Top Four Soccer Seeds In Place

Finally Wednesday night they put two soccer games together and called it the opening of the Big East Tournament after two nights of rainouts. The expected seeds won. Southern Nash Beat Northern Nash and Fike beat Nash Central.

This part of the story is speculation on my part but here it goes. If they play the semi's tonight that means either the Championship on Friday going up against football or the championship game on Saturday. I suspect the coaches said no to both possible days. Since the top four seeds are all in let's just go into next weeks playoffs with the regular season seedings. If that was the verdict this is how the Big East begins the playoffs next week.

#1 Seed Rocky Mount will host the # three seed from the Eastern Carolina. @2 Hunt will host the #3 from the Coastal. #3 seed in Big East Fike will travel to #2 seed from Eastern Carolina. The Big East #4 will travel to #2 from the Mid State.

Friday is Tennis State Championships in Burlington and five girls from Nash Central, Northern Nash and Rocky Mount play Friday morning.

First game of the World Series the big pitching match up was won by the hitters and San Fran won out 11-7,

Big Football game in Raleigh tonight for the Wolfpack. This is the biggest game since State went to Clemson in 2003 with a 7-0 record and beat Clemson 38-0. 38-0 will be fine but a one pointer will do fine.

High School Football Time:

We haven't paid much attention to North Edgecombe this season other than the close game they played against SouthWest Edgecombe. They travel to Gates County Friday which is their last game of the season and they play Gates who is also unbeaten in conference play. Gates lost to Hertford County 21-20 and forfeited one other, those blemishes are all they have showing against them. Gates has one game left after tonight so for the most part this is the championship of the Tar Roanoke 1-A. It seems everyone that NE has beaten the point differential has been higher than Gates County. North Edgecombe 26 Gates County 14

All Northern has to do is win their last two games and they tie for first at least. If someone helps them beating Hunt and it is Northern championship to lose. After a Topsy turfy game last week against Nash Central will their be a let down. Not against Fike Northern 35 Fike 7

Rocky Mount won for the first time in conference last week so their is optimism that they still have a chance. If Southern will put the ball on the ground they do, but this is Rocky Mount who they get up for to play checkers and also revenge from the long touchdown that Rocky Mount threw in the last seconds last year to steal one from Southern. Southern 28 Rocky Mount 7

I think Nash Central is the best overall team in Big East. They travel to Hunt who all of a sudden scored only 14 against Rocky Mount and zero against Southern. When I say best overall they can pass the ball, none of the other three tied for the lead have shown they can when it is 3rd an 8 and make a first down. Nash Central will go to Hunt and win Central 21 Hunt 14

Tarboro plays their last two games of the season on the road so you had better look out for a let down at Farmville Central Friday. Beating SouthWest Edgecombe you know Tarboro chest is sticking out pretty far right now. Even with the letdown Tarboro beats Farmville 27-7.

SouthWest Edcombe plays host to Greene Central. Greene Central comes to SWE at the wrong time when the Cougars are champing at the bit to take last week's lost out on somebody. SWE 35 Greene Central 14

So far this season I am 25-11, but only 7-5 since the conference games started.

Soccer Tournament A Weather Nightmare

Once again on Tuesday the Big East conference tournament was hit with rain issues and the opening round has been delayed until Wednesday. The forecast is not very promising for tonight so we will have to wait to see what unfolds.

If they are able to get in the opening round tonight Rocky Mount awaits the winner of Southern Nash-Northern-Nash game tonight. The Gryphons would play at 5.00pm Thursday. The big question is if they do get tonight in when will the finals be played? Friday or Saturday? Those questions are up in the air and we will have to wait until we see how Wednesday and Thursday turn out. If tonight gets rained out then there is a big mess and the only way to solve it we be play Thursday-Friday and Saturday

Friday is the State Championships in tennis for the singles and doubles and Nash County is well represented when they get under way in Burlington. The Price sisters(Randi and Kaley) from Nash Central are the top two seeds in the east in singles and they will be joined by Emily Modle of Northern Nash who finished third last week in the regional. The Rocky Mount duo of Lindsey Thomas and Caroline Nelson will be the second seed in the east in the doubles matches.

