GRYPHON GRAPEVINE

New sports show to debut on WHIG-TV 17 Sunday evening

2012-02-11T11:07:00.002-05:00

Wes Bradshaw

Edward Greene

With the cancellation of the Strechlon Sports Show on WHIG-TV 17 comes the start of a brand new area sports show on the station - the All N.E.W. (Nash-Edgecombe-Wilson) Sports Show.

This new show will debut Sunday at 8 p.m. on WHIG-TV on Channel 17 on Suddenlink Cable in Nash and Edgecombe Counties and on Channel 414 on Greenlight Cable in Wilson County.

Area sports personalities Wes Bradshaw and Edward Greene will co-host the live hour-long show.

And they have a pretty well-known person as their first guest - Tarboro senior Todd Gurley, who recently garnered national attention with his announcement that he will be playing college football at Georgia.

Back in December, Gurley helped the Vikings claim their third straight NCHSAA 2-A state title. Gurley played on two of those championship teams.

Not only will Gurley be in the studio live, but the show will roll some of the announcement footage from Gurley's press conference held in Tarboro's gym last month.

It should prove to be a great opening episode to the show.

"What we aim to do is to continue to bring local sports to the community," said Bradshaw, who has been involved with covering local sports for the last decade. "We want to bring a current, fresh look to the area and do more live broadcasts. We will continue to go out and film sporting events with more emphasis on our expanded coverage area.

"We look forward to covering local athletes in the Nash, Edgecombe and Wilson Counties. Our local sports conferences dominate those areas and those are the faces people want to see."

Another local personality, Tony Doughtie, will also be contributing to the show.

The show can be seen online as well at whigtv.com and comments, questions and suggestions can be emailed to: AllNEWSportsShow@gmail.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter at: @AllNEWSportShow.

Big East Conference Basketball Scoreboard - Feb. 11

2012-02-11T08:05:00.004-05:00

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10

BOYS

Rocky Mount 77, Northern Nash 54

Southern Nash 48, Nash Central 46

Wilson Fike 51, Wilson Hunt 49

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 50, Northern Nash 43

Nash Central 51, Southern Nash 39

Wilson Hunt 54, Wilson Fike 49

FRIDAY'S TOP SCORERS

J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount - 24 pts.

Lavon Brutus, Rocky Mount - 24 pts.

Ni'ya Styles, Nash Central - 21 pts.

Lorenzo Wilkins, Northern Nash - 18 pts.

Parker Lamm, Wilson Hunt - 16 pts.

Khadijah Manning, Southern Nash - 15 pts.

Jameka Ruffin, Wilson Fike - 15 pts.

Sam Ellis, Wilson Fike - 14 pts.

Quanisha Brown, Wilson Hunt - 14 pts.

Sam Ellis, Wilson Fike - 14 pts.

Nathaniel Pittman, Nash Central - 14 pts.

Josh King, Wilson Fike - 13 pts.

Jalen Hendricks, Nash Central - 12 pts.

STANDINGS

BOYS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	10-0	19-3
Nash Central	7-3	14-6
Southern Nash	5-5	7-11
Wilson Hunt	4-6	11-12
Wilson Fike	4-6	5-15
Northern Nash	0-10	1-19

GIRLS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	10-0	20-2
Northern Nash	8-2	18-2
Wilson Hunt	4-6	12-11
Nash Central	4-6	12-8
Wilson Fike	2-8	7-13
Southern Nash	2-8	3-15

NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE

BIG EAST BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT @ Northern Nash HS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13

BOYS

#5 Wilson Fike vs. #4 Wilson Hunt, 6 p.m.

#6 Northern Nash vs. # 3 Southern Nash, 7:30 p.m.

Gryphon News and Notes

2012-02-10T17:09:00.000-05:00

Rocky Mount senor Tia Hudgins goes for career-point No. 1,200 Friday night in the showdown for the Big East Conference's No. 1 seed at Northern Nash.

After a 10-point night against Southern Nash, she needs six more to reach 1,200.

She has passed Latoya Armstrong and is No. 4 on the school's girls basketball scoring list.

Next on her move up the scoring ladder is No. 3 Dyonna Battle at 1,290 points.

Twins get off to good starts on diamond

Twins Thomas and Matthew Berry, who have played baseball together all their lives, are now playing apart at the college level - both at the Div. II level.

Thomas has a starting spot at Lander University (Greenwood, S. C,), while sibbling Matthew got a starting nob at Barton College as it opened its season last weekend.

Thomas batted in the No. 2 hole for the Bearcats who won their series with two wins over Newberry in their Lander's brand new stadium.

Matthew ended up notching Barton’s first three-hit game of the season. In his first career start, Berry rapped three hits in four trips. His collegiate debut actually came in Friday’s second game, but he did not have an official at-bat.

Gryphons tossed from NCHSAA dual team playoffs

Rocky Mount's wrestling team has woeful time in its first-round matchup with Western Harnett in the NCHSAA dual team wrestling playoffs. It was played at Western and the Gryphons dropped the meeting by a 48-15 score.

They concluded their fine season with a 32-9 record.

Northern Nash, the Big East's No. 2 seed, also saw its season end with a 40-27 loss to Hillsborough Orange.

Last regular seasons game at gym

For those who were at Rocky Mount's gym last Tuesday night, they were witnessing some history. The contests with Southern Nash were the last regular season games ever played in the 59-year-old venue.

While sitting there watching games, I couldn't help but recall the two seasons when basketball was even played there.

During the 1967-68 season, a pipe under the floor burst. The end result had the floor warping. The then-Blackbirds ended up playing their season at N.C. Wesleyan's Everett Gymnasium.

You younger folk might remember the last time the Gryphons had to leave their home floor.

It was during the 1999-2000 season. Lingering water brought on by the rains of Hurricane Floyd warped the floor once again.

The Gryphons were forced to play the whole season at Northern Nash's gym.

Sounds great, doesn't it?

Big East Conference Basketball Scoreboard - Feb. 8

2012-02-09T05:54:00.002-05:00

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7

BOYS

Rocky Mount 95, Southern Nash 68

Nash Central 82, Wilson Hunt 73, 3 OTs

Wilson Fike 46, Northern Nash 44

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 66, Southern Nash 31

Nash Central 53, Wilson Hunt 47

Northern Nash 68, Wilson Fike 39

TUESDAY'S TOP SCORERS

Justin Jefferson, Wilson Hunt - 35 pts.

Nathaniel Pittman, Nash Central - 29 pts.

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount - 23 pts.

Tevin Taylor, Rocky Mount - 20 pts.

Alexus Hill, Northern Nash - 19 pts.

J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount - 18 pts.

Jalen Hendricks, Nash Central - 18 pts.

Jaquan Wilkins, Nash Central - 16 pts.

Lavon Brutus, Rocky Mount - 16 pts.

Josh King, Wilson Fike - 15 pts.

Alexus Cooper, Rocky Mount - 15 pts.

Marcus Hicks, Southern Nash - 15 pts.

Sam Ellis, Wilson Fike - 14 pts.

Chi-Ali Bunn, Southern Nash - 13 pts.

Tony Willis, Southern Nash -13 pts.

Darryl Prunty, Northern Nash - 13 pts.

STANDINGS

BOYS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	9-0	18-3
Nash Central	7-2	14-5
Wilson Hunt	4-5	11-11
Southern Nash	4-5	6-11
Wilson Fike	3-6	4-15
Northern Nash	0-9	1-17

GIRLS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	9-0	18-2
Northern Nash	8-1	17-1
Wilson Hunt	3-6	11-11
Nash Central	3-6	11-8
Wilson Fike	2-7	7-12
Southern Nash	2-7	3-14

NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10

Rocky Mount @ Northern Nash - Senior Night

Wilson Fike @ Wilson Hunt - Senior Night

Nash Central @ Southern Nash - Senior Night

Regular Season Complete

Big East Tournament starts Monday, Feb. 13 at higher seeds boys (No. 6 @ No. 3; No. 5 @ No. 4)

Big East Tournament Finals @ Northern Nash

Big East Conference Basketball Scoreboard - Feb. 4

2012-02-04T07:44:00.002-05:00

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3

BOYS

Rocky Mount 100, Wilson Fike 53

Southern Nash 60, Wilson Hunt 52

Nash Central 69, Northern Nash 41

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 47, Wilson Fike 28

Wilson Hunt 38, Southern Nash 34

Northern Nash 52, Nash Central 34

FRIDAY'S TOP SCORERS

J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount - 26 pts.

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount - 23 pts.

Tevin Taylor, Rocky Mount - 22 pts.

Marcus Hicks, Southern Nash - 22 pts.

Parker Lamm, Wilson Hunt - 18 pts.

Jaquan Wilkins, Nash Central - 17 pts.

Qiunesha Lynch, Northern Nash - 16 pts.

Timyra Staton, Nash Central - 16 pts.

Justin Jefferson, Wilson Hunt - 15 pts.

Josh Sessoms, Southern Nash - 15 pts.

Miya Bryant, Southern Nash - 15 pts.

Jalen Hendricks, Nash Central - 13 pts.

Patrick Goliday, Wilson Fike - 13 pts.

Josh King, Wilson Fike - 13 pts.

Alexus Cooper, Rocky Mount - 13 pts.

Khadijah Manning, Southern Nash - 13 pts.

STANDINGS

BOYS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	8-0	17-3
Nash Central	6-2	13-5
Wilson Hunt	4-4	11-10
Southern Nash	4-4	6-10
Wilson Fike	2-6	3-15
Northern Nash	0-8	1-16

GIRLS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	8-0	18-2
Northern Nash	7-1	16-1
Wilson Hunt	3-5	11-10
Nash Central	2-6	10-8
Wilson Fike	2-6	7-11
Southern Nash	2-6	3-13

NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7

Southern Nash @ Rocky Mount - Senior Night
Nash Central @ Wilson Hunt
Wilson Fike @ Northern Nash

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10

Rocky Mount @ Northern Nash - Senior Night

Wilson Fike @ Wilson Hunt - Senior Night

Nash Central @ Southern Nash - Senior Night

Regular Season Complete

Big East Conference Basketball Scoreboard - Feb. 3

2012-02-03T07:13:00.000-05:00

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2

BOYS

Wilson Beddingfield 48, Wilson Hunt 38

GIRLS

Wilson Hunt 56, Wilson Beddingfield 49

THURSDAY'S TOP SCORERS

Quanisha Brown, Wilson Hunt - 17 pts.

