Just Thinking

Many teams in football love to win the coin toss and kick off hoping by the end of the half they score and then receive the second half kickoff without the other team getting the ball and you might score 14 points

Basketball scoring at the end of the half and getting the ball first in  the second half really doesn't impact the game at all.

I think even Wolfpack basketball fans can see that this years basketball team is not very good.  I think one of the biggest problems the team is having is they still think they are good.  To me that is a bad combination when a team or person is in denial and will not accept reality.

When Smith is clicking you can see the other players standing around watching and when it is time to go play  defense after you have stood around on the offensive end they stand around on defense.

Division II baseball began their season this weekend. NC  Wesleyan baseball begins this Saturday and D1 baseball begins the 17th.

This area has Brian Goodwin playing for the Washington Nationals, Benton Moss in the minor league system of the Tampa Bay Rays. Collins Cuthrell who finished the baseball season last year in Kentucky trying to find a major league team is in graduate school at UNC Pembroke and on the baseball coaching staff joining Alex Pearce whom is coaching his second season.

Despite how much I hate New England Tom Brady  put on a show  the last 20 minutes of the Super Bowl.  His arm has to be about to fall off having tossed it 62 times.    Once again a pass play occurs that if the miracle catch doesn't happen  the Patriots never win.  The Edelman catch will become like the helmet catch as a play that will be shown millions of times in the future.

There is that old saying about experience and even though Matt Ryan won the MVP he made the bonehead play of the game when with about three minutes left in the game took a big time loss on a sack when the Falcon's were in field goal range to up their lead to 11.

Just think the missed extra point by New England after their first touchdown if it were made there would never have been overtime.

"Stayin Alive"

Today at NC Wesleyan the Battling Bishops in ninth place taking on Averitt who is just A half game out of first.  What adds spice to this game is that the entire Cougar coaching staff has a Bishop back ground.

Head coach David Doino served seven years in the  Bishops coaching staff leaving for Cougarland at the end of the 2014 season.  Assistant coach Cornelius Snow graduated from Wesleyan after the 2013 year after playing four years of Bishop Basketball three years making all conference.  David Gurganus another Bishop basketball player who graduated after the 2014 season.


Down on the end of the bench is student assistant Michael Brackett who is a 2012 graduate of Northern Nash.  Brackett is a rather known name on the Wesleyan campus as dad John Brackett has coach softball for 25 years.  Rocky Mount may Remember Michael as a Northern Nash guard during Northern's last game in the old Gryphon gym put up a ten foot rebound shot at the buzzer which was Rocky Mount's last lost during their 2012  state championship run.

The largest crowd of the season was on hand which saw a  fast paced action.  Bishops Adrian Moore saddled with three early fouls  could scored four first half points but the Bishops managed a 33-29 half time lead.

Moore came  out on fire in the second half and scored 11 quick points and in doing so became the 18th Bishop to hit a 1000 point for the Plymouth native.

The lead stayed consistently around 10 pointd and the Bishops bring home their fourth conference victory of the year beating Averitt 71-59.  The Bishops don't pass anybody in the standing but are now in a tie for 8th.

Moore finished with 21 points, Justin Tankelewicz added 13.  Moore led the Bishops with 10 rebounds.

The Bishops have five games left in this season the next three on the road.  In order to make the season ending tournament the Bishops need to win  least four.

The News is not as good for the Lady Bishops as they took on the Top team in the league Ferrum and lost 69-52.  The season ends next Sunday and the Ladies have three games to play.   They need to win all three and hope.

Lady Gryphons Clinch Regular Season

If there has ever been a year a  team took the conference by the horns and threw everyone to the side this has turned out  to be the year.  Tonight the Lady Gryphons took the last team that could take the regular season title away from them and tossed them to the shame of having to finish the game with a running clock.  Rocky Mount 76- Fike 35.  Rocky Mount goes to 8-0 while Fike fell to 5-3.

The victory gives the Lady Gryphons the regular season title and the number one seed in the conference tournament as well as the top seeding representing the Big East when the playoffs start rolling

Nash Central got  back into a tie with Fike after They beat Northern Nash 37-26.  The Lady Bulldogs go to 5-3  whole the Lady Knights fall to  2-6

Rocky Mount is not in the habit of doing favors for their bitter rivals but Rocky Mount needs victories to improve their winning percentage with the upcoming playoffs.  Tonight the Gryphons improve their record upsetting Fike 83-79.  Rocky Mount ups their conference record to 3-5 while Fike falls to 5-3.

Northern Nash knew that they could eliminate Nash Central from any chance of taking away the regular season top seed from them by knocking off the Bulldogs and they did 62-43.  What they didn't know is that victory would clinch The regular season as their good friends Rocky Mount would see to that.

