Final Week Countdown

The Big East football championship will be decided Friday night at Fike High as the two Big East football teams who are 8-0 in the Big East between them collide for the title. It will be the wide open Fike offense against the Hunt power game. Northern will host Rocky Mount still with their playoff life on the line. If they finish with just four wins and do make playoffs they would be a very low seed having probably a conference champion in the open round. A victory would at least move they higher in the seedlings. Rocky Mount has the reverse problem a lost would lower their seeding while a win might get them a first round home game. Should they get a home game this year I can assure you it will not be against a low low seed but somebody in the middle seeding range. Southern Nash can probably start the JV's Friday against Nash Central and try to heal up several players that might be 100 per cent in two weeks. Surprise, Surprise Rocky Mount Academy gets a home game Friday after Hobgood who was in the Eagles bracket lose Friday. The Eagles will now play St David a team they have already rolled once this year. Should the Eagles win their semi final match the eight man State Championship game will be played at the Rocky Mount Sports complex regardless of who is in game. Northern Nash boys and Rocky Mount girls get 14th and 15th in the state cross country championship this past Saturday. One major problem eastern North Carolina runners always have during the state championship is the event is always on a hilly course and it is hard to prepared in the flatlands of eastern North Carolina. Rocky Mount former baseball star Brian Godwin made the Arizona Fall League all star team for the second year in a row. The top prospect of the Washington National is hitting 304 in Mesa Arizona. His team lost the all start game Saturday night.

Service and Dedication

There are many people in this world that can't continue to be athletes as they get older. Just about every school has that person, that does whatever they can to support the team. Roger Shearin of Northern Nash, is one of those people. Those of you who attend football games at Northern see Roger on the sidelines as the equipment manager for both varsity and JV football games. Roger loves his Knights! Roger continues to give back to Northern, the best way he knows how, and that is fixing helmets, facemasks and shoulder pads for all the players at Northern Nash. This Friday night in the Rocky Mount/Northern Nash football game, will be Roger's last home football game as the equipment manager. For 25 years he has been Mr. Dependability there for every game in the rain or mud, in victory or defeat, Roger has been Mr. Northern Nash Knight. Roger has done what he has physically able to do for Northern, and now it's time to step aside. Those of you who know Roger, know that he is a Christian man, and member of Parkwood Baptist Church. He has given his life to God and Northern Nash. For those who attend the big game, I expect there to be a few moments saluted to Mr. Roger Shearin, thanks for all that you have given to Northern and anyone else you have touched in your 25 years of excellence to high school sports. The Rocky Mount Gryphons have set up the season nicely after a big win over Southern Nash. In order to continue that nice setup, they have to win vs Northern or fall into chaos with a potential 3 way tie for 3rd place. The Firebirds with Nash Central on the schedule, will be favored in that game, so it comes down to who wins the NN/RM game, as it should be. IF NN wins, there will be a 3 way tie among SN, RM, and NN. With all 3 having beaten each other, who will win the 3 seed in the Big East? If it comes down to how you fared vs the top BE teams, the edge would go to SN as they were the most competitive. RM can solve this puzzle with a win against arch rival Northern Nash, and take a strong hold of 3rd place. So it comes down to Northern vs RM, the final game of the season. One has a chance to spoil the other. We aren't 100% sure of Northern's playoff stance if they lose, so you know Randy Raper will have them ready to play. For RM, there is no championship with a win, and maybe not even a home playoff game, but there motivation is in beating Northern Nash and securing 3rd place. Since neither can win the conference title, there is no better way then beating your arch rival. The way sports are suppose to be.

