It's South Point Again

The 2016 3A football championships will again feature the two teams that played in the 2015 game.  Please don't forget the Gryphons trailed in the fourth quarter and don't get the idea that we dominated the game last year. The Red Raider defense held the Gryphon running attack to only 120 yards in last year's game so what makes you think they can't do it again?

It took the best passing night of the season by Forest Bell 219 yards and the blocking and catching to help the Gryphons win their first state football title in 52 years.  Let's talk for a minute about the Gryphons.  Which team is better this year's squad or last.  To the naked eye there is not much difference is there.  Then a question is if we are about the same then is there any way we can judge about South Point.  They played practically the same schedule as last year and they are back again just like we are.

They did play Shelby who is playing in the 3AA title game while Edenton Holmes is playing in the 2A after we played them this year.  Lincolnton who the Red Raiders played got knocked out last week while Middle Creek who we played got knocked out last week too.  We should not knock their schedule because they played some really tough teams just as we did.  How can we judge how good their schedule is, anyone around here seen anybody on their schedule play?

Pre sale of game tickets remain on sale at Rocky Mount High School for $9.  Stop by the school from 8-am-4pm  for your purchase.  It is 165 miles to Groves Stadium or about two hours and forty minutes driving time with good traffic.  There and back is 330 miles or about a tank of gas.  A bus ride to the game is only $20 and somebody else is doing the driving so to me the bus rides sounds mighty good. Call Beluah Battle to hitch a ride on the bus. her number is 467-3759

Now let's look at this week's NFL:  Last week had a 12-4 week to run my record for the season to 143-68.

Rams @ Seahawks:  New coach in LA and Seattle at home 26-10 Seattle
Dolphins @ Jets:  I think Dolphins win 26-23
Packers @ Bears:  This could be a game in Chicago but I'll stick with Packers 23-17
Browns @ Bills:  Haven't given up on a Browns victory but they have a shot against Chargers next week. Bills 26 Browns 19
Eagles @ Ravens: Eagle season is  shot and Ravens need this one Ravens 33-17
Titans @Chiefs:  Nashville is a threat.  Chiefs 19 Titans 17
Steelers @ Bengals:  Steelers seem to be for real but game in Cincy will be a game 26-23 Steel Curtin
Lions @ Giants:   Giants hold serve 23-19
Colts @ Vikings:  Both teams are in need of victory but Vikings win at home.  Vikes  33 Colts 28
Jaguars @ Texans:  Talk about a team needing a win but Texans still alive for playoffs Houston 27 Jacksonville 17
Saints @ Cardinals: Cards win in the desert. Zona 36 Saints 28
49'ers @ Falcons:  9'ers can't score enough Atlanta 38 San Fran 26
Raiders @ Chargers:  Chargers simply don't have anybody healthy. Raiders 30 Philip Rivers 23
Patriots @ Broncos:  Pat's 27 Denver 16
Buccaneers @ Cowboys: Don't be surprised if Bucs win but Cowboys hang on 23-21
Panthers @ Redskins:  Cam had his one great year and now he has gone back to being the throw off back foot QB.  Redskins 26 Panthers 23.

Laugh At Myself

Pre Sell on the State Championship tickets are on sell at Rocky Mount High school through noon Friday for $9 per ticket. If you wait to buy at the gate in Winston Salem tickets will be $10.   Tickets are on sale from 8am-4pm.  If you would like to ride a bus you can call Beluah Battle at 467-3759.   The price for one seat is $20.

Correction:  I stated yesterday that the game has been scheduled for 4pm but it is actually  still 11:05am.  Maxpreps and NCHSAA Brackets were showing 4pm but have been changed.  KICKOFF is 11:05

If you were at the game in Havelock I didn't see too many other brave souls wearing shorts.  Wes Bradshaw is about the only nut that I saw that was not wrapped up from head to toe.  Most people had on so many clothes it was hard to tell who they were coming into the stands.

I had on two pair of socks, two pants, a  pull over shirt, a sweat shirt with hood and a heavy coat.  You can  guess that it was an event to try to go to the bathroom with all the layers that people were wearing.  I went to the bathroom at halftime and my feet got cold for the first time on the walk around to the bathroom on the damp ground other than that I was fine the whole game.

