Big East Stats 2016

ROCKY MOUNT HIGH'S FOOTBALL GAME WITH HERTFORD COUNTY HAS BEEN MOVED TO THURSDAY NIGHT DUE TO THE POSSIBLE TROPICAL STORM DUE IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA FRIDAY KICK OFF IS 7PM

The ultimate reason why Big East teams  play six games before conference starts is the hope that they will get better each week and by the time conference starts each team will have improved enough to make a run at the conference title and just maybe a state title.  From the stats available here are the leaders so far.

Points:  Southern Nash 46 points per game, Rocky Mount 36.5, Fike 24, Nash Central 22, Northern Nash 20.5 and Hunt 13.5

Defensive points:  Southern Nash 6.5. Northern Nash 13.5, Fike 15, Rocky Mount 18.5 Nash Central 24 and Hunt 26.

Total Offense Southern Nash 422. 5, Fike 317.5, Nash Central 287, Rocky Mount 273.5, Hunt 258.  Northern Nash not available.

Rushing:  Southern Nash 311, Fike 231, Hunt 211, Rocky Mount 209,  Nash Central 183 Northern Nash unavailable.

Passing Southern Nash 111, Nash Central 103,  Fike 86, Rocky Mount 64, Hunt 47Northern Nash unavailable.

Two weeks into the season the stats point that this season could be a special season for Southern Nash.  It is hard when every team plays different teams  to analyze and compare when the teams are not all playing same teams how the stats stack up against each other.

This weekend college and high school football begins on Thursday night.  Need to keep and eye on the Tropical storm tracking coming across Florida because Friday night high school games could get moved to Thursday at least those not already set for Thursday.

Is it Time For Romo To Call It Quits

It seems that every time Tony Romo is hit by contact he goes down for a half a season.  This weekend a simple run out of the pocket trying to avoid a tackle he folded up under a mediocre tackle.  It was the first time he has been touched this preseason after missing most of last year with another that knocked him out for the season.

Can the Dallas  Cowboys continue to pay Tony  Romo the millions he get to sit in a doctor office getting MRI's?.  As the norm several major players has been lost for the season with injuries already this season.  It has been suggested that already this preseason that it is time to either eliminate preseason or cut it back to two games.  It is time to do it something because players are costing teams too much money to not be on the field.  

This weekend if they were only playing two exhibition games then this week 3rd preseason game would have been first game of the season.  What is the difference if the the 3rd practice game a player goes down or the third game of the season.  They are still high priced and collecting checks with cast on.

Now the sad case of Colin Kapernick.  The last two preseason games  has failed to stand for the National Anthem.  He claims he is protesting the way minorities are treated in this country.  He is a quarterback that had a great rookie year and has failed to come any where close to his first production.  I find it hard to believe that life style he lives he shows much compassion for those that don't have it no where near as good as he has.  Not standing for the National Anthem is a cheap way to get big headline.

As far as I am concerned with the lifestyle he lives I invite him to move to another country where minorities are treated better if he can find one.  The NFL can't do much to him an even the 49'ers are over a rock and a hard place.  Could it be that Kaepernick might be on the verge of being cut and this is a play on his part to keep them from cutting him.  How would it look for the 49'ers to cut him with all this going now.

Schedule Helps Teams Grow

Depending on what part of the state you are in you like to schedule teams in close proximity to your location.  Some cases that means like Tarboro they play 3A schools Washington, Nash Central and Northern Nash.  As a 1-A school they should only rarely win any of those games regardless of how good or bad those 3A schools are year to year.

Any team that plays teams better or bigger they must play at their best to win.  Do you remember in 1984 Tarboro was 0-4 losing to Rocky Mount and Northern Nash among others and yet they won the 3-A state title because they learned early how to compete against better schools just to keep from getting embarrassed.  By the time conference time rolled around they were battle tested and until the playoffs didn't play a team better than who they played in non conference.

Rocky Mount won the state title last season in 3A with two losses to teams that both were in the semi finals in 4AA playoffs or the championship game. The Gryphon schedule has several 2A schools in which they should win with no problem.  All that does is give playing time to those that might be needed should injury occur later in the season.  The fact that Middle Creek could not stop Rocky Mount consistently is a good sign this year's offense can score.

They surely need to improve extra point and punt snaps cause if they don't a conference game could decide an outcome the wrong way.  High school football today as we saw in all the Gryphon playoff games they had  a running quarterback who throws.  Middle Creek hits some big pass plays but for the most part had too many incomplete passes.

The Gryphons I think Friday night went to passing a bit too early on first downs.  The playoffs last year the Gryphons won every fourth quarter because no team could stop their running game when it counted.  If for no other reason play keep a way from the other team.

Last year every important game was at home but this year Hunt, Southern Nash are on the road. Please don't forget the Havelock upset gave the Gryphons a home game against Eden Morehead and that turned out to be a last play of the game win.