The Eastern Regional in cross country is Saturday in Greenville. Nash Central is the favorite in the mens division as the #1 seed from the Big East. They will be joined by Rocky Mount who finished second. Fike and Rocky Mount are also running in the girls division after finishing 1-2 in the conference meet.

The top two teams in the regional qualify for the team event at the state championship and then the top individual runners are invited. It is hard to tell who gets invited as individual runners due to the fact the the winning teams may have three runners that would qualify as individual runners but because their team is in they run automatically. Their spots are then filled in by the top runners not on the qualifying team.

Monday is tryout day for winter sports. basketball, wrestling, indoor track. You must have a physical before you can try out for any sport.

Gryphon Legend Needs our Prayers

There are only a few names in Rocky Mount athletic history that if you call their first name out everyone knows who we are talking about. Phil, Danny, Buck or Terrell.

There have been 56 ACC players of the Year and three of them came from Rocky Mount High School. Phil did it twice in 77 and 78 and Danny was player of the year in 1966.

During our prayer request time in my Sunday school class on Sunday Danny Talbott’s name came up. Distressed by the news I called Danny this morning to hear he has the BIG C. He will be going to Chapel Hill next week to get a second opinion on how he needs to proced.

If there was ever a person who kept himself in shape Danny has been a athlete all his life having in the past been a top amateur tennis player in his age group.

Listening to Danny talk he was very optimistic about his recovery but the most important thing I heard is Danny is letting the Lord do his will. It is great to hear how upbeat he was trusting in his savior. Good Luck Danny, We all are praying for you.

NFL injuries may be claiming two of the NFL’s big name quarterbacks. It is for sure that Tony Romo is out at least eight weeks with a broken collarbone. Brett Farve has two bones broken in his ankle but he may play Sunday.

If you remember last season there was a game in which The Minnesota coach Brad Childress wanted to take Farve out of the game and Farve would not come out. There comes a time when there has to be a decision as who is the boss. Farve has two broken bones. He sits as far as I am concern. The heck with any Lou Gerhig record for most starts. Do what is right for the team not for Brett Farve.

By the way seems as if the NFL had a pretty good week despite what some players were saying that they were trying to make the NFL into A Pansy league by not letting the players spear.

I still can’t believe that the NFL says that the ref made the right call in the Pittsburgh-Miami game giving Pittsburgh the ball on the foot line.

The Carolina Hurricanes who have already been playing for a month finally have their home opener Wednesday night at the RBC center. The Hurricanes played two games in Europe as part of the NHL global attraction of foreign players. They then went to the west coast and have played five games back in the good old USofA. The NHL wanted to help avoid the crowding with the state fair’s 11 day run . The 4-3 Hurricanes just might be good this year since they are above five hundred and still haven’t played a home game.

FYI: Everyone knows that Tashawn Mabry has left Rhode Island to play in Junior college in California. There are all kinds of rumors one way or the other as to why he left. I can tell you this of the six incoming freshmen at Rhode Island four have transferred before they ever played a game for the Roadies, so it is just not TaShawn.

By the time I blog again the World Series will be underway. I don’t plan to do my next addition until after the soccer semi’s Wednesday night.

Soccer Washed Out

The opening night of Big East soccer at Northern Nash High school was postponed until Tuesday after the gully washer rains we had Monday afternoon.

Tuesday lineup will feature #4 seed Southern Nash taking on #5 seed Northern Nash and #3 seed Fike meeting Nash Central.

The Southern-Northern winner meets Rocky Mount at 5.00pm Wednesday and The Fike-Nash Central winner plays Hunt at 7.00pm.

The championship match will be Thursday night at 7.00pm. Barring any rains the tournament would finish on time just no down time between the semi-finals and final match.

