It's Football Time

Today every high school football team is in full swing of practice heading for their opening games set for August 21st.  Some the schedules are lighter while others the burden on non conference games lays heavy.  Let's start with Nash Central....

Aug   21st-Tarboro ....even playing a 1-A schedule Tarboro is no softy for anyone
Aug   28th-@Smithfield Selma.....There is hope the losing streak stops here
Sept   3rd- @North Johnston .....A Labor Day weekend Thursday  night game
Sept   11th- SouthWest Edgecombe....Nothing easy with this one
Sept.  18th-@Beddingfield.... Not much travel, But not easy either
Sept   25th-Bunn....Never an easy game for anybody who plays the Wildcats
Oct.    9th-@Rocky Mount....Reunion game for Chris Lee and Kent Cox
Oct.    16th-Fike ...The Golden Demons are probably Big East preseason favorites
Oct.    23rd-Northern Nash... The game between the two schools you could walk campus to campus
Oct     30th-@Hunt.....Be ready to defend the Hunt Running game.
Nov.     6th- @Southern Nash...Last game of regular season just maybe not last game of season

Northern Nash

Aug    21st-@Corinith Holders....First of three straight games on the road
Aug    28th-@Northeastern.....Another long ride east
Sept      4th-@Tarboro....chance to win this one this year
Sept.   11th-Laney.... I wonder will Michael Jordan will be here for this one
Sept    18th-Goldsboro....   This one should be in the win column
Sept    24th-@Smithfield Selma....  This is a Thursday for some reason
Oct       9th-Hunt.... Randy Raper reunion game still looking for first victory over old team
Oct.    16th-@Southern Nash....  Tough two games to start conference play
Oct.    23rd-@Nash Central.....  By this point of season will need this one
Oct     30th-Fike.... An impact game for a chance at a top spot in conference
Nov.     6th-Rocky Mount....whether it is for first or last the place will be packed

Rocky Mount

Aug    21st-@South Granville....Gryphons only have four road games
Aug    28th-@Middle Creek.... First trip ever to this Apex high School
Sept      4th-Hertford County.... This has been a good series for both
Sept.   11th-John Holmes....This is probably first ever meeting
Sept.   18th-Rose....Another traditional game
Sept    25th-Hoke County...Second team on schedule playing for first time
Oct.      9th-Nash Central...Chris Lee returns to old stomping grounds, he coached at old stadium
Oct.     16th-Hunt.....This is 6th straight home game
Oct.     23rd-@Fike.... Gryphons hope this is a tussle for first
Oct      30th-Southern Nash-No let up, here comes the Firebirds
Nov       6th-@Northern Nash-The perfect setup if this is for title

Nash Central has trimmed the heavy weight non conference schedule. Northern has a new look schedule.  Rocky Mount has new schedule and six straight home games.  Tomorrow we will look at Southern Nash, Rocky Mount Academy and Rocky Mount Prep.

Tallahassee Scores Again

Nash County Babe Ruth 13u baseball team won the semi final match up with Sarasota Florida and took on Tallahassee Florida the team from their pool play bracket the team they lost to yesterday in a game in which Coach Willie Langley held back his best pitchers knowing they had to win a double header today.

It has turned out if you score on Nash County you win as Tallahassee wins the Southeast Regional 5-2.   If five games played during the tournament Nash County pitched three shutouts giving up zero runs.  The two games they met Tallahassee they gave up 11.

The day began at 10am in Greenville this morning with two teams from Florida taking on the two teams from NC.   The host team Greenville who was seeded second from the National took on Tallahassee the top seed from the American bracket.  Tallahassee won by a 6-0 score eliminating Greenville.

Nash County the Eastern North Carolina State Champions met Sarasota Florida the Southern State champs from Florida in the 1pm game and pitching was the order of the day with Nash County winning 1-0 to advance to the 4pm Southeast Regional Championship game.  Sarasota in their four games played during the week gave up just five runs but that was not good enough to advance to the finals.

We are all proud of these young men and their coaches in their efforts this summer in Babe Ruth Baseball.  Coach Willie Langley had stated in the Rocky Mount Telegram this week that he was somewhat disappointed that they had not hit the ball this week like they had all summer.  You know the higher up the ladder you go the steeper the steps and this week Nash County's 13u team has been playing the best teams in all the southeast United States.  They are the second best in all of Dixie.

