Morales' goal gets the East a tie in Greensboro

GREENSBORO - The East's Andrew Morales from Rocky Mount scored an unassisted goal with 10:02 left to force a 2-2 tie in the 20th Annual N.C. Coaches Association East-West All-Star Boys Soccer Game Tuesday evening at the UNC-Greensboro Soccer Stadium.

Morales, who will play for Duke next season, saw his goal culminate a comeback for the East squad. As the Gryphons' second-ever participant in the event, it was the first-ever goal scored by a Rocky Mount player.

The West led 2-0 when Brayan Aguirre of Hendersonville scored off an assist from Phillip Carman of Winston-Salem Reagan at 53:18. 

The West, which dominated with a 21-12 shot advantage, saw game MVP David Reittinger (NW Guilford) give the West a 1-0 lead with a goal on an assist from High Point Andrews' Austin Miller at 50:02. Reittinger will be playing on this same field as a Spartan for UNC-G this fall.

The East narrowed it to 2-1 at 67:43 as Richland's Matthew McDougall scored on a pass from Raleigh Broughton's Christopher Ryan.

"We were really working hard in the first half and had those quick chances early," Morales told the Winston-Salem Journal after the game. "We felt one should come for us because we felt we deserved it."

2011 N.C. American Legion Baseball State Tournament Pairings

MOREHEAD CITY - Here are the pairings for the opening day of the 2011 N.C. American Legion Baseball State Tournament being held this weekend in Morehead City at the Puck O’Neal Field at Big Rock Stadium.

Wayne County, which eliminated Coleman-Pitt Post 58 in the Area I East semifinals, went on to win the Area I title by beating both Pitt County and Cary,. It will meet Rowan County Post 342 in the opening game Friday morning.  Post 58 defeated Rowan County in their only meeting early in the regular season.

The top seeds are Wayne County, Wilmington, High Point and Cherryