Tonight Rocky Mount High school made the trek to Hunt and while away the girls pulled off the upset and knocked Northern Nash from the ranks of the undefeated 51-47 in overtime while the boys beat Hunt for the second time this year at Hunt 69-54 and in doing so grab the #1 seed from the Big East in the State Playoffs.
It took more than thirty two minutes to decide the girls championship as Northern's biggest lead of the night was 6 twice and Rocky Mount never lead by more than three until the final minute of over time. Both teams defense caused the other problems all night as Rocky Mount mishandle the ball 25 times and Northern had 19 miscues. The ball was flying all over the place but if you didn't see this one you missed a game. It was tied 25-25 at the half and 44 all at the end of the fourth.
J'Kyra Brown playing her best game since she was injured two and a half weeks ago poured in 27 points and guard Carmen Richardson pulled down 10 of Rocky Mount's 31 rebounds and also had 9 points.. Alexus Hill lead Northern with 15 with help from Shakyia Mercer 10, Quineshia Lynch 8, and Camille Branch 8.
This just might be the best game Rocky Mount has played all year never letting a turnover devour their goal of Knocking Northern off with their first defeat. Rocky Mount record goes to 16-9 while Northern falls to 21-1. Despite the loss Northern still will get the #1 seed representing the Big East and Rocky Mount will be #2 and at 16-9 just might not get a home game in the playoffs.
J'Kyra Brown was named the Tournament MVP while teammates Kelsey Daniels and Carmen Richarson made all tournament. Northern had Quineshia Lynch and Alexus Hill on the squad while Fike had two players Jameka Ruffin and E J Proctor. Rounding out the teams was Miya Styles and J'Lynn Westry from Nash Central.
Tonight M J Gainey wrapped up the MVP award at the half all he had to do was worry about the Gryphons holding on to their 15 point lead and they did . MJ rained threes all over Hunt in the first half he was so hot that he even made a bank shot three from the near corner in scoring 21 points. Justin Jefferson tried his best to keep Hunt in it in the first half but foul trouble derailed his effort and with it all possible come backs for Hunt.
Rocky Mount biggest lead was 48-29 and twice Hunt cut it to 10 but every time Hunt got close Rocky Mount would get a couple of scores and push away again. Rocky Mount won the rebounding battle 26-24 but a big difference in the game was the turnovers as every Hunt turnover cost them in Gryphon Points. On the night they had 17 while Rocky Mount had 11. They only had 10 last night so if the Gryphons protect the ball in the playoffs this well no telling how far they can go in trying to repeat as State Champs.
Michael Hines scored 15 and everyone of his points came off drives to the basket. Just to keep Hunt from guarding the outside Gryphon shots Donte Battled chipped in 15, Daniel Westbrook score 19 for Hunt who lost for only the fifth time all year. Dwantae Sutton rebounded seven for the Warriors while Donte Battle lead Rocky Mount with six.
Joining Gainey on the all tournament team were Michael Hines and Donte Battle. Hunt has Justin Jefferson and Travon Davis. Making all tournament from Southern Nash was Desmond Jackson and Deion Lavendar while Nash Central had Nate Pittman and Jaquan Wilkins on the team.
All Big East teams who are in the playoffs will not begin play until Monday Feb 25th. Seeding will be announced on the 23rd.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Who Else Did You Expect
Northern Nash Girls have played Rocky Mount girls eight times in the past two basketball seasons. Friday night they will meet for the ninth time each having won four times with the Big East Tournament championship on the line. Northern played a Fike team that decided the only way to beat the Lady Knights is go with an all guard line up and play keep away and it worked for about 12 minutes.The relentless Northern pressure finally succumbed the Lady Golden Demons with Northern winning 45-.39. The playoff #2 seed from the Big East was on the line in the Rocky Mount -Nash Central game and the second half was all Gryphons with the Lady Gryphons winning 56-33.