Shan Jenkins, Wilson Hunt - 14 pts.

Justin Jefferson, Wilson Hunt - 11 pts.

STANDINGS

BOYS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	7-0	16-3
Nash Central	5-2	12-5
Wilson Hunt	4-3	11-9
Southern Nash	3-4	5-10
Wilson Fike	2-5	3-14
Northern Nash	0-7	1-15

GIRLS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	7-0	17-2
Northern Nash	6-1	15-1
Nash Central	2-5	10-7
Wilson Hunt	2-5	10-10
Wilson Fike	2-5	7-9
Southern Nash	2-5	3-12

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3

Rocky Mount @ Wilson Fike
Northern Nash @ Nash Central
Southern Nash @ Wilson Hunt

NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7

Southern Nash @ Rocky Mount
Nash Central @ Wilson Hunt
Wilson Fike @ Northern Nash

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10

Rocky Mount @ Northern Nash

Wilson Fike @ Wilson Hunt

Nash Central @ Southern Nash

Regular Season Complete

Big East Conference Basketball Scoreboard - Feb. 1

2012-02-01T05:08:00.005-05:00

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31

BOYS

Rocky Mount 85, Wilson Hunt 58

Nash Central 83, Wilson Fike 53

Southern Nash 50, Northern Nash 36

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 75, Wilson Hunt 28

Nash Central 48, Wilson Fike 47

Northern Nash 57, Southern Nash 34

TUESDAY'S TOP SCORERS

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount - 22 pts.

J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount - 20 pts.

Daniel Westbrook, Wilson Hunt - 19 pts.

Tia Hudgins, Rocky Mount - 18 pts.

Lavon Brutus, Rocky Mount - 17 pts.
Jaquan Wilkins, Nash Central - 16 pts.
Josh Sessoms, Southern Nash - 16 pts.
Jalen Hendricks, Nash Central - 14 pts.
Miya Bryant. Southern Nash - 13 pts.

Kenneth Peoples, Rocky Mount - 13 pts.
Khadijrah Richardson, Northern Nash - 12 pts.
Carmen Richardson, Rocky Mount - 12 pts.
Christian Jones, Nash Central - 12 pts.
Nathaniel Pittman, Nash Central - 12 pts.

STANDINGS

BOYS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	7-0	16-3
Nash Central	5-2	12-5
Wilson Hunt	4-3	11-8
Southern Nash	3-4	5-10
Wilson Fike	2-5	3-14
Northern Nash	0-7	1-15

GIRLS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	7-0	17-2
Northern Nash	6-1	15-1
Nash Central	2-5	10-7
Wilson Hunt	2-5	9-10
Wilson Fike	2-5	7-9
Southern Nash	2-5	3-12

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2

Wilson Hunt @ Wilson Beddingfield

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3

Rocky Mount @ Wilson Fike
Northern Nash @ Nash Central
Southern Nash @ Wilson Hunt

Rocky Mount High School releases its 2012 varsity baseball schedule

2012-01-30T08:17:00.000-05:00

Gryphon Stadium

Here is the 2012 Rocky Mount varsity baseball schedule and it will be the last season the Gryphons will play its home games at Gryphon Stadium.

On the slate is the return of the Big East (last called NEW 6) Baseball Tournament - back for the first time since 2006 - where Southern Nash won the title played at SouthWest Edgecombe.

For the third straight season, the Gryphons will participate in the South Johnston Easter Tournament (March 31, April 2-3).

Rocky Mount will open the season with four straight home games, including its traditional season-opener with J.H. Rose on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

2012 ROCKY MOUNT VARSITY BASEBALL SCHEDULE

Feb. 21 @ Roanoke Rapids (Scrimmage), 5 p.m.

Feb. 24 BUNN (Scrimmage), 4 p.m.

_________________________________________________________________________

Feb. 28 J.H. ROSE, 4 p.m.

Feb. 29 SOUTHERN WAYNE, 4 p.m.

Mar. 1 DURHAM RIVERSIDE, 4 p.m.

Mar. 6 SOUTHWEST EDGECOMBE, 4 p.m.

Mar. 7 @ East Wake, 4:30 p.m.

Mar. 9 @ J.H. Rose (Guy Smith Stadium), 4:30 p.m.

Mar. 13 @ SouthWest Edgecombe, 4:30 p.m.

Mar. 15 @ Nash Central, 7 p.m.

Mar. 17 TARBORO, 1 p.m. (Endowment)

Mar. 20 @ Wilson Hunt, 7 p.m.

Mar. 22 WILSON FIKE, 7 p.m.

Mar. 27 @ Southern Nash, 7 p.m.

Mar. 29 NORTHERN NASH, 7 p.m.

Mar. 31 @ South Johnston Easter Tournament, Four Oaks, TBA

Apr. 2 @ South Johnston Easter Tournament, Four Oaks, TBA

Apr. 3 @ South Johnston Easter Tournament, Four Oaks, TBA

Apr. 12 @ Northern Nash, 7 p.m.

Apr. 17 NASH CENTRAL, 7 p.m.
Apr. 19 WILSON HUNT, 7 p.m.

Apr. 24 @ Wilson Fike, 7 p.m.

Apr. 26 SOUTHERN NASH, 7 p.m.

Apr. 31-May 3 Big East Conference Tournament, TBA

May 11 NCHSAA 3-A State Playoffs - First Round

Rocky Mount trio headed to All-Star Games

2012-01-28T06:51:00.003-05:00

Over the last decade, Rocky Mount's basketball programs have been well represented at postseason all-star games.

This year will be no different.

It was announced at last night's Nash Central-Rocky Mount varsity games that three more Gryphons will be playing after their senior varsity seasons are over.

Senior Terrill Hilliard, Tia Hudgins and Alexus Cooper will be headed to Myrtle Beach, S.C. for the annual Carolinas All-Star Basketball Classic All-Star Games to be played on Saturday, March 18 at Socastee High School. Since the inception of the Classic, RMHS has never had more than one player attend in one season.

The Classic, co-sponsored by the N.C. Coaches Association, will also have Rocky Mount boys head coach Mike Gainey on the N.C. boys coaching staff as an assistant. Gainey's appointment was announced last summer.

He led Rocky Mount to a NCHSAA 3-A state title in 2010 and is working his way to his 300th career win. In his 15th season as head coach, he is 268-117 (.696 winning percentage) with five conference titles, seven conference tournament crowns, four 20-win seasons and has had the Gryphons in the playoffs each of his previous 14 seasons.

Hilliard, a 6-foot-6 forward, has helped guide the Gryphons to a 15-3 record and first place in the Big East Conference (6-0). Hilliard leads the team in scoring (18.8 ppg.) and rebounding (8.7 reb.). He also dishes out 1.9 assists a game and records 1.4 steals a contest.

Hudgins, who topped the 1,000-point scoring mark for her career earlier this season, is second on the RM girls team with 14.7 points a game in helping RMHS to a 16-2 record and also a first-place slot in the Big East. She leads the Gryphons in rebounding (8.4) and steals (2.9).

Cooper, a guard who transfered from Nash Central two seasons ago, has gotten into the groove of things after missing last season with a knee injury. She is third on the team in scoring (10.7) and is grabbing 4 rebounds a game. She's second on the team in assists (2.6) and steals (2.8) a contest.

Don't be surprised if two or all three of these players also gets an invite to the NCCA's East-West All-Star Basketball Games in Greensboro this July.

Big East 3-A Conference Basketball Scoreboard - Jan. 28

2012-01-28T04:17:00.004-05:00

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27

BOYS

Rocky Mount 75, Nash Central 62

Southern Nash 46, Wilson Fike 42

Wilson Hunt 42, Northern Nash 22

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 67, Nash Central 39

Southern Nash 46, Wilson Fike 44

Northern Nash 44, Wilson Hunt 37

FRIDAY'S TOP SCORERS

Miya Bryant, Southern Nash - 31 pts.
J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount - 23 pts.

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount - 21 pts.

Tia Hudgins, Rocky Mount - 19 pts.

Jalen Hendricks, Nash Central - 17 pts.

Ni'ya Styles, Nash Central - 17 pts.

Jasmine Griffin, Northern Nash - 16 pts.

Marcus Hicks, Southern Nash - 15 pts.

Kenneth Peoples, Rocky Mount - 14 pts.

Khadijrah Richardson, Northern Nash - 14 pts.

Khadirah Manning, Southern Nash - 14 pts.

Darryl Prunty, Northern Nash - 14 pts.

Justin Jefferson, Wilson Hunt - 14 pts.

Quanisha Brown, Wilson Hunt - 14 pts.

Shatera Black, Wilson Fike - 13 pts.

STANDINGS

BOYS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	6-0	15-3
Nash Central	4-2	11-5
Wilson Hunt	4-2	11-7
Southern Nash	2-4	4-10
Wilson Fike	2-4	3-13
Northern Nash	0-6	1-14

GIRLS

School	Con.	Overall
Rocky Mount	6-0	16-2
Northern Nash	5-1	14-1
Wilson Hunt	2-4	9-9
Wilson Fike	2-4	7-9
Southern Nash	2-4	3-11
Nash Central	1-5	9-7

NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31

Wilson Hunt @ Rocky Mount

Wilson Fike @ Nash Central
Northern Nash @ Southern Nash

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2

Wilson Hunt @ Wilson Beddingfield

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3

Rocky Mount @ Wilson Fike
Northern Nash @ Nash Central
Southern Nash @ Wilson Hunt

Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night Fundraiser set for RMHS Baseball Thursday

2012-01-27T23:02:00.004-05:00

If you wish to support Rocky Mount High School's baseball program, here's an easy way to do it - and have a meal in the process.

