Realignment Fight Begins

The NCHSAA has made it official as they have drawn boundaries based on school population creating the top twenty per cent in size to be 4A schools.  That will create 71 teams in the state to call themselves 4A.  The 3A level will consist of 114 teams which will be  thirty percent of all schools.  I have tried to divide the 3A schools into the east and west putting 57 teams in the east.

I think one of the main priorities has to be eliminating split conferences where half the teams are 3-A the other half 2-A.  This creates confusion when the playoffs start.  I think the perfect conference has to have eight teams.  If 57 teams are in the east looks as if six conferences could have eight teams  and one nine.  The only problem too many teams stuck out alone and too many school in same region.

The Big East  could have some new members but who.  According to the numbers Nash Central would be the fourth biggest 2-A school.  Heard rumors that they may ask to play up to 3A since word is all four Nash County schools could see realignment again to try to keep them all equal before the NCHSAA realignment goes forward.  Cardinal Gibbons asked to play up in 4A  and if they ask no reason Nash Central couldn't since they are right on the split line.  They would be the smallest in the conference as they are now.

Hunt has 1395, Rocky Mount 1281, Fike 1270, Southern Nash 1128, Northern Nash 1110 and Nash Central 1017.  Here is a real crisis.  Greenville Rose will now be 3A and DH Conley 1628 is 3A. Their numbers just don't match up with the Big East numbers.  Other possibilities Eastern Wayne 1041, Southern Wayne 1100,  CB Aycock 1270.  Their numbers compare to the Big East.  There's even more East Wake 1417 and Franklinton 1120 are stuck east and north of Raleigh without  much company.  Where do they go?

It will be neccessary more than likly to add teams.  The compact not much travel will be lost if Nash Central leaves and say the three Wayne County schools join.  A nine team conference is not bad if the Bulldogs stay but even using I-795 Southern Wayne is more than a hour ride.  I have heard Rose has already asked to join.  If the Big East schools can say yes or no I hope Rose and Conley are voted no. They are too big  compared to all the other options.  I guess the final say on realignment comes from Chapel Hill but if the Big East must grow.  Let's keep teams close  in size to what we are now where every game is competitive.  I hope Nash Central stays and the Wayne County schools are added.

Gryphons Need Better Starts

Four straight games now Rocky Mount has found themselves down in one game in the third quarter two others in the second quarter and during the first playoff game found themselves trailing after Williams opening drive.  The deeper the Gryphons go this trait must stop.  The only good news from these four come backs is the Gryphons out scored the team's they trailed to 118-27 once the Gryphons got going.

The second round they are matched up against South Johnston a team with a 8-4 record.  These two met in the second round in the 2009 playoffs at South Johnston with S J winning 36-18.  This is not a team to take lightly since they own a victory over Southern Nash.

A respectable crowd was on  hand in the first round but this could possibly be the last home game of the season win or lose.  The RM /SJ winner is matched up in the third round with the winner of the Havelock 12-0 - Morehead 9-3 winner.   If Havelock wins then the Rocky Mount/ South Johnston winner travels to  the home of Cherry Point Marine Corp Air Station.  In order for the Gryphons to host the third round they must beat South Johnston and Havelock lose and the Gryphons would host Morehead.

One of the best parts to this Gryphon team is their aggressive play both on offense and defense.  They are not overly big on either side of the ball.  On offense the backs love to put their heads down and try to run over the defense when necessary.  Over the course of a game this Gryphon team can become a load by games end.  The line is better that what you think and by the fourth quarter they are a load for anybody.

The defense is quick but anyone who has watched this Gryphon team knows the further the game goes the harder they hit.  Their quickness is their best attribute which means they are in position to deliver blows head on instead of having to grab.  We have all seen some body jarring tackles made when delivering a blow.

This special team group has scored on both kickoffs and punts and there has been a time or two a hard block was called a clip because the person hit was flattened and the ref throwing the flag thought that had to be a clip.  Having to kickoff or punt they have delivered hits that could make ESPN highlights.  They have also gotten a fumble or two so the Gryphon special teams had  done their share to make this team 10-2.