Next year Nash Central will be a non conference game hopefully replacing say South Granville.  I feel like our relationship with Hertford County will stay as more than not they are most years a good football team.  I would love to get Tarboro back on the schedule not only for travel but a packed house wherever it's played.  Despite their dominance over the Gryphons in most sports I hope Rose stays on the schedule.  I doubt whether Middle Creek will want to return to the country again in two years.

Winning every game is not that important.  Learning what you have to do to get better is.  Playing a team better than you is not a bad thing as long as you get better as a team for having played that game.

Second Game Perspective

Two games are in the books and every coach now can see exactly what their team is trending towards.  Many teams will continue to improve and be a different team two months from now.  Lots will never be much better than they have been so far.  Thoughts from me so far.

Folks at Middle Creek were talking a thousand would show up at Rocky Mount but they were lucky if 400 were there.

Middle Creek was the better football team.  They are a school near 2000 students where Rocky Mount has around 1200.  Would you not expect Middle Creek to be better just on size of the school alone.  Throughout the years even when Rocky Mount was the smallest 4A school they always had trouble beating Rose because Rose always had 3-500 students more than Rocky Mount.

Yes, The Gryphons used last year's game as one of those look at how close we came from winning.  Rocky Mount was stopped twice on four down and Middle  Creek made three fourth down plays.  Those five plays were the difference.  Gryphon fans there should be hope that maybe this could be another good year.

I am not sure why all games in the Big East are starting at 7pm this year.  Friday night it was still 90 degrees at 7 and I think the early start will hurt attendance later in the season.  Many people are pushed to get home after work and get to  the game by seven even when it is a home game.

There has been talk coming from Tarboro that they thought they might advance deep in the 1A playoffs this year.  Shutting out 3-A Washington just might be a testament that the Vikings are really good again.  I say that as though they have been bad the last few years but when you play for state championships a lot and have a few years when you don't expection makes it look as if you are bad.

The Firebirds look as they just might be looking forward to the conference game with Rocky Mount at home this year.  That game just might be for the conference championship.  I liked what I saw in the scrimmage from the Firebirds and so far they have played like what I saw in the scrimmage.

Looks like a long year in Pinetops for the Cougars  of SouthWest Edgecombe. They lost 20 some seniors last year and it shows.

Could the season end with a Tarboro-North Edgecombe game for the conference title.  This looks like the Warriors best team since Raymond Cobb left for SWE.

I know Northern Nash gave up 21 points in the fourth quarter but it still looks to me as if they have turned the corner.    Every team at some point in a season has a quarter they would like to have back.

Nash Central gets their first win equaling all their wins last year.  I doubt it is their last on the season.

Winning Streak Over

The Rocky Mount Gryphons hosted one of the top 4A schools in North Carolina tonight and for two and a half quarters the defending 3-A champs showed the Mustangs they were going to have to work to win this one.

Rocky Mount down 16-14 at the half and took the  second half kickoff and marched to the 11 yard line and Chase Miller kicked a 31 yard field goal to give the Gryphons a 17-16 lead at 8:28 of the third quarter.

Middle Creek moved through the air all night as quarterback Dominique  Shoffner completed only 10 of 24 passes but those ten collected 181 yards and  quickly The Mustangs went down the field to retake the lead after a two point conversion 24-17.  The Gryphons were stopped on 4th down and the Mustangs covered ground again pushing the score to 31-17 with 11:32 to play.

Each team stopped each other on their next processions but faced with 4th down a bad punt snap gave Middle Creek their final scored from the Gryphon 15 yard line.  The Gryphons showed some  grit scoring on their final drive making the final 37-25.

Middle Creek took the opening kickoff and five plays led 7-0. The Gryphons punted but the ball bounce off a Mustang blocker and the Gryphons took the ball  from the MC 40 and tried a 41 yard field goal by Chase Miller but the ball hit the cross bar.

Starting at their 20 after the missed field goal the Gryphons steal the ball and have it at the 18 yard line. The Gryphons tie it at 7 with 1:14 to play in the first quarter on a keeper by quarterback Mckenzy Wright.  The next drive Artavious Richardson intercepts a Shoffners's pass out in the flats and rambles 18 yards for a Gryphon lead 14-7.

Didn't take the Mustangs long to tie it up at 9:40 of the second.  The next Mustang drive Detrelle Revis intercepted a Shoffner pass at the one yard line and hoping to find blockers was tackled in the enzone for a safety and a 16-14 half time lead.

Middle Creek was 10-24 for 181 yards passing and rushed 37 times for 133 yards.  The Gryphons rushed for 198 yards and added 27 yards passing. The loss stops a 12 game winning streak for the Gryphons.