No Luster For This One

Most years at least one of the two teams of State or Carolina is halfway decent but neither has a whole lot to brag about this year. Carolina is coming off their best game of year while State is coming off a whomping administered by Florida State. Find it hard to pick either in this one. Could be a triple overtime 9-6 game. Pack wins at home 31-28. ECU hits the road going to Florida International. Last road game the Pirates limped home but not today. Pirates 42-FIU 16. Wake Forest heads to the Carrier Dome to play the Cuse. The Deacs are playing well and I think they bring home a win 28-23. Virginia Tech has maybe the worse offense in ACC but one of the best defenses. Regardless Tech offense will keep it close while the defense keeps them in game. Virginia Tech 20 BC 10 Pitt travels to Georgia Tech to take on the Jackets and I don't know why this game scares me this week. Should be all Tech. GT 35 Pitt 27.

Gryphon Grit

Yes it was Halloween night and Southern Nash opening kickoff was a pop up to the pitcher but the Gryphon front blockers admiring how high the kick was and Southern started on the Gryphon 48 after the Firebirds recovered the rolling free football. Less than three minutes Dion Lavendar one yard sneak gave Southern a 7-0 lead. Richard Hall carried for the Firebirds from one yard out gave the Birds a 14-0 lead in the second quarter and at this point Rocky Mount still does not have a first down. Two things changed the momentum of the game. Jason Battle went to Josh Carter at quarterback and Broderick Caudle intercepted a Lavendar pass on the Southern 29 yard line and took it to the house to get the Gryphons on the board and everything is now pointing to Rocky Mount.Josh Carter connected with Rashawn Harris for a 33 yard pass tied the game at 14 with 4:29 in the half. A Gryphon field goal attempt on the last play of the half was wide left and a 14-14 halftime score. The Gryphon D stopped Southern on their opening second half drive and the Gryphon duo of Josh Carter connected with Broderick Caudle on a touchdown pass but once again the ep was wide left and the Gryphon lead for the first time. By the end of the quarter Micah Varnell connects on a 29 yard field goal and the Gryphons and the Gryphons lead by more than one score. Starting the fourth quarter the Gryphons D stymies Southern and Rocky Mount offense converts two fourth down plays the second a 12 yard Carter to Harris pass to give the Gryphon a 30-14 win. As of this minute the Gryphons own 3rd place in the Big East after Fike beat Northern Nash 29-12. Hunt shutout Nash Central so Fike and Hunt play for the Big East crown next Friday. The loser can finish no worse than second. If the Gryphons win at Northern they collect third but should Northern win there could be a three way tie for third between Northern,Southern and Rocky Mount. Tarboro took care of business and clinched first beating Northampton 50-7.

Positioning Time

Glad I do my high school picks on Thursday because I think as tonight progresses toward us many teams will move Friday games to Thursday because of the weather forecast is miserable for Friday night. Last week I went 6-1 and that gives me an overall 63-11 on the season. Southern Nash at Rocky Mount. Major questions for both. The Firebirds are looking for available players in the backfield and Rocky Mount is looking for it's defense after the last two weeks. This will be a game of Southern offensive and defensive lines matching up again the smaller but quicker Rocky Mount line. Rocky Mount needs to find it's game again in the next two weeks Southern Nash 23- Rocky Mount 17 Fike at Northern Nash: The Big East for years has been a pound the ball conference and when the playoff start they have been able to out muscle most teams. Here comes the run and gun of Fike I suspect Northern who just maybe has the best defense in the league will have to cover all over the field. This game will be a question of Northern's speed in the secondary. Fike 35- Northern 14 It is conference championship time for Tarboro. Northampton County is the last team standing that can take the title away from the Vikings. Riverside Martin and Northampton seem very close to the same and Tarboro beat Riverside 48-0 last week. Maybe a little closer this week 40-0 Tarboro. SouthWest Edgecombe at North Johnston. It is all about playoff positioning for the Cougars. North Johnston is winless and the Cougars need to growl in this one. SWE35- NJ 6 North Edgecombe at South Creek: Tarboro is on the horizon next week so the Warriors have got to take care of business this week. NE 35 South Creek 13 Rocky Mount Prep has their first conference win under their and now hold on to two home victories. Riverside is a decent team but come into the week's game with Prep bleedy after the beating Tarboro gave them last week. Riverside 48 Prep 16 Nash Central travels to Hunt and the Bulldogs have to hope Hunt is already thinking about next week's championship game with Fike. If they are that's good for Nash Central they will only lose 35-6. If Hunt is ready it could be worse. RMA opens their state private school playoffs tonight against the team they just beat last Friday Cary Christian. The Eagle will advance to the Final Four 44-6.