Make plans Thursday night (Feb. 2) to eat dinner at the Chick-Fil-A Restaurant at Cobb Corners - in front of Wal-Mart on Jefferys Road..

From 5-8 that evening, Chick-Fil-A will donate 15 percent of all designated sales during that period to the Gryphon diamond program.

All you to have to do is to present a special slip to the cashier designating "RM Baseball" as the recipient of those proceeds.

You can get a slip from Rocky Mount head coach Kent Cox or from any Rocky Mount baseball player.

We will have a link later this weekend on this blog entry where you can print out a slip.

Please support Rocky Mount Baseball in its final season at the current Gryphon Stadium!

Former Nash Central star helps WCU light up scoreboard

2012-01-26T05:20:00.004-05:00

Western Carolina guard Trey Sumler

CULLOWHEE - Former Nash Central basketball star Trey Sumler helped Western Carolina's men's basketball team set all sorts of records recently and turned the heads of college hoop fans across the nation - for one night.

Sumler, a redshirt sophomore guard for the Southern Conference member Catamounts, was the leading scorer for WCU with a game-high 18 points (6-for-9 from the floor, six assists) in a win over Toccoa Falls on its home court at the Ramsey Center on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

But it wasn't just an ordinary victory.

Western, which tallied the game's first 18 points, scored a school record 141 points against Toccoa that evening. What turned heads across the nation that night was the final score - 141-39!

Even ESPN's SportsCenter got into spreading the news of the rout that evening.

Sumler, Nash Central's all-time leading scorer (1,921 points), was among nine players who scored in double figures in the most lopsided victory in school history. It was also the third-largest margin of victory (102 points) in NCAA history.

The school records set that night by the Catamounts included the most points in a game (141), the most points in a half (72 in the first), the largest margin of victory (102), and the most double-figure scores in a game (nine).

Sumler and his teammates, however, couldn't follow up that point explosion last weekend against rival Appalachian State. WCU fell to 9-11 on the season with a 84-72 league loss.

But Sumler is playing at his best in his first year as a starter.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder, who is third behind Rocky Mount's Tashawn Mabry and Phil Ford as Nash County's all-time leading scorer, is WCU's second-leading point maker at 12 a game. He's grabbing 4.4 rebounds a contest and he is its leading assist man with just over three a game.

His offensive game has been coming on since the Christmas break. He has been the Catamounts' leading scorer their last three games.

Big East 3-A Conference Scoreboard - Jan. 25

2012-01-26T03:53:00.004-05:00

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25

BOYS

Green Hope 57, Wilson Hunt 56

GIRLS

Green Hope 75, Wilson Hunt 46

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24

BOYS

Rocky Mount 77, Northern Nash 73

Nash Central 42, Southern Nash 40

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 59, Northern Nash 52

Nash Central 52, Southern Nash 49

WEDNESDAY'S TOP SCORERS

Quanisha Brown, WIlson Hunt - 15 pts.

TUESDAY'S TOP SCORERS

Lavon Brutus, Rocky Mount - 28 pts.

Josh Sessoms, Southern Nash - 23 pts.

Timyra Staton, Nash Central - 21 pts.
J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount - 20 pts.

Alexus Cooper, Rocky Mount - 20 pts.

Wesley Battle, Northern Nash - 18 pts.

Miya Bryant, Southern Nash - 17 pts.

Khadijah Manning, Southern Nash - 17 pts.

Ni'ya Styles, Nash Central - 15 pts.

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount - 14 pts.

Nathaniel Pittman, Nash Central - 13 pts.

STANDINGS

BOYS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	5-0	14-3
Nash Central	4-1	11-4
Wilson Hunt	3-2	10-7
Wilson Fike	2-3	3-12
Southern Nash	1-4	3-10
Northern Nash	0-5	1-13

GIRLS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	5-0	15-2
Northern Nash	4-1	13-1
Wilson Hunt	2-3	9-8
Wilson Fike	2-3	7-8
Nash Central	2-3	9-6
Southern Nash	1-4	2-11

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27

Nash Central @ Rocky Mount

Wilson Hunt @ Northern Nash
Southern Nash @ Wilson Fike

NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31

Wilson Hunt @ Rocky Mount

Wilson Fike @ Nash Central
Northern Nash @ Southern Nash

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2

Wilson Hunt @ Wilson Beddingfield

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3

Rocky Mount @ Wilson Fike
Northern Nash @ Nash Central
Southern Nash @ Wilson Hunt

Big East Conference Basketball Scoreboard - Jan. 21

2012-01-21T07:04:00.008-05:00

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20

BOYS

Rocky Mount 73, Southern Nash 63

Nash Central 56, Wilson Hunt 46
Wilson Fike 56, Northern Nash 48

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 67, Southern Nash 24
Wilson Hunt 54, Nash Central 50

Northern Nash 76, Wilson Fike 46

FRIDAY'S TOP SCORERS

Alexus Hill, Northern Nash - 25 pts.
Tia Hudgins, Rocky Mount - 22 pts.
J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount - 20 pts.
Jalen Hendricks, Nash Central - 20 pts.
Jasmine Griffin, Northern Nash - 19 pts.
Ni'ya Styles, Nash Central - 19 pts.
Shatera Black, Wilson Fike - 19 pts.
E.J. Proctor, Wilson Fike - 19 pts.
Quanisha Brown, Wilson Hunt - 17 pts.
Josh Sessoms, Southern Nash - 16 pts.

Lavon Brutus, Rocky Mount - 15 pts.

Josh King, WIlson Fike - 15 pts.

Timyra Staton, Nash Central - 14 pts.

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount - 14 pts.

Nathaniel Pittman, Nash Central - 13 pts.

STANDINGS

BOYS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	4-0	13-3
Nash Central	3-1	10-4
Wilson Hunt	3-2	10-6
Wilson Fike	2-2	3-12
Southern Nash	1-3	3-9
Northern Nash	0-4	1-12

GIRLS

School	Conf.	Overall
Northern Nash	4-0	13-0
Rocky Mount	4-0	14-2
Wilson Hunt	2-3	9-7
Wilson Fike	2-3	7-8
Nash Central	1-3	8-6
Southern Nash	1-3	2-10

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

TUESDAY

Northern Nash @ Rocky Mount

Southern Nash @ Nash Central

WEDNESDAY

Wilson Hunt @ Green Hope

FRIDAY

Nash Central @ Rocky Mount
Wilson Hunt @ Northern Nash
Southern Nash @ Wilson Fike

Big East Conference Basketball Scoreboard - Jan. 18

2012-01-20T09:11:00.000-05:00

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18

BOYS

Wilson Hunt 60, Wilson Fike 58, OT

Tarboro 57, Northern Nash 42

GIRLS

Wilson Fike 39, Wilson Fike 36

Northern Nash 73, Tarboro 34

WEDNESDAYS TOP SCORERS

Jermaine Crowder, Wilson Fike - 17 pts.

Shatera Black, Wilson Fike - 15 pts.

Sam Ellis, WIlson Fike - 14 pts.

Parker Lamm, Wilson Hunt - 13 pts.

STANDINGS

BOYS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	3-0	12-3
Wilson Hunt	3-1	10-5
Nash Central	2-1	9-4
Southern Nash	1-2	3-8
Wilson Fike	1-2	2-10
Northern Nash	0-3	1-12

GIRLS

School	Conf.	Overall
Northern Nash	3-0	12-0
Rocky Mount	3-0	13-2
Wilson Fike	2-2	7-6
Nash Central	1-2	8-5
Wilson Hunt	1-3	8-7
Southern Nash	1-2	2-9

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

FRIDAY

Rocky Mount @ Southern Nash

Wilson Hunt @ Nash Central

Northern Nash @ Wilson Fike

Northern Nash girls, Rocky Mount girls and boys state-ranked

2012-01-19T00:49:00.002-05:00

The Northern Nash Lady Knights maintained their ranking in the latest NCPreps.com/HS Media Basketball polls released Monday evening.

Northern stayed in its No. 4 spot in the 3-A ranks from a week ago after beating Wilson Fike 61-38 last Friday night in its only contest of the week. Nash County teams were all in exams until Friday afternoon. Coach Grover Battle's girls are 11-0 entering this week of play (won 73-34 over Tarboro Wednesday night) and are one of only two 3-A girls teams still sporting no losses. The other team is West Craven. Hickory (16-1) stayed in the No. 1 spot for the third straight week.

The Rocky Mount girls, ranked No. 9 last week, moved up two spots to No. 7 after its 66-40 victory over Wilson Hunt last Friday. The 12-3 Lady Gryphons got 29 points from junior J'Kyra Brown in the win. Both Northern Nash and Rocky Mount are 3-0 in Big East Conference play and seem to be on a collision course for first place at RMHS on Tuesday, Jan. 24.

Rocky Mount's boys also made a two-position move this week. After beating Wilson Hunt Friday (61-57) for the first time since the 2010 season, the Gryphons (12-3) improved from No. 9 to No. 7 in the 3-A boys poll. Three squads are still unbeaten in the 3-A ranks (Chapel Hill, Concord, West Craven) with Chapel Hill sitting at No. 1.

NCPreps.com/HS Media Basketball Polls - Week 3

3A Girls

1. Hickory (6) (16-1) - 69 (1)
2. West Craven (1) (14-0) - 62 (2)
3. Carson (14-1) 54 - (3)
4. Northern Nash (11-0) - 53 (4)
5. RS Central (15-1) - 43 (5)
6. Berry (14-1) - 32 (6)
7. Rocky Mount (13-2) - 23 (9)
8. Forestview (14-2) - 18 (NR)
9. South Central (8-2) - 17 (8)
10. Chapel Hill (13-2) - 9 (7)

Honorable Mention: Harding (12-2) - 5.

