3 In A Row For Tarboro-300 For Gainey

Is it possible that for the third year in a row Tarboro heads to the State 2-A Championship game and this team is the best yet. Tonight Tarboro throws a blanket over the East Bladen offense and coast to their third straight Regional title beating East Bladen for the second year in a row. The Viking defense was so stifling that the Vikings were already ahead 33-0 in the fourth quarter before EB found the end zone.

Unlike the last two seasons when the 2-A championship has been in Chapel Hill the Viking will get to see the inside of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons home Grove Stadium or I believe it's called B B &T stadium now.

The last three weeks of the playoffs the Vikes have held high scoring Roanoke rapids to 14. Last week East Duplin to 10 and tonight 7 to east Bladen. The defense seems to be getting better and better as the playoffs proceed.

Tarboro is Eastern Champs three years in a row knocking off East Bladen 33-7. They will play Winston salem Carver who won in the West so it looks as if the State Championship will be played in Carvers back yard.

In the 3-AA playoffs North Guilford beat Hunt 28-20 which I am going to tell you I thought NG would walk the dog on Hunt. So the last of the Big East teams goes down in the Eastern Finals.


Pinetops was the seen tonight at Pam Gainey and her Lady Gryphon went after their fifth victory of the season but the biggest prize of the night was victory would be number 300 for coach Pam Gainey. I believe tonight when the Lady Gryphons got off the bus they were ready to give Gainey #300 as Rocky Mount crushes SouthWest Edgecombe 72-29

Tia Hudgins lead the way with 21 but everyone who stepped on the court For Rocky Mount had only one goal win #300. The Gryphons return home Tuesday to oddly enough play SWE again. Rocky Mount will be glad to see the inside of the gym as they have been on the road for their last five games winning four of those game.

If you thought the girls score was bad the boys didn't let The Cougar boys think any thing about winning this game. The Gryphons score 20 before the Cougars scored one point and by half time Rocky Mount had more than the Cougars would score in the game Final Gryphons 96- SWE 39

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Lebron James is one of the best players in the NBA. His return last night to Cleveland met boos and ugly comments as you might expect after the spectacle he put on in announcing that he was going to Miami.

Now his comments that the coach at Miami should be fired because he is too tough a coach really puts Lebron in the Prim a Donna category. Listening to his comments it seems his Miami coach feels he can play better than he does but Lebron doesn’t want to be coached. Any wonder why Miami hasn’t beaten any one with a winning record.

I told you on this blog back in June when he made the announcement that he was going to Miami that Lebron was admitting he couldn’t win it on his own and needed help. Seems as if the Heat is giving him help but he doesn’t want to listen.

If there is one failure from coaches I don’t care what sport it is, is their inability to adapt to the players they have. Roy Williams is a run and gun coach and the last season and a half just doesn’t have the players to execute the run and gun.

Coach K last year moved Jon Schyer to point guard because he knew he would not have ten turnovers a game from the point guard. They won a national championship. This year with Irving at PG the Devils are running and gunning with the players he has.

The best coach that I have ever been around for changing from year to year was Daryl Allen when I did radio for Ahoskie and Hertford County football. I was in his office in I think it was 1976 before school got out for the summer that year and he looks at me and says” I think I am going to run the Radar defense”. I ask what in the world is that?

He gave me a book about the radar defense and he explained to me that with the players he had coming back that fall that would be a good defense. He said” I don’t have a defensive player over 160 pounds and the radar all 11 players stand up”. “I’m going to let my 160 pound nose guard stand up and run past the center and guard before they can get off the ball”. His team gave up 38 points during that regular season.

There are just not many coaches around whether it is pro, college or high school that can change when ever needed. The first thing is they have to be able to evaluate their talent and what that talent can do. Then they have to understand how what they are changing to works.

Pam Gainey goes for coaching victory # 300 tonight. Her biggest fault as a coach she has never had a big center to go along with her pressure defense. The Gryphons play at SouthWest Edgecombe.

Yesterday was the first Indoor track day of the season. Funny thing about indoor track is around here it is held outside. Yesterday’s event was held at SouthWest Edgecombe and in order to qualify for the state championships you must either run a certain time or throw a certain distance. Zikeener Parker qualified for the state in two events the 55 meter and 500 meter. She is the only Gryphon that qualified yesterday.

Tonight is the Eastern Regional 2-A finals again at Tarboro and again against East Bladen. East Bladen needed 50 last week to beat Carrboro while it only took 13 for Tarboro. I like the Vikes chances of returning to the state championship this year however in Winston Salem. Tarboro 35 East Bladen 20

GO VIKINGS!