I don't know about you but about 10.00pm last night we had a window rattling thunderstorm even after the big rains from yesterday afternoon. I'm glad I wasn't on any field while that storm was going on.

Despite all of the no defense that ECU started out with this year they are turning things around and are looking like a good football team. They are headed to the C-USA championship game again this year if they don't stumble over their own feet. There sure is a lot of excitement coming from Greenville with the high power offense.

I know Carolina fans are disappointed after the second half against Miami. Saturday was the first time that not having backup players caught up to the Heels.

Thursdsay night the ACC is prime time on ESPN as Florida State comes to Raleigh to take on the Wolfpack. Thursday night will tell us a lot about who will be one of the teams in Charlotte in the ACC championship game. I have a feeling the Charlotte game will be the best attended Championship game so for for the ACC.

I know the non North Carolina schools want to be able to host championships but North Carolina is slap dab in the middle of the ACC and is not a burden on too many teams to get here. Boston College and Miami are the only two that their fans would have to fly to get here. Everyone can drive to the game. Regardless of who plays I'm guessing 60,000 this year which will more than double any other game in Florida. Atlanta is a good option but the Southeastern Conference has already had their championships there since they started the championship games.

World Series- A Loser Has To Win

Both the Texas Rangers and the San Fransico Giants are in the top ten for franchises that has gone the longest without having won their league's top title. In baseball of course it is the World Series.

The Giants most famous game is the Bobby Thompson home run in 1951 when the "GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT" game occurred. They lost the World Series to the Yankees in four straight. The Giants did win the World series in 1954 and the Willie Mays over the head catch was made in game one. So it has been 56 years since the Giants have won Baseball's Crown Jewel.

Making matters worse for the Giants they moved in 1957 to San Francisco leaving the Polo Grounds which by the way was only five blocks from Yankee Stadium. The hex of the Polo Grounds has carried over in California and the Giants have never won the big series there.

The other side of the field has the Texas Rangers who became the Texas Rangers because the Washington Senators vacated Washington twice in ten years. The World Series less Senators never won the World Series in their franchise history from 1899 until 1960 when they packed up and Moved to Minnesota.

Not wanting Washington without a baseball team the Sentators had another team from 1961-1970 when still a World Series win was still not in Washington. The Texas Rangers were born and the Rangers have never won a World Series in their 39 year history or is it 49 years if you add the Sentators as the same franchise.

Either way a loser is going to become the Boston Red Sox of this decade while the loser will remain on the heels of the Chicago Cubs as the losingest team the longest.

Baseball's Tv ratings have been terrible and now that the team everyone loves to hate the Yankees are done, I suspect this will be the lowest rated world series since color TV came to be.

I will be pulling for Josh Hamilton not only because he's from Raleigh but becasue of his life's story and his freely admitting with out others help he would be a drunk or dope addict. Most people would be in denial and never stand in front of a camera a say "I am a weak person and I need help". That kind of person is hard not to pull for.

Price Sisters Dominate Tennis Regional

The singles and doubles tennis Eastern Regional was held Friday and Saturday and the Price sisters from Nash Central dominated so much that they played each other for the Eastern championship. Randi beat Kaley 6/2-7/5 to win. If I remember this correctly they both have qualified for the state Championship by finishing at least second.

The Rocky Mount doubles team of Lindsey Thomas and Caroline Nelson team fell in the finals to Wilson Fike' s team of Mallory Short and Mederith Pruden. I believe both Lindsey and Caroline will be in the State Tournament but that is not this week as tennis gets back to the team competition . Tennis is very confusing switching back and forth from individual and team play.

The Big East soccer tournament starts Monday at Northern Nash. The #1 seeded Gryphons play in the semi's Tuesday and if they win the championship is Thursday. We hope at the Stretchlon Sports show to tape Rocky Mount's semi game. If Monday's games go as seedings are then Rocky Mount will probably play Southern Nash a team that has been as difficult as any one in the league for them this year.

