard and Adam Glover lost in the opening round of doubles play to a team from Charlotte Catholic losing 6-4-6-2.

Rocky Mount's doubles team of Miguel Valdez and Gavin Stone won their opening match 7-5-7-6 over the team from Marvin Ridge, but then fell in the quarter finals losing to a Western Alamance doubles team. Tennis champions will be crowned Saturday.

Rocky Mount, Hunt and Fike play second round baseball playoffs Tuesday. Nash Central and Tarboro both were eliminated Friday.

Gryphon girls Soccer meet West Carteret In round today at 2.00pm. The Rocky Mount band will be hosting a battle of the bands at 4.00pm today.

Did You Know: I have made mention of the fight between NC State and Carolina for eighth place in the ACC baseball race. There is a new development. Boston College who swept State three games in Raleigh about a month ago. They have fell on hard times the last few weeks. Carolina earlier in the season beat State two of three but will not play Boston College this year.

State beat Florida State Friday night to make their conference record 12-13. Carolina was rained out at Virginia and stands 11-13. Boston College only has three games against Georgia Tech next weekend but right now are 13-14.

Despite having lost five of six to both Carolina and Boston College if all three wind up tied N C State and Boston college get the final two spots and Carolina stays home. The way Boston College is playing now both State and Carolina could pass them in the standing and both make the ACC tournament.

Boston College has three games at Georgia Tech, Carolina has six games left. Three at Virginia and three at home against Florida State. The Wolfpack has two left with Florida State and three at home with Duke.

I have a feeling both the Heels and Pack are going to make it.

Gryphons Advance After Walk Off Fielder's Choice

This game will go down as one of those games that is for the books. All nine runs scored with two outs. The winning run scored from second and the ball never left the infield.

Two outs in the bottom of the seventh Spencer Bell coaxed a walk from losing pitcher Ryan Gupton. Collins Cuthrell while having a two ball and one strike count was intentionally walked to setup a force at any base. Thomas Berry hit a shot behind the second base bag that Conley's second baseman made a terrific play to keep Berry's possible hit from being the winning hit. A hustling Collins Cuthrell (remember he was on base from intentional walk) beats the second baseman to the bags and all the while with two outs Spencer Bell is running all the way home from second to score the winning run while Conley argued the call at second which could have been the third out.

The Gryphons win a good one 5-4 over D H Conley.

Conley struck for a run in the top of the first after a passed ball put a base on balls hitter in scoring position. One of Conley's six hits provide their first run in the first. They have done this all year, if anyone challenges them they come back and the Gryphons struck for four in the bottom of the first after the first two batters got out. Collins Cuthrell singled, Thomas Berry walked and Hobbs Johnson hit an opposite field triple that plated two runs. Michael Whitehead shot a double down the right field line which scored Johnson and Parker Helms reach on an error by the third baseman that scored Whitehead

Conley scratched a cross a lone run in the third and scored twice in the fourth after what would have been a four pitch inning for Hobbs Johnson but a infield pop up was dropped and Conley followed with three straight hits.

Hobbs Johnson was touched for four runs through six innings but he struck out ten and walked but a single batter. He gave up three earned runs . Ryan Gupton pitch 6 and two thirds innings and also gave up three earned runs and only five hits.

The difference in this game the Gryphons had their second ace in the bull pen and Benton Moss mowed down Conley in their half of the seventh which Conley stuck with ECU bound (2011) Gupton and the Gryphons Survive. Moss gets the win striking out two in his lone inning on the mound.

Tuesday the Gryphons travel to West Brunswick who was a 3-2 winner over Havelock last night.

The Big East showed everyone that there are teams in this league besides Rocky Mount as Hunt knocked of C B Aycock 2-1 and Fike shut out West Carteret 3-0. The conference's lone lost was a 7-3 loss by Nash Central at Eastern Wayne.

Lady Gryphon soccer plays at home at 2.00pm Saturday against West Carteret. This will end just in time for the battle of the bands going on in the gym starting at 4.00pm.