Do you realize that six teams that the Gryphons played during this season have made it to the second round.  This team has one victory in the playoffs. In order to get two or more this team has to come out of the gate a lot quicker than they have over the last month.  The deeper the playoffs the harder the comeback.  Come on Gryphons let's get out of the gate as if this game was a sprint not a mile run.

Area girls impress In College

This area has both boys and girls college players through out the region in all sports.  Friday night the college basketball season started and three area girls shined for their teams.

Gardner Webb traveled to Chapel Hill to open the season against the Lady Tar Heels and former Big  East Player of the year Aluxus Hill sophomore from Northern Nash played 28 minutes and contributed 10 points including a free throw that gave the Running Bulldogs the lead at 63-62 with 58 seconds to go in the game.  GW scores a layup at the buzzer to stun Carolina 66-65.

Since Gardner Webb moved up to Division one basketball in 2000 it is their first victory ever over an ACC team.  Hill made four of her 10 shots on the night.  Hill dueled against Carolina guard Jamie Cherry who in her career at West Craven knocked Hill and Northern Nash along with Rocky  Mount out of the state playoffs during her high school career.

J'Kyra Brown the redshirt sophomore from Rocky Mount played her first game at the University of Virginia.  Brown coming off the bench saw the court for 17 minutes and scored 10 points in the third quarter as UVA open their season at Middle Tennessee State.  The big third quarter by Brown gave the Cavaliers cushion  that they needed to  hold off Middle Tennessee State 70-66.  You can go on the UVA women's web site and hear an interview with JB following Friday night's game.

Former Gryphon Carmen Richardson a Sophomore at Queens College played 39 of the 40 minutes leading Queens College to a 75-62 victory over Barton college. Richardson  had 20 points and six assists in the game.

Former Gryphon basketball player at Rocky Mount Dante Battle who transferred to N C Wesleyan broke his wrist the first week of practice and is out of action until at least November 30th when his next doctor visit is.  The Battling Bishops opened their season today at High Point University.


Friday was the first time that the women's college game started playing four ten minute quarters instead of two 20 minute halves.   It does make sense as it is the same amount of time.  It will be interesting to see how the flow is during TV games as the normal flow for TV time outs is the first dead ball after the clock goes under 16,12,8 and 4 minutes.  During NCAA tournament play the dead ball time outs are 15-10-5.

We have so many players both boys and girls playing college and professional sports that it is hard to keep up with all of them.    If you know of one please let me know if I need to pay attention to whom it may be.  These three that I covered today are easy to get their numbers off the internet but there are so many from the area it takes time to cover them all.

The Battling Bishops of North Carolina Wesleyan College finished their football season Saturday beating Ferrum 42-33. The Bishops started the season at 0-4 including the first three at home but won five of their last six games games to finish at 5-5 on the season.  It is the sixth time in the 12 year history of Battling Bishops football that they have won at least five games and the four game win streak is the second longest win streak in Bishops history behind only the seven in a row in 2007 which was their most wins in a season with 9.

Big East Sweeps First Round Games

Four Big East teams made it to the state 3-A playoffs and all four will play second round games next week..

It seems Rocky Mount needs a good slap in the face early in every game in order to wake them up.  Last week Northern lead at the half 6-0. The Gryphons were down 14-7 in the second quarter to Southern Nash.  Even before that down 14-0 in  the second quarter to Fike.

Tonight Walter Williams took the opening kick off and drove the field and scored when Isaiah Coleman normally the Bulldog Tailback was moved to quarterback scored on a 14 yard run to give Williams a 7-0 lead at the 6:29 mark in the first.  The Williams coaches felt that they needed more offense in order to beat the Gryphons so Coleman became a running quarterback and on the first drive it worked.

The Gryphons responded And scored on a 15 yard pass from Forest Bell to Jaclayton Freeman  with 2:52 to go in the first and Chase Miller tied it  7-7.  The Gryphon defense took control  and at the7:37 mark of the half BJ Sanders scored on a 15 yard run to give the Gryphons the lead for good at 14-7.