All State Honors

Andrew Morales and Matt Williams from the Rocky Mount High have made the All State Soccer Team. Both players along with the other Rocky Mount soccerplayers appeared with me on the "Stretchlon Sports Show" a couple of Sunday nights ago.

Pam Gainey got career victory #299 Wednesday night as the Lady Gryphons won at Beddingfield by one point. She goes for #300 Friday at SouthWest Edgecombe and Hall Of Fame coach Sandra Langley. She will try to win #300 in the gym named after Langley. The boys were also winners so both head to SWE with 4-1 records.

The Stretchlon cameras will be there to record Friday night's game as Pam gainey goes for #300. Wes Bradshaw will cover the game. I'll be at the Tar River Children's Chorus Christmas Show which will be Friday Night.

You may have seen several weeks ago that I had the Renegades travel League baseball team with me on the Stretchlon Show as they are going to be playing at the Baseball Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown New York next summer. They have had several fund raising efforts and one of those was a drawing for $400 worth of sporting good from E B Sports in Wilson or $300 cash.

Last night in the parking lot at Harris Teeter the drawing was held and yours truly did the drawing and I did not pick my name. The winner was Julie Owens. The Renegades sold over 1,900 tickets for that drawing.

Duke won in the ACC-Big East Challenge but State last night looked like the JV's playing the varsity. That was about as bad of game I have ever seen a Wolfpack team play.

There has been talk this year Duke might go undefeated during conference play and up until this week I never thought it could happen. I doubt it will because Maryland looks good but everybody else might be playing for last place. Since somebody has to win every game somebody is going to have a good record who right now looks awful.

It is for sure that C J Leslie and Harrison Barnes are the two most over rated players in ACC history.

Where have All The Guards Gone

The ACC-Big Ten Challenge seems to be that this year is a ACC challenge just to look good on the court. Who would have ever thought that the only two wins for the ACC would be Wake and Virginia. Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Carolina all looked lost on offense. They are all as it seems the conference is caught short without any reliable guard play this year.

Tonight Duke and State try to keep the ACC alive but the Pack plays at Wisconsin which will not be easy. I think this is the first time that Duke has ever play in Cameron Indoor during the Challenge. They have always gone to bigger venues like Greensboro for more crowds.

The Lady Gryphons lost for the first time last night at South Central. They lost by 10. Pam Gainey's quest for her 300th victory has two more chances this week as Beddingfield and SouthWest Edgecombe are on tap tonight and Friday. It will take two wins for 300. The boys beat SC by one last night. This makes them 3-1 on this young season.

How much longer will the NFL keep giving Harrison with the Steelers his weekly $25,000 fine for illegal hits. He has been hit with $125,000 worth of fines for leading with the helmet. It is obvious to me that the only way he will stop will be to sit several games. You know the problem with trying to sit him out is the Players Association probably would not stand for it.

The Mr. Yankee image that Derek Jeter has is taking a big hit this off season. The Yankees have offered a three year deal but Jeter wants a four year deal plus five million more than what the Yankees are willing to give. Seems now that George is gone from the picture that his sons are not obsessed with having to having the best player at any cost. Let me rephrase that the Yankees not longer are paying the most money just to have the highest paid player. Jeter is in his mid thirty's and has only been average the last two seasons. The Yankee offer is much more than what Jeter is worth.

I would like to end this morning with sad news. Hardly anyone in Rocky Mount probably knows this name but over the weekend a coaching friend Bing Mitchell died from cancer. Bing was born in the big city of Aulander in Bertie County. After graduating from ECU which is a big accomplishment for any one from Aulander, Bing found himself coaching football.

Bing eventually became head football coach at his high school Bertie. Just from being from Aulander just down the road from Ahoskie I knew Bing for a long time and through radio on Friday nights. His mother use to call me when I work at the radio staion in Ahoskie and the conversation sooner or later always we would talk about Bing.

He passed through Washington, Northside and others during his career. The last time I actually talked with Bing was during the Scrimmage back in 2008 when he was assistant coach for South Central as a retired double dipper. I think Bing was sick then but he continued to press on. North Carolina high school football lost a good one with the passing of Bing Mitchell.

Milestones

So far this season Rocky Mount basketball has played three 4-A schools with the sole purpose of getting ready for conference play. Their first week has seen the boys go 2-1 and they should have won the the other game. The girls won all three including beating Knightdale on their home floor in their own basketball tournament.

