First Impressions

School is past the Labor day Holiday so students are now in the routine of life the way it will be until second semester. This week Volley Ball, Tennis and cross country have started conference play while football has a couple more weeks to improve. Soccer begins conference next week.

Soccer seems to be the best team of the fall campaign at Rocky Mount. This team can score having produce 35 goals in eight games while allowing 15. They stand at 6-1-1 on the season after beating Knightdale Tueday 5-1. It will be interesting to see if this team can advance past last years third round.

Volley ball. The Lady Gryphons are quick. They stand at 7-2 heading into the showdown Thursday with Hunt at Rocky Mount. I wish a couple of our five feet nine inch players were closer to six feet and this team could go far. I do think this team can get past the second round syndrome when they always face taller and just as quick teams.

Tennis took it on the chin from Nash Central this week. They call it growing pain. I doubt whether they can repeat as conference champs and may give that back to Fike who thinks we stole it from last year any way. Once the season takes shape they have an opportunity to get better as the season progresses.

Cross country is one of those sports where you have to love it to get better. I have a hard time walking 3.1 miles much less trying to running that far. This team may be much better than anticipated. Cross country is a sport where if you get one second better today than yesterday you have made strides. can't wait to see how the first conference meet went today.

There is an old saying that you are never as good as you think and never as bad as you look. Football has a combination of a tough schedule and inexperience. A small line and not as fast as in the past backs. I would like to see a more straight ahead offense. Quick openers where the line just has to shield block not sustain blocks for three or four seconds. Shotgun on passing downs could help. If the Gryphons pull an upset in the next three games it will be Friday night. They need a big crowd to support them.

Volley Ball Cruises

Lady Gryphon Volley ball started it conference play tonight beating cross town rival Nash Central 3-0. The Ladies won the first game 25-20, the second 25-11 and the third 25-19.

The Lady Bulldogs were taller at the net but on this night the Lady Gryphons serves made it difficult for the Bulldogs to have the ball ready for spikes at the net. Many times on the third hit the Bulldogs were still ten feet from getting it over which puts you in a defensive mode instead of attacking at the net. The Lady Gryphons took advantage and attacked on their returns.

If last year is any indication Thursday's Volley Ball is home to Hunt who was the second place team in the conference last year. There is a good chance Thursday's winner will be the front runner in the conference race.

The Lady Gryphons are now 7-2 overall and 1-0 in Big East play. Tennis travels to Eastern Wayne Wednesday and a home match with Hunt Thursday. Cross country runs Wednesday in a conference meet in Wilson Fike.

Talked with Terrell Hudgin's dad tonight at Volley ball and told me Terrell is at Elon working out waiting for that call from someone who needs a wide receiver in the NFL. The way of the life in the NFL is he won't get that call until someone gets hurts and is out for the season. Stay in shape Terrell.

I need to update you on Cousin Lauren Doughtie season on the Futures golf tour which had their final event over the weekend. In order to make the top 90 she needed to make the cut and finish in the top ten in order to qualify for the Futures Tour next season. She missed the cut by one shot which is like the fifth time this year she has not made the cut by one single shot.

She now must go to the Q-school in early December and finish in the top 15 or so make get back on tour. If she fails to qualify she is off the tour and will only be able to play when she has a sponsors exemption. More than likely the only sponsors exemption would be the event in Richmond next year.

Here are my views on the opening week of college football:

I hope ECU doesn't have to score 50 every game to win. The Wolfpack may have the best receiving corp in the ACC and just maybe the best quarterback. It is a matter of the defense showing up this year. I don't think Carolina could ask for much more than what they got against LSU. They made us all proud. Duke and Wake put up W's. Don't they play each other this weekend?

I don't know why everyone is jumping on Boise State's bandwagon. Are they not #3 in the polls and Va Tech maybe 10th. You know all of those Michael Vick look-a-like quarterbacks can have exciting plays. But, when you are not an accurate thrower and the last four plays you throw deep when the middle of the field is open for the quarterback to run all day, Why throw?