The opening game of the night saw Fike come out and dribble the ball and Northern's pressure defense was knocking the ball loose but it seemed to roll right to a Fike player or out of bounds keeping Northern from getting it. Fike lead 6-5 at the end of the first. Fike's lead ballooned to 11-5 before before Fike began tiring plus the ball finally took some Knight bounces and by the half Northern lead 16-13.
Fike forcing the delay game as much as possible brought out Northern's most athletic player in Aluxus Hill who lead the scoring parade with 15. Fike keeping it close finished the third quarter down 24-20. Up until the two minute mark in the fourth Northern had forged to a ten point 40-30 lead but E J Proctor who for the most part was a one woman Fike wrecking crew scored 21 points on the night and lead with six rebounds,at the point where Fike had 30 points only three other baskets had been made by a Fike player other than Proctor.
Northern made just enough free throws down the stretch to remain unbeaten at 21-0. They will try to head to the playoffs undefeated at 6pm Friday at Hunt against their arch rival Rocky Mount.
In the night cap Nash Central out rebounded Rocky Mount by a 43-32 margin but where Rocky Mount dominated the game was Rocky Mount had only five turnovers each half while they caused the Lady Bulldogs into 23. The Lady Bulldogs ahead 17-14 at the start of the second quarter committed 12 turnovers in the second and early third quarter and Rocky Mount took advantage of every one jumping to a 44-28 lead at the end of the third. It was mop up time from there.
Still looking as if she is playing at about 90% J'Kyra Brown lead Rocky Mount scoring 22 points and tonight she had a jump shot which is the first time since her knee injury just over two week ago. Carmen Richardson added 15 while J'Kyra Brown lead Rocky Mount with eight boards. J'Lynn Westry lead the scoring for the Bulldogs with 13 and minute point guard Miya Styles lead the rebounds with nine.
Rocky Mount and Northern Nash face off at 6pm Friday night for the Tournament crown while the Rocky Mount boys and Hunt boys co-champs of the Big East regular season play for the #1 seed from the Big East at 7:30.
I realize that the four Nash County Schools are just about like the Big Four is to the ACC but the crowds have been poor this week at Hunt. Don't count on that happening tomorrow night when the Girls tangle at 6pm. Many people didn't get in last week in the season ending game at Rocky Mount. Remember Northern had already locked up first so there is a lot more on the line Friday night.
WHIG-TV is taping both games and I will be doing the girls game which will be shown Sunday night.Wes Bradshaw will be behind the mic in the boys game.
The opening game of the night saw Fike come out and dribble the ball and Northern's pressure defense was knocking the ball loose but it seemed to roll right to a Fike player or out of bounds keeping Northern from getting it. Fike lead 6-5 at the end of the first. Fike's lead ballooned to 11-5 before before Fike began tiring plus the ball finally took some Knight bounces and by the half Northern lead 16-13.
Fike forcing the delay game as much as possible brought out Northern's most athletic player in Aluxus Hill who lead the scoring parade with 15. Fike keeping it close finished the third quarter down 24-20. Up until the two minute mark in the fourth Northern had forged to a ten point 40-30 lead but E J Proctor who for the most part was a one woman Fike wrecking crew scored 21 points on the night and lead with six rebounds,at the point where Fike had 30 points only three other baskets had been made by a Fike player other than Proctor.
Northern made just enough free throws down the stretch to remain unbeaten at 21-0. They will try to head to the playoffs undefeated at 6pm Friday at Hunt against their arch rival Rocky Mount.
In the night cap Nash Central out rebounded Rocky Mount by a 43-32 margin but where Rocky Mount dominated the game was Rocky Mount had only five turnovers each half while they caused the Lady Bulldogs into 23. The Lady Bulldogs ahead 17-14 at the start of the second quarter committed 12 turnovers in the second and early third quarter and Rocky Mount took advantage of every one jumping to a 44-28 lead at the end of the third. It was mop up time from there.