The second half Williams did not make a first down until one minute remained in the game but by that time Gryphons scores of a two yard quarterback sneak and a Terrell Forbes eight yard run with 10:52 left and the second team finished the game.  Under a minute to play Williams scored but the extra point fail and a final of 28-13.

Next week the Gryphons face South Johnston who was a 21-6 winner over Eastern Wayne.

Southern Nash scored with under a minute to play went for the two point conversion and make it as the Firebirds steal one in Vanceboro beating Western Alamance 22-21

Hunt scored but one touch down but that was all they needed beating Lee County 7-3

Fike traveled toTopsoil and controlled the game winning 28-8

Tarboro had no problem with Heide Trask winning 55-7

Southwest Edgecombe  no problem besting FarmVille for the second time this year 42-3

The real unset of the night hobbled North Edgecombe went to Pamlico and come home a winner 44-20.

Beddingfield took down South Granville 35-14.

What a great night for every team in the playoffs from Nash -Wilson -Edgecombe County as all eight teams advanced to next week.

The CIAA has released their all CIAA all conference team and Nick Hahula a 2009 graduate of Rocky Mount high school has been named the CIAA special teams player of the year. Hahula made 6 of 11 field goals for the Hawks of Chowan.  He made 25 of his 27 extra points. He punted for the Hawks 51 times averaging 36.13 yards per punt.  Of those 51 punts 20 were inside the the 20 yard line.

You may recall Hahula was a full back /kicker on the  2008 Gryphon football team that won their first 14 games before they were beaten by West Craven in the Eastern Regional.. During that season Gryphon opponents only return a punt for a total of one yard all season and many of his kickoffs were in the end zone so their foes mostly started on the 20 yard line.

Senior Day At Wesleyan

The Battling Bishops of North Carolina Wesleyan College will play their final game of the season  Saturday and there is a chance after starting losing the first three games of the season at home has a chance to finish the season at 5-5.

Ferrum 2-7 @ NCW 4-5: Back in the days of Junior College football and doing play by play at Chowan, Ferrum and Chown were football powers. Days gone by Ferrum sits 2-7 and have given up tons of points. Anybody noticed that since I  was in the  press box  doing PA the Bishops have been rolling.  I'll be there Saturday so that should produce a Battling Bishops victory.  38-22 NCW

North Carolina State 6-3 2-3 @ Florida State 7-2 5-2:  Been targeting this game as a Pack win but I finally saw a dangerous Noles team last Saturday for the first time this year. FSU26 Pack 23

Miami 6-3 3-2 @ North Carolina 8-1 5-0.  This is the best team  Carolina may meet until Clemson.  Remember Clemson beat Miami by 58.  Carolina 35 Miami 27.

Virginia Tech  4-5 2-3 @ Georgia Tech 3-6 1-5:  Beamer Ball at this point is better than Johnson Ball.        
Gobblers 26-RamblingWreck 21

Clemson 9-0 6-0 @ Syracuse 3-6 1-4:   I think at the start the Tigers will be  flat but by the middle of the second quarter it will be all Clemson.   45-14

Wake Forest 3-6  1-5 @ Notre Dame   8-1:  Bad day for the Demon Deacons on national TV.  Irish 54 Deacs 14.

Pitt 6-3 4-1 @ Duke 6-2 3-2:  This may surprise most but I'm picking Pitt.  Panthers 26 Duke 14.

Virginia 3-6 2-3@ Louisville 5-4 4-2:  Louisville has been coming on.  Probably too much for Virginia.  Louisville 42- UVA 24

First Round Of The Playoffs

Had a very good final week of the high school regular season and eight man playoffs going 10-1 running my record for the year to 75-15.  Lot of locals in action Friday so we need to get going.

3A

Walter Williams 5-6 @ Rocky Mount 9-2:  The last home Rocky Mount playoff game was Jason Battle's first playoff game as Rocky Mount coach and the Gryphons laid and egg.  They have taken advancing steps winning on road last year.  This Gryphons team handled tragedy and Northern all the same day.  Gryphons  will advance 35-14 at home.

