Moss Wins Morehead Scholarship

Well he was planning on going to school in Chapel Hill any way to play Baseball for Mike Fox and today it was announced that Benton Moss Rocky Mount High School senior has won the prestigious Morehead Cain scholarship to UNC.

It is the top scholarship given by the University of North Carolina. The Morehead is the oldest Merit scholarship in the United States. It provides for four years of complete funding including Summer internships which could be just about any thing from the FBI to IBM.

Congratulations Benton!!!!!

Gryphon baseball rebounded from the shutout administered by Rose on Tuesday with a 11-0 win over Louisburg today at Chilly Gryphon Stadium. The game lasted just five innings. Friday the Gryphons host SouthWest Edgecombe.

If you thought it was cold at Gryphon Stadium you should have been in Roanoke Rapids watching the softball team. The Yellow Jackets won 9-1 but I have to tell you these Lady Gryphons are improved over last year when they did not win a game. Pat and I were there cheering for Morgan who keeps the score book for the Lady Gryphons.

Pitching is greatly improved to the point where not one run was walked in as happened last year. The Ladies gave up close to ten runs a game last year on just walks. The Lady Gryphons are going to win soon. They will one of these warm days when they can take their over coats off. When we got in the car to come home our temperature gauge read 36.

Friday night the Lady Knights of Northern Nash will travel to the Crown Arena as they will play Union Pines in the East 3-A semi finals in Fayetteville. Should they win Tomorrow they are back on the court Saturday at six pm.

I see in the Telegram today that former Nash Central basketball star Trey Sumler has been named the Southern Conference Rookie of the year. Trey averaged 11.5 points per game this year as a red shirt freshman.

I don't know whether this means any thing or not but the NFL and Players Union CBA which runs out at midnight has been put off 24 hours. I surely hope that means they are close to getting an agreement. Why would they delay for 24 hours unless a deal is very close?

Good Luck Lady Knight!!!!!

The Next Shining Moment

We have finally made it to March and of course sports fans give March to College basketball as their shining moment. Spring is right around the corner and here are some of my observations about sports.

Duke: I don’t think they will make it to the final eight in the NCAA Tournament this year, unless Irving plays. I am still not convinced he will not be in uniform by the ACC tournament which if he is any where close to his November showing Duke can go farther. If he doesn’t play any more this year Duke has seen the last of Irving. NBA next year.

North Carolina: I have got to hand it to Roy Williams. The Carolina team on December 10th is not the same team as of March. I have been thinking lately Carolina would go farther in the NCAA tournament than Duke but now that Reggie Bullock is out for the season I don’t know what to think of Carolina now. They did however win at Florida State last night but depth is an issue.

North Carolina State: Who will be the new coach next year? I keep hearing people say give Sidney Lowe one more year. Why give him another year to go 6-10 in ACC. C J is going pro; I hear Harrow is transferring if Lowe leaves and their best player graduates. If the Virginia game was enough to seal the coffin I don’t know what ever will.

You know there is one coach in the ACC that gets a free pass and that is Seth Greenberg at Virginia Tech. They have not been to the NCAA during this year’s senior class’s tenure and after losing to BC probably won’t this year. Va Tech kind of looks like N C State. Boy that is enough said.

New York Knicks: Now that Carmelo Anthony is a New York Knick every one is escalating the Knicks to the top four of NBA. I have to ask you this. How many championships did Dominique Wilkins win in the NBA? I see Melo as this generations Dominique. All offense and no defense. They will score a lot of points but lose to the good teams when it counts. Just look at what Denver has done without him. They have won four of five. Some players don’t make teammate better and Melo is one.

Miami Heat: We are getting closer to the NBA playoffs and what has Lebron done by going to the Heat. I don’t see where he has improved his chances of winning the NBA title any at all. D Wade and Lebron are shooting guards that both like to drive to the basketball. Bosh is a small forward type player. Least in Cleveland the no names that played with James accepted their roles and they won fifty every year. Who is the leader in Miami? Who knows they will win fifty but I doubt they make Eastern finals.

