Double Final Friday

We should not forget that Rocky Mount will not be the only local team still playing high school football Friday night.

Jeff Craddock will send his Vikings of Tarboro High School into action which I believe this is the first time since 1984 that Tarboro has made it this far to the fourth round.

They will be playing Northside of Jacksonville not to be confused with Northside out of Pinetown in Beaufort County.

Northside is much like Nash Central is they are the new school in Jacksonville and if you know anything about Northside they are right behind the shopping area just off Western Boulevard but only a mile or so from Jacksonville High school.

Jacksonville years ago use to be a 4-A power but their numbers have dwindled with the coming or Northside.

I just love to look at what the expert computer people are thinking about these games.

Northside according to the power numbers is two points better than Tarboro but in a simulated game because Tarboro is at home the computers are picking Tarboro 22-21.

Last night I said Rocky Mount was a 12 point favorite over West Craven but I miss wrote. The twelve point spread would have been against Southwest Edgecombe. We are a seven point favorite according to the experts and in the simulated computer game Rocky Mount wins 27-20.

The western finals has South Point hosting West Rowan and the computers have South Point winning 24-17.

Wouldn't it be something if Rocky Mount does play for the State championship in football and have to play another Rowan county team like the baseball team did against East Rowan.

Sure do hope those Rowan county people look at us like we have had to look at Alamance county for the past three years as a road block for them.

It is amazing how close the computer has been in the playoffs for the Gryphons. We were 38 point favorites against Jacksonville and won by 42. We were 24 point favorites over Webb and won by 34. Last Friday night we were 23 better according to the spread and won by 21 but it took the hook and ladder pass against the second team defense not to beat the spread.

Injuries are a big part of every game but with the importance this game carries every injury is magnified.

Zack Williams #22 for the Gryphons is out at least this week with a strained knee. Hiawatha Bunn the corner back on the other side of the ball will play defense. He has been out the last three weeks nursing a knee and l'var Silver who had over 100 yards rushing in the first half until he sprained his ankle will play Friday.

So we will be about as healthy as any team can hope for getting ready to play the fifteenth game of the season,

Tickets are on sale at the main office at Rocky Mount High School from 8.00am until 4.00pm Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. $7 in advance but if you wait until Friday night they will cost $8.

Go ahead and make up your mind that if you want a good seat you had better be there by 6.30pm or you may have to stand to see this one.

West Craven 14-0 against an undefeated Gryphon team on the field this season. Since we are in the eyes of the NCHSAA undefeated this is the only game in any bracket that both teams are undefeated.

Why would you want to miss it????

The Eastern Final

Last year the Gryphons made it all the way to the Eastern finals. I am not sure how many people thought that would happen. We had a shot to win right up until the last minute of the game.

Practically the entire team is back from that team that walked off the field knowing they almost won last year.

This team has played the entire season as if there was only one thing that mattered and that was getting back the Eastern Finals.

Only twice all year have we faced a half of a game that we didn't win that half and that was against Eastern Alamance as they out scored us 21-7 in the second half after we had posted a 35-0 half time lead.

Northern Vance shut us out in the second quarter of that game 10- 0 to tie us at the half 10-10.

Other than those two circumstances no team has been able to deter the Gryphons.

The Eastern finals will be played at the RMAC with two teams that are undefeated on the field this year.

We have played three common opponents.

There was Southern Wayne where West Craven smacked them 41-7. A couple of weeks after that the Gryphons laid a hurting on the Saints 63-7 in which our second team fumbled the ball just before the half and the Saints ran it in for a score.

Then we played Rose and shut them out 36-0 stopping their long streak of of consecutive games scoring. West Craven beat them 36-29 also in Greenville .

Last week West Craven played Southwest Edgecombe for the second time this year beating them 21-6 and 42-27. Both games were played at West Craven while the Gryphons shutout the Cougars 7-0 in Pinetops.

The Eagles scored 140 points in those four games while the Gryphons scored 106 in three games.

West Craven averaged 35 points while we scored at 35.3 against the same teams.

Here is the difference between the two. In those same games the Eagles gave up 17.5 points while the Gryphons averaged giving up two points a game against the same foes.

West Craven will throw the ball dink and dunk. Throw out in the flats and let their receivers go one on one. Every once in a while they will throw long.

Zack Williams our right cornerback got hurt on the opening kickoff against Eastern Alamance. Johnathan Williams up from the JVs filled in admirable. Hiawatha Bunn has not played defense since hurting his knee in the Fike game and he has started at left corner all year.

Thats two secondary spots that will see a lot of action against the Eagles.

Their quarterback is 6 feet 4 inches tall much like the kid from East Forsyth. The last two weeks we have had a hard time containing the quarterbacks from getting out of the pocket.

We batted down three balls against Eastern Alamance and I think we will need more of that as they will try to get the ball quickly outside.

One of the radio announcers from Eastern Alamance made the comment as they were wrapping up this past Friday night that he had never seen a team with as much speed as the Gryphons.