3A Boys

1. Chapel Hill (5)(16-0) - 68 (1)
2. Concord (2)(14-0) - 65 (2)
3. West Craven (15-0) - 55 (3)
4. Freedom (16-1) 48 - (4)
5. North Forsyth (13-2) - 45 (5)
6. Hickory (15-2) - 31 (8)
7. Rocky Mount (12-3) - 17 (9)
8. Asheboro (16-1)15 - (10)
9. Charlotte Catholic (12-3) - 14 (6)
10. Harding (13-3) - 10 (NR)

Honorable Mention: Statesville (11-3) - 7; Southern Wayne (13-3) - 5; Triton (15-3) - 5; South Point (11-2) - 4; Berry (12-4) - 1; JM Robinson (10-3) - 1.

Big East Conference Basketball Scoreboard

2012-01-14T03:53:00.005-05:00

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13

BOYS

Rocky Mount 61, Wilson Hunt 57

Nash Central 59, Wilson Fike 49

Southern Nash 50, Northern Nash 38

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 66, Wilson Hunt 40

Wilson Fike 49, Nash Central 42

Northern Nash 61, Southern Nash 38

FRIDAY'S TOP SCORERS

J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount - 29 pts.

Timyra Staton, Nash Central - 25 pts.

Khadijah Manning, Southern Nash - 21 pts.

Lavon Brutus, Rocky Mount - 19 pts.

Alexus Hill, Northern Nash - 19 pts.

Justin Jefferson, Wilson Hunt - 16 pts.

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount - 15 pts.

Jaquan Wilkins, Nash Central - 15 pts.

Alexus Cooper, Rocky Mount - 14 pts.

Jameka Ruffin, Wilson Fike - 13 pts.

Jasmine Griffin, Northern Nash - 13 pts.

Phillip Jones, Nash Central - 13 pts.

Jalen Hendricks, Nash Central - 13 pts.

STANDINGS

BOYS

School	Conf.	Overall
Rocky Mount	3-0	12-3
Nash Central	2-1	9-4
Wilson Hunt	2-1	9-5
Southern Nash	1-2	3-8
Wilson Fike	1-2	2-10
Northern Nash	0-3	1-11

GIRLS

School	Conf.	Overall
Northern Nash	3-0	12-0
Rocky Mount	3-0	13-2
Nash Central	1-2	8-5
Wilson Hunt	1-2	8-6
Wilson Fike	1-2	6-6
Southern Nash	1-2	2-9

NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY

Wilson Hunt @ Wilson Fike

Northern Nash @ Tarboro

FRIDAY

Rocky Mount @ Southern Nash

Wilson Hunt @ Nash Central

Northern Nash @ Wilson Fike

Fly to be inducted into Whitfield Hall of Fame tonight

2012-01-13T07:54:00.006-05:00

Longtime basketball and baseball official and former Rocky Mount resident Ron Fly will be inducted into the George Whitfield Hall of Fame during ceremonies Friday at 7 p.m. at Goldsboro High School's auditorium.

Ron, who now lives in Goldsboro, and his twin brother Don have called hundreds of games in the Twin Counties - including in the gym at Rocky Mount High School where I first saw then both call a basketball game.

I had trouble telling them apart back in the winter of 1973, and I still do now! The duo has been in stripes or in shirts and chest protectors for the past 40 years.

As usual, a great cross-section of sports dignitaries from across the state will be inducted with Ron this evening. Also being inducted from this area are N.C. Wesleyan head trainer Carol Carson and Edgecombe County native and Northern Nash assistant football coach Richie Pridgen. Pridgen was head coach at Wilson Fike for many seasons.

This is the complete list of honorees for the 40th annual event:

— Former NFL and UNC star and Goldsboro native David Thornton

— Former voice of the Tar Heels Woody Durham

— Air Force Maj. Gen. Alfred K. Flowers

— Former ACC champion tennis player Alexander “Andy" Andrews

— A five-time N.C. Sports Writer-of-the-Year recipient Wilt Browning

— Richard Bell, Arkansas tight end in late 1950s
— Carol Carson, head athletic trainer at N.C. Wesleyan College
— Wes Chesson, played in NFL with Atlanta and Philadelphia
— Bill Davis, served in World War II and played football at Duke
— Ron Fly, well-renowned basketball official
— Wells Gulledge, Mount Olive graduate who coaches at Kinston High
— Mark Johnson, retired head baseball coach at Sam Houston State
— Robert P. Kennel, former football player at N.C. State
— Ray Korn, prep and collegiate standout athlete from New Jersey
— Mac Morris, compiled 400-plus victories as basketball coach
— Wendell H. Murphy, Duplin County native and agricultural genius
— Richard Pridgen, former head football coach at Wilson Fike
— William Rowe, started 8-man football program at Parrott Academy
— Don Shea, former sports director at WTVD-TV in Durham
— Carl R. Tacy, former men’s basketball coach at Wake Forest
— Timothy Taft M.D., played soccer and ran track at Princeton University
— David Thompson, played on N.C. State's 1974 National Championship basketball team
— Jerry R. Tolley, lettered in four sports at Holmes HS in Edenton
— Robert Vaughan, started men’s basketball at Elizabeth City State
— Lindsay Warren, Washington native has served several positions
— Tony Womack, played in Majors with Pittsburgh and Arizona
— Larry Worsley, played for legendary Everett Case at N.C. State

Big East Hoop Roundup - Week 1

2012-01-08T02:59:00.001-05:00

Here is a roundup of the results of Week 1 of Big East 3-A Conference basketball:

FRIDAY

BOYS

Rocky Mount 66, Nash Central 61, OT
Wilson Fike 59, Southern Nash 55
Wilson Hunt 61, Northern Nash 45

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 59, Nash Central 43
Southern Nash 45, Wilson Fike 37
Northern Nash 50, Wilson Hunt 35

WEDNESDAY

BOYS

Rocky Mount 98, Hertford County 53
Bunn 60, Nash Central 56
SW Edgecombe 80, Northern Nash 65

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 78, Hertford County 41
Bunn 54, Nash Central 37
Northern Nash 60, SW Edgecombe 35

TUESDAY

BOYS

Rocky Mount 72, Wilson Fike 44
Nash Central 64, Northern Nash 40
Wilson Hunt 74, Southern Nash 61

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 84, Wilson Fike 47
Northern Nash 57, Nash Central 40
Wilson Hunt 46, Southern Nash 33

The Barnes Report - from Nashville, Tn. - Epilogue

2012-01-02T06:55:00.003-05:00

Whit Barnes

(Editor's note: Wake Forest played Mississippi State in the Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl Friday evening at Nashville's LP Field. Wake Forest fell to the Bulldogs 23-17 to fall to 6-7 for the season.

Here is the final blog entry by Deacon offensive lineman and former RMHS Gryphon Whit Barnes.)

The weather in Nashville was awesome all week, but the loss to Mississippi State wasn't.

My overall experience this week was great. Having my family there to cheer on the Deacs meant a lot and I think my family, led by mom and dad Russ and Martha, had a wonderful experience in Nashville.

I stayed behind with my folks after the game and we got back to Rocky Mount Sunday evening. We woke up at 8:30 a.m. and started driving.

But we spent New Years' Eve in downtown Nashville. We went to the Grand Ole Opry (Ryman Auditorium). It was definitely a great experience and there is so much history in that building.

Bristol, Va./Bristol, Tn.; pop., 43,000

Then we got to listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd play live at a free outdoor concert. It was a great night. The streets were so packed that you could barely walk around. (Editor's note - I know that they had to have played the Gryphons' baseball victory song - "Sweet Home Alabama." But those might have been fighting words in the heart of Tennessee.)

On the way home, we stopped to have lunch in Bristol, Tn. with Coach B.W. Holt (my head coach at RMHS) and his wife Dr. Barbara. They showed us around Bristol (Interesting note - the city is split down its main street downtown into two states - Virginia and Tennessee).

The whole family then went to see my grandma's college where she hasn't visited since 1957. She was able to stand in front of the college and get some pictures and I know it must have brought back a lot of memories for her.

Got some down time now. Classes don't resume until the18th.

Gryphon Hilliard makes HSOT.com Holiday Invitational All-Tourney team

2011-12-31T06:52:00.002-05:00

RALEIGH - Rocky Mount senior Terrill Hilliard was named to the Shavlik Randolph bracket All-Tournament team at the HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational Friday evening at Broughton High's Holliday Gym.

Though Rocky Mount played its games on Tuesday and Wednesday, the All-Tournament team was announced following the bracket 's championship game. Chapel Hill remained undefeated (13-0) after beating homestanding Broughton 75-71 in overtime.

Hilliard, the Gryphons' leading scorer and rebounder, had 25 points in each of its two losses in the tournament (68-56 to Broughton, 62-60 in overtime to Clayton).

Chapel Hill's Denzel Ingram, who had 43 points - 33 in the second half against the Caps in the title contest, was named MVP of the tournament.

Joining Hilliard and Ingram on the honorary squad were Clayton's Gary Clark, Broughton's James Hemphill and Chapel Hill's Anthony Vanhook.

HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational Tournament
Shavlik Randolph Bracket
All-Tournament Team

Denzel Ingram, Chapel Hill - MVP

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount

James Hemphill, Broughton
Anthony Vanhook, Chapel Hill
Gary Clark, Clayton

Tournament Notes

On Tuesday evening, former Rocky Mount greats Phil Ford and Buck Williams were named as two of 11 Legends of the Tournament for the 40-year-old event.

Ford and Williams joined players Cedric Maxwell (Kinston), Nate McMillan (Enloe), Rodney Monroe (St. Maria Goretti, Md.), Rodney Rogers (Durham Hillside), Jerry Stackhouse (Kinston), Billy Williams (Broughton), Donald Williams (Garner), Danny Young (Enloe) and prep journalist Tim Stevens (Raleigh News and Observer).

Each legend was given a special plaque recognizing their achievements. The plaque was made from sections of the Holliday Gym floor was that was saved after the gym was totally remodeled a few years ago. The first ever-tournament in 1971 was played on that floor.

A teammate of Ford's was on the floor at the Shavlik Randolph title game. RMSH Class of 1975 member and reserve guard Don Johnson was a member of the three-man officiating crew Friday evening.