Still looking as if she is playing at about 90% J'Kyra Brown lead Rocky Mount scoring 22 points and tonight she had a jump shot which is the first time since her knee injury just over two week ago. Carmen Richardson added 15 while J'Kyra Brown lead Rocky Mount with eight boards. J'Lynn Westry lead the scoring for the Bulldogs with 13 and minute point guard Miya Styles lead the rebounds with nine.
Rocky Mount and Northern Nash face off at 6pm Friday night for the Tournament crown while the Rocky Mount boys and Hunt boys co-champs of the Big East regular season play for the #1 seed from the Big East at 7:30.
I realize that the four Nash County Schools are just about like the Big Four is to the ACC but the crowds have been poor this week at Hunt. Don't count on that happening tomorrow night when the Girls tangle at 6pm. Many people didn't get in last week in the season ending game at Rocky Mount. Remember Northern had already locked up first so there is a lot more on the line Friday night.
WHIG-TV is taping both games and I will be doing the girls game which will be shown Sunday night.Wes Bradshaw will be behind the mic in the boys game.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Top Seed In Playoffs On The Line
They tied during the regular season at 9-1 and beat each other on the other's home court. Tonight in the semi finals of the Big East Tournament at Hunt High, Hunt and Rocky Mount took care of business and will square off for the top spot for the Big East Winner. With an over all record now of 21-2 Rocky Mount just might get the top seed in the east with a victory. But in order to do that they must beat Hunt twice in one season at Hunt. A victory Friday will give Hunt with four losses a top five seed which will insure a home game in the opening round.
Southern Nash Jumped on the Warrior early and lead 17-6 in the first half but the wheels came off for the Firebirds and Hunt outscored Southern 28-2 for the remainder of the half. The 34-19 half time score never got much closer as the Final is Hunt 59 Southern Nash 47. Losing tonight ends the Firebirds season as Northern will retain the #4 Seed.
Rocky Mount started with six turnovers the first four minutes of the game but once they figure out which players played for the Gryphons shot away for a 22-10 first quarter score and never looked back. Rocky Mount and Nash central have played four times this season and the Bulldogs have never been within ten and tonight it is a 73-52 final.
Donte Battle lead the way with 18 but he had plenty of help from Michael Hines 13, Broderick Caudle 12, M J Gainey 10 points. Immanuel King hauled down 12 boards to lead the Gryphons who won the board battle 37-25.
The Gryphons lead 35-26 at the half but the Gryphon defense forced 10 turnovers in the third quarter and the lead ballooned to 25 before the bench was cleared. Jaquan Wilkins lead the Bulldogs with 15 followed by Cole Smith 12 and Wendell Hunter 10. Nate Pittman grabed the most rebounds for Nash Central getting 8.
Tuesday's girls Big East Tournament upset of Hunt by Fike has given Hunt fourth place when the 3-A playoffs begin Feb 25th. That is of course if Fike does not win the tournament. If they do Hunt is out of the playoffs. What having Hunt dropped from the fray for second is there is no chance now to have to have a play in game on Friday for second place playoff spot.
The Rocky Mount Nash -Central semi final game will solve the problem of second place as the winner Thursday gets second and the loser third spot. Northern has the #1 spot as regular season champs regardless of them winning the tournament or not. If Fike upsets the field and wins the tournament the best they can get is 2nd seeding in the playoffs.
Baseball tryouts started today and will continue through Friday at Rocky Mount High. You know what that means is that baseball season is just around the corner.
The Rocky Mount High school Key Club is having a Fried Chicken plate sale. The date is Thursday Feb. 21st. You can pick up your plates any time between 4-6 pm and the price per plate is $7.
Congratulation to Rocky Mount High Principal Leon Farrow. He has been named the winner as Principal of the year in the Northeast district. This puts puts him in elite company with eight others who are all in the running for North Carolina Principal of the year.
Southern Nash Jumped on the Warrior early and lead 17-6 in the first half but the wheels came off for the Firebirds and Hunt outscored Southern 28-2 for the remainder of the half. The 34-19 half time score never got much closer as the Final is Hunt 59 Southern Nash 47. Losing tonight ends the Firebirds season as Northern will retain the #4 Seed.