Because of our defensive size I was more worried about being match up against SWE or anyone that pounds it straight up the middle with big linemen.

Trying to get the ball to the outside is playing into our defensive strength.

The computers have the Gryphons a twelve point favorite.

Signing off Friday night I picked 35-28 Gryphons but I'm changing just a little.

I think you can make arrangements to visit Winston Salem on December 13th as the Gryphons win 34-21.

Let us all hope for a safe practice this week with no more injuries. Bunn will play Friday but right now Williams is a big question mark.

Regional finals are a rarity. Rocky Mount makes their third appearance in Four years. You never know when the next one will come back to Rocky Mount. Don't let this team down.

BE THERE

The Final Four

In 2004 I gave up my season tickets to N C State football when my wallet said no to life time rights seating.

I have managed to see at least one game every year since and yesterday I returned to Carter-Finley to watch Philip River's replacement five years in the making.

Can anyone tell me who the player of the year will be in the ACC. There is no standout hands down winner. My nominee will be red shirt Freshman Russell Wilson of the Wolfpack.

He is the most relaxed player when he is under pressure that I have ever seen.

The Pack is back.

Carolina,Wake,ECU, and the Pack all are bowl eligible. The question is will any of them play close enough to get a crowd to go see them play?

ECU will play for the Conference USA title next Saturday at Tulsa. I suspect by then all the bowls will be in place and it will be an either or for the Pirates win you go here lose you go there.

The Gryphons will play for the Eastern Regional title for the second year in a row.

This time in front of the home folks.

I don't know what the official attendance was but it was a good gate Friday.

Gryphons will play host to the Eagles of West Craven 14-0 on the season and their quarterback has committed to ECU.

You can expect the ball in the air close to fifty times from West Craven so be prepared to sleep at the RMAC Friday night. It will be a long game.

It is down to four in the 3-A bracket as South Point will travel to Mount Ulla to take on West Rowan. Everyone has a lost except for West Craven so the combined records of all four teams is 53-3.

Down the road in Tarboro, Northside from Jacksonville will visit the Vikings.

Has there ever been two Eastern Finals played in the Twin Counties at the same time before?

Tickets for the Eagles and Gryphons will be on sale at the main office at Rocky Mount High School from 8.00am-4.00pm Tuesday-Wednesday- and Thursday. They are $7 in advance and $8 if you stand in line at the gate.

I think there is a chance for six thousand people or more so come early.

Sometimes You Can Learn A Lesson In Victory

The Gryphons coasted to a 35-0 halftime lead and found out the teams we are playing now are not going to lay down and die.

Luckily for the Gryphons the score wasn't 14-0 at the half but they had enough cushion to win.

Like most other games Eastern Alamance had no answer for the quick Gryphons and by the time that got use to our speed they were 35 behind.

The Gryphons scored on 5 of their 6 tries in the first half including a 70 yard drive in six plays to start the game.

L'var Silver left the game in the second quarter but not before he had obtained over a 100 yards rushing for the first time this year.

Jordan Ford had two touchdowns Marquavis Alston one and Nick Hahula all scored in the first half.

The Eagles lost their quarterback in the second quarter when the score was already 21-0 and their wide receiver Carter came in an did a respectable job of evading Gryphon defenders and passed for 176 yards mostly in the second half.

The second week in a row the Gryphon give up more than 300 yards but again most of them came trying to make the game respectable.

The Gryphons had four sacks lead by Nick Harrison who had three and Jermaine Fields with one.

Fields also had two batted down passes and Harrison one.

The Gryphons did not come away from this game in good health as L'Var Silver fullback, and Zack Williams starting cornerback neither played in the second half. Zack Williams being out and Hiawatha Bunn still nursing a bum knee the Gryphons played the entire game with second team cornerbacks in the game Hasheem Hatu and JV Johnathan Williams playing the entire game. The first unit was not in the game on the last score by EA to make the score 42-21

I am sure the second half will give coach Holt plenty to preach about next week since a team that may throw the ball 50 times is up next for the Gryphons.

Gryphons advance to the Eastern Finals again 42-21 over Eastern Alamance

In other Action

West Craven passed better than Southwest Edgecombe ran it and will make a trip to Rocky Mount next Friday as they whip SWE 42-27

Tarboro fell behind early but came back for a 28-12 Victory over Goldsboro.

Western action saw Southpoint beat Asheville 28-0 and West Rowan nipped Carver 20-16.

Next Friday night both Rocky Mount and Tarboro will host eastern finals

Tickets for the eastern 3-A finals will be on sale in the office at Rocky Mount high school starting Tuesday at $7 each. If you wait until the gate next Friday tickets will be $8.

I have to tell you this tonight the Gryphons were aided by Morgan Doughtie who was on the sidelines filling the water bottles. Morgan says she helped lead the Gryphons to victory.

Third Round Friday

To me this is the ultimate of high school football. Football on the Friday night after Thanksgiving

There are four teams left in the east and four in the west who all think they can still win it all.

