Winning Streak Over

The Rocky Mount Gryphons hosted one of the top 4A schools in North Carolina tonight and for two and a half quarters the defending 3-A champs showed the Mustangs they were going to have to work to win this one.

Rocky Mount down 16-14 at the half and took the  second half kickoff and marched to the 11 yard line and Chase Miller kicked a 31 yard field goal to give the Gryphons a 17-16 lead at 8:28 of the third quarter.

Middle Creek moved through the air all night as quarterback Dominique  Shoffner completed only 10 of 24 passes but those ten collected 181 yards and  quickly The Mustangs went down the field to retake the lead after a two point conversion 24-17.  The Gryphons were stopped on 4th down and the Mustangs covered ground again pushing the score to 31-17 with 11:32 to play.

Each team stopped each other on their next processions but faced with 4th down a bad punt snap gave Middle Creek their final scored from the Gryphon 15 yard line.  The Gryphons showed some  grit scoring on their final drive making the final 37-25.

Middle Creek took the opening kickoff and five plays led 7-0. The Gryphons punted but the ball bounce off a Mustang blocker and the Gryphons took the ball  from the MC 40 and tried a 41 yard field goal by Chase Miller but the ball hit the cross bar.

Starting at their 20 after the missed field goal the Gryphons steal the ball and have it at the 18 yard line. The Gryphons tie it at 7 with 1:14 to play in the first quarter on a keeper by quarterback Mckenzy Wright.  The next drive Artavious Richardson intercepts a Shoffners's pass out in the flats and rambles 18 yards for a Gryphon lead 14-7.

Didn't take the Mustangs long to tie it up at 9:40 of the second.  The next Mustang drive Detrelle Revis intercepted a Shoffner pass at the one yard line and hoping to find blockers was tackled in the enzone for a safety and a 16-14 half time lead.

Middle Creek was 10-24 for 181 yards passing and rushed 37 times for 133 yards.  The Gryphons rushed for 198 yards and added 27 yards passing. The loss stops a 12 game winning streak for the Gryphons.

Other scores
Kipp Pride 16 NorthEast Carolina  Prep 8. pride 2-0 for first time ever
Word of God 36 RM Prep 16
Rocky Mount Academy 49 Halifax Academy 2
Fike 28 East Wake 6
North Edgecombe 14 SouthWest Edgecombe 12 first win over the Cougars since 2003
Northeastern 27 Northern Nash 24 Northern led 21-0 at one point
Tarboro 28 Washington 0 look out for the Vikings
Southern Nash 48 Beddingfield 0 Southern is primed for big year
Nash Central 44Smithfield Selma 6 broke 10 game losing streak.
Hunt 27 Herford County 12

Blogging Good Time

Thursday was a rather large day in the life of blogging.  I posted my 3,000th story.  Back on August first was the beginning of year nine for me as a blogger.  If you have been with me from the beginning you know I did not plan on blogging every day but only when I thought I had some intelligent information or opinion  to pass along about something going on in the area related to sports.

If you remember August 2008 the Rocky Mount football team was in the middle of six very successful years under B W Holt and I was covering the Gryphons on the radio with Wes Bradshaw.  There was so much happening that it didn't take long before I was blogging every day.  Those days when I blogged once a week didn't have very many of you that care to read.  As the team picked up steam people began to find my address.  I have never advertised my blog that much so I rely on you to find out where I am on the internet. 

I know when I say this, this  is still not a great number of people but there are about 250 of you who view this blog  everyday. When something special occurs it jumps to 500 We have come a long ways since only five views was a big day..  As long as I am having fun doing this I would like to continue and as long as it looks like we are not turning everyone off to what I am saying I hope I can keep my health to keep doing it.  I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart that your desire to  read what I have to say has helped give me motivation to want to continue to write everyday.