Monday will be pack up the equipment day for all three public high schools in volleyball. Rocky Mount , Northern Nash and Nash Central all fell in the first round.

Friday night I went 3-1 on my picks missing the Hunt-Southern Nash game. Friday's 4-way tie will be broken as Northern Nash plays at Fike. Rocky Mount at Southern Nash and Nash Central plays Hunt. Five of the teams are still alive for the playoff spots as only Fike is out. Even after next week we might head for the final game of the season with a three way tie and the Nash Central/Hunt loser will fall out of the lead.

If this was the NFL there will probably be one who is 5-5 that winds up 10-6. There will probably be one team five and one but there is still a mathematical chance three could still go 5 and 1.

Can't wait for the playoffs.

Finally what good is instance replay if even after looking at the replay they can't get it right. This Pittsburgh fumble which was ruled a fumble even though the Miami player handed the ball to the refs and they couldn't determined who recovered. Why put the ball on the half inch line. If you can't tell who recover it in the end zone it has to be as if the ball rolled through the end zone and the ball should go to the twenty and Miami ball. I think a clue of who recover was the player who handed the ball to the refs. This call almost tops the Hoculi play of 2008 when San Diego recovered a Jay Cutler fumble except it wasn't a fumble because the ref blew his whistle while the ball was rolling free.

Early Exit

Their history of volleyball the Lady Gryphons of Rocky Mount have never won past the second round. If you had of been there today you could see why because the way they were butted out of the playoffs by the Rams of Havelock is the same as every year.

Havelock was taller, more athletic and better at serving the ball. Those serves kept Rocky Mount just trying to get the ball back across the net most of the time and when it only just got over the net the Rams were waiting to knock it down the Lady Gryphons throat.

Havelock won the first game 25-20. The Lady Gryphons roared back taking game two 25-10. The third game was won by Havelock 25-20 and game four Rocky Mount had one foot in the grave down 24-21 and managed to come back from the dead to win game four 28-26. They were unable to use the momentum in the fifth game and were knocked out of the playoffs 15-10 in game five.

The Lady Gryphons finish the season 18-6. I do think being off nine days since the Big East conference tournament was not a help for Rocky Mount since Havelock did not provide a can of WD-40 in the first game for them to knock the rust off. Hunt was able to knock off win less Hertford County in Volleyball otherwise the conference took it on the chin. Nash Central and Northern Nash both a four seed and a three seed were on the road and failed to win a game losing 3-0 each.

The Coastal conference in Volleyball is very similar to Big East in football that the second and third seeded teams are as good as some conferences first seed. The Big East was 1-3 in the opening round while the Coastal was 4-1. Their only lost was fourth seeded West Craven the team that beat Rocky Mount in round two last year lost at undefeated Triton.

Sunday night on the Stretchlon Sports Show we will have a live show featuring the Renegades a 12 and under little league team that has qualified for a tournament next summer in Cooperstown New York. We will try to have the latest updates on Terry Pittman and Colt Brake who are both recovering from spinal football injuries.

This four way tie at the top in Big East football may not be so hard to figure out as it appeared. Northern Nash has played all three teams they are tied with. Hunt still must play Nash Central and Nash Central still has the final game with Southern Nash. Northern has the two last place teams Rocky Mount and Fike so their path to first place is wide open while the other three have to knock each other off. Northern needs to pull for Nash Central to beat Hunt since Hunt would holds the tie breaker with Northern.

All four of the teams tied at the top have their liabilities. Nash Central on offense is the only one that seems top be able to throw any at all. Their defense seems to be the least of the four. They have both Hunt and Southern left to play. Hunt, Northern and Southern run the ball and hope they never get behind because their passing might go to the wrong team.

This may be a real long shot but Rocky Mount is not dead in the water yet but they have both Southern and Northern to play. IF Rocky Mount were to beat both Southern and Northern they would be ahead of each in any tie breaker. This just might be wishful thinking but I'm thinking.