The Barnes Report - from Nashville, Tn.

2011-12-31T06:36:00.001-05:00


Whit Barnes, WFU's backup long snapper, warms up before the game.

(Editor's note: Wake Forest played Mississippi State in the Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl Friday evening at Nashville's LP Field. And the result did not go the Deacons' way!

Wake Forest fell to the Bulldogs 23-17 to fall to 6-7 for the season. We hope to have some final comments from Deacon offensive lineman and former RMHS Gryphon Whit Barnes sometime this weekend on the defeat and his whole Bowl experience.)

The Barnes Report - from Nashville, Tn.

2011-12-31T06:30:00.000-05:00

(Editor's note: Wake Forest played Mississippi State in the Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl Friday evening. Wake Forest offensive lineman and former RMHS Gryphon Whit Barnes is blogging from Nashville, Tn. each day on his exploits. Here is entry No. 3)

We went to the head coaches' luncheon at the Wild Horse Saloon to see Coach (Jim) Grobe and Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen on stage answering questions from fans on Facebook and Twitter.

On the menu was barbecue, fried chicken and lots of banana pudding.

Then we had practice this afternoon (Thursday).

My family got into town tonight and I spent some time with my brother and cousins after all the activities were over. It's not the first time in Nashville for some of them. My parents and brother came to the Vanderbilt game last year and my grandparents have been to Nashville a few times. I think it's the second time for the rest of the family.

The Bowl committee gives all the players a goodie bag (up to $500 in value.). I gave the bowl watch (Reactor) to my dad for Christmas I also got a Sony surround sound system and a fender guitar with the bowl logo on it.

- Whit Barnes, Wake Forest offensive lineman, RMHS '09

The Barnes Report - from Nashville, Tn.

2011-12-29T03:34:00.002-05:00

Nashville Predators mascot GNASH shares hot dogs with Wake Forest players Whit Barnes and Matt Muncy.

(Editor's note: Wake Forest plays Mississippi State in the Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl Friday evening. Wake Forest offensive lineman and former RMHS Gryphon Whit Barnes is blogging from Nashville, Tn. each day on his exploits. Here is entry No. 2)

Today we had an early practice. I think we are looking pretty good for the bowl game.

We had the afternoon off to relax and then we went to a Nashville Predators NHL game with the Minnesota Wild at the Bridgestone Arena tonight (Site of the recent CMA Awards).

The Predators won in a shootout 2-1, so it was another exciting night in Nashville!

- Whit Barnes, Wake Forest offensive lineman, RMHS '09

Barnes to make reports from the Music City Bowl

2011-12-28T04:44:00.002-05:00

Whit Barnes

I decided to make Whit Barnes into a reporter ... well, sort of!

The former Gryphon All-State standout football player graciously agreed to blog on my blog.

Yes, the redshirt-sophomore offensive lineman for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons will be sharing his thoughts and observations with the world as Wake prepares for the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl at Nashville, Tennessee's LP Field on Friday. WFU will be facing Mississippi State on ESPN at 6:40 p.m.

Whit and his teammates left N.C. Tuesday afternoon and about 15 members of his family will be making the trip down I-40 to watch the Deacs play.

So with his first entry, hereeeee's Whit!

The Barnes Report

Tuesday morning was rough with a cold and rainy morning practice.

But after we got some Chick-Fil-A into us, we jumped on the bus to go to Greensboro. Once we arrived at the Piedmont Triad International Airport, we loaded up a 250-passenger charter plane with players, coaches and boosters to head to Nashville.

We arrived at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel with a great greeting from the WFU fans who were already there. Then we had a team meeting shortly after.

When that was over, we went to dinner on a riverboat based on the Cumberland River and had a rib-eating contest and a rock band contest with Mississippi State. It was very entertaining. Plus, we ended up winning, so that made it much better.

After that we had some free time to go check out downtown Nashville and listened to some good live country music.

Fox, Godwin, Lancaster, Simmons to head up Wilson Hot Stove Banquet

2011-12-26T10:10:00.001-05:00

The Wilson Hot Stove Banquet will hold its 37th annual event on Monday, Jan. 23.

The banquet, which will be held at Recreation Park Community Center, will feature four college baseball head coaches as speakers. Set to speak will be North Carolina’s Mike Fox, East Carolina’s Billy Godwin, Mount Olive’s Carl Lancaster and Barton’s Joshua Simmons.

Tickets for the banquet are $25 each and proceeds will benefit the N.C. Baseball Museum.

Fox, who will begin his 13th season as Tar Heels' head coach, will speak about a typical day at the College World Series, where he has had plenty of experience. Fox has either played or coached in all 14 of UNC’s CWS wins. Fox also spent 15 years as head baseball coach at N.C. Wesleyan where he led the Battling Bishops to the 1989 NCAA Division III national championship.

Godwin, an Atlantic Christian (now Barton) College and Northern Nash graduate entering his seventh season at the Pirates' helm, will discuss the gamut of NCAA regulations, “the good, the bad and the ugly,” Ferrell described.

Lancaster, who led the Trojans to the NCAA Division II national championship in 2008, will talk about recruiting, especially in-state players, and the affects of the MLB Draft on it.

Simmons was named as the replacement for longtime Bulldogs head coach Todd Wilkinson in May. The former Barton assistant will describe the transition he’s making from six years beside Wilkinson to running the program.

Second Annual Coleman-Pitt Post 58 Baseball Camp set for next week

2011-12-24T03:48:00.005-05:00

ROCKY MOUNT - The Second Annual Coleman-Pitt Post 58 American Legion Baseball Camp will be held Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 28 and 29 at Rocky Mount Academy. The camp is open to kids grades 6-12.

The purpose of this camp is to provide quality instruction from a highly experienced staff in the areas of hitting, pitching, catching, infield play, outfield play and strength and conditioning.

This camp is also a fundraiser to support the Coleman-Pitt Post 58 American Legion baseball program.

The cost of the two-day camp is $100. The fee will cover instruction, beverages and a T-shirt. Participants need to bring a glove, bat and protective equipment. Catchers need to bring full catcher’s gear.

Participants should also bring sneakers in case of inclement weather. The camp will take place, rain or shine.

The camp instructors will be: Billy Godwin – Hitting: Head Coach, East Carolina University; Pat Smith – Defense/Pitching: Head Coach, Rocky Mount Academy; Josh Simmons – Pitching: Head Coach, Barton College; Ben Fish – Catching: Collegiate player, Campbell University; Neil Avent – Infield Play: Scout, Oakland Athletics; Billy Best – Outfield Play: Scout, Atlanta Braves; Buck Edmundson – Strength and Conditioning: Asst. Coach, Nash Central HS; Greg Clifton - Head Coach, Faith Christian School; Hank Jones - Head Coach, Coleman-Pitt Post 58 American Legion Baseball.

Contact Hank Jones at 252-904-4995 or hankjones@suddenlink.net for more details.

Here is each day's schedule:

Wednesday, Dec. 28

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Walk-up registration
12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Check-in for pre-registered
participants
12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Warm Up
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Hitting Camp
4:00 p.m.
Pickup and departure

Thursday, Dec. 29

12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Warm Up
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Defensive Instruction
4:00 p.m.
Pickup and departure

Gurley joins list of AP Players of the Year

2011-12-23T20:04:00.000-05:00

Tarboro's Todd Gurley II was named as the Associated Press' Player of the Year in football this week. You have to admit, he put on a show this past season - especially toward the end

But he is not the first area player to win the award.

North Edgecombe's Milton Shaw received the honor in 1991 - a rare feat for a player from a 1-A school.

I had the honor of presenting Shaw with a plaque, in the shape of the state of North Carolina, from AP that was sent to the sports desk during my days with the then-called Rocky Mount Evening Telegram. As I was scheduled to cover a home North Edgecombe basketball game days later, I took the plaque to the game and presented it to him at midcourt during a halftime ceremony.

Now my friend, Tarboro Daily Southerner sports editor Calvin Adkins, will have the honor of doing the same for Gurley sometime in January.

As I glanced at the list of former winners of the award (started in 1983), I can't believe that I got to see 15 of them play at least once - and one of them at Rocky Mount's home field. Wonder if you can guess who "that player" was?

Associated Press Football Player of the Year

2011—Todd Gurley II, RB, Tarboro

2010—Vad Lee, QB, Durham Hillside

2009—K.P. Parks, RB, West Rowan

2008—Xavier Nixon, OT, Fayetteville Britt

2007—Darius Thomas, QB, West Charlotte

2006—Quan Warley, RB, Thomasville

2005—Quan Warley, RB, Thomasville

2004—Joe Cox, QB, Charlotte Independence

2003—Andre Brown, RB, Greenville Rose

2002—Chris Leak, QB, Charlotte Independence

2001—T.A. McLendon, RB, Albemarle

2000—Chris Leak, QB, Charlotte Independence

1999—Manny Deshauteurs, RB, Brevard

1998—Nick Maddox, RB, Kannapolis Brown

1997—Nick Maddox, RB, Kannapolis Brown

1996—Montrell Coley, RB, Goldsboro

1995—Marcus Reaves, RB, Fayetteville Byrd

1994—Terence Stokes, RB, Bunn

1993—Ernest Tinnin, QB, Burlington Cummings

1992—(tie) Antoine Ikard, RB, Maiden; Maurice Mebane, WR, Burlington Cummings

1991—Milton Shaw, RB, North Edgecombe

1990—Donnie Davis, QB, Burlington Cummings

1989—Mike Thomas, QB-P, Richmond County

1988—Chuckie Burnette, QB, Burlington Cummings

1987—Anthony Barbour, RB, Garner

1986—Robert Siler, RB, Siler City Jordan-Matthews

1985—Alvin Baker, RB, Claremont Bunker Hill

1984—Todd Ellis, QB, Greensboro Page

1983—Darryl McGill, RB, Southern Durham

2011 Nash County Christmas Basketball Tournament - All-Tournament Team

2011-12-23T02:02:00.000-05:00

BOYS

Lavon Brutus, Rocky Mount - MVP

Dante Battle, Rocky Mount

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount

Nathaniel Pittman, Nash Central

Josh Sessoms, Southern Nash

Darryl Prunty, Northern Nash

GIRLS

Alexus Hill, Northern Nash - MVP

Khadijrah Richardson, Northern Nash

Ni'ya Styles, Nash Central

Timyra Staton, Nash Central

J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount

Khadijah Manning, Southern Nash

Nash County Christmas Basketball Tournament final results - 2011 edition

2011-12-20T22:42:00.001-05:00

Monday, Dec. 19

• Girls semis - Northern Nash 53, Rocky Mount 40
• Girls semis - Nash Central 72, Southern Nash 63, OT
• Boys semis - Nash Central 53, Southern Nash 52

Tuesday, Dec. 20

• Girls Consolation - Rocky Mount 70, Southern Nash 41
• Boys semis - Rocky Mount 71, Northern Nash 47

Wednesday, Dec. 21

• Boys Consolation Game - Southern Nash 61, Northern Nash 32
• Girls Championship Game - Northern Nash 56, Nash Central 34
• Boys Championship Game - Rocky Mount 73, Nash Central 67

Nash County Christmas Basketball Tournament gets underway Monday

2011-12-19T04:36:00.000-05:00

Southern Nash will serve as the host for the annual Nash County Christmas Basketball Tournament, which will be held Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 19-21 at the SNHS Gymnasium.

