Tuesday, July 21, 2009

NEW 6 Conference's final hurrah

By Paul Durham
Wilson Times

GREENSBORO - The now defunct 3-A NEW 6 Conference celebrated one final hurrah on the East sidelines of the 61st annual N.C. Coaches Association East-West All-Star football game in Greensboro Wednesday.

Leading the East was head coach Raymond Cobb of SouthWest Edgecombe, who had on his staff three former NEW 6 rival coaches in Brian Foster, head coach at Southern Nash; Grover Battle, an assistant at Northern Nash; and Greene Central's Kenneth Grantham, formerly head coach at Nash Central.

"All of us have been together in the NEW 6 the past few years," Cobb said. "We've got a great staff. We've met a lot and put a lot of time into it. We feel like we've picked some high-quality character kids and that's the key to it."

Cobb ran the offense with help from Grantham, who coached the offensive line. Jimmy Williams of East Wake and Ken Whitehurst of D.H. Conley directed the tight ends. Foster was the defensive coordinator while Battle handled the line. Whitehurst and Williams coached the linebackers and secondary.

"We did like we do at SouthWest," Cobb said. "We worked on both sides of the ball."

Except this time, the former NEW 6 coaches were working together.

"I think it's been fun. I've always thought they were good guys and they care about the kids and that's important to me," said Foster, who was chosen to participate in last year's game but declined for personal reasons.

Grantham expressed mild surprise at his first experience as an East-West coach after 18 years in the coaching ranks, including six as a head coach.

"It's a honor, No. 1, to be selected especially with the number of years I've coached. I'm still a young guy," Grantham commented. "It'll be good to reconnect with all those guys from Nash County and the NEW 6."

The familiarity extended to the East roster as five players from The Wilson Times readership area, including three from the former NEW 6, will play: Southern Nash's T.J. Batchelor, Fike's Rashad Parker, SouthWest Edgecombe's Marquis Hines as well as Jumal Rolle from Beddingfield and DaRon Tripp of Greene Central. Three more NEW 6 players -- Nash Central's Danny Allen and Nick Hahula and Torey Lee of Rocky Mount -- were on the team.

"I'm was just honored to be coaching with them," Battle said. "I think we've had pretty good crowd of athletes and kids and the coaches are just outstanding."

Cobb planed on bringing his wishbone offense to Greensboro and Parker got a prominent role. Ryan Hill of West Brunswick was the East starter at quarterback.

Defensively, Foster had to work around such rule changes as no blitzing and playing an odd front.

"It definitely gave the offense the upper hand but was an all-star game," reminded Foster.

Foster pointed to his defensive line, with players such as Fayetteville Jack Britt's Ralph Bonner and Havelock's Deylan Buntyn, along with the linebacking corps featuring Raleigh Leesville Road's Mark Walker, Justin Rodgers of Bunn and Danile Collins of Holly Springs.

Foster added the defense would certainly find a place for Rolle, of whom Foster echoed Beddingfield head coach Tyrone Johnson's sentiments: "That kid can play!"

"We've had some really, really, really good kids," Foster related. "It's amazing when you talk to principals and hear what some of these kids have done."

The players arrived in Greensboro on Thursday and two-a-day practices began Friday. Players took in the all-star basketball games Monday and soccer games Tuesday. Despite the relaxed atmosphere, the East players and coaches were all business in attempting for its third straight win which started when the East ended the West's five-game winning streak in 2007.

"I tell you what, I've talked to all of them this summer," Cobb said of his players. "They all sounded so positive, all claim to have been working hard and staying in shape. ... We've became one in a quick short time. I think this crowd's worked hard."

Nash County starts its state title drive Saturday

(Photo/David Hahula)

GREENVILLE - East Carolina University's Clark-LeClair Stadium will serve as the venue for the 2009 American Legion North Carolina Baseball State Tournament that will run from Saturday, July 24 to Wednesday, July 29.

Pitt County Post 39 (J.H. Rose and D.H. Conley are its primary representative schools) will serve as host of the event and it will have its baseball team in the field - representing Area I - one of four Areas the state is divided in. This is the 10th year the tournament has existed in an eight-team, double elimination format.

A total event ticket package (15 games) is available for $30, while session tickets (first two morning or second two evening) for each day are available for $10 per session.

Saturday's opening day will have game 1 at 9:30 a.m. - Shelby Post 82 vs. Wilmington Post 10. In game 2 at 12:30 p.m. - Duplin-Sampson Post 22 vs. Rowan County Post 342. In game 3 at 4:30 p.m. - Nash County Post 58 vs. Mooresville Post 66. At 7:30 p.m. in game 4 - Cherryville Post 100 vs. Pitt County Post 39.

The winner of the tournament will advance to the Southeast regionals at Riley Park in Sumter, S.C. with winner there advancing to the American Legion World Series in Fargo, N.D.