Southern Nash 8-3 @ West Craven 9-1:  What a first round game for a team that finished second in conference play.  This should be a knock down and drag out affair.  I just can't make up my mind in this one.  Havelock is the only team to beat the Eagles.  West Craven 28-26.

Fike 6-5 @ Topsoil 5-6:  this is a real chance for Fike if the play some defense.  Fike 35 Topsail 28.

3AA
Lee County 8-3 @ Hunt 8-3: if the Big East is to say this was a great playoff for the conference Hunt has to win this game.  Hunt 31- Lee County 23.

2A

Farmville Central 5-6 @ SouthWest Edgecombe 10-1.  Ridiculous two conference members have to play first round.  SWE won the first time they will win the second time around 42-14.

South Granville 4-7 @ Beddingffield 6-5:  Beddingfield holds serve. 32-13

1AA

Hiede Trask 2-9 @ Tarboro 10-1:  Trask coming all the way from Rocky Point to get pummeled
Vikings 48 Trask 6

1A

North Edgecombe 5-5 @ Pamlico 5-5:  Did a playoff game between NE and  Pamlico way back in 1999 on WHIG.  Small  Pressbox and stood on top in the pouring rain in second half.  Love to do stats during game but paper was so wet could not.  If I remember this was a third round game after the Warriors won the title in 98?  This year Warriors are beat up.  Expect same results as 99.  Pamlico 28 Warriors 19.

Another Weekend Of NFL Guesses

This is the year of the injury in the NFL.  Teams that can not put their best players on the field each week simply produces teams playing great one week and awful the next.  Last week had a great 12-2 record while this past weekend back to a meek 6-7 run my record for the year to 75-57  I have a dart board set up and this week will pick the games throwing darts.

Bills 4-4@ Jets 5-3:  The Darts say Jets by a field goal.  26-23

Lions 1-7 @ Packer 6-2: The darts say Lions but this shows me darts can pick either.  Packer 38 Lions 28.

Panthers 8-0 @ Titans 2-6:  Do I think Panthers will run the table?  Just hope they don't stumble to an easy win.  Panthers 26 Titans 23

Bears 3-5 @ Rams 4-4: If I Was the Panthers or Packers I would not want to play Rams in playoffs.  Rams 26 Bears 17

Saints 4-5 @ Redskins 3-5:  Saints play terrible on the road and if the Skins win it has to be at home. Skins 35 Saints 31

How are the darts doing so far?  Miami  3-5 @ Eagles 4-4:  I think the positives from Miami's coaching change has worn off.  I think Eagles can still win 10.  If they do this is one of them. Eagles 38 Dolphins 28

Browns 2-7 @ Steelers 5-4:  Big Ben is out but Steeler D will control who ever quarterbacks the Browns. Steelers 27 Browns 17

Jags 2-6 @ Ravens 2-6:  This is one of those games if you live in Baltimore and want to go to an NFL game I am sure the Internet is loaded with people trying to unload tickets.

Vikings 6-2@ Raiders 4-4:  Here are two teams that nobody want to play in playoffs.  Carr might be on the way to super stardom. Bridge water and Vikes D are rising.  The darts take the home team Raiders 34 Vikes 31

Pats 8-0 @ Giants 5-4:  The Giants always play Pats as well as anybody.  The dart landed right on the metal divider so tie goes to home team.. Giants 26-23

Chiefs 3-5 @ Bronco's 7-1:  Bronc's just don't give the darts a reason to pick them to win Super Board but they say Denver wins this week.  27-14 Denver

Cardinals 6-2 @ Seahawks 4-4:  This is Seahawks last shot if they lose.  Cardinals don't seem as good as last year.  I think Hawks will be hard to beat in Seattle.  Hawks 24 Cardinals 20

Texans 3-5 @ Bengals 8-0.  The darts say this is a miss match but Bengals will toi for most of the game with Houston 28-17 Cincy.