Rocky Mount is the defending girls champion, while Northern Nash took the boys' title last year.

Tickets are $6 for the first two days and $8 for the final day.

Pairings for the event are as follows:

Monday, Dec. 19

• Rocky Mount Girls vs. Northern Nash Girls, 5 p.m.
• Nash Central Girls vs. Southern Nash Girls, 6:30 p.m.
• Nash Central Boys vs. Southern Nash Boys, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 20

• Girls Consolation Game, 6 p.m.
• Rocky Mount Boys vs. Northern Nash Boys, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 21

• Boys Consolation Game, 5 p.m.
• Girls Championship Game, 6:30 p.m.
• Boys Championship Game, 8 p.m.

Brush with greatness from the sidelines

2011-12-16T04:25:00.003-05:00

Robert Griffin III

When Baylor's Robert Griffin III was announced as the Heisman Trophy winner last Saturday evening, my thoughts went to another college player - former Rocky Mount offensive lineman Whit Barnes.

Back in 2009, his redshirt year at Wake Forest, Barnes watched from the sidelines when the Bears came to WInston-Salem to open that season. Thanks to Griffin III's abilities, the Bears were able to leave Forsyth County with a victory.

The next week, Stanford and then-redshirt freshman and two-time Heisman runner-up Andrew Luck came to town and the Demon Deacons were able to get the victory.

Andrew Luck

The following season, Barnes and his Wake teammates went west to Palo Alto and Luck did a number on this bunch of Baptist boys.

I asked Whit recently of his thoughts of these two great quarterbacks, who ironically, both call Houston, Tx home.

"When I saw RG III play, I didn't know just how outstanding of a player he was," said Barnes, whose team will be playing in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl in Nashville later this month, "but I did know that he was dangerous and that it was going to be tough containing his dynamic style of play.

"As for Luck, there was one play that really stood out in my mind," he said.

"I think it was early in the second quarter, before Stanford began to pull away from us. Luck was standing in the pocket going through all of his progressions and he decided to tuck the ball and take it down field himself. I remember thinking to myself that he looked way too big to be running that fast and juking our defensive backs.

"But needless to say, Stanford gave us some payback the year after Luck and the Cardinal lost to us in Winston."

I know Barnes is very glad he plays on the same side of the ball as these guys!

Hunt leads Big East in Wells Fargo Cup standings after fall season

2011-12-16T03:37:00.000-05:00

Thanks to league titles in football and men’s soccer, Wilson Hunt has the lead in the Wells Fargo Cup standings for the Big East 3-A Conference at the conclusion of the 2011 fall sports season.

The Warriors, with 65.5 points, currently hold a three-point edge over second place Nash Central as Hunt finished in a tie for second with Rocky Mount in women’s tennis.

A championship in women’s tennis and second-place ledgers in football and men’s and women’s cross-country bolstered Nash Central to 62.5 points.

Rocky Mount, with a championship in boys cross country and a second-place finish in volleyball, is in third place with 59.5, followed by Wilson Fike (58.5), Southern Nash (56) and Northern Nash (50).

At long last, All-Big East football team released

2011-12-13T09:16:00.002-05:00

This gets to be quite old each year - the release of the Big East All-Conference Football Team comes later and later each season.

This year, 17 days after the last Big East team is knocked out of the playoffs and almost 10 days after the state championships have been completed, the area media finally gets a peek at this year's honored high school football players.

This announcement has been as drawn out as MLB's season-ending awards - Cy Young, MVP, etc.

Despite finishing in last place, Rocky Mount placed four players on the team (Mason Hines
Nah'jerelle Graves, Rodquez Greene, Darryn Lewis), and two Nash County players took the top individual honors, although Wilson Hunt won the league title.

Wilson Hunt

Josh Joyner
Jacob Page
Trevor Kyle
Nick Denton
Tevin Speight
Tim Applewhite
Vernon Holman
Lamar Melvin
Phil Dickens
Cody Pittman
Luis Neal

Nash Central

Jalen Hendricks
Greg Arrrington
Jarod Richardson
Isiah Edwards
Zach Connor
Jaquan Wilkins
Khalil Macklin
Justin Scott
Tamarris Lane
Jordan Lynch

Wilson Fike

Cam Avery
Sam Ellis
Tyler Newman
Jeremy Vick
Dustin Edwards
Chris Phillips
Josh King

Southern Nash

Josh Sessoms
Tracey Coppedge
Terron Huffman
Alonte Thomas
Molik Harris
Roderick Dunston
Matt Boswell
Moses Trejo

Northern Nash

Darius Perry
Quay Mann
Tevin Marshall
Marquez Farmer
Michael Dickens

Rocky Mount

Mason Hines

Nah'jerelle Graves

Rodquez Greene

Darryn Lewis

Honorable Mention

D'metrius Dew, Wilson Hunt
Justin Williams, Nash Central
Trae Hudson, Wilson Fike
Zack Parris, Southern Nash
Travonne Marshall, Northern Nash
Ben Winstead, Rocky Mount

Big East Offensive Player of the Year - Jalen Hendricks, Nash Central
Big East Defensive Player of the Year - Josh Sessoms, Southern Nash
Big East Coach of the Year - Tom Nelson, Wilson Fike; Kevin Crudup, Nash Central

Smith doing swimmingly in S.C.

2011-12-09T03:23:00.005-05:00

Chad Smith talks to members of his Green Wave team.
(click on photo to enlarge)

Chad Smith, who served as an assistant coach at Rocky Mount and as head coach at Northern Nash, has turned his old rival Easley High School in Easley, S.C. into a 4-A power in the Palmetto State.

Smith attended high school at neighboring Pickens High School.

He was recently recognized by the S.C. Football Coaches Association as the Upper State 4-A Coach of the Year.

In his second year as head coach of the Green Wave, Smith led Easley (11-2) to its first 10-win season since 1997 and broke the single-season scoring record. Prior to Smith's tenure, Easley had won 18 games in a five-year span. Since Smith began coaching the Green Wave in 2010, Easley has won 20 games (20-6).

"I think it proves that we have an administration that gives me all the support I need, I think it proves that we have a great group of kids, and I think it proves that I have a great coaching staff," Smith told local media after receiving the award. "Easley is a special place."

Smith's Easley High School will soon have new digs. Just like Rocky Mount High, Easley will move to a brand new campus next fall complete with a spanking new football stadium. The $36 million campus can accommodate 1,800 students.

Gryphon alum Britt Johnson, who coaches baseball at nearby Lander University in Greenwood, S.C., has been able to see Smith's teams the last two seasons and he likes what he sees.

Sadly, it was Greenwood High School that handed Smith his only two losses this past season, including the one that knocked Easley out of the S.C. state playoffs.

Will Corinth Holders High join the Big East?

2011-12-08T05:29:00.004-05:00

By Geoff Neville, Nashville Graphic

Judging by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s latest findings, the Class 3-A Big East Conference will be around in its current at least through 2017.

That’s what the league member schools want -- and those plans should be finalized next spring by the NCHSAA.

Last week, the NCHSAA released its first preliminary conference makeup for its next realignment, which will begin in the fall of 2013 and run for four years.

The Big East’s current roster of Northern Nash, Nash Central, Southern Nash, Rocky Mount, Wilson Fike and Wilson Hunt will remain intact.

The only change will come with the prospective addition of Corinth Holders, a second-year school in Johnston County (just monutes from the Carolina Mudcats’ Five County Stadium).

Corinth Holders is now a member of the Class 2-A Northern Carolina Conference, but the school features only freshman through junior classes.

When CH boasts a four-year class for the first time next fall, it will boost the Pirates’ enrollment into Class 3-A -- and a potential grouping with the Big East schools.

The first rough draft of the NCHSAA’s was done by computer by SAS. Georgraphy, as always, played the most important decision in the formula.

The NCHSAA has also stated a desire to move away from split-classification conferences if possible.

School athletic directors and administrators will be allowed to air their grievance with possible conference alignments during regional meetings in January.

The NCHSAA will take the questions into consideration before releasing its final update later in the spring.

Northern Nash Athletic Director Dan Richwalski anticipates that none of the Nash County squads will argue against the initial alliance.

“I think this is pretty much what everybody wants,’’ Richwalski said. “Except for Corinth-Holders, the conference is going to stay the same. We’re pretty happy about that -- we don’t anticipate that the travel to Corinth-Holders is going to be a big problem for anyone.’’

Said Southern Nash AD Robbie Kennedy: “We’re fine with it. It would help us out with scheduling, because we would have one less non-conference date to fill. I have no issue with seven teams.’’

However, that scenario -- because of an odd number -- would mean that one team would have a bye from conference play during the league portion of the football schedule.