2009 N.C. American Legion State Baseball Tournament
July 25-29

Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium
East Carolina University, Greenville

Saturday

Game 1: 9:30 a.m. - Shelby Post 82 vs. Wilmington Post 10
Game 2: 12:30 p.m. - Duplin-Sampson Post 22 vs. Rowan County Post 342
Game 3: 4:30 p.m. - Nash County Post 58 vs. Mooresville Post 66
Game 4: 7:30 p.m. - Cherryville Post 100 vs. Pitt County Post 39 (host)

Sunday

Game 5: 3 p.m. - Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 3 - at Guy Smith Stadium
Game 6: 7 p.m. - Loser of Game 2 vs. Loser of Game 4 - at Guy Smith Stadium
Game 7: 3 p.m. - Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 3
Game 8: 7 p.m. - Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 4

Monday

Game 9: 12:30 p.m. - Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 7
Game 10: 4:30 p.m. - Loser of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 5
Game 11: 7:30 p.m. - Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 8

Tuesday

Game 12: 3 p.m. - Loser of Game 11 vs. Winner of Game 9
Game 13: 7:30 p.m. - Winner of Game 12 vs. Winner of 11

Wednesday

Game 14: 1 p.m. Championship game - Winner of Game 13 vs. Winner of Game 12
Game 15: if needed, 45 minutes after Game 14

NOTE 1: If possible, the teams involved in games 12 & 13 will not be matched against opponents they have already faced in the tournament.

NOTE 2: If, after game 13, there are three teams remaining with one loss, the team which won game 11 receives a bye to game 15 for the title.

PREVIOUS STATE CHAMPIONS

1928 - Raleigh Post 1
1929 - Asheville Post 70
1930 - Gastonia Post 23
1931 - Roanoke Rapids
1932 - Gastonia Post 23
1933 - Gastonia Post 23
1934 - Charlotte Post 9
1935 - Gastonia Post 23 (NATIONAL CHAMPION)
1936 - Charlotte Post 9
1937 - Charlotte Post 9
1938 - Gastonia Post 23
1939 - Charlotte Post 9
1940 - Albemarle Post 76 (NATIONAL CHAMPION)
1941 - Gastonia Post 23
1942 - Shelby Post 82
1943 - Whiteville Post 137
1944 - Albemarle Post 76
(NATIONAL RUNNER-UP)
1945 - Shelby Post 82 (NATIONAL CHAMPION)
1946 - Kannapolis Post 115
1947 - Kannapolis Post 115
1948 - Hickory Post 48
1949 - Gastonia Post 23
1950 - Gastonia Post 23
1951 - Shelby Post 82
1952 - Kannapolis Post 115
1953 - Cherryville Post 100
1954 - Gastonia Post 23 (NATIONAL RUNNER-UP)
1955 - Rowan County Post 14
1956 - Wilmington Post 10
1957 - Shelby Post 82
1958 - Shelby Post 82
1959 - Wilmington Post 10
1960 - Wilmington Post 10
1961 - Kannapolis Post 115
1962 - Wilmington Post 10
1963 - Greensboro Cone Post 386
1964 - Charlotte Post 9 (NATIONAL RUNNER-UP)
1965 - Charlotte Post 9 (NATIONAL CHAMPION)
1966 - Asheboro Post 45
1967 - Greensboro Cone Post 386
1968 - Greensboro Burtner Post 53
1969 - Rowan County Post 342
1970 - Wilmington Post 10
1971 - Rowan County Post 342
1972 - Hamlet Post 49
1973 - Rocky Mount Post 58
1974 - Hamlet Post 49
1975 - Sanford Post 382
1976 - Newell Post 287
1977 - Newell Post 287
1978 - Asheboro Post 45
1979 - Hamlet Post 49
1980 - Wilmington Post 10
1981 - Cherryville Post 100
1982 - Hamlet Post 94
1983 - Hamlet Post 49
1984 - Rowan County Post 342
1985 - Whiteville Post 137
1986 - Caldwell County Post 29
1987 - Hamlet Post 49
1988 - Kernersville Post 36
1989 - Whiteville Post 137
1990 - Caldwell County Post 29
1991 - Caldwell County Post 29
1992 - Kernersville Post 36
1993 - Rowan County Post 342
1994 - Wilmington Post 10
1995 - Wilmington Post 10
1996 - Whiteville Post 137
1997 - Cherryville Post 100
1998 - Cherryville Post 100
(NATIONAL RUNNER-UP)
1999 - Garner Post 232
2000 - Caldwell County Post 29
2001 - Shelby Post 82
2002 - Rowan County Post 342
2003 - Cherryville Post 100
(NATIONAL RUNNER-UP)
2004 - Vacant (Garner Post 232 vacated due to an ineligible player)
2005 - Pitt County Post 39
2006 - Morehead City Post 46
2007 - Cherryville Post 100
2008 - Randolph County Post 45