Gryphon/Firebird Varsity Football Moved To Thursday

The varsity football game between Southern Nash and Rocky Mount scheduled for Friday night at Rocky Mount High has been moved to Thursday night. The weather forecast for Friday has possible rain all day Friday into Friday night so school official from both schools have agreed to move the game forward to Thursday. I thought the NCHSAA had gotten rid of the POD system but some where along the way the soccer playoffs didn't get the memo. I am assuming that this new system is based on the team with the best overall record is seated first and every team in the playoffs is seated by record. Why do I assume this? Rocky Mount the number four team from the Big East is seated lower that Northern Nash who finished fifth in the conference race but has a better overall record that the Gryphons. What has this done for the five teams representing the Big East in the playoffs. Rocky Mount as a number 27 seed will draw tonight a Hunt team that is seeded sixth but had to to beat Rocky Mount twice in overtime. Northern Nash who gets in under the best of the rest category will draw Southern Nash in round one. The only Big East team not playing another Big East team is Fike who as the conference regular season champs draws West Carteret. I honestly don't understand with ranking all conference champions one through six in the east, then all the second place and so fourth. Any team in the tournament invited as a best of the rest can't be seated higher they anyone in their own conference who finished ahead of them in standings. Rocky Mount beat Northern twice during the regular season but Northern's overall record is 10-8 while Rocky Mount was 10-10, go figure. Since the game Friday night has moved to Thursday you will find me Thursday night along the sideline joining Bobby English 's chain crew. A couple from the regular crew can't make it Thursday so I will serve as a fill in. I have not been on the Gryphon chain crew since I think it was 2001. The 2002 season was my first when Gryphon football returned to the air on the radio. It just might be the truth when anyone makes this statement but the Duke Blue Devils just might be the best football team in North Carolina. The Devils are 6-2 and have four games left to play. N C Stae and Miami are the next two at home. I would favor Duke in the State game and after Miami's game this week they might get beat just as bad as every body else has against Florida State. They may visit durham with their feelings hurt and loss of confidence and who knows what might happen. I would at this time make Duke the favorite against both Wake and Carolina. If they win three of four that is nine wins for the Blue Devils. Holy Moly!

More Clarity Than Normal

There surely seems to be a first division and a second division in Big East Football this year. Fike and Hunt with two weeks to go have clinched championship game quarantees against each other two weeks from now even though both have one game to play between the final game of the year. That has not been the case for the past five years or so. It has come down the last game we must win in order to win championship but a loss might knock us completely out of the playoffs. it has been that tight. Fike has shown to be the best offense in the league. Their wide open spread the field offense is hard to practice since they are the only team to run that offense entirely. It's like playing Georgia Tech and the wishbone. It is the only time you see it all year and hard to defense in one week. It's hard especially as well as Fike runs it. Hunt despite losing three times in non-conference is right where they always are playing for the conference crown. No they are not as good as the past but right now who other than Fike is better? Southern Nash loses their quarterback and that means they have lost the entire backfield to injuries this year. Yet, they are in every game right down to the end. They have the best offensive and defensive lines in the league and that is keeping them in games. Rocky Mount has given up 85 point the last two games to the two big dogs of the conference. Where has the running game gone? Where has the defense gone? Just maybe against great teams the Gryphons are limited. Now that Northern has finally gotten over the hump and stopped a conference losing streak let's see if it turns into more wins. They just might have the best defense going against the best offense in Fike. This game will really tell us a lot about Northern for the remainder of the year. As far as Nash Central is concerned basketball practice starts Thursday so Bulldog fans can turn their attention to that. Yesterday ended the tennis season for the Big East as Rocky Mount lost their third round duel match at Terry Sanford 5-1.