The game is over and heading to the car I reached for my keys and did not feel them.  As I was walking I said to myself you know I didn't leave them in the car.  When we got to the car my door was locked and now panic sets in as I have no keys and  I am 115 miles from home.

My son Brooks, two church friends Bobby English and Andy Holt and I am now in an all out search for my keys.  We retraced what I could remember every step I took from the time we got out of the car until we got back.  I actually had to undress on the two stops I made to the bathroom so I knew for sure they would be there some where.  We looked under the bleachers on the bleachers. 

Desperate I am now seeking help from anyone from Havelock who might be able to find out if any keys had been turned in to the press box.  I started with a gentleman who was standing near the exits observing everyone as they were leaving who had a radio.  He sent me to see the man who was riding around on the golf cart who also had a radio.  He went to now the almost empty  press box to see if keys had been turned in there.  Still no keys.  Finally a police officer from Havelock's Finest with flashlight in hand searched under the bleachers again and walked to my car with us.  He looked to see if my keys were in the ignition and even as we were dressing at the stadium putting on all the layers of clothes he used his light to check to see if I laid  them in the hatch back and shut the lid that it locked with my keys. Still no keys.

What do we do now?  Chase Miller's family parked just a couple of spaces from us volunteered to carry some of my crowd home with them  but we held out hope.  Greg Pierce  Class of 1986 who had driven by himself from his home in the Holly Springs area volunteered to load us up and carry us to Rocky Mount and then head  to  his Home.

With no keys to be found, can't believe someone would pick up a set of keys not turn them in to someone.  What are you going to do with a set of keys if you don't know who they belong to.  We now have no choice.  If you will Greg  please carry us home and I will come back tomorrow and get my car. 

Greg has a Mazda 3 Hatchback.  We are now going to load five people into the  car and three of us Bobby, Andy and Myself  do a good job of filling any car up.  We will now be sitting on top of each other and make the trip to Rocky Mount.

Greg puts his hatchback up and we are peeling off all the layers of clothes we have on and as I start to pull my first pair of pants off If feel something move under my belt.  I felt and my keys were in my pants pocket but some how or other the pocket was inside out and my keys were wrapped around my pocket which somehow or other is tucked under my belt.

Oh my gosh I found them.  There is a major celebration as we will not have to ride in Greg's Mazda doubled up and I will not have to return Saturday to pick up my car.  In all this took about 40 minutes of searching.  By this time there is not many left in the parking lot and right out to the street we go.

Many thanks to the Miller's and Greg for trying to give aid to an idiot.  Other than that it was a great ball game.

You Should Have Been There

Every Time you win it just makes the next game bigger. Every ball game has great plays throughout a game but those plays in the important games standout forever.  I don't know if there has ever been a circumstance where you can get any closer to losing than the Gryphons were in Friday night.  Down by 7 and the other team on you one yard line with 30 seconds to go. 

99.9 yards from the goal line and Havelock coaches told their defender to cover the slant. Havelock's thinking is we have rushed the quarterback all night they will not have time to unload a bomb. Revis was so wide open that the defender was a good five yards behind the streaking Detrelle Revis who had to wait on the ball and all he had to do then was not fall down and run like the wind.

Sherrod Green injured for most of the fourth quarter after a helmet hit him in the knee made his longest run of the night in over time 10 yards to tie the game.  He will now have to send in a letter to the Shrine Bowl declining  his opportunity to play in the North Carolina /South Carolina Bowl game next Saturday as he will have something more important to do.  That is a leftover factor from Hurricane Matthew and the state championships being pushed back a week.

The hero of the State championship game last year Chase Miller did it again In Havelock.  How in the world is not every major school in the country at least looking at him.  Early in the season the long snapper was an issue which made Miller look a little wobbly kicking.  Some minor injuries hampered his kicking for much of the season.  Now when we need him most Chase is at the top of his game.

There is no doubt two great defenses took the field against each other.  I was not that impressed with the Havelock offense but I am sure the Havelock fans didn't see much with the Gryphon offense either.  Their quarterback lacked speed and looked to be getting big  yardage several times but we chased him down for six yard gains.  The Rams defense bottled the Gryphon offense all night and including sacks held the Gryphons to less than 100 yards rushing.  Last year in the championship game the Gryphons only got 120 in the game  and yet we won both because of our defense kept us in the game and the passing game came through when we needed it most.