Another potential problem is that Cleveland, another Johnston County school, had its numbers incorrectly recorded during the SAS program.

Cleveland High School was projected as a Class 2-A school, but will actually compete on the 3-A level. How this affects Corinth Holders’ standing -- as another Johnston school -- isn’t known.

Cleveland could also end up in the Big East -- or Corinth Holders may be moved away from the league to be in a league with Cleveland.

Two other Johnston County schools -- Smithfield-Selma and South Johnston -- are proposed to be in another different Class 3-A league.

This is a computer draft that was done strictly by geography,’’ said Corinth Holders AD Brent Walston. “We felt like we might be placed with the Wilson and Nash schools, based on where we are located.

“It’s closer for us to go to Nash County than South Johnston or Erwin Triton. And I think we would have some good rivalries with those schools -- our district borders Wilson Hunt and Southern Nash.

“We are kind of split. Some of the Johnston County schools are in different classifications, but would it be in our best interest to have all of the county 3-A schools in there together?’’

Walston expects an updated rough draft to be released soon.

“We’ll see what the NCHSAA releases and then go from there,’’ Walston said. “It’s kind of wait and see right now.’’

Here is how the first proposal looks, along with the projected enrollment number from each school:

NCHSAA Class 3-A Big East Conference

Corinth Holders 1394
Wilson Hunt 1317
Southern Nash 1261
Nash Central 1232
Northern Nash 1214
Rocky Mount 1153

Wilson Fike 1140

Here are the distances to Corinth Holders from each current Big East Conference member:

• 22 miles from Southern Nash
• 25 miles from Wilson Hunt
• 33 miles from Wilson Fike
• 39 miles from Northern Nash
• 40 miles from Nash Central
• 44 miles from Rocky Mount

Barnes, Deacons get bowl bid

2011-12-05T05:09:00.000-05:00

Whit Barnes

Former Rocky Mount football standout Whit Barnes won't be sitting around watching bowl games on TV during his Christmas break.

He'll be playing in one!

The former All-State offensive lineman, now a redshirt sophomore on the Wake Forest football team, will join his Deacon teammates in Nashville, Tn, when Wake (6-6, 5-3) takes on Mississippi State (6-6) in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. The Deacs got the invite Sunday evening.

Wake, which will be making its fifth bowl appearance in 11 years under current head coach Jim Grobe, will play on Friday, Dec; 30 at 6:40 p.m. at LP Field, the home of the Tennessee Titans. ESPN will carry the game.

The Deacons have compiled a 6-3 (.667) record in their nine previous bowl appearances and are 3-1 in bowl games under Grobe. Wake Forest and Mississippi State will be meeting for the first time in football.

Wake is making its first bowl appearance since 2008, but enters having won five of its last six bowl appearances.

Hudgins moving close to joining 1,000-point Club

2011-12-02T02:58:00.001-05:00

Rocky Mount senior Tia Hudgins (right) goes to the basket against Northern Nash last season. (Photo/David Hahula)

Rocky Mount High senior forward Tia Hudgins is moving ever so close to joining the school's 1,000-Point Club.

The four-year starter is coming off her best scoring season of her career last year, and she has gotten off to a solid start thus far this campaign. Hudgins, whose older brother Terrell came very close to joining the boys' version of the club when he closed out his career in 2005, needs just 61 more points this season to reach that coveted 1,000-point mark.

She would become only the fifth female to do so and the12th overall player to hit the mark.

However, the likelihood that she will get that 1,000th point at home is somewhat doubtful.

Rocky Mount has but eight home games on its regular season schedule this year and one of them has already been played.

With her current average of 14 points per game, she will likely hit the milestone in the first round of the Nash County Christmas Tournament which is being held at Southern Nash later this month.

RMHS' GIRLS 1,000-POINT CLUB

Kim Taylor (1981-84)..........................1,600 - played at N.C. State (deceased, 1985)

Danielle Powell (1989-1992) ..............1,472 - played at James Madison

Dyonna Battle (2006-09)......................1,290 - playing at Queens Univ.

Latoya Armstrong (1999-03)................1,127 - played at Campbell/Winston-Salem State

Tia Hudgins (2008-present)....................939

Rocky Mount's 2011-12 basketball schedules released

2011-11-22T09:33:00.004-05:00

The road will be Rocky Mount's calling card in basketball this upcoming season.

Of the school's 22-game regular season schedule, 14 of them will be played on the road as each of Rocky Mount's varsity teams will play in not, one, not two, but three different tournaments - all on the road.

Make that four when they play this year's Big East Conference Tournament at Northern Nash at the end of the regular season.

The Gryphons will see their home court - their last season there - just eight times!

Check out what the road warriors have before them!

2011-12 Rocky Mount Boys/Girls Basketball Schedule (Girls 6 p.m., Boys 7:30 p.m.)

Nov. 25 - @ Triangle Tip-off Tournament - Knightdale HS - Girls vs. Millbrook, 4:30 p.m.

Nov. 25 - @ Triangle Tip-off Tournament - Knightdale HS - Boys vs. Knightdale, 6 p.m.
Nov. 26 - @ Triangle Tip-off Tournament - Knightdale HS - Girls vs. TBA, TBA
Nov. 26 - @ Triangle Tip-off Tournament - Knightdale HS - Boys vs. TBA, TBA

Nov. 29 - WILSON BEDDINGFIELD

Dec. 2 - @ Hertford County

Dec. 6 - @ Wilson Beddingfield

Dec. 9 - @ South Central

Dec. 16 - GREENVILLE ROSE

Dec. 20 - @ Nash County Christmas Tournament - Southern Nash HS - Girls vs. Northern Nash, 5 p.m.
Dec. 20 - @ Nash County Christmas Tournament - Southern Nash HS - Boys vs. Northern Nash, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 21 - @ Nash County Christmas Tournament - Southern Nash HS - Girls vs. TBA, TBA
Dec. 21 - @ Nash County Christmas Tournament - Southern Nash HS - Boys vs. TBA, TBA

Dec. 26 - @ Holiday Invitational - Cary Academy - Girls vs. Holly Springs, 12:40 p.m.

Dec. 27 - @ Holiday Invitational - Cary Academy - Girls vs TBA, TBA

Dec. 27 - @ Holiday Invitational - Broughton HS - Boys vs. Broughton, 4 p.m.

Dec. 28 - @ Holiday Invitational - Broughton HS - Boys vs. TBA, TBA

Jan. 3 - WILSON FIKE

Jan. 4 - HERTFORD COUNTY

Jan. 6 - @ Nash Central

Jan. 13 - @ Wilson Hunt

Jan. 20 - @ Southern Nash

Jan. 24 - NORTHERN NASH

Jan. 27 - NASH CENTRAL

Jan. 31 - WILSON HUNT

Feb. 3 - @ Wilson Fike

Feb. 7 - SOUTHERN NASH

Feb. 10 - @ Northern Nash

Feb. 13-17 - Big East Conference Tournament @ Northern Nash HS

Gryphon girls headed to Holiday Invitational

2011-11-21T04:43:00.002-05:00

For the first time ever in the same season, both the Rocky Mount girls and boys basketball teams are headed to the 40th Annual Holiday Invitational Basketball Tournament in Raleigh. The event has lost its longtime title sponsor, pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline.

The Gryphon girls will be playing in the four-team girls bracket that will begin play on Monday, Dec. 26 at Cary Academy. They will join host Cary Academy, Cary High School and Holly Springs High School in the event - four of 12 girls teams that will be participating in the overall tournament.

Rocky Mount, which went 25-4 last season, return leading scorer senior forward Tia Hudgins and all-state junior guard J'Kyra Brown, who has verbally committed to play for East Carolina.

The boys, who will start play on Tuesday, Dec. 27 at Broughton High School's Holliday Gym, will hit the floor as part of the 40th Anniversary bracket. Rocky Mount, along with Sanderson, Garner and Kinston, played in the first-ever tournament - won by Phil Ford and the Gryphons in 1972.

All members of those four original teams will be guests at this year's tournament and will be honored during the event.

Rocky Mount's teams will open the 2011-12 season Friday afternoon at the Triangle Tip-off Tournament (four girls, four boys teams) at Knightdale High School. Pam Gainey's girls will open with Millbrook at 4:30 p.m., while Mike Gainey's boys will take on host Knightdale at 6 p.m..

The Gryphon girls are the defending champions in the event - beating Knightdale in overtime. RMHS' boys placed third last season.

2011 NCHSAA Football Playoff Pairings - Regional Finals

2011-11-21T04:08:00.005-05:00

Here are the pairings for Round 4 of the 2011 NCHSAA Football State Playoffs Friday evening.

In each classification, the East regional final game is listed first, followed by the West regional final game.

The winners from Friday will meet the following weekend in the state championship games in Winston-Salem, Chapel Hill and Raleigh.

If you can't make it to the Tarboro-South Columbus game - the only remaining playoff contest in the Twin Counties area, you can listen to the game on WDLX 99.3 FM, or online at jammin993.com

The Wilson Hunt-Northern Guilford contest will be carried online at northcarolina.ihigh.com/absports

NCHSAA FOOTBALL STATE PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE - REGIONAL FINALS
(seedings listed are for each team's pod or subregion)

CLASS 4-AA
No. 1 Fayetteville Jack Britt (11-2) at No. 1 Garner (14-0)
No. 1 Charlotte Mallard Creek (13-0) at No. 1 Greensboro Page (13-0)

CLASS 4-A
No. 1 New Bern (12-1) at No. 1 Scotland County (13-0)
No. 2 Mooresville (12-2) at No. 1 Indian Trail Porter Ridge (13-0)

CLASS 3-AA
No. 2 Northern Guilford (12-1) at No. 1 Wilson Hunt (13-0)
No. 2 Boiling Springs Crest (11-3) at No. 1 Charlotte Catholic (13-0)

CLASS 3-A
No. 1 West Rowan (12-2) at No. 2 Lawndale Burns (13-1)
No. 2 Clayton Cleveland (11-3) at No. 1 Havelock (14-0)

CLASS 2-AA
No. 3 Reidsville (11-3) at No. 1 Kinston (12-1)
No. 1 Shelby (9-5) at No. 1 West Stokes (14-0)

CLASS 2-A
No. 4 South Columbus (10-3) at No. 5 Tarboro (11-2)
No. 2 Thomasville (10-4) at No. 1 Lincolnton (13-1)

CLASS 1-AA
No. 1 Ayden-Grifton (12-1) at No. 1 Wallace-Rose Hill (13-1)
No. 3 West Montgomery (11-2) at No. 2 Swain County (13-1)

CLASS 1-A
No. 3 Jones County (9-4) at No. 1 Manteo (13-1)
No. 1 Murphy (10-4) at No. 1 Albemarle (13-1)

Big East All-Conference volleyball, girls tennis, girls golf teams released

2011-11-04T11:28:00.003-04:00

Rocky Mount senior Tia Hudgins was voted volleyball Player of the Year for the Big East Conference for this past season. The entire All-Conference teams for volleyball, girls tennis and girls golf were released Wednesday.