Rocky Mount started with six turnovers the first four minutes of the game but once they figure out which players played for the Gryphons shot away for a 22-10 first quarter score and never looked back. Rocky Mount and Nash central have played four times this season and the Bulldogs have never been within ten and tonight it is a 73-52 final.
Donte Battle lead the way with 18 but he had plenty of help from Michael Hines 13, Broderick Caudle 12, M J Gainey 10 points. Immanuel King hauled down 12 boards to lead the Gryphons who won the board battle 37-25.
The Gryphons lead 35-26 at the half but the Gryphon defense forced 10 turnovers in the third quarter and the lead ballooned to 25 before the bench was cleared. Jaquan Wilkins lead the Bulldogs with 15 followed by Cole Smith 12 and Wendell Hunter 10. Nate Pittman grabed the most rebounds for Nash Central getting 8.
Tuesday's girls Big East Tournament upset of Hunt by Fike has given Hunt fourth place when the 3-A playoffs begin Feb 25th. That is of course if Fike does not win the tournament. If they do Hunt is out of the playoffs. What having Hunt dropped from the fray for second is there is no chance now to have to have a play in game on Friday for second place playoff spot.
The Rocky Mount Nash -Central semi final game will solve the problem of second place as the winner Thursday gets second and the loser third spot. Northern has the #1 spot as regular season champs regardless of them winning the tournament or not. If Fike upsets the field and wins the tournament the best they can get is 2nd seeding in the playoffs.
Baseball tryouts started today and will continue through Friday at Rocky Mount High. You know what that means is that baseball season is just around the corner.
The Rocky Mount High school Key Club is having a Fried Chicken plate sale. The date is Thursday Feb. 21st. You can pick up your plates any time between 4-6 pm and the price per plate is $7.
Congratulation to Rocky Mount High Principal Leon Farrow. He has been named the winner as Principal of the year in the Northeast district. This puts puts him in elite company with eight others who are all in the running for North Carolina Principal of the year.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
What A Difference A Week Makes
Tonight in the opening round of the Big East Girls basketball Tournament the Lady Gryphons stifled the Lady Firebirds of Southern Nash in the opening game of tonight's action at Hunt High school. Last week Southern had knocked off the Lady Gryphons on their home court facing an injury riddle Gryphon team but tonight no home court and a Lady Gryphon team ready to exact revenge. The Lady Gryphons win 49-23.
The win moves the Gryphons on to the Semi final action where they will meet Nash Central Thursday night another team that has been able to beat the Gryphons since the injury to J'Kyra Brown occurred. The victory was the 14th for the Ladies on the season.
Tonight the Gryphon wrestling team traveled to C B Aycock High school where they took part in the opening round of the State Dual wrestling championships and the Gryphons knocked off the home team Aycock 43-36. The same time that the Gryphons were winning Jacksonville beat Currituck and the two teams played for the right to head to the Dual Regional Thursday and in a close match the Gryphons fall 37-33. The team finishes with a trememdous team record of 34-7. Next week the wrestling will turn to the individual competition.
Southern Nash won their opening match and at this writing there was no score on their second round match. They were involved in a four team match with Cleveland on their home mat and won 39-37. As we write they are taking on either West Carteret (17-9)or Washington(17-12) and the Firebirds at 28-7 will be favored against either.
I don't know if you have been paying attention or not to the Carolina Hurricanes so far this year because of the strike but you had better. This team has some goal scorers. Many times in the past they have relied on defense to try to win 2-1 games but since their first two games of the season they have really been putting the puck in the net. Tonight they have finished up a six game road trip where they won four games and got and over time point in another.
Their first line of Eric Staal, Jiri Tlusy and Alexander Semin have no fear in shooting the puck. If you shoot it enough some will go in and this team is scoring. The first couple of games Cam Ward looked as if he had never been in a net before but the last two weeks he is playing Cam Ward defense in net for the Canes. If you have been upset with the Canes because of the lockout, check'em out. This team is fun to watch.