One of the really good things about high school sports is the players put out every ounce that they have in athletic competition and the cost is reasonable compared to what you pay to see a college game or professional game.  The crowd was about one person deep around the stadium as all the seats were filled.  I know the Gryphon fans could have been more but Havelock is a haul for the working man on a Friday Night after work. 

You may have Seen a couple of weeks ago when the announcement was made where the state championship games were going to be played the 3A game was set for 11:05 Saturday morning.  The game's time has been moved to 4pm.

This two year run that Rocky Mount High school has going in football has been some memorable moments we will be meeting a team that will have every reason to seek revenge after we came back in the fourth quarter last season to win the title.

This game is the prime example of never leave a game before it is over.  Many Havelock fans in their cars came back in once they got in their cars turned on the radio and found out  the Gryphons had tied it.  There were several fans on the Rocky Mount side  that left.  I wonder did they know to listen to the Havelock radio broadcast once in their cars or did they drive home thinking the Gryphons lost.

Another Friend Gone

I have been kicking around this world in sports radio and TV since 1971.  Along the way I have crossed paths with many a person in the radio and TV business.  I spent 18 months in Roanoke Rapids when a group of Ahoskie Business men opened a radio station there in 1974,  Working in radio or any media organization it is much like a fireman, policeman that your job gets in your blood and it will be there for ever.  I like so many others have had a hard time escaping the haunting of radio, TV even after I quit full time and I have continued part time in sports announcing or anything related to it.

It was 1974 and as we were about to put WPTM on the air a gentleman who was a supervisor at J P Stevenson 3rd shift was hanging around wanting to be a salesman part time.  His name was Earl Telliga.  Long after the Stevens plants shut down Earl has been in radio.  1989 I had a sales job where I set my own appointments and from 6am to 10 everyday I was the Morning man on the Murfreesboro FM station and after I got off went and sold my goods unrelated to radio.  When I left the radio job Earl Telliga took my place in Murfreesboro and he has been there ever since. Near 1999 he became station manager and morning man until the day he died.

I have done over the years several games on the radio from the football field in Roanoke Rapids.  The first time I ever did a game on radio I sat beside their PA announcer.  That guys name was Earl Telliga.  43 years he did Roanoke Rapids PA and never missed one game.  I have been doing games both on radio, TV and PA and I have missed several games for some reason over the years.

Last weekend Earl passed from this world after he learned in the summer of 2015 he had Colon Cancer.  He worked the morning show right to the end.  The older I get my friends keep leaving this earth and another one has gone to the press box in the sky.  Earl was 78.  He had started in radio at the age of 16 working at WCBT radio in Roanoke Rapids  and gets 62 years credit in the business.  If I ever do another game from the press box in Roanoke Rapids it will not be the same hearing that nasally voice no longer.  So Long good friend.

Today my children are giving me a Christmas present as we are going to Charlotte to see the Carolina Panthers play the San Diego Chargers.  I  follow the Chargers because of Philip Rivers.  If I can make any kind of personal link with any professional I follow them closely.  Once Rivers retires I will not care one thing about the Chargers but this is only the second time San Diego has played in Charlotte since Rivers began playing professional football.

That was 2004 his rookie year and he never got off the bench as the third string quarterback.  I was there when they opened the gates and during warm ups he and second string quarterback Doug Flutie played a game.  Each stood on the 40 yard line and threw 10 balls aiming to hit the cross bar on the goal post.  Flutie not all that big of a player had to take a running start to fling the ball 50 yards never hit the cross bar once while Philip smacked it four  times standing rather flat footed.  Of course that made my day just seeing him do that and the Panthers won the game 17-7.  I will be in Wolfpack Red hoping that Philip goes 30-35 510 yards and 5 touchdowns and no interceptions .  I don't care if they lose I want Philip to have a great day since this will be the first time I have seen him play in person since N C State.

Is it time to go yet?

Never Give Up

Under three minutes to go in the game down 17-10 and after a failed fourth down and eight produced only four yards those unfaithful fans that don't believe in the Gryphons  started heading to the exit for the long drive home.  The far side line Ram fans started heading out joyous of their fifth trip to the state finals in six years.  It could get no worse the Rams have a fourth Down at the Gryphon one yard line with 30 seconds to go another score puts the game out of reach.