Here are those teams:

2011 Big East All-Conference Volleyball Team

Camille Branch, Northern Nash
Claire Fleming, Northern Nash
Myrick Clark, Northern Nash
Deja Lewis, Northern Nash

Tia Hudgins, Rocky Mount

Evie Hunter, Rocky Mount

Precious White, Rocky Mount

Jordan Young, Wilson Hunt
Brittany Edwards, Wilson Hunt
Brittany Faulkner, Nash Central
Lesley Murray, Nash Central
Myra Mitchell, Wilson Fike
Laura Bland, Wilson Fike
Haley Wood, Southern Nash

Tia Hudgins, Rocky Mount - Player of the Year
Patricia Haggerty, Northern Nash - Conference Championship Coach

2011 Big East All-Conference Girls Tennis Team

Randi Price, Nash Central
Kaley Price, Nash Central
Lizzie Eakin, Nash Central
Dana Kelly, Nash Central
Caley Bass, Nash Central
Meredith Davis, Nash Central

Elizabeth Thompson, Rocky Mount

McKenzie Warner, Rocky Mount

Annah-Claire Summerlin, Wilson Fike
Aly Jones, Wilson Hunt
Casey Strickland, Southern Nash
Katie Beeman, Northern Nash

Randi Price, Nash Central - Co-Player of the Year
Kaley Price, Nash Central - Co-Player of the Year
Susan McCarthy, Nash Central - Conference Champion Coach

2011 Big East All-Conference Girls Golf Team

Myranda Melton, Wilson Hunt

Samantha Corn, Wilson Hunt

Casey Potter, Wilson Hunt

Rachel Boyette, Southern Nash

Allison Pitts, Southern Nash

Kadijah Barfield, Northern Nash

Abby Glover, Northern Nash

Kaitlin Beal, Nash Central

Rachel Bissette, Southern Nash - Player of the Year

Sue McGuire, Wilson Hunt - Conference Champion Coach

Eldest Hudgins lands hoop coaching job at NCWC

2011-11-01T09:10:00.001-04:00

Tanika Hudgins, the oldest of the Hudgins siblings who have had such an impact on Rocky Mount athletics the last 10 years, has accepted a position as assistant coach with the North Carolina Wesleyan women's basketball program.

Brother Terrell was a three-sport star for the Gryphons and went on to be named NCHSAA Male Athlete of the Year in 2005. The Elon University grad set many NCAA records as a receiver for the Phoenix. Sister Tia is currently a senior at RMHS and is following in her big sister's footsteps in volleyball and basketball.

A prep standout at RMHS in the early 2000s, Tanika brings a wealth of basketball knowledge and experience to the Battling Bishop sideline.

Hudgins' stellar prep career saw her garner All-Big East volleyball and basketball accolades, as well as recognition as Rocky Mount's Female Athlete of the Year in 2002. Additionally, she was named an All-Conference Track and Field performer and concluded her prep career by participating in the North Carolina Coaches' Association East/West All-Star girls basketball game .

Upon graduation, she took her talents to Mount Olive College and later transferred to Elizabeth City State University where she played volleyball and basketball. During her collegiate career, Hudgins was an All-CIAA performer in volleyball, while helping lead the ECSU women's basketball team to the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Most recently, Hudgins served as a physical education teacher and girls head basketball coach at Southampton High School in Courtland, Va., where she coached current Bishop standout Samantha Urquhart.

Top memories from the Rocky Mount Athletic Complex

2011-10-21T08:17:00.005-04:00

The selections were wide and varied - from a concert with the Beach Boys to the flood waters of Hurricane Floyd.

To those of you who submitted to my Facebook page your top three memories from the last 24 years at the Rocky Mount Athletic Complex, I deeply thank you.

It was a tight race, but alas, a positive Gryphon memory ended up winning out.

The day was Monday, Oct. 8, 2007 and SouthWest Edgecombe's football team came calling. Both Rocky Mount and SWE were undefeated and the RMAC was packed.

That most unforgettable moment took place with about four minutes left in the game. With SWE trailing 15-12, its QB completed a pass around mid-field to Demetrius Randolph across the middle and he headed down the field past the RM bench toward the north end zone.

Out of nowhere came defensive back Brian Goodwin who got behind Randolph, then with an upward motion, knocked the ball out from Randolph's left arm and fellow DB Jacobi Jenkins was "Johnny on the spot" to recover the ball just before it went out of bounds at the RM 7.

An unbelievable and timely defensive play for the Gryphons. RM ran out the clock and preserved the win and its winning streak. Whew!!!

Later this weekend, I will post every memory nominated. But for now, here are the Top 10!

TOP 10 MEMORIES FROM THE ROCKY MOUNT ATHLETIC COMPLEX (1988-2011)

1. 2007 - RM's Goodwin and Jenkins run down a SouthWest Edgecombe receiver to force a turnover and preserve a 15-12 victory

2. 2009 - RM's 22-19 loss to West Craven in the NCHSAA 3-A East finals

3. 2004 - RM's 15-13 loss to Greenville Rose in the NCHAA 4-A East semifinals

4. 1999 - Having three games cancelled due to the flood waters caused by Hurricane Floyd, including a much anticipated home endowment contest with powerhouse Richmond County

5. 2003 - A Superman-like effort by Greenville Rose's Andre Brown (ran for 300 yds. on 15 carries, scored five TDs on runs of 55, 15, 25, 66, 46 yds.) His performance included a Houdini-like 66 yd. KO return for another TD. He played only three quarters as Rose won 49-28

6. 2005 - A 21-20 win over Wilson Beddingfield in the third round of the NCHSAA 3-A playoffs

7. 2007 - Stopping Greenville Rose's 39-game winning streak with a 17-7 Gryphon triumph

8. 2001 - The longest game ever played by Rocky Mount - a four-overtime loss to Wilson Beddingfield, 46-40

9. 2002 - The RMAC's field was condemned due to its hazardous condition. The Gryphons were forced to play their remaining home games at Nash Central

10. 1988 - Winning RM's first ever game at the RMAC - a 28-0 defeat of SW Edgecombe

Ugly entries go into the RMHS football record book

2011-10-18T05:16:00.002-04:00

Thanks to the Gryphons' 63-14 loss at Wilson Fike last Friday night, some odious school records got set.

Here they are:

1. Most points allowed in a game - 63 (63-14 Wilson Fike, 2011), previous record was 56 by Southern Nash, 1990 (56-34 SN win).

2. Most PATs allowed in a game - 9, Drayton Williams, Wilson Fike (63-14 WF win), previous record, 7, Nick Williams, J.H. Rose, 2003 (49-28 Rose win), Chris Peacock, Northern Nash, 1994 (54-31 NN win).

3. Most touchdowns allowed in a game - 9, Wilson Fike, 2011 (63-14 WF win).

Here are two positive factoids to come from the game:

1. Longest fumble return for a TD - 75 yds., Mike Westry vs. Wilson Fike, 2011, previous record was 73 yds - shared by Brian Washington (vs. SN, 1992) and Barry Sears (vs. Fike, 1992).

2. Junior Mason Hines ran for 217 yards on 25 carries. The last RM rusher to gain over 200 yards in a game was Marquavis Alston. Ironically, his 240-yard effort was also in a loss - a 50-36 playoff defeat to Western Alamance in 2007.

UNC throws more money Fox's way

2011-10-15T03:48:00.000-04:00

Mike Fox

When it comes to paying college coaches, baseball coaches are down the totem poll from their football and basketball bretheren. But they still make a good living.

Just ask UNC's Mike Fox.

Fox, who served as head baseball coach and athletic director at N.C. Wesleyan during the mid-80s through the 90s and won the Div. III national title (1989) with the Bishops, just got his contract extended.

Fox spent 15 years in Rocky Mount prior to going to Chapel Hill. He also has a sister who lives here.

It was one of the things outgoing North Carolina athletics director Dick Baddour did before handing his keys over to Bubba Cunningham. He did the same for mens basketball coach Roy Williams and women's basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell.

Fox, who was already the highest paid college baseball coach in the state, pushed his lead way ahead of his fellow keepers of the diamond.

Fox, in his 14th season as a head coach at his alma mater, got a $20,000 raise to his base salary at $180,000 for 2011-12.

It will move to $220,000 in 2012-13, $240,000 in 2013-14, $250,000 in 2014-15 and $260,000 in each of the following three seasons. He also will receive an expense allowance ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 and is eligible to receive standard bonuses for advancing in the postseason and for academic progress rates.

From data from the UNC system through contracts signed by Aug. 2009, here are the top paid baseball coaches among the 16 UNC campuses. Ironically, the top three have ties to Nash County.

1. $180,000 - Mike Fox, UNC-Chapel Hill (lived in RM, NCWC baseball coach/AD)

2. $132,500 - Billy Godwin, East Carolina (Northern Nash graduate, NCWC asst.)

3. $112,150 - Elliott Avent, N.C. State (Northern Nash graduate, NCWC asst.)

4. $95,000 - Robert Moranda, Western Carolina

5. $89,145 - Chris Pollard, Appalachian State