The win moves the Gryphons on to the Semi final action where they will meet Nash Central Thursday night another team that has been able to beat the Gryphons since the injury to J'Kyra Brown occurred. The victory was the 14th for the Ladies on the season.
Tonight the Gryphon wrestling team traveled to C B Aycock High school where they took part in the opening round of the State Dual wrestling championships and the Gryphons knocked off the home team Aycock 43-36. The same time that the Gryphons were winning Jacksonville beat Currituck and the two teams played for the right to head to the Dual Regional Thursday and in a close match the Gryphons fall 37-33. The team finishes with a trememdous team record of 34-7. Next week the wrestling will turn to the individual competition.
Southern Nash won their opening match and at this writing there was no score on their second round match. They were involved in a four team match with Cleveland on their home mat and won 39-37. As we write they are taking on either West Carteret (17-9)or Washington(17-12) and the Firebirds at 28-7 will be favored against either.
I don't know if you have been paying attention or not to the Carolina Hurricanes so far this year because of the strike but you had better. This team has some goal scorers. Many times in the past they have relied on defense to try to win 2-1 games but since their first two games of the season they have really been putting the puck in the net. Tonight they have finished up a six game road trip where they won four games and got and over time point in another.
Their first line of Eric Staal, Jiri Tlusy and Alexander Semin have no fear in shooting the puck. If you shoot it enough some will go in and this team is scoring. The first couple of games Cam Ward looked as if he had never been in a net before but the last two weeks he is playing Cam Ward defense in net for the Canes. If you have been upset with the Canes because of the lockout, check'em out. This team is fun to watch.
Richwalski Steps Down
Today will be the last day that Dan Richwalski is the athletic director at Northern Nash. Dan had a health issue during the Christmas break and in order to take care of his health he is stepping down as AD. I do a lot of talking with AD's preparing to do broadcast. Despite the benefits that athletes receive either being on TV or heard on the radio the broadcast business can be a pain to the athletic director. High schools don't have someone else in the office to turn it over to somebody else they have to do what is needed themselves.
It has been a joy working with Dan at Northern whenever we have been there to do games. He has helped in any way he could to make sure Northern's athletes got the proper exposure that broadcast can give them. Dan will remain as a class room teacher until he decides it's time to retire when ever that might be. Patricia Haggerty who coaches just about everything either varsity of jv's for Northern will be the acting AD for the remainder of the school year. Northern will announce a new AD later.
Saturday during the North Carolina Football Coaches Association winter meetings two local veteran coaches were elected as Honorary coaches. An Honorary coach can be any coach in North Carolina who has coached and been a member of the association 30 years or more and is no longer and active coach.
Those two locals were B W Holt who spent six years at Rocky Mount on the way to winning well over 300 games in his public high school career and Raymond Cobb who spent his entire coaching career in Edgecombe county at North Edgecombe and SouthWest Edgecombe. The NCFSA has been selecting Honorary coaches since 1990 and have average about three coaches a year joining the elite selection as Honorary coach of the North Carolina Football Coaches Association.
Nash Central has moved on to the semi finals of the Big East boys basketball tournament. Monday they dumped Fike 63-43 to end Fike's basketball season. The Bulldogs as the #3 seed will play Rocky Mount the #2 Wednesday night at 7.30pm. Southern Nash as the #5 seed has beaten Northern Nash 50-38. Northern now must cross their fingers that someone will beat SN either Wednesday (Hunt) or Friday in the finals. Should Southern win the tournament this week they would knock Northern out of the playoffs and Southern would be in.
Girls swing into action tonight at Hunt high as the Big East Tournament. Rocky Mount plays Southern Nash at 6pm and Hunt plays Fike at 7.30. Hunt and Rocky Mount need victories if one loses and not the other tonight then the loser will be seeded fourth in the State playoffs from the Big East.