Bring On The Semi's

Today completed the pool play phase of the Babe Ruth 13u Southeastern Regional going on in Greenville.  Nash County has been in the American bracket and today met Tallahassee Florida with the winner getting the number one seed and loser the second seed.  Both teams were undefeated and regardless both are into Saturday play.

Tallahassee beat  Nash County to win the top seed 6-2. Earning the top seed they play the number two seed from the National bracket To be determined at 10am Saturday.  Nash County the second seed plays at 1pm at Guy Smith Stadium in Greenville for the right to play the 10am winner

The other bracket the National has Greenville NC the host team unbeaten in two games and they play tonight at seven Against  Sarasota Florida who is1-1.  Earlier today Union County North Carolina beat Augusta Virginia 11-0 and Union County and Virginia are 1-2 in bracket.

If Greenville wins tonight and remains undefeated they grab first seed and play the two seed  Nash County from the American. If Sarasota wins they win the bracket and Greenville gets the two seed.  If Sarasota loses then there is a three way tie at 1-2 and the team that gave up the least runs gets the two slot from the National bracket.  Should know around 9:30 tonight what the brackets will be for tomorrow's semi's.

Sarasota beat Greenville 9-3 and that will move Greenville to the 10am game against Tallahassee while Nash County will play Sarasota and the two winners playing each other at 4pm for the Southeast Regional championship.

It is getting serious now as Nash County is two wins away from heading to the  Babe Ruth World Series this year being held in Jamestown NY.  Jamestown is in western NY 150 miles south of Buffalo about 120 miles from Pittsburgh around 120 miles from Cleveland.

Here is how Saturday works the first semi is at 10am the second at 1pm winner take all Southeast Regional championship is at 4pm Saturday.  So by losing today in order to win the regional Nash County must win a double header Saturday.  If they win both I think I am right when I say this it would be the first Nash County team to make it to the World Series since 2005.  Once again I think three years in a row 2003-2004-2005 Babe Ruth Nash County made it to the World Series three straight years in different age groups.  They finished 3rd - 2nd- 2nd those years.

On To The Semi's

The Nash County 13u baseball team playing in the United States Southeast regional in Greenville NC of Babe Ruth Baseball could not have a better start if they were trying.  They won their second game in pool play beating North Piedmont a Babe Ruth team from Statesville.  The score was the second shutout in a row for the boys calling Nash County Home winning 10-0.  Their 2-0 shutout yesterday. Gives Nash County a 2-0 record in pool play while they have scored 12 runs and nary a run has cross the plate while they were playing defense.

They have one game left to play in pool play and that will happen Friday afternoon against Tallahassee Fl.  Florida beat Tennessee tonight 9-2 and next up for Nash County is a 1pm matchup with Tallahassee who also stands at 2-0.  That leaves both Tennessee and North  Piedmont both  winless after two games and with those two teams playing each other on Friday there is no way either of those teams can tie Nash County and Tallahassee so both have qualified for the semi finals.

Since both are on to Saturday Play and now that neither needs to win Friday against each other what would you do with your pitchers? So what for the loser does that mean come Saturday.  The number two team is matched up against the Number one seed from the other bracket and right now the only team unbeaten is the host team Greenville NC  The Nash County team beat Greenville last week in the state tournament.

Greenville  however has not clinched as of yet due to the fact they play Sarasota Fl  who is 1-1 in pool play having lost to Augusta Virginia who has lost to Greenville.  If Sarasota beats Greenville and Virginia beats Union County NC who is 0-2 in pool play there would then be a three  way tie and the tie will be  broken by the two teams who have given up the least runs.  In the two games  so far Greenville has allowed 2 runs, Sarasota only one and Augusta has allowed only three.  So you can see the two semi spots in the other bracket is still wide open.

There is no requirement that every player must play so would you pitch the pitcher you think to be you worse and hope for the best? Would you also clear the bench and let the  guys play tomorrow who has spent the most time on the bench and give you best players a day off to be rested and ready for what you hope is a Semi final win and a shot at Sunday's  finals.  Remember the semi and the finals are one game advance if you win and go home if you lose. Knowing Friday's game is a free game what would you tell coach Willie Langley to do with Friday's game?