It is the Knights 10th win in a row and 20th in the season but most importantly they are 8-0 in the Big East  and both Nash Central
and Fike at 5-3 cannot take the top seed from the Knights.

Hunt boys stay even with Rocky Mount as they kept Southern Nash winless winning in Bailey 79-71.

Saturday is a day of opportunity for  both of the basketball teams at NC Wesleyan.  The men have a home game at 2pm.  They stand 4-5 or ninth place and they play Averitt a team at 6-3 in the USA Conference standing is just a half game out of first.  A big chance to gain ground on all those ahead of the Bishops.  A lost and they could fall further away from any postseason.

The girls are on the road but they are in the same boat as the guys.  They stand in fifth two games out of fourth and the last playoff spot in the eastern division.  4pm Saturday They are at Ferrum who leads the east.  Same story here as it is either win or not making the playoffs.

Super Bowl 51

Two teams are playing in the Super Bowl that in August neither team seemed possible to make the Super Bowl.  Almost a year past before the four game suspension came down banning Tom Brady for his part in deflate Gate.

Those who call Tom Brady the greatest quarterback in NFL history predicted doom and gloom for the Patriots during his four game vacation but in fact they went 3-1 and lost their number two quarter back and had to finish up the four games with their third team quarterback under center and went 3-1.

If they can go 3-1 without him why should they not dominate the worse division in football the AFC North with him back.  Back under center for the last 12 games the Pat's go 11-1.

So with home field advantage the Pat's dominate their two playoff  rivals and Tom Brady heads to his 7th Super Bowl.  Looking back I wonder would Tom Brady be the Tom Brady we know today if the tuck rule had of been called  a fumble which it really was?

Last year at this time the NFC South Champs the Carolina Panthers were headed to the Super Bowl.  They had won their third straight division title.  A dynasty was in the making as Can Newton finally had blossomed into the best player in the NFL.  The Panthers with a good mix of young and old probably will become the next New England Patriots.

Free agent departures and early on the NFL allowed other teams to use Cam Newton for target practice and the Atlanta Falcons take advantage and are the second straight in a row NFC South team in the Super Bowl. Their quarterback just might win the MVP award and the Falcons are the top scoring team in football.

Who wins? Bill Bellicheat has the ability of taking away the other teams best player and for the Falcons that's Julio Jones. Do the Pats have any one who can cover him.  If they can stop him what about the rest of the best offense in football.  I don't think they can stop Jones but the next best stopper will be the quarterback.  Don't give him time to throw to anybody.

I see this as a high scoring game.  I see no reason that New England Patriots don't win this game. I don't know if it is my dislike for the Pats organization or my dislike of Mr Brady.  I think the Falcons win 38-35.  I also have the feeling just like last year with Cam.  The Patriots defense will disrupt Matt Ryan enough that Brady and company Win.  New England 38 Atlanta 28. I sure will hate it!

Buffett Of Big East Action

Cheerleading in recent years has become Big  time Sport.  Recently Northern Nash wins the Big East Cheerleading Championship by a score of 78.7 to Hunts 77.8. I don't know how you score cheerleading  but I don't care what kind of system is used, .9 is close.  Southern Nash finished third 74.4 followed by Rocky Mount 69.6, Fike 67 and Nash Central 36.7

Destini Morton of Rocky Mount was named Cheerleader of the Year.  The All Conference team is Hailey Thomas, Keilah Moore, Princess Anstead and Princess Hendson all of Northern Nash. Hunt's reps are Alexis Bailey,Abria Blunt and Katilyn  Kirby.

Southern Nash has Cierra Jernigan, Kayleigh Denton and Kasie Webb.  Rocky Mount has two others besides the cheerleader of the year in Taylor Lutrell and Quaneshia Hardy.  Fike's members are Brittany Mitchell and Payton Callaway.  Nash Central has Promise Atkinson representing the Bulldogs.

Last night Rocky Mount played in non conference basketball at 4A South Central.  The Lady Gryphons struggled to score but they have one constant area is defense.  Lady gryphons win their 15th game 40-37.  The boys were never in their game losing 64-32

Tuesday night was the opening of the duel wrestling 1st and 2nd rounds of the state championships and Southern Nash lost their opening match 36-40.  Fike won their first match but took on the home team Orange and lost 45-36 in the second.

Northern Nash boys and Rocky Mount girls are trying to make this a boring basketball season. Northern Boys 19-2 7-0 can clinch at least a tie if they beat Nash Central 13-5 5-2 Friday night.  The Gryphon girls 15-2 7-0 can clinch the regular season title if they beat Fike.  If they do every member of  the Big East would have three losses with two to play.  If Fike wins then it is an interesting final week.