During a telephone conversation tonight with Wes Bradshaw he made me aware that the state basketball playoffs do not start until Feb. 25th which will put the playoff teams in the Big East off for a week. I don't know if this is the reason but I know coaches don't like the idea of winning the conference tournament on a Friday night and starting the playoffs the following Monday. I need to find out why they are doing it this year that way.
It has been a joy working with Dan at Northern whenever we have been there to do games. He has helped in any way he could to make sure Northern's athletes got the proper exposure that broadcast can give them. Dan will remain as a class room teacher until he decides it's time to retire when ever that might be. Patricia Haggerty who coaches just about everything either varsity of jv's for Northern will be the acting AD for the remainder of the school year. Northern will announce a new AD later.
Saturday during the North Carolina Football Coaches Association winter meetings two local veteran coaches were elected as Honorary coaches. An Honorary coach can be any coach in North Carolina who has coached and been a member of the association 30 years or more and is no longer and active coach.
Those two locals were B W Holt who spent six years at Rocky Mount on the way to winning well over 300 games in his public high school career and Raymond Cobb who spent his entire coaching career in Edgecombe county at North Edgecombe and SouthWest Edgecombe. The NCFSA has been selecting Honorary coaches since 1990 and have average about three coaches a year joining the elite selection as Honorary coach of the North Carolina Football Coaches Association.
Nash Central has moved on to the semi finals of the Big East boys basketball tournament. Monday they dumped Fike 63-43 to end Fike's basketball season. The Bulldogs as the #3 seed will play Rocky Mount the #2 Wednesday night at 7.30pm. Southern Nash as the #5 seed has beaten Northern Nash 50-38. Northern now must cross their fingers that someone will beat SN either Wednesday (Hunt) or Friday in the finals. Should Southern win the tournament this week they would knock Northern out of the playoffs and Southern would be in.
Girls swing into action tonight at Hunt high as the Big East Tournament. Rocky Mount plays Southern Nash at 6pm and Hunt plays Fike at 7.30. Hunt and Rocky Mount need victories if one loses and not the other tonight then the loser will be seeded fourth in the State playoffs from the Big East.
During a telephone conversation tonight with Wes Bradshaw he made me aware that the state basketball playoffs do not start until Feb. 25th which will put the playoff teams in the Big East off for a week. I don't know if this is the reason but I know coaches don't like the idea of winning the conference tournament on a Friday night and starting the playoffs the following Monday. I need to find out why they are doing it this year that way.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Road to Reynolds Starts Tonight
This year the 3-A State Championship will be held in Reynold's Coliseum at N C State. Tonight high schools around the area begin what four boys and four girls teams will result in championships in their classification. Rocky Mount hopes to make their fourth straight trip to the Regional and if it happens they will find the usual suspects there as their main obstacles.. Who are the main suspects who might win the East.
J F Webb -Oxford. They are second in the latest N C Preps poll and are lead by UNC recruit Isaiah Hicks at six feet nine inches. Webb is in a dog fight with conference foe Chapel Hill in their league. Webb and Chapel Hill have split during the regular season. Heading to this week Webb is 17-3.
Westover-Fayetteville. Seems every year Westover is playing in the Regional and they have a good shot again this year. They stand 16-4 but three losses have come at the hands of 4-A schools. Ranked eighth in latest poll.
Chapel Hill-Chapel Hill. Rocky Mount beat Chapel Hill at Thanksgiving by 14. Seems as if Thanksgiving was last century. Ranked 11th in latest poll.
Triton-Ervin. 12th in polls. This season 16-3. Sure would like to try Rocky Mount out again this year
Hunt-Wilson 15th in latest poll. Good combination of size up front and quick back court. How far either Rocky Mount or Hunt can go in playoff could be determined this week in which one wins Big East Tournament.
Rocky Mount- Rocky Mount. Winning two titles in three years everyone looks to see if they are in same bracket as the Gryphons. Third in last poll 20-2 over all. Have just as good of a chance as anybody to head to Raleigh.