Roaring Start

This Morning the 13U Nash County Babe Ruth All Stars crushed North Piedmont 10-0 to go to 2-0 in pool play.

Wow!!!! what  a start for the Nash County Babe Ruth 13u all star team playing in the Southeast Regional in Greenville.  Our guys held Lawrence TN the Northeast Tennessee Champions with out a run winning 2-0 in what had to be a great pitching duel.

That is only step one as they are back on the diamond this Thursday in round two of pool play taking on North Piedmont a Babe Ruth team from Statesville.  North Piedmont lost to Tallahassee Fl 12-4 in their Wednesday game.

If this happens and Nash County beats North Piedmont and Tallahassee beats Lawrence Tn then both Nash County and Tallahassee will qualify for the semi finals which will be played Saturday.  They meet Friday but they would only be playing for seedings as both would already be in to the Saturday games.  That would bring into play do you save your best pitching for a possible Saturday semi's and Sunday final?  Both must win today for that to happen.

I  am shocked to hear that Tom Brady is going to fight the NFL on his four game suspension.  The ruling from NFL commissioner Roger  Goodell really didn't say directly his four games was upheld for any cheating in relations to deflating footballs.  He said it was for his unwillingness to cooperate with the NFL during their investigation.

We all as sinners in this world have it deep inside of us that the more power we have there are those who abuse their privilege to have that power.  Tom Brady is the pretty boy of the NFL and since he works for the team fined more than any other in NFL history they the Patriots organization and it surely looks now that Brady thinks they are a little bit above the law.

There is no doubt throughout history we have seen plenty of abuse of power in this country.  Richard Nixon already president wanting to make sure he would win his second term  sent spies into the Democratic headquarters in the Watergate Building to see what the strategy was going to be against him in the 1972 elections.

Even Bill Clinton  tried to tell us was the definition of it when he was in hot water over sexual conduct in the White House.  When you reach a certain status in life you do what is necessary to keep that status whether you obtained that status by cheating or you earned it the old fashion way, worked hard for it.

There is that old saying that if you tell the lie long enough you will begin to believe it is the truth.  Now near the end of his NFL career Brady wants to go out as an angel as his myth has made him out to be.

How valuable is Brady to the New England Patriots?   The year he got hurt in the first game of the year they won 11 games without him.  Peyton Manning hurt his neck  and sat out a year for the Colts and they won the top draft pick for being worse team in league.  Make your own assumptions.

High School Football Is Near

NASH COUNTY 13U Babe Ruth team has won their opening game in pool play beating Tennessee  2-0.  They play Thursday morning at 10am in round two.

August the first is just Saturday and I bet there will not be one team that waits to August 3rd to start the grind.  If they do they will already be behind.

The new man in town is Chris Lee who takes over the reins at Nash Central.  He is familiar with the area already spending time at Rocky Mount before his stint  at Louisburg done mostly to prove he could be a head coach.  He already has swayed his former coaching buddy Kent Cox to leave baseball at Rocky Mount to join him in West Rocky Mount coaching football.

You know there has always been the feeling that Northern Nash has never been the same in football since Nash Central came into being that they have all the talent now.  There is optimism  that the Bulldogs have someone in charge that will change the loser mentality.  A lighter  non conference slate doesn't hurt either.

Randy Raper returns to head the Knights of Northern Nash.  Ever since he arrived the Knights have been improving every year.  There seems to be line issues that have held back any Northern step up to the upper stratosphere of Big East football.  You know  coach K didn't become Coach K until about the fourth year.  The Knights have been competitive  under Raper.  A little more team speed would not hurt,  but Raper knows how to coach high school football and this could be an interesting year for the Knights.

Brian Foster is back for another year of football at Southern Nash.  The elder statesman of the Big East.  Foster has been at Southern so long he has lost all his hair coaching the Firebirds.  He is the only coach in the league who has been the head coach the entire run of the conference being called the Big East and NEW.
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What that proves is he so  planted in Bailey that his system works for the Firebirds.  They are in the reload mode.  Every player from middle school on knows the system and it works.  You know if you look at programs who every three years have a new coach most of the time there is no consistency in the program younger players are caught learning a new system year after year.