I am totally confused by the NFL situation. The NFL players union is talking of decertifying and then suing the NFL. If you decertify then you are no longer a group. How can someone that doesn’t exist sue any body.

We live in a world very close to the 1930’s. If our country doesn’t get its act together we are all going bankrupt. Each and every one of us are all for progress until that progress comes knocking on our door. Whether it’s the new road between Hunter Hill and Wesleyan we are all for it until they knock on my door and tell me the road is going to take my back yard.

We are all for new business to come until they buy land next to mine. I find it very hard pulling for either side in the NFL negotiations. Every owner is rich and making money and the worse player in the NFL makes $450,000 a year. I just can’t feel sorry for either side when greed over takes the blessings that all in the NFL receives.

Now that I am off my soap box let’s get back to talking sports.

Northern Nash Girls get their shining moment when they play in the East Regional Friday night. They are the last Big East team standing from winter sports. They have only one senior so this might not be the only trip they make to the almost big dance. Good Luck to Grover and the girls.

The Regional Trip

I had told you earlier this week that I think in the long run Fayetteville will be a better venue for the High School Regional than Greenville. I understand they have to get their act together as since Tuesday was their first night there are mistakes made that you have to learn from.

Tuesday night I had the pleasure to be chauffeured to Fayetteville by Pete Bradshaw Wes Bradshaw’s pop. Somehow or other Wes had convinced Pete that he needed to go to the game and for three of us Wes, Charles Alston and me we were able to take advantage of Pete wanting to have father/son time with his soon to be married son. A month to go before Wes is in prison like the rest of us.

We go walking over to the arena to pick up our press passes and find out that all passes are over at the coliseum and we start walking over seemed like a half mile to get passes. Along the way Jesse Nunnery and Allen Campbell of the Telegram are getting out of their car and we give them the news. They have enough sense to drive over. By the time we made it back over to the arena I thought Charles was going to need CPR and that would not be a pretty sight.

Once we hit press row the seats are first come first serve which is ok on a Tuesday night but I can tell you right now from experience that come Saturday when every media outlet in Eastern North Carolina shows up to cover four championship games that will not work. They need to have assigned seating.

There was no media guide at each seat which we have become accustomed to at Greenville and once we inquire about how to get one we find out they are over at the Coliseum. Forget that it is too close to game time to have to call the rescue squad for Charles if we walk back over to the big building.

Once they started announcing the line ups the PA was not very good. We start the game and I only know half of who’s playing for South Central. The score board they never put personal fouls on the board so it was hard to tell since you could not hear the PA who fouls were on. The score board showed the team time outs as five the whole game.

The arena the way it was set up Tuesday night had about 3,600 seats which is twice the size of Rose Gym. However come Saturday when the 3-A finals are held and you have 6,000 wanting to get in they have made a major mistake having the 3-A/1-A in the arena. Next year the 3-A/1-A will be held in the coliseum.

Sorry if this is not politically correct but the arena will be ok for the girls which gives them twice the seating that they have had before. They will lose money if people can’t get into the building to see the boys game because they just don’t have enough seats.

Half time there were no stats available on press row so I never found out the names of the players for South Central. When the game was over we never got any official game stats. The arena had a curtain at one end which when needed they can put up a stage. Behind that curtain was empty space when they set up the media room for the coaches to come talk as is normal. Being right beside the court once the second game started you could not hear the interviews and questions because of all the noise coming from the arena. They have got to get a better interview area.

This next statement is pure news media. If there is one thing they were good at was the Hospitality Room. Once the interviews were over of course us working media who rushed to get to the game not having time to stop to eat on the way got into the room they had a feast. This feast was first class. There was some left after we were gone. Surprising!

All in all despite coming home having lost the game this was a good trip bonding with Pete, Wes and Charles not so much but Pete was a good addition to our trip. The stop at Dunking Donuts on Ramsey Street in Fayetteville helped ease the pain of defeat.

Blue Tuesday

March the first was the first day of the season for spring sports and as it turns out the last day of winter sports. The Rocky Mount Gryphons travel to the semi finals of the Eastern Regional and come up short 70-67. Wes Bradshaw summed it up best while waiting for the coaches in the press room. "Rocky Mount played well enough to win but just poor enough to lose."

