Sunday, November 11, 2007

Congrats Battling Bishops!!


Hats off to Jack Ginn and the North Carolina Wesleyan Battling Bishops football team!

In only their fourth season, they will play in the NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs beginning Saturday at Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pa - just south of Pittsburgh.

Below is a release from W&J's website:

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Washington & Jefferson College was awarded a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Division III football playoffs and will host eighth-seeded North Carolina Wesleyan in a first-round matchup on Saturday at Cameron Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon.

The Presidents (10-0) completed the regular season undefeated for the ninth time in the 116-year history of the program. W&J is making its 19th appearance in the NCAA playoffs in the past 23 years and holds a 19-18 record in postseason play. Washington & Jefferson earned the Presidents’ Athletic Conference’s automatic bid after claiming its 22nd PAC title in history.

North Carolina Wesleyan (8-2) started the season with losses to NCAA playoff teams Wesley (34-31) and Widener (27-17), but has won eight consecutive games, including a 7-0 USA South Conference record. The Bishops became the first team in conference history to post an undefeated record in league play.

The Bishops have one of the nation’s most balanced offenses as they average 226.8 yards rushing and 226.2 yards passing per game (453.0 ypg). NC Wesleyan has turned the ball over 25 times, but the defense has forced 39 turnovers, including 22 interceptions which ranks third in Division III.
The NCW offense centers around senior quarterback Cedric Townsend (Kenansville, N.C./James Kenan), who ranks 35th in the nation in total offense (245.8 ypg). Townsend is a dual threat as he has completed 55 percent (138-251) of his passes for 1,980 yards and 20 touchdowns, while also rushing for 478 yards and 13 scores.

Senior linebacker Justin Augustin (Midway Park, N.C./White Oak) is the leader of the defense. He has collected 61 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss, and has forced and recovered three fumbles.
The Presidents are led by junior quarterback Bobby Swallow (Salem, Ohio/West Branch), who has led all NCAA divisions in pass efficiency (197.0) for the past seven weeks. Swallow set W&J’s single-season passing touchdown record with 42, while only tossing three interceptions. He has completed just under 70 percent (204-292) for 2,841 yards.

Junior linebacker David Gitlitz (Columbus, Ohio/Bexley) paces the defense with 94 tackles, including 14.5 for a loss.
Wesley (9-1) is the bracket’s No. 2 seed and will take on ODAC champion No. 7 Hampden-Sydney (8-2). Centennial Conference winner Muhlenberg (10-0) was awarded the No. 3 seed and hosts fifth-seeded Salisbury (9-1), while fourth-seeded Mary Hardin-Baylor (9-1) hosts No. 6 Trinity (Texas) in the final first-round game of the region.
The W&J-NCW winner will take on the winner of the Trinity-UMHB victor on Nov. 24th in the NCAA second round at the site of the highest remaining seed.

Rocky Mount posts first playoff shutout in 45 years

How historically significant was Rocky Mount's 28-0 playoff win over Union Pines last Friday night?

It was the first time in since 1962 that a Rocky Mount football team had posted a shutout in postseason play. Strange, you would have thought it would have happened at least once more since then, but it hasn't.

Here is a look back at all 38 playoff games Rocky Mount has played since September 1953 - the first month football was played with players attending the S. Tillery St. campus. Rocky Mount has a winning record in playoff action: 21-17:

2007: Rocky Mount 28, Union Pines 0
2006: Western Alamance 41, Rocky Mount 37
2006: Rocky Mount 32, Hertford County 16
2006: Rocky Mount 65, Gray's Creek 14
2005: Western Alamance 30, Rocky Mount 10
2005: Rocky Mount 21, Beddingfield 20
2005: Rocky Mount 21, SW Edgecombe 7
2005: Rocky Mount 35, Northern Vance 18
2004: JH Rose 15, Rocky Mount 13
2004: Rocky Mount 40, Middle Creek 7
2004: Rocky Mount 45, Cape Fear 20
2003: Jack Britt 24, Rocky Mount 17
2002: Wakefield 41, Rocky Mount 33
1997: Cary 9, Rocky Mount 7
1996: Richmond County 26, Rocky Mount 3
1990: EE Smith 24, Rocky Mount 14
1990: Rocky Mount 15, New Bern 3
1985: Terry Sanford 31, Rocky Mount 21
1981: Terry Sanford 27, Rocky Mount 7
1981: Rocky Mount 21, Seventy-First 6
1981: Rocky Mount 28, Enloe 13
1979: JH Rose 36, Rocky Mount 7
1979: Rocky Mount 28, Jacksonville 27
1979: Rocky Mount 35, Pine Forest 14
1977: East Mecklenburg 28, Rocky Mount 9
1977: Rocky Mount 25, Pine Forest 22
1977: Rocky Mount 20, Jacksonville 13
1977: Rocky Mount 14, Goldsboro 13 (OT)
1976: Eastern Wayne 10, Rocky Mount 7
1973: Sanford Central 28, Rocky Mount 0
1973: Rocky Mount 9, EE Smith 7
1964: W-S Reynolds 14, Rocky Mount 6
1963: Rocky Mount 14, W-S Reynolds 13
1963: Rocky Mount 42, Greensboro Page 0
1962: Rocky Mount 20, W-S Reynolds 6
1962: Rocky Mount 21, Myers Park 6
1961: Garinger 21, Rocky Mount 0
1959: Garinger 13, Rocky Mount 6