Coaches look for combinations of lineups that they will want to use as the season progresses.The preparation continues this week as the Gryphons hit the road for three games. Tonight they are at South Central a possible playoff opponent come February. Wednesday a trip to Beddingfield a place where the Gryphons have always found victories hard to come by. They close out the week with a visit to Pinetops and a game against SouthWest Edgecombe another team that is hard to beat on their home floor.

Lurking in all of this non-conference preparations is the possibility that Pam Gainey could win #300 in her coaching career. If the Gryphon ladies can find the victory column twice this week. If last week was any indication it will happen but wins will be hard to come by with the teams on the schedule this week. Good Luck Pam and the Gryphons.

If you are interested in playing pro basketball you can get a shot to be one right here in Rocky Mount on December 17th at 5.00pm at the South Rocky Mount Community Center. The American Basketball Association is going to add four teams to their league for the 2011-2012 season. Three of those teams will be in North Carolina. If the 17th is not a good date there will be a tryout in Greensboro on the 19th. Good luck to all you that think you are good enough.

Last week North Carolina played Minnesota and looked as if they could not figure out where the basket was and lost. Last night a Virginia team that already has three losses by more than 20 points opened the ACC- Big East Challenge playing Minnesota and Virginia dominated the back court at won. Early comparison having both UVA and UNC having played the same team at their place within two weeks of each other. If you Carolina fans thought last year was a disaster just wait two more months. Guard play is killing carolina again this year.

It was odd last night watching Ralph Sampson a UVA former player watch one of his sons that plays for Minnesota. Sampson also has a son playing for ECU.

NFL Taking Shape

The New England Patriots and the New York Jets have the best record in the AFC. The Atlanta Falcons the best in the NFC. Just four years ago Atlanta was going through one of the most embarrassing moments in their history with Michael Vick. Seems like a long time since then but it's been just four years. All three teams are 9-2.

Boy does it look like Julius Peppers picked a good team to go to or what. The Bears are 8-3 and sitting atop of the NFC North. I don't know whether you saw the Bears game today but Peppers was all over the field in getting Chicago into first.

The best fight of the year in pro boxing happened on the football field as Andre Johnson and Courtland Finnegan went three rounds. This is the second week in a row that punches have been thrown and the NFL had better get control of this quickly.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are tied with Indy for the lead in the AFC North. The Seattle Seahawks and St Louis Rams are tied in the NFC West at 5-6. If either finishes below 500 but wins the division they will host a first round playoff game.

Philip Rivers failed to throw a td pass last night breaking his streak of 24 straight games with a touchdown toss which was the longest active streak in the NFL. Despite that he was 11-11 in the second half and finished the game completing his last 13 in a row as the Chargers crushed the Colts giving Peyton Manning his worse loss at home in his 13 year career.

Tonight may be the worse Monday night game of the year as Arizona and San Francisco square off against each other. Don fret the NFL is back in action on Thursday. The ACC-Big East challenge starts tonight as the ACC tries to get back on their winning ways after having lost the challenge for the first time ever last year.

Gryphon Girls Off to Great Start

You cannot say that Rocky Mount basketball whether it's the boys are girls will back down to anybody when it comes to playing good teams early to see how you stack up.

The boys blew a 13 point lead in the fourth quarter Friday and lost by two points to Millbrook. Saturday they won a one point game 48-47 to Athens Drive. The first week of the season the defending 3-A State Champions have played three times against 4-A schools and are holding a 2-1 record.

Now let us look at the girls who won the girls Knightdale tournament Saturday defeating the host 62-55 in overtime. The girls are 3-0 and have met three 4-A schools and have taken them all. Fridays opening round they beat Wake Forest Rolesville 68-45.

Marquita Hines has be exceptional at point guard but the load of the offense has been carried by three players, Tia Hudgins, Timisha Walker and J'Kyra Brown as all three are averaging double figures the first three games scoring.

They will not be home again until Tuesday night December 7th. Despite their lost for the boys this is a good start for both basketball teams.

You would expect Nash Central to dominant the Big East Tennis all conference team and they did. Randi Price was Player of the year and she was joined by three other teammates. Sister Kaley Price, Lizzie Eakin and Dana Kelly. Lindsey Thomas and Caroline Nelson from Rocky Mount made all conference as well as Northern's Katie Beeman,Emily Moedl and Southern Nash's Casey Strickland.

Nash Central's coach Susan Mccarthy was named coach of the year.

If you were not at the Rose- Rocky Mount basketball game last Tuesday you can see a replay tonight on the Stretchlon Sports Show. It is worth watching as both squads are loaded with talent.