Jason Battle is heading into his fourth year at Rocky Mount and last year he got that playoff gorilla off his back winning his first playoff game and giving a great effort in the second before going down.  Speed should once again be an ally for the Gryphons.  The next step up the chain  of hierarchy in the Big East for the Gryphons is to get a grip on discipline both on the sidelines and on the field.
Battle has now been the head man at Rocky Mount long enough that he no longer needs to be compared to B W Holt.  No he is not BW but look at his first three years and it is easy to see as he progresses as a head coach.  Jason has won 24 games and the list is very short of coaches who  have won more in three years at Rocky Mount.

The brand new coach of Rocky Mount Academy is Terrell Hudgins.  All of the coaches in Nash County he bares the heaviest burden.  Any thing short of a third state title for the Eagles football team is a step down.  How well did the coach that followed John  Wooden  a coach that won 10 NCAA basketball title in 13 years.  Can you even name the coach that followed Wooden?

The truth for the Eagles even in winning two private school titles in a row I doubt many expected three in a row even  under B W Holt.  The program is now in the hands of young football wise Man that succeeded in every sport he took part in in high school.  Then in college left as the best pass receiver in DII history.  He has spent two years behind center  learning  under the master Holt then the last three years on his staff at RMA.  This is his first job making all the decisions.  Every coach at every level from midget to NFL started some where at one time or the other as a first time head coach.  The players will like him but only time will tell on his coaching style.

Cleaning up on left overs.  The Host Rowan County won the State  American Legion State title beating High Point Tuesday afternoon  4-3.  They were 5-0 during the tournament. They now will move on to the Southeast regional that begins next week in Asheboro NC.

Down On The Farm

There has been as they say this myth that if you didn't play ball in public school nobody will scout you whether college or Pro.  A month ago during the MLB Draft Isaiah White from Greenfield Academy in Wilson was drafted in the 3rd round  by the Miami Marlins.  3rd round for a player that played against NO competition!!!!!!

So far this summer playing in the rookie Gulf Coast League Isaiah has played in 25 games and is batting a cool 337.  I believe that competition is a little tougher than the private school league that Greenfield plays in and he is tearing up the Gulf Coast League too.

Brian Goodwin  has risen His batting average up to around 240 and has leveled off this week at 234.  His home run total is up to six which is second on the AA Harrisburg.  I don't know if hitting under 250 will get Brian back to AAA.  Something to think about is Friday is the deadline for the MLB for trading.  We talked about this last year that Washington on the big club just might be looking to better themselves for the stretch run and players who have great potential but just treading water in one place in the minors can always be a throw in  if the Nationals decide to prepare for the MLB playoffs.

Benton Moss has made his 3rd start for Hudson Valley and his 7th pitching appearance since signing with Tampa Bay in mid June.  He suffered his first defeat giving up his second homer and drops to 1-1.  We have talked about controlling pitch count and one reason why is Benton already tossed nearly 90 innings for UNC in the spring.  His seven appearances  he has pitch just 20 plus innings.  His ERA ballooned to 3.48 after his win last week it dropped to 2.18.  That's what happens when you don't have many innings under your belt.

Collins Cuthrell has fallen to 283 batting average playing with Florence  Kentucky Freedom.  He has hit seven homers which leads the team.  If you remember in high school, Legion, and college Collins was not a threat to steal.  He is six for six so far this year.  He is in Kentucky hoping to latch on to a MLB team but I a source that knows a source tells me he has had no contact what so ever from any team.  Go figure?

If Hobbs Johnson continues these kind of numbers maybe AAA is in his future.  The Milwaukee
Brewers are getting good results again from Hobbs since moving to AA Biloxi Ms.  He is now 7-4
ERA is 3-20.  Hobbs has 18 starts this summer and thrown 90 innings.

Food for thought.  Blake Helms finished 5-1 this summer pitching for Wilson Post 13.  His ERA 2.32 in 11 appearances.  Playing in Wilson just happens to be where he will be playing baseball in the spring at Barton.   One other note.  I think his age could bring him back to Legion next summer and if there is any hope Post 58 gets back on the field next summer he would be a solid foundation to a team in Rocky Mount, just hoping