Tonight there are several games in the area when it will be hard to find games anywhere else in the state that could possibly be any better.  Middle Creek will be at Rocky Mount High tonight.  State wide they are number one  in the preseason in 4-A.  HIGHSCHOOLOT.COM  has them rated number one in  the WRAL viewing area and Rocky Mount number six.

 Now we all know that not being in Wake County  it is almost like we don't exist especially in the News and Observer.  There is no reason that the stadium should not be overflowing like it was during the third round playoff game last year against Eden Morehead.  I can assure you the Gryphons have been waiting for this one ever since Middle Creek beat them 24-21 last year when Rocky Mount led in the fourth quarter.

The same thing should occur in Tarboro with Washington in town.  yes, Washington lost to Havelock last week but that does mot mean they can't whip the Vikings so this should be a very competitive game.  Look at the good games going on in the area tonight.  Northern Nash is hosting Northeastern who has been a thorn in the Knights side for several years when they have played each other in non-conference games.  There is no reason  that Death Valley is not loaded down and overflowing with fans.

High school sports are fun to watch and a relative cheap nights entertainment.  Find a game and go have a good time tonight.

Week Two Football Ready To Roll

Last week our local teams in Nash and Edgecombe Counties were 5-4 in their opening games.  This week the level of competition picks up as several games are top level games.

Kipp Pride 1-0 @ NorthEast Carolina Prep 0-1.  Even in losing Prep played a 4A school last week and Kipp Pride is not to that level.  NEC Prep 26 Kipp Pride 13

Word of God 0-1 @ Rocky Mount Prep 0-1.  Word of God left eight man for eleven man football and this will be a really interesting game.  WOG lost by 42 last week and Prep was shocked by Kipp Pride.  Word of God will win this one 32-22 over RM Prep.

SouthWest Edgecombe 0-1 at North Edgecombe 1-0.  Despite the drubbing the Cougars took last week they should have enough to win this one.  SWE 26 North Edgecombe 20

Smithfield Selma 0-1 @ Nash Central 0-1.  This is a must for the Bulldogs.  This will probably be a down to the last second game.  Nash Central 27 Smithfield Selma 26

Northeastern 1-0 @ Northern Nash 1-0. The last several years the Eagles have been too quick for the Knights.  This game will tell us a lot about the 2016 Knights.  I want to see one more game before I get on the Northern bandwagon.  Northeastern 26 Northern Nash 21

Southern Nash 1-0 @ Beddingfield 1-0. Any time you play Beddingfield you need to be ready to score.  I think the Firebirds can.  Southern Nash 36 Beddingfield 21

Washington 0-1 @ Tarboro 1-0. Washington was shutout last week by Havelock which surely is no sin.  This is a 3-A -1-A matchup.  Don't think Washington is all that bad but this will be a game to tell us if this is an expectation year to go deep in playoffs for the Vikings.  Tarboro 26 Washington 23

Middle Creek 1-0 @ Rocky Mount 1-0. The entire state will be watching this one as Middle Creek is expecting to go deeper in 4-A playoffs.  Rocky Mount still talking about giving the game away to Middle Creek last year.  This could be just like last year that this is a fourth quarter victory.  Middle Creek 21 Rocky Mount 14

There are games when playing well can propel a team forward much like last season when Rocky Mount saw they could play with Middle Creek even in defeat.  Tarboro and Northern Nash are facing 

Those type games like the Gryphons this week.  Win or lose we will know a lot more just how good these teams are after Friday.

Sportsmanship Was On Display

The opening night of the high school football the four main points of emphasis by the referees were  on display this past Friday night.  Working the sidelines with the chains and being on the sidelines of South Granville there was one thing that was very noticeable and that was how calm the sidelines were.  The NCHSAA has made vulgar language on the field of play or the sidelines a personal foul and ejection from the game for just one word.  How refreshing it was that I never heard one word all night from players or coaches that could get anyone tossed out of the game.  The only question I have is why has it taken so long for this to be part of the game again.

