A Non-Conference Classic

What would you expect when the defending 4-A and 3-A champions get together to have an afternoon of fun in the sun?

Seven innings is not enough!

Rose scores in the top of the ninth with a runner on second on a ball that never left the infield. The Rampants beat the Gryphons 5-4.

This was a game that had timely pitching . Starter Tanner Merritt from Rose pitch six good innings and left the game expecting to win with a 4-2.

Gryphon Starter Hobbs Johnson Struck out eleven of the fifteen outs that he recorded but all three of his walks scored and he left in the fifth losing 4-2.

But with two outs and no one on in the bottom of the seventh three straight hits high lighted by Chris Pittman's two RBI single and the Gryphons lived to play extra innings.

Nick Hahula pitched the final four inning for the Gryphons and gets the hard luck loss. Hahula gave up only four hits and struck out three in relief.

On the day Johnson and Hahula combined to strike out 14 Rampants and allowed 9 hits and walked just three.

The Gryphons scattered nines hits on the day but all four of their runs occurred with two outs and no one on base.

Thomas berry had one RBI along with Dillon Cockrell who drove in a run. Chris Pittman also plated two runners.

Brian Goodwin had two hits, walked twice and stole two bases,but was left on base in the first on second base and ninth inning while standing on third.

Ben Fish and Chris Pittman also had two hits while Dillon Cockrell, Collins Cuthrell and Thomas Berry all had singles.

Regardless of the final score if you went to the game today and didn't leave feeling you had watched a terrific ball game then I don't know what it would take to please you other than a Gryphon victory.

The Gryphon's are back in action Thursday at Roanoke Rapids.

Like I predicted last night Ty Lawson is ACC player of the year. There is a load of bad news for Tarheel fans as Lawson's big toe is ailing worse now that before Sunday's game Against Duke. He may sit out the ACC Tournament which starts for Carolina on Friday.

I can see him missing Friday's game but I can't imagine him not playing Saturday and Sunday even if his toe is twice as big as his shoe.

In other local action Northern Nash whipped D H Conley 11-4 to record their first win of the season.

MVP Of ACC?

The All-ACC men's basketball team was announced today and Tyler Hansbrough was the leading vote getter. Most of the time, that means he will be named Player of the Year.

However, Hansbrough led the All- ACC team by only two votes. Teammate Ty Lawson and Florida State's Toney Douglas are right behind him on the All-ACC squad Gerald Henderson of Duke and Jack McClinton of Miami fill out the first five.

I only have one problem with Hansbrough being the Payer of the Year. He is not the MVP of the Carolina Basketball team. Ty Lawson is.

Early in the year when Hansbrough was injured, the Heels won big. When Lawson had a bad night, Carolina lost. Midseason when Hansbrough was not the Hansbrough we know, Carolina won as long as Lawson was grooving, when he wasn't, they lost games.

If I asked you Carolina fans if they had to play the NCAA tournament with out one or the other, I think the vote would overwhelming being Hansbrough sits.

This is not a hate Hanbrough's night even though he is the best ever at leaning in and falling back and flopping. He is good enough to know how to do that and get away with it and somehow or other make the ball go in the hole at the same time.

It's time to give some love to the Charlotte Bobcats. Tonight, they stand one game out of a playoff spot in the eastern division and have a 28-35 record. Since the Bobcats have been in existence, Charlotte's best year was winning 30 games.

The Bobcats still have 18 games to go in the regular season to break their franchise best and make the playoffs. They have won four in a row.

The Hurricanes beat the Rangers tonight and are again in the playoffs. They are beginning to look like the Canes of '06 when they won the Lord Stanley's Cup.

There may not be a better baseball game played at Gryphon Stadium this year than the one tomorrow. The defending state 4-A champs come calling on the defending 3-A champs.

I think Rose will be angry at this game. The Gryphons swept the Rampants last year. They haven't done that since Whisler's mother was alive!

Nash Central fans take note. N.C. State plays host to N.C. A&T on Wednesday at Doak Field. A&T will be led by freshman Xavier Macklin of Nash Centra,l who early in the season is hitting .371 for the Aggies. He leads the team in doubles with five. Game time is 3 p.m.

Duke-Maryland Best game Of The Day

The women played their ACC tournament today and Maryland in overtime beat Duke to win the ACC crown.

It doesn't matter to me whether it is a midget league game, when two teams are equal , sports can be fun to watch and this game was.

Carolina beat Duke to earn the No. 1 seed in next week's ACC men's tournament. Wake finishes in the No. 2 slot, Duke will take third and Florida State gets fourth.

Boston College and Clemson are the other teams in the league that managed at least eight conference wins but by being fifth and sixth they play Thursday with all the other have nots.

Due to poor finishes by Virginia Tech, Miami and Maryland, I think they will all join N.C. State in the NIT.

Davidson lost today in the Southern Conference tournament and I can see a Davidson-N.C. State first round match up in the NIT.

Duke played just good enough to lose against Carolina. They have improved with their new lineup, but are still weak in the middle defensively.