Other scores
Kipp Pride 16 NorthEast Carolina  Prep 8. pride 2-0 for first time ever
Word of God 36 RM Prep 16
Rocky Mount Academy 49 Halifax Academy 2
Fike 28 East Wake 6
North Edgecombe 14 SouthWest Edgecombe 12 first win over the Cougars since 2003
Northeastern 27 Northern Nash 24 Northern led 21-0 at one point
Tarboro 28 Washington 0 look out for the Vikings
Southern Nash 48 Beddingfield 0 Southern is primed for big year
Nash Central 44Smithfield Selma 6 broke 10 game losing streak.
Hunt 27 Herford County 12

Blogging Good Time

Thursday was a rather large day in the life of blogging.  I posted my 3,000th story.  Back on August first was the beginning of year nine for me as a blogger.  If you have been with me from the beginning you know I did not plan on blogging every day but only when I thought I had some intelligent information or opinion  to pass along about something going on in the area related to sports.

If you remember August 2008 the Rocky Mount football team was in the middle of six very successful years under B W Holt and I was covering the Gryphons on the radio with Wes Bradshaw.  There was so much happening that it didn't take long before I was blogging every day.  Those days when I blogged once a week didn't have very many of you that care to read.  As the team picked up steam people began to find my address.  I have never advertised my blog that much so I rely on you to find out where I am on the internet. 

I know when I say this, this  is still not a great number of people but there are about 250 of you who view this blog  everyday. When something special occurs it jumps to 500 We have come a long ways since only five views was a big day..  As long as I am having fun doing this I would like to continue and as long as it looks like we are not turning everyone off to what I am saying I hope I can keep my health to keep doing it.  I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart that your desire to  read what I have to say has helped give me motivation to want to continue to write everyday.

Tonight there are several games in the area when it will be hard to find games anywhere else in the state that could possibly be any better.  Middle Creek will be at Rocky Mount High tonight.  State wide they are number one  in the preseason in 4-A.  HIGHSCHOOLOT.COM  has them rated number one in  the WRAL viewing area and Rocky Mount number six.

 Now we all know that not being in Wake County  it is almost like we don't exist especially in the News and Observer.  There is no reason that the stadium should not be overflowing like it was during the third round playoff game last year against Eden Morehead.  I can assure you the Gryphons have been waiting for this one ever since Middle Creek beat them 24-21 last year when Rocky Mount led in the fourth quarter.

The same thing should occur in Tarboro with Washington in town.  yes, Washington lost to Havelock last week but that does mot mean they can't whip the Vikings so this should be a very competitive game.  Look at the good games going on in the area tonight.  Northern Nash is hosting Northeastern who has been a thorn in the Knights side for several years when they have played each other in non-conference games.  There is no reason  that Death Valley is not loaded down and overflowing with fans.

High school sports are fun to watch and a relative cheap nights entertainment.  Find a game and go have a good time tonight.

Week Two Football Ready To Roll

Last week our local teams in Nash and Edgecombe Counties were 5-4 in their opening games.  This week the level of competition picks up as several games are top level games.

Kipp Pride 1-0 @ NorthEast Carolina Prep 0-1.  Even in losing Prep played a 4A school last week and Kipp Pride is not to that level.  NEC Prep 26 Kipp Pride 13

Word of God 0-1 @ Rocky Mount Prep 0-1.  Word of God left eight man for eleven man football and this will be a really interesting game.  WOG lost by 42 last week and Prep was shocked by Kipp Pride.  Word of God will win this one 32-22 over RM Prep.

SouthWest Edgecombe 0-1 at North Edgecombe 1-0.  Despite the drubbing the Cougars took last week they should have enough to win this one.  SWE 26 North Edgecombe 20

Smithfield Selma 0-1 @ Nash Central 0-1.  This is a must for the Bulldogs.  This will probably be a down to the last second game.  Nash Central 27 Smithfield Selma 26

Northeastern 1-0 @ Northern Nash 1-0. The last several years the Eagles have been too quick for the Knights.  This game will tell us a lot about the 2016 Knights.  I want to see one more game before I get on the Northern bandwagon.  Northeastern 26 Northern Nash 21

Southern Nash 1-0 @ Beddingfield 1-0. Any time you play Beddingfield you need to be ready to score.  I think the Firebirds can.  Southern Nash 36 Beddingfield 21

Washington 0-1 @ Tarboro 1-0. Washington was shutout last week by Havelock which surely is no sin.  This is a 3-A -1-A matchup.  Don't think Washington is all that bad but this will be a game to tell us if this is an expectation year to go deep in playoffs for the Vikings.  Tarboro 26 Washington 23

Middle Creek 1-0 @ Rocky Mount 1-0. The entire state will be watching this one as Middle Creek is expecting to go deeper in 4-A playoffs.  Rocky Mount still talking about giving the game away to Middle Creek last year.  This could be just like last year that this is a fourth quarter victory.  Middle Creek 21 Rocky Mount 14

There are games when playing well can propel a team forward much like last season when Rocky Mount saw they could play with Middle Creek even in defeat.  Tarboro and Northern Nash are facing 

Those type games like the Gryphons this week.  Win or lose we will know a lot more just how good these teams are after Friday.