Northern Nash Girls-Rocky Mount #1 latest poll 20-0. Have every thing needed to win it all. Should get all home games to Regional.
Chapel Hill-Chapel Hill. #2 only loss to Northern at Northern. Will probably be in different bracket than Northern until Regional. Would like to play Northern on neutral floor.
Eastern Wayne-Goldsboro. 20-1 Could be sleeper in the East
South Central- Winterville 18-2 Tall and quick. Beat Rocky Mount in Rocky Mount before Christmas. Been there before will be tough out.
Three weeks from tonight four of these teams could be heading to Fayetteville to East Regional. Will an unknown find the magic and knock some of these king pins out?
J F Webb -Oxford. They are second in the latest N C Preps poll and are lead by UNC recruit Isaiah Hicks at six feet nine inches. Webb is in a dog fight with conference foe Chapel Hill in their league. Webb and Chapel Hill have split during the regular season. Heading to this week Webb is 17-3.
Westover-Fayetteville. Seems every year Westover is playing in the Regional and they have a good shot again this year. They stand 16-4 but three losses have come at the hands of 4-A schools. Ranked eighth in latest poll.
Chapel Hill-Chapel Hill. Rocky Mount beat Chapel Hill at Thanksgiving by 14. Seems as if Thanksgiving was last century. Ranked 11th in latest poll.
Triton-Ervin. 12th in polls. This season 16-3. Sure would like to try Rocky Mount out again this year
Hunt-Wilson 15th in latest poll. Good combination of size up front and quick back court. How far either Rocky Mount or Hunt can go in playoff could be determined this week in which one wins Big East Tournament.
Rocky Mount- Rocky Mount. Winning two titles in three years everyone looks to see if they are in same bracket as the Gryphons. Third in last poll 20-2 over all. Have just as good of a chance as anybody to head to Raleigh.
Northern Nash Girls-Rocky Mount #1 latest poll 20-0. Have every thing needed to win it all. Should get all home games to Regional.
Chapel Hill-Chapel Hill. #2 only loss to Northern at Northern. Will probably be in different bracket than Northern until Regional. Would like to play Northern on neutral floor.
Eastern Wayne-Goldsboro. 20-1 Could be sleeper in the East
South Central- Winterville 18-2 Tall and quick. Beat Rocky Mount in Rocky Mount before Christmas. Been there before will be tough out.
Three weeks from tonight four of these teams could be heading to Fayetteville to East Regional. Will an unknown find the magic and knock some of these king pins out?
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Thinking Out Loud
Sorry to see this morning in the Rocky Mount Telegram of the death of Chuck Hinton. Growing up I had more than 4,000 baseball cards that I kept in the bottom of my closet in Maola five gallon Ice Cream tubs. I use to keep rubber bands around players that I had more than one of. I think I had 27 of Mickey Mantle and I had one of Chuck Hinton. After I had gone to work in life and moved from home I came home one weekend to find my mother had given my collection to one of my cousins.
Chuck was a lifetime 264 hitter mostly with the Washington Senators. He twice in his career had hitting streaks of more than 15 games. He played big league ball for 11 years and I can almost remember looking at his stats on the back of that baseball card and remember it saying Home Rocky Mount NC. Hinton was 78 years old. Sadly he died almost two weeks ago but just hearing of his death now.
The Nash County Board Of Education made a truly rather large mistake when they chose not to built a gym at Rocky Mount High School that would hold 2,000 or more people. They made the same mistake when Nash Central was built.
I bet 3,000 or more would have bought tickets Friday night but you couldn't even find a parking space on pavement on the school grounds. I am a person who likes to count. If I go to any building that has seats I like to count just how many the place will hold. From press row I counted the first row across the way had 50 people from one end to the other. There are 12 rows high and the top row of course doesn't have the isle dividers so there were 612 people sitting on the far side. If the near side had the same then about 1225 people were sitting in the stands. A throng of people never got in. Even more people we sitting in folding chairs with the cheer leaders under each basket. even more were standing.
