This Could Really Be an Intriquing Week

Rocky Mount will head toward C B Aycock on Tuesday night for the second round of the State Playoffs.They were on the road last year and fell in the second round 3-2 at West Brunswick.  They will meet up with the regular season champions of the Eastern Carolina Conference.  They lost to Eastern Wayne in the conference tournament so the top two in the Big East square off against the top two in the ECC.  Eastern Wayne plays Tuesday at Hunt.

Nash Central won their opening round game in an upset and have the good fortune of playing at home after North Lenoir was a surprise winner at West Brunswick.  It takes plenty of talent to win any kind of State Title and it never hurts to get luck on your side along the way.

If everyone were  to tell the truth I think everyone that supports Gryphon baseball is tickled with a 17-8 record.Everyone thought that with this extremely young team that their best chance to win would be when Benton Moss was on the mound but we were all afraid that they  might not score enough runs to win even when he pitched.

The main lineup all year has had a senior  catcher playing first  because of a shoulder injury, A freshman at Second, sophomore at short. a senior  first baseman moved to third, a first time varsity player in left, a sophomore in center, a senior in right, a junior  catcher needing to play because the senior catcher isn't healthy enough.  The ace on the mound in a senior but no other pitcher with any varsity experience and this team has won 17 games.

If the truth be told I think the folks at Nash Central are disappointed with with a 19-6 record.  That opening conference game when they came to Gryphon Stadium with only one loss they had nothing but conference championship on their mind and losing 10-1 at Rocky Mount was a shocker for them.  They finished third and had to work hard to accomplish that by winning three games the last week of the season.

Should Rocky Mount beat Aycock and Nash Central out score North Lenoir on Tuesday they would collide with each other in round three at Rocky Mount.  The Bulldogs had to face Benton Moss twice during the regular season.  If it comes to pass that the Bulldogs and Gryphons do go face to face in round three they just might not have to see him this time around.  Sure would seem that luck is falling the Bulldog way.

Should Rocky Mount not even make it to Thursday and the Bulldogs do they will escape not having to face him any way.  There is one thing for sure.  Rocky Mount didn't win 17 games with Benton Moss on the mound for every game.  The game will be in Rocky Mount but regardless of who pitches there ain't enough seats in Gryphon Stadium for that one.

Injuries Are Part Of The game

 Friday was the State Championship in Track and Field and both Nash Central and Rocky Mount found themselves with a couple of major point producers either out of the line up or limited in their ability to execute their event.  Nash Central's Will Bass and Rocky Mount's Devonte Jenkins both could have scored at least ten point or more for their teams but not able to either suit up or give 100 percent needed to produce points.

That is life and we must go on.  Timing figures greatly in each persons life and both for Rocky Mount and Nash Central and untimely injuries caused both teams to be back in the pack from where they thought they would be.

Xaviera Bass of Nash Central is  the only State Champion from Nash County.  She won the 110 meter hurdles in a time of 14.89.  Nash Central received 10 teams points for her victory

Girls Triple Jump:  Arrostata Brown Rocky Mount 5th scored 4 points 36 feet 2inches.
                                Danaisha Pitchford Nash Central 8th scored 1 point

Girls High Jump: Xaviera Bass Nash Central 4th  5 feet 2 inches  5 points

Girls 4x400 Relay:  Rocky Mount 6th  3 points   Marquita Hines,Fantacy Bryant,Zikenna Parker and Aerostata Brown

Girls 200 Meter:  Zikeena Parker Rocky Mount 4th place 5 points

Girls totals team:  Fike was the best in Big East scoring 25 points Rocky Mount and Nash Central tied for 17th with 16 points.

Boys Shot Put:KefferGriffin Southern Nash 6th place  3 points    50 feet 7 inches

Discus:Aaron McFarland Southern Nash 4th place 5 points      143feet 6 inches

Triple Jump:  Chris Yarborough Southern Nash 8th place 1 point  43 feet 6 inches

4x800 Relay: Nash Central 7th place 2 points   George Corbin,Andrew Nguyen,Jeremy Judd and Tevin Richardson

4x200 Relay: Rocky Mount 6th place  3 points  Rodquez Greene,Mike Westry, Devonte Jenkins and Exzavier Cooper

4X100 Relay: Southern Nash 3rd place 6 points  Markus Hicks,Alkeem Thomas,Terron Huffman and Tracey Coppedge             
                        Rocky Mount 6th place  3 points  Danny Simmons,Mike Westry,Rodquez Greeneand Exzavier Cooper

300Meter Hurdles:  Alkeem Thomas Southern Nash 6th place 3 points
                                  Dominique Allen Nash Central   7th place 2 points

800 Meters:Tevin Richardson Nash Central  3rd place  6 points  1.54.58
                     Paul Lilley Rocky Mount 5th place  4 points    1.56.20

200Meters: Exzavier Cooper 8th place 1 point

110 meters High Hurdles  Exzavier Cooper 3rd place 14.55 6 points
                                            Danny Simmons Rocky Mount 6th place 3 points

Douglas Byrd won the team title with 42 points.  Nash Central was 13th with 21. Rocky Mount 15th with 20 and Southern Nash 20th with 15 points  Several athletes had their PR's at the state meet Personal best.  Any one who did the best that they had ever done gave all they had and I congratulate them.

In the Semi finals today in 3-A tennis the Southern Nash doubles team of Owen Fike and Adam Glover lost to the eventual state champions in the semi finals 6-2 6-1