South Central jumped to a 32-19 lead midway in the second quarter and Rocky Mount went on one of those blitzes that they can go on a which was interrupted by the half time but continue in the third quarter. Midway in the third quarter Rocky Mount lead 49-37 which meant for about one quarter the Gryphons out scored the Falcons 26-5.

The Falcons built the 32-19 lead when Rocky Mount committed ten turnovers but only committed four during their rally. Once the rally stopped Rocky Mount committed another 11 turnovers to finish the game and finish the season.

Rocky Mount won the rebounding battle 43-28 while turnovers happened with people open under the basket giving away open points. The Gryphons had 25 for the game while causing 18 for the Falcons.

Donte Harper lead the Falcons with 17 and he was supported by 14 from Anthony Hilliard. Rocky Mount got the game of his rebounding life from Terrell Hilliard who recovered 18 rebounds and lead Rocky Mount with 15 points. Kenyatta Bullock added 10, Tevin Taylor 8, Tecoby Hines 9, Exzavier Cooper also had 8.

No back to back titles for the Gryphons as they fall at the Eastern Regional 70-67 to South Central. Baseball opened the season at Rose and it was 0-0 after five until errors took over and Rose beats the Gryphons 5-0. In softball the Lady Gryphons lose at Farmville Central 13-2.

Indeed a Blue day in Gryphon land.

Gryphons Play in Crown Arena

My blog earlier Monday I had asked the question about whether if Rocky Mount and Northern Nash girls made it to the championship games whether you would have to pay if you left one building and went to another.

I have failed to look at the bracket locations. Tuesday is the first day and the 3-A boys begin play in the Crown Arena while the 4-A girls will play in the big Coliseum. If you are planning to attend Tuesday night make sure you are in the right building.

Friday night when the 3-A girls play they will also be in the Arena so come 4.00pm Saturday should both Rocky Mount and Northern win their semi final games they would play back to back in the Arena Saturday afternoon so one ticket you could see both.

I don't think it will make much difference Tuesday whether Rocky Mount plays in the small building or larger one I doubt there will be that many making the trip on a Tuesday all the way to Fayetteville. Now Saturday is a different matter should the Gryphons win Tuesday night.

Rocky Mount plays South Central of Winterville in the 7.00pm game in the Crown Arena. Both schools will have a near two hour drive so their is no home team in this one so the crowd will not over flow the Arena. The second game Tuesday night in the Arena is Chapel Hill High going up against Southern Lee so Southern Lee is the closes team to Fayetteville and should have a nice crowd. I would say Southern Lee has a bout the same trip we had when we went to Greenville last year.

Remember Gryphons Play in the Arena. 7.00pm

New site For East Regional

I think you will find that if you do travel this week to the East Basketball Regional that the Crown Coliseum and Arena are better equipped to handle the Regional over Greenville. Once you drive and park both the boys and girls will play without having to move to another location to see them play. The boys will play in the 10,000 seat Coliseum more than what Williams Arena at ECU has. The girls will play in the 6,000 seat Crown Arena which triples what Rose High School had. All you have to do is walk over to another building. I have no idea whether one ticket can get you in either place. I suspect your ticket is only good for the building that you are in.

I remember the year Tarboro girls played in the regional the same year Rocky Mount boys did. As soon as Rocky Mount game was over we drove to Rose where Tarboro had started just as Rocky Mount finished. By the time we found a place to park the girls were already in third quarter.

Yes, there is a major distance problem getting to Fayetteville over driving to ECU. Overall the Crown complex is better suited for the Regional. Since this is the first time hosting and Rocky Mount plays the very first game of the Regional I am sure problems will exist this year that will not next year. I suspect unless a major sponsor jumps up and ask it to be moved Fayetteville will get the Regional for a while now.

Tried to catch up on all our college baseball players over the weekend, here ‘s what I found.

ECU: Tyler Joyner (Northern Nash) Sitting out this year.