Here we are the City of Rocky Mount the so called "City On The Rise" and there is not a meeting place in the entire city limits that a group of 5,000 can meet inside out of the weather. Rocky Mount needs a building for inside sports at least the size of Williams Arena at ECU. If we had something that size all of the big time high school games could be played there instead of a gym where people can't even get to go to the game. Who knows if there was a palace with plenty of parking there might have been 8,000 there Friday night.
If Rocky Mount had such a place they could try to get the East Regional here. Maybe even other State Championships. Lord knows some music star might be able to perform here that you have heard of before other than some singer hoping to make it big one day.
Other Thoughts: I wish Northern Nash girls had a little more speed in the line up. The playoffs are all about match ups. If the Lady Knights don't win it all they will lose to a tall quick team.
If Rocky Mount boys don't win it all they will lose to a quick team. A team like last year's Hickory team was. This year's squad doesn't handle the ball as well as last year and have had trouble against the really quick teams. They must shoot well from the outside too.
If Hunt doesn't win it all it will be because they are tall but soft inside. Some where they will meet up with a team that will pound the ball inside and their outside shots will not fall.
Rocky Mount High mopped up in the Wrestling championships Saturday. They won more than half of all the weight classes. J J Jones has got something going on the mats at RMHS.
Congrats to Casey Cooke for becoming the first Lady Gryphon to receive a Division 1 scholarship in soccer. Cullowee is a beautiful place.
Chuck was a lifetime 264 hitter mostly with the Washington Senators. He twice in his career had hitting streaks of more than 15 games. He played big league ball for 11 years and I can almost remember looking at his stats on the back of that baseball card and remember it saying Home Rocky Mount NC. Hinton was 78 years old. Sadly he died almost two weeks ago but just hearing of his death now.
The Nash County Board Of Education made a truly rather large mistake when they chose not to built a gym at Rocky Mount High School that would hold 2,000 or more people. They made the same mistake when Nash Central was built.
I bet 3,000 or more would have bought tickets Friday night but you couldn't even find a parking space on pavement on the school grounds. I am a person who likes to count. If I go to any building that has seats I like to count just how many the place will hold. From press row I counted the first row across the way had 50 people from one end to the other. There are 12 rows high and the top row of course doesn't have the isle dividers so there were 612 people sitting on the far side. If the near side had the same then about 1225 people were sitting in the stands. A throng of people never got in. Even more people we sitting in folding chairs with the cheer leaders under each basket. even more were standing.
Here we are the City of Rocky Mount the so called "City On The Rise" and there is not a meeting place in the entire city limits that a group of 5,000 can meet inside out of the weather. Rocky Mount needs a building for inside sports at least the size of Williams Arena at ECU. If we had something that size all of the big time high school games could be played there instead of a gym where people can't even get to go to the game. Who knows if there was a palace with plenty of parking there might have been 8,000 there Friday night.
If Rocky Mount had such a place they could try to get the East Regional here. Maybe even other State Championships. Lord knows some music star might be able to perform here that you have heard of before other than some singer hoping to make it big one day.
Other Thoughts: I wish Northern Nash girls had a little more speed in the line up. The playoffs are all about match ups. If the Lady Knights don't win it all they will lose to a tall quick team.
If Rocky Mount boys don't win it all they will lose to a quick team. A team like last year's Hickory team was. This year's squad doesn't handle the ball as well as last year and have had trouble against the really quick teams. They must shoot well from the outside too.
If Hunt doesn't win it all it will be because they are tall but soft inside. Some where they will meet up with a team that will pound the ball inside and their outside shots will not fall.
Rocky Mount High mopped up in the Wrestling championships Saturday. They won more than half of all the weight classes. J J Jones has got something going on the mats at RMHS.
Congrats to Casey Cooke for becoming the first Lady Gryphon to receive a Division 1 scholarship in soccer. Cullowee is a beautiful place.
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