The Gryphons in fact held on four straight downs inside the five yard line to give a staggering offense  25 seconds and one more chance.  Enter number 31 Detrelle Revis who's only offensive play of the night will stand as maybe the greatest play in Gryphons history. Split out as the flanker on the left side Revis streaked straight up the field and caught the defender standing at the 10 yard line flat footed and Shabios Lynch toss was on target to a wide open Revis who out ran the entire Havelock secondary 99 yards to cut the lead to one with 18.5 seconds.

Enter number 41 Chase Miller listening to the Havelock fans cheer block that kicked egged the Ram Fans to get louder and smacked the tying points on the board.  Three passing plays put Havelock into position to try to win on a 41 yard field goal.  The kick started out straight and true but was ten yards short but many Havelock fans and players went wild thinking they had made it but  overtime.

Havelock took three plays to score while the Gryphons use a sweep left by DeAngelo Collins to tie. The second overtime series both teams kicked field goals to tie at 27 after double overtime.  The Rams scored in three plays but the snap on the 34th point was low and the kick sailed wide left.  Sherrod Green who took  a helmet to the knee missed about most of the fourth quarter but his only carry of over time was his longest run of the night as he scores on the first play and ties the game.

Enter Chase Miller who already on this night is the MVP at that point two field goals,  three extra points and several punts which keep the Rams bottled up plus his kickoffs which none were returned out past the 25.  The kick is right down the middle and the Gryphons are headed to Winston Salem next Saturday to have a rematch with South Point.

The Havelock defense bottled up the Gryphon Rushing attack holding the Gryphons to 66 yards rushing.  Lynch was 3-5 for 113 yards .  Havelock put the whole load on quarterback Corey Cooper rushing 24 times 71 yards while rest of team had 47 yards.  Cooper was 8-15 for 102 yards.

The Gryphons got a 27 yard field goal at the 5:27 mark of the first quarter to start the scoring. Havelock scored their first points came at 11:53 of the second quarter Corey Cooper scored from two yards out to give the Rams a 7-3 lead.  The Gryphons took the lead back at 2:32 of the half when Shyheim Battle picked off a Cooper pass and returned it to the house to give the Gryphons a10-7 halftime lead.

A Rocky Mount 3 and out started a Ram drive that produced the tying field at 4: 51 in the third.  A Havelock punt rolled dead  at the Gryphon one foot line and on the second play running an option Lynch was hit behind the line and Destin Flyod scooped up the ball to give Havelock the lead with five minutes to play.

There are fans who left early have no idea who won the game but the Gryphons pull a Houdini and live to play another State Championship 34-33 over Havelock.

Long John Weather Tonight

People talk about global warming an  I believe in it but not because of a hole in the atmosphere but because today 6 billion people at 98.6 degrees each is the big problem.  Growing up in Ahoskie we always played Williamston the ninth game of the season so it was either the last Friday night in October or the first Friday night in November.  Whenever we played at Williamston it was always freezing.  Most said it was the wind blowing off the Roanoke River.  What ever the reason that game you had better have your long johns on.

The weather forecast for today and tonight is 43 for a high today and by dawn Saturday 23 degrees.  I would suspect by the time the sun goes down in will be in the 30's  and maybe freezing by the end of the game.  In the old days I wore two pair of socks, two pair of pants and as many coats and sweat shirts that I could get on.  Sounds like old times tonight.

Both Tarboro and  Rocky Mount have rather lengthy trips to Teachey and Havelock.  Both need to bring their A games in order to advance to next week's State Championship weekends.  This is the time of year it only seems fair that to advance you need to play your best.  All four teams Wallace Rose Hill and Havelock along Tarboro and Rocky Mount are playing at championship caliber level.

I think in order for the Vikings to win they will need to pass some in order to open up the run.  High school football in the recent future has become a passing world.  Teams that pass 15-20 times a game generally are not physical teams because the pass makes you a more passive team because blockers are backing up in protection over power driving foward.


When Rocky Mount played West Craven in 2008 West Craven passed a lot.  There is a big difference between the Gryphon football teams of 2007/08 that made the Regionsl finals.  Those two years speed was the the primary Gryphon strength.  The 15/16 Gryphons have as much speed as 07/08 but I believe the recent Gryphons have a lot more power.  Power and speed will out do the other team with speed only as the night wears on.