I have been on vacation all week and was able to visit practice three times this week including Thursday morning. I think the Gryphons are ready.

It has become tradition to bring in a speaker and after practice Pete Weaver Gryphon football player 1977-1979 spoke to the team.

Pete who works for the Rocky Mount fire department he spoke to the team about choices in their lives and responsibility.

We have reached the point where a fluke play may turn the tide one way or the other, the four teams still a live in the east are a combined 48-3 on the season.

In the west West Rowan will be hosting Winston Salem Carver and Asheville will travel to South Point.

You can ask who do I think will win the west? My answer is I have no idea. All four teams still a live in the west have not played any common opponents at all with any one we can relate to.

South Points only loss all year was from a team in South Carolina. Dudley beat Carver the first game of the season and they haven't lost since. West Rowan lost to a 4-A school for their only loss and Asheville has lost three times this year.

If the Gryphons put forth the effort tonight they will host the eastern finals next Friday night.

Our pregame show starts at 6.45 and we will have a pregame interview with coach Holt near 7.00pm on am1390.

You have no excuses. The temperature at kickoff should be about 48 degrees. For November 28th that is as good as it is going to be.

Please come early and stay late and listen to the coach talk to the team at games end. They need your help and remember the team across the line of scrimmage has Alamance on their uniforms.

It may not be the direction on their uniform we wanted but we still must survive to advance.

Time To Be Thankful

The Gryphon boys basketball team is off to a 3-0 start to the 2008-09 season which to me is quite surprising considering four or five football players are missing.

The Thursday lineup of Thanksgiving football looks as if they are all duds.

The Tennessee Titans I would suspect will take out some punishment on Detroit after losing for the first time this past Sunday.

Dallas plays the Seattle Seahawks and I think even if they have a bad game, the Cowboys win.

Texas plays Texas A&M. Texas needs an impressive win over A&M for the poll voters to stay ahead of Oklahoma in the BCS standings. Look for Texas to lay 50 on A&M.

Finally, the NFL Network which stands for "Not Found Locally: has the Cardinals at the Eagles.
Looks like the Eagles have given up on Donavon McNabb, but who else do they have.

I hope everyone has a very wonderful Thanksgiving because we are have plenty to be thankful for:

The Gryphons have won 21 straight home games. They have a home game Friday night in the third round. Since you haven't been to the first two playoff games, here is your chance.

According to the latest weather forecast sunshine Friday.

We should all be thankful this year for the baseball championship.

We should all be thankful that a man named B.W. Holt found Rocky Mount six years ago and has given us the best six years in Rocky Mount history. (win-wise) 70-12.

Hopefully, the baseball team has just opened the flood gates for others to follow.

Football practice is at 9 o'clock Thursday morning. For those of you who can never get by to see them practice at 3 p.m., here is your chance. Show your thanks to them and your support for their efforts. I doubt it will last more than an hour.

This senior class, the ones who played two years of JVs and two years of Varsity football, are 46-1 in their four years. Show them your thanks.

This is the fifth Thanksgiving football practice for the Gryphons in a row. Be thankful that is not as easy to do as you think.

Have a most thankful day!

Could Be a Record

This kind of went unnoticed last Friday, but Webb had two rushers in the game to get at least 100 yards rushing.

Akeem Daniel, Webb's tailback has 106 yards on 20 attempts, while their quarterback Antwan Thorpe collected 156 on 18 carries.

Much like a home run hitter who hits two dingers, when they trail 13-0 their yards felt like it came at mop up time since the Gryphons had such a big lead.

We need to get the Gryphon encyclopedia to work, Charles Alston. Has there ever been a Rocky Mount game when two runners from each team collected over 100 yards rushing in one game?

Marquavis Alston had 196 and Jordon Ford picked up 156. Between them, they had four touchdown runs with the shortest being 35 yards and the longest 74 yards.

After both Warrior touchdowns, the Gryphons responded by scoring on their first offensive play a 74-yard run and a 71-yard jaunt. So long for any come back.

During our broadcast of the game there was a concern about the personal fouls that the Gryphons were getting four in all.

In Sunday's Rocky Mount Telegram, RM head coach B.W. Holt was quoted as saying the penalties were from blocking to the whistle which is what he wants. Such blocking is the main reason the Gryphons are able to break off such long runs.

It would be a different matter of the personal fouls were mouthing off penalties.

Four times during the game the Gryphons had first downs, but lost yardage but still managed to get either first downs or touchdowns after the four dead-ball penalties.

For those of you who like to watch practice, they are going to do so at 9 this morning (tentatively scheduled, since Wednesday is an optional teacher workday) and 9 Thanksgiving morning.

Wouldn't you know it that the forecast is for rain Friday. What else would you expect this year?

What ever happened to the drought?

Pregame starts at 6.45 p.m. Friday on AM 1390. This is what we call the playoff edition.

I can't make practice today, but I'll be there Thursday.