The double team chop block by lineman has been outlawed but there was not one called all night. I don't pay that much attention to the line during the game so I can't tell you whether that is still an issue or not. The other two points are minor and one is the clear or white mouth pieces is allowable these days.  The other point was all pads have to be covered by the uniform they can no longer stick out and seen.  Didn't notice one all night.  There were two helmets knocked off during play and on both incidents each player gather his helmet and ran off the field for the one play required to sit out.

Josh Hamilton from Raleigh was released by the Texas Rangers yesterday possibly ending a career that had the makings of superstardom but drugs reduced his career to just a really good ball player.  1999 Hamilton was the number one draft pick but by 2004 was out of baseball from drugs.

Hamilton was never able to shake free of the desire for a drink or drugs so when he returned to baseball in 2007 he had to have an escort to take him home after every game because he would stop by a bar for a drink or buy drugs if left alone.

His return saw five years making the all star team including one as the MVP of the league.  His greatest moment was the home run derby competition in which he hit close to fifty home runs but failed to win the night.

Hamilton has been plagued this season with knee problems and the Rangers say that this release has been done in order that the Rangers can negotiate during the off season with Hamilton to return next season after his knees have healed.  I hope he gets well enough to keep in baseball and only time will tell.

Minor League Baseball Season Is About Over

Those wanting to move up in the ranks of pro baseball the season is getting short.  Only those that will get called up to the big club in September will play much in September unless your team is in the minor league playoffs.

Somebody that I have not mentioned all summer is Isaiah White from Greenfield Academy who was a third round pick of the Miami Marlins last year.  He was sent back to the New York Penn League this summer and he has struggled with the bat.  He is hitting 222.  He is listed as the number 17 prospect of the Marlins.  He has tremendous speed but speed doesn't make you hit the ball.  He's got to start using his speed to get on base.

Whit Merrifield since his return to Omaha after spending  six weeks with the Kansas City Royals is hitting 276, 8 home runs 27 RBI and 17 doubles.  Whenever Omaha season ends  he will finish September in Kansas City.

Collins Cuthrell in Florence Kentucky.  Batting 217 for a team not associated with any major league team.  Only way to get a team interested is put up numbers that make people take notice and 217 is not that kind of number.  He has hit 13 home runs which leads team.  His RBI total is 53 which is second on team.

Hobbs Johnson has appeared in six games since arriving in Soiux City Iowa.  His first two appearances were awful but the next four have been much better.  His ERA after 1.3 innings was over 19 but he has reduced the ERA to 5.4 in 11.2 innings.  He is 1-1.  Since being released by The Milwaukee  Brewers  in late June Hobbs is looking for a team to sign him and give him another chance next year.  He may not have enough innings is Sioux City to attract attention.

Benton Moss 7-9. His ERA has dropped to 3.80 which is best it has been all year.  Since Fourth of July has dropped ERA almost three quarters of a point.  That is what the big club is looking for  not necessarily wins and losses.  Expect Benton to move up to AA next spring and maybe play fall  ball somewhere this fall.

Brian Goodwin since he has come back to Syracuse has picked up where he left off. Hitting 284  11 homers and 63 RBI which leads the Chiefs despite being in Washington for 16 days.  When ever the Chiefs season ends will be heading to Washington to be with Nationals for the stretch drive to the playoffs.

There's Only One Color Red White And Blue

The Olympics ended last night and there is one thing about the Olympics, for 16 days every country that has tv's focuses on the games.  Regardless of whether it soccer, basketball, track and field swimming every country that has an athlete they pull for their country first and for the person representing them second.

We pulled for everyone who wore the red white and blue.  My years covering sports for the most part I have covered mainly three teams.  Starting in 1971 through 1988 spring I covered Ahoskie High.  In the fall of 1988 Hertford County went to a central high school and then my coverage was Hertford County until 1993.