Fike boys 15-5 5-2 travel to Rocky Mount 6-10 2-5.  Hunt 5-15 2-5 is at Southern Nash  5-16 0-7.   Hunt girls15-5 3-4 take on the Lady Birds 3- 15 0-7.  Nash Central 10-8 4-3 finished the Friday schedule at Northern 7-13 2-5.

Last night the Lady Bishops best Methodist 71-57 to run their record in conference to 4-5.  They are a game and a half out of fourth and a playoff spot.

Northern Sweats It Out

This blog on Monday I made the comment there was no evidence that Northern Nash 6-0 guys should have  trouble with Southern Nash 0-6. Boy was I wrong.

Northern lost two starters one sick then the other a banging head on the floor for several minutes in the first half and the Knights were out of sync and Southern Nash took advantage.

Southern led by two at the end of the first quarter, 11 at the half and 8 at the end of the third.  Northern showed their grit and comes from behind to beat Southern Nash 65-62.


The Lady Bulldogs of Nash Central went 4-1 through the first Round of conference action.  The second time around has not been good.  Rocky Mount took them down Friday at Nash Central.  Tonight at Fike the Golden Demons take down the  Bulldogs and with it claiming second place after a 62-58 victory.  Trailing by 16 at the end of the third quarter the Bulldogs fought hard but couldn't catch up.

The Lady Birds of Southern Nash hit their average when they scored 22 points.  Their Problem the Lady Knights of Northern Nash got close to ten above theirs and beat Southern Nash 39-22.  It was Northern's second conference win both against Southern who now stands at 0-7 in conference play.

Northern's boys comeback win keeps them in first and if Nash Central was to stay one game behind they needed to win at Fike.  Didn't happen as Fike beats Nash Central 67-53.  This shoves Fike 5-2 into second while Nash Central drops to third 4-3.

Last week in Rocky Mount the Gryphons edged the Hunt Warriors in a close battle.  Tonight Hunt returns the favor and scores with less than ten seconds to play to beat Rocky Mount boys 52-51.

The Lady Gryphons remained unbeaten in conference play beating Hunt at Hunt 52-29.  The Gryphons will make up the last possible missed non conference game tonight traveling to 4A South Central in Winterville.

Nash Central's Sarah Hicks won during the Big East swim meet the 50 and 100 meter freestyle and was a member of the Nash Central relay team that won the 200 medley relay.  Her three wins earned the NCHSAA girls high school performer of the week.

Southern's Kendrick Watson Wrestler Of The Year

Heavy weight wrestler Kendrick Watson of Southern Nash won the Big East heavy weight title and with it was  named the Big East Wrestler of the Year.  He joins seven other wrestlers from Nash County that won their weight divisions and will now head to the wrestling regionals February 10/11.

Nash Central had three wrestlers to take home titles as Josh Brice was a winner at 152 pounds.  Emanuel Williams won at 170 and Alex Noble was a winner at 195 pounds.

Southern Nash had a second winner as Vyshaun Richardson  was a winner at 182.

Rocky  Mount had two conference champions with Rashun Lawrence a winner at 113 and Keyonte Williams winning at 132

Northern Nash's conference champion was Dylan Joyner winning at 220.

Fike won the conference team title scoring 179.5, second goes to Southern Nash 146.5, third Nash Central 97.5.  Northern Nash and Rocky Mount tie for 4th/5th with 86 and Hunt rounds out the field with 73.

Tonight begins the Duels or the team competition in the playoffs.  Only two teams from the Big East make the team tournaments as conference champions Fike and Southern will be wrestling tonight.Wrestling is broken down into four team tournaments and conference champion Fike will wrestle in the opening round Western Harnett and their wrestling site is Orange County High who wrestles Corinth Holders.  The two winners meet so by the end of the evening only one team will advance from that pod.

Southern Nash as the number two in the Big East will be traveling to Union Pines and the Firebirds will hit the mat against Asheboro.  Host Union Pines will wrestle West Brunswick. then the two winners meet.  If Southern survives that rounds three and four are Thursday with a state team champion determined Saturday in 3A.

I wish football could take a notice of how easy playoffs can be.  Wrestling will determine a state champion in one week while it takes 5 weeks for football.  I understand football playing only one time a week but lets cut the football playoffs to four weeks.

Wednesday is national signing day for football.  Rocky Mount will have three signing Letters of Intent.  Sherrod Greene will sign with South Carolina. Artavious Richardson with North Carolina A&T and B J Sanders with Charleston Southern.  If you know of others around the Big East Twin Counties please pass it along here.