Wake Tech: Three players from area playing. Gabe Brown(Rocky Mount), Cameron Ramsey(Rocky Mount) and T J Taylor Nash Central

Pitt CC: Jim Leggett (Rocky Mount) and Mike Williams (Northern Nash)

Miami Dade College: Brian Goodwin (Rocky Mount)

North Carolina Wesleyan: Tyler Clark (Northern Nash) ,Daniel Moore( Northern Nash), Brian Allen (Southern Nash), Brett Allen (Southern Nash), Eric Mull (Faith Christian), Andrew Webb(Northern Nash) and Chad Womble (Rocky Mount).

North Carolina A&T: Xavier Macklin (Nash Central) Batting 389 7-18 3 homers and seven rbi

Campbell: Ben Fish( Rocky Mount) Batting 384. Started five of seven games.

UNC-Pembroke: Alex Pearce (Nash Central) started six games for the Braves.

Barton: Collins Cuthrell. Started every game this season hitting 222

If there are more send me a message. In some cases I haven’t seen a roster for a school so I can’t tell who we might have on their team.

Will not blog Tuesday until after the basketball game. Go Gryphons!

NCAA Bound NCW Fighting Bishops

Last year John Thompson Bishops won the regular season but found themselves playing for the right to go to NCAA Div. III playoffs but in order to do so they had to beat Christopher Newport a lower seed at Newport News. The Bishops lost and with it the basketball season.

Regardless of the reason the USA South Conference has changed their conference rule that the tournament championship game would be played at the home of the highest seed. The Battling Bishops won the regular season again this year and won Friday night in the semi finals to earned the right to host Ferrum this afternoon in Everette Gym.

The Battling Bishops lead throughout the game only to see Ferrum tie the game at 65 after NCW failed to seal the deal at the free throw line. Ric Yarbrough the Bishops big man fouled out at the end of regulation so the Bishops were faced with playing a man short plus nerves as overtime commenced.

In overtime The Battling Bishops of North Carolina Wesleyan win 74-70 which was sealed by Matt Dougherty steal with twenty seconds to go in overtime after Domaris Thomas had two free throws to get a 72-70 lead. Josh Morris added one of two free throws and Dougherty one in getting the victory for the Bishops. Those four free throws allowed NCW to make over half their free shots on the game 22-39. Ferrum misery is they missed their last 19 three point tries.

Domaris Thomas was named MVP of the tournament and for the first time since 2002 North Carolina Wesleyan is NCAA Bound and will a wait the seedings. The Bishops head into the NCAA Tournament 22-6.

I have never been to a major wrestling tournament so I can't imagine how it is watching a tournament. Just trying to figure out how each person did in their weight class is hard enough. Wrestling has 14 weight classes and 16 wrestlers from four regions converged on Greensboro Thursday night to determine a state champion in each weight class and all four divisions of North Carolina. If my figuring is right they were nearly 1,800 matches before the State Champions were declared.

Nash County sent 10 wrestlers with Northern having six including an undefeated wrestler in T J Marshall. Nash Central and Rocky Mount each had two wrestlers that qualified. Regardless of the outcome over the weekend the worse any one wrestler could do is lose two matches and finish tied for 13th.

No one from Nash County came home a State champion but Tarmaris Lane of Nash Central finished the highest finishing third in the 285 division. Northern Nash's Tavis Richardson in the 140 pound class finished 6th while Rocky Mount's Janicento Williamson finished 6th at 171.

T J Marshall won his first match but was beaten in his second match to lose for the first time this year. He would win another match before losing again. Rocky Mount's Mason Holt lost his first match at 103 but won once in his second. Likewise Northern's Keith Battle lost his first match at 119 and won his second along with Demetrice Taylor of Nash Central at 130 pound lost his first match and won his second.

Nash Central scored 20 points in the team race which was well back of the 90 that it took to win. Northern scored 14.5 and Rocky Mount ten. We will try to get Tarmaris Lane, Janicento Williamson and Tavis Richardson on live next Sunday night on the Stretchlon Sports Show along with their coaches.