You would think the way WRAL-TV covered the postgame speeches by the Carolina's seniors Sunday night that they had won two or three national Championships in their four years. My last count was zero.

I haven't said much about them lately, but the Carolina Hurricanes are on a roll right now. They have scored 21 points in the last three games. If the season ended today, they would be in the playoffs but just barely.

The Canes bringing Eric Cole back for the stretch run is really good. Rod Brind'mour is my favorite player and Cole is my second favorite.

Gryphon baseball is off to a good start. Starting pitching has been excellent. But we all saw in last year's playoffs that they needed to develop a third starter to go along with Hobbs Johnson and Benton Moss.

You know during economic times like we are facing today that there are things in life that die due to the lack of funding to keep them going.

Richard Sarmeinto started the Stretchlon Sports Show more than six years ago. It has been on every Sunday night bringing you sports that our youth have been playing in.

In order for the show to continue, more sponsorship is needed. If you in any way can help keep the Stretchlon Sports show alive, please contact WHIG-TV and talk with them. If you express to me a comment on this blog, we will try to get in touch with you.

Pitching Is sharp in IMPACT Tournament

Northern Nash and Rocky Mount both played today in the IMPACT Invitational Baseball Classic at the USA Baseball Facility in Cary.

The IMPACT tournament is an opportunity see see how you compare with other teams that are highly thought of from around the state.

Northern took on highly regarded Ragsdale from Jamestown and its pitcher David Coffey was the pitcher of the day as he sat down Northern 7-0. And in doing so, pitched a no hitter.

Coffey outdueled Tyler Joyner, who was the the losing pitcher. Northern is now 0-2 after losing to highly-ranked D.H. Conley earlier in the week.

At 4.30 p.m. this afternoon:

The Rocky Mount Gryphons took to the field to play Wesyelan Christian from High Point, the NCISAA 3-A state champions last year.

Fort the second game in a row, the Gryphons get rock solid starting pitching as Benton Moss went to the hill for the Gryphons and went into the fifth inning before he was relieved by Hobbs Johnson.

Moss allowed one earned run in four plus inning and Johnson saw one unearned run cross the plate while he was on the mound.

The big bat today belonged to Thomas Berry as he had a two-run double in the third inning to work the Gryphons out to a 3-zip lead.

Johnson now has a win and a save for the Gryphons as they won in Cary, 5-2.

Brian Goodwin, Ben Fish, Dillon Cockrell and Johnson each collected hits again today for the Gryphons as they now go to 2-0 on the season.

Rocky Mount is back at home Tuesday against their No. 1 non-conference rival Rose. The first pitch is at 4.30.

Of all people, Terrell Owens has signed with the Buffalo Bills. Owens has scored the most touchdowns in the past three years than any other receiver, but he has also dropped the most passes. In the cold weather of Buffalo, I bet he leads the league in dropped passes again this year by a wide margin.

What a beautiful day today was. I understand the pontoon boat that is hung on the dam at the RM Reservoir is a real tourist attraction. Sorry, I missed it today. I understand they will raise the water Monday to let the boat go over the side. Look for your water bill to be high again next month.

Don't forget to change your clocks tonight. Spring forward!

Finally, Florida State Is Caught

Ever since Florida State has been in the ACC and since it leads the nation in jail time, there has always been the joke about how the Tallahassee police identify Florida State felons.

They book them by their jersey number!

The butt of my Florida State joke today is if you haven't heard is that the NCAA has put the entire sports program on four years probation. Sixty-one athletes were caught cheating( imagine that) on an online test.

It is not only football players, but several sports, but the big blow is that Bobby Bowden my have to forfeit 14 football games. Is that cheering I hear in here from Joe Paterno at Penn State?

I know you may not have heard this, but N.C. State's baseball team set two NCAA records Wednesday when it beat Akron 5-4.

The game went 18 innings and Wolfpack pitchers struck out 31 batters in the game, which is an NCAA record for most in a single game. The Wolfpack also struck out 20 times themselves and 51 from two teams is the most ever in an NCAA baseball game.

The NEW 6 has released its All-Conference teams in basketball.

The first team is:

• Jeremy Atkinson, Fike
• Trey Sumler, Nash Central
• Tashawn Mabry, Rocky Mount
• William Young, SouthWest Edgecombe
• Fabian White, Nash Central
• Octavius Lyons, Northern Nash

Atkinson and Sumler were voted Co-Players of the Year.

Michael Speight of Nash Central, Philip Wilkins of Rocky Mount, Fike's Michael Davender and Nick Harris of Southern Nash are on the second team.

Dominque Holloway of Nash Central, Alonzo Sharpe of Rocky Mount, T.J. Walker of Northern Nash and Josh Sessoms of Southern Nash all are honorable mentions.

Mike Mosley of Nash Central was the men's coach of the year.

FOR THE LADIES

The first team .....