I spent 1993 and into 1995  covering sports in Fayetteville and it was a game of the week covering all teams.  1999 started covering game of the week on WHIG TV and in 2001 covered Gryphon Sports.  Since 2010 when I have been on tv or radio it has mostly covering all the teams.  Over the years I have been asked this question.  How many white players are on the team or how many are black.  My standard answer is, I don't know all I see is the A on the side of their helmet for Ahoskie, HC for Hertford County or RM for Rocky Mount.

If there is one thing that sports does better than any other it has no color barrier.  If you are the best you play.  Team sports because everyone on the team is working for the same goal everyone is a brother or sister because they work for the same goal, winning in what ever sport it might be.

Sports unites people who care about the same thing.  We all love it when we can say we are the best at something.  It doesn't matter what color they are we won.  The United States of America won many metals during the Olympics.  Can anybody tell me what color won any of them.  They were all Americans.  Each of us that have a certain high school they pull for an in  most cases you either attended that school or you children go to that school now.

I hear this all the time"he graduated from Northern Nash and I don't understand how he pulls for Rocky Mount now.  It probably has something to do with where your kids go.  We all have our reasons. I lived in Ahoskie for 40 years and never thought I could ever pull for any high school but my alma mater.

We all that live in the USA our  Alma mater is America.  All those athletes represented us so we pulled for all of them because we want to be represented by the best in the world.  The only color that counted was Red White and Blue.

Reflections of Week One Football

The biggest surprise as far as score Friday night pertaining to Nash County schools was Northern Nash's 17-0 win over Corinith Holders.  I am not shocked at them winning as every time they have played Holders it has always been a competitive game.  The score is however.  It is great to see Northern competitive again.  They showed signs last year that the defense was sound and it is better than sound this year.

Sometimes the score doesn't tell all.  Nash Central lost 42-0 to the Tarboro Vikings and yet showed improvement over years past.  We all know in the last ten years Tarboro can play against anybody in this state so depth may be a major problem for the Bulldogs.  We discussed one day last week about the program had sunk to a level where quality players were bypassing football at Nash Central.  It takes time to win those type players back into the program.

I liked what I saw in the scrimmage when Southern Nash scrimmaged West Johnston and Goldsboro in Rocky Mount.   When you have a coach coaching a program for nearly twenty years then year after year looks the same.  Southern is big, fast and strong ready to run the football and pass to keep teams honest.

Rocky Mount was simply too fast for South Granville.  Sherrod Greene has been getting all the press and attention but number nine Artavious  Richardson was all over the field Friday night. Mckenzy Wright did his job at quarterback. Jalen Watson had some  hard nose runs up the middle and would not go down on first contact.  That type running last year paid off late in games last season when the Gryphons controlled the fourth quarter.

They are once again loaded with backs who can take it to the house on any play. Line needs to improve pass blocking.  Only one pass was completed in a seven step drop back by the quarterback.  The rest of the completions were three steps and throw.  Wright did take a blindside hit and fumbled early in third quarter.  The snap to the holder on extra points was not good.  Three or four bounced back and Chase Miller had two kicks blocked but one went through the uprights anyway.

There is no reason Chase Miller will not get gobbled up by a D1 football program.  He can kick the day lights out of football under pressure.  You hardly hear that about kickers getting recruited until
The end of the season.  If for no other reason his 38 yard extra point to tie the state championship game should have all D1 schools in North Carolina on alert.

Last night NorthEast Carolina Prep open the season at Apex Freedom who was playing their first varsity football game.  Freedom 46 NEC Prep 13.  Went 6-3 on Picks this weekend.

Thought it would happen and it did.  Ryan Zimmerman was activated Saturday back to the roster of the Washington Nationals.  Brian Goodwin was sent back to Syracuse.  During his 15 days as a major Leaguer he was 4/16 with two RBI.  The Syracuse Chiefs season ends Labor Day weekend and they will not be in the playoffs so I suspect by Tuesday after Labor Day he will be back on the roster to finish out the season in Washington.