Looking at last year during the playoffs Rocky Mount trailed in four of the five playoff games but beat down every team as the game wore on.  Look at this year they wore down Southern Lee trailing by two touchdowns in the third quarter.  Against Southern Nash they had no answer for Sherrod Green who they did not see as a running back in the first meeting in fact he spent time in the sidelines in the first meeting with an ailing shoulder.  Last week from the opening play Southern Guilford was no match for Rocky Mount speed or power.  All of this power stuff will go right out the window with a couple of lost fumbles.

Tonight the Gryphons will be taking on a team that can run or pass.  If there is one area the Gryphons have yielded the most yardage it has been through the air.  Havelock could hurt the Gryphons big time if they don't get a pass rush.  We will need to shut down the run so the pass is the big worry.  If we don't stop the run it will open up the pass.

The Coastal Conference I would call a passing league which brings on the question has Havelock seen a team with the speed and power like the Gryphons.  If they haven't the Gryphons can win.  Need to get there early because Havelock officials are expecting a huge crowd.  The stadium is similar to Gryphon Stadium so 4-5 thousand people can be seated.

Those who can't get off in time to get to the game or don't want to sit in the cold the game will be on the radio tonight on 103.7. Hope you can be there. Be loud, be proud and dress warmly. It will seem like old times.

These Are The Type Games You Practice To Play In

Good news for Gryphon fans stuck in Rocky Mount Friday night.  103.7 WTIB-FM will be broadcasting the game from Havelock.  We need for you to thank the good folks at Speight Trophies as they are sponsoring the game on the radio.

Last week went 3-0 on my high school playoff picks and so far this playoffs 12-1.  Only two teams left from this area and these are the only two games we will pick this week.

Tarboro is back in a Regional Final.  They play a team it seems they have met a lot over this decade of Jeff Craddock. I think an over riding factor in this game is Wallace Rose Hill moves up to 2A in next year's realignment.  WRH much like Tarboro can hang with many 3A schools.

Last week the Viking D saved the day in a 13-7 victory.  I don't think 13 points can win this one.  The Road ends for the Tarboro Vikings WRH 21 Tarboro 13


Rocky Mount 12-2 @ Havelock 13-1:  Looking at who these two teams have lost to you can throw the losses out the door.  The three losses these two teams have are a combined 39-3 looking at the records of West Craven, Southern Nash and Middle Creek. 

There is a beauty to watch a team stumbles  along like the Gryphons did during conference play and I think most who saw them think team attitude was a major factor.  Yes a change was made at quarterback that since the change the offense has found that mojo that had been missing.  Also the change occurred at the moment that the Gryphons were slapped in the face by Southern Lee and the Gryphons found themselves down by 14 midway of the third quarter of the first playoff game.  The entire team faced the reality that if we don't get it done now it is over.  They have been getting it done ever since.

The only loss for Havelock this season happened over two  night period as  they started their game with West Craven but the rains from  Hurricane Matthew ended the game in the middle and when finished  days later West Craven upset Havelock 21-14,  Neither of these two teams have been blown off the field by anybody. 

I think this is the biggest football game Rocky Mount has been in since Western Alamance in 2008.  I not talking about the state championship game not being big but the quality of the program we are facing.   I do admit South Point and all those teams from their conference are just as great of programs as anybody wants to meet but in this Rocky Mount/ Havelock game two teams are meeting playing at the apex of their potential during great periods in their football History.

The winner receives a trip next Saturday to BB&T Stadium for an 11:05 start in Winston Salem.  I have looked on every map site there is and I don't think there is a better way to get to Havelock than this.  Take Hwy 64 east to Highway 11 at Bethel.  Stay on 11 joined by 13 just outside Greenville and turn on 264 E bypass and go around Greenville 264 will turn left in a couple of miles but stay straight until you get to the Mall on your left and ECU on your right  take a left on hwy 43 to Vanceboro which will run you into Hwy 17 bear right and stay on 17 until the you cross the Neuse River and get in the lane getting on Hwy 70 east to Havelock.  Once in Havelock take Webb Blvd which will also show signs to enter Cherry Point.  Go about a mile and the school is on the right.  It's stadium is about the size of Our stadium.  Good traffic it will take 2 hours and 21 minutes.  Good luck with the Greenville 5 o'clock traffic around Christmas.

I could easily see this as an overtime game.  I know Havelock is playing superior football but I'm sticking with the Gryphons 24-21.