• Dyonna Battle, Rocky Mount
• Monique Williams, SouthWest Edgecombe
• Tramicka James, Fike
• Jasmine Sessoms, Nash Central
• Alyse Hall, Southern Nash.

SWE's Williams was voted Player of the Year.

The second team has freshman Tia Hudgins of Rocky Mount, Lakia Bynum of Rocky Mount, Ashley Hughes of Northern Nash, SW Edgecombe's NyNeka Euwell and Jameka Thompson of Fike.

Honorable mentions include Alexus Cooper of Nash Central, Danita Whitaker of Rocky Mount, Tamisha Walker of Northern Nash and Shante' Neal of Southern Nash.

Pam Gainey of Rocky Mount is coach of the year for the ladies .

Don't forget - Gryphon baseball vs. Wesleyan Christian of High Point - 4.30 p.m. Saturday at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary. The temperature may hit 80 tomorrow.

Management Decisions

I think we all in life want to be the big dog. The person in charge who controls everyone's movements.

Maybe not in today's world, where layoffs are announced every day. Who wants to control thousand of peoples lives by scratching a line on a roster and saying everyone below this line goes.

I heard today the the CEO of General Motors made $15 million last year in losing $70 billion for GM. What a waste. They could have paid me $100,000 and I guarantee I would only lose 450 billion.

Decisions. They happen every day. With its lost today, the N.C. State women's basketball team finishes a season in which is probably the most rewarding ever for the program as far as national attention. Every sports media in the USA focused on N.C. State for a week in January.

Unfortunately, all of that focus came because of the death of Kay Yow, a woman who fought cancer for everyone to watch and to give hope that they could beat cancer.

You know this ends five years of a rough road for the Lady Wolfpack after Yow was diagnosed with a recurrence of her breast cancer in 2004.

Right now, I would not want to be Lee Fowler, the Athletic Director at State. He has to make a decision on who will replace Kay Yow.

This will be the third hire for Fowler of the four major sports in Raleigh.

Basketball still has a major question mark whether he has made the right choice in Sidney Lowe. I think all Wolfpackers are very satisfied with Tom O'Brian in football.

Fowler has announced there will be a national search for Yow's replacement. There is an old saying about not wanting to be the the one to replace a legend.

Stephanie Glance has been Kay Yow's top assistant for 15 years. The last five, with Yow in and out of hospitals, she has stood tall keeping the program going.

All of us who pull for the Wolfpack nation have to be honest with ourselves. In the triangle these days Wolfpack basketball is third fiddle to Duke and Carolina - that's men and women's.

For all she has done for the program, Stephanie deserves to be given the job. But, as the top assistant the last 15 years, name a Wolfpack women's player that when you heard the name as a State, was a national-type player?

In women's basketball, you get a 6'5" player who can dominate the middle. State's players have been project players who normally have only played when they developed up through their senior seasons.

I think Stephanie deserves the job, but I don't know if she can win the way I want the program to win.
Decisions... I'm glad I am well down the totem pole where they tell me the decisions and I live with it.

Defending champs off And running

Hobbs Johnson, a Rocky Mount Academy transfer, opened the baseball season for the Rocky Mount Gryphons pitching four innings of shutout baseball. But he also got the hit to get a rally started in the bottom of the fourth as RMHS opened with an 8-4 win over South Granville Wednesday afternoon at Gryphon Stadium.

Senior Brian Goodwin picked up right where he left of last season by going 2-for-4 on two singles , two RBIs and three stolen bases.

Dillion Cockrell, Ben Fish and Johnson also had two hits a piece while Gabe Brown had the other Gryphon hit.

Rocky Mount's rally in the fourth produced seven runs. Parker Helms came on to pitch the fifth, but needed relief help from Nick Hahula, who just started baseball this week having just finished basketball season.

Hahula pitched the last 2 1/3 innings to get the save.

The Gryphons return to action Saturday as they play in the Impact Baseball Invitational being held at the USA Baseball Facility in Cary. Game time is 4.30 p.m.. They will be joined by Northern Nash which plays Saturday morning at 11.

The Gryphons return to Gryphon Stadium next Tuesday as they host Greenville Rose.

I would like to thank Wes Bradshaw with all the details on today's game and announce that Bella (Wes' dog) has yet to lose a game as a Gryphon fan having helped today in the press box.

Tonight ,Carolina got a big win at Virginia Tech. Coupled with Duke's win last night, Duke and Carolina play for the No. 1 seed Sunday. Carolina can win the No. 1 seed outright ,while Duke can force a tie.

North Carolina State wins at home over BC in its last home game of the year. Tonight's victory qualifies the Pack for the NIT as they now are guarenteed a winning season.

The snow hasn't quite gone away yet, but the ACC baseball season has their first ACC weekend. State plays at Miami, while Carolina opens conference play at home against Clemson.

It is hard to believe, but Rocky Mount native Billy Godwin has been at East Carolina already long enough to win 121 games. That moves him to sixth all-time in Pirate coaching wins after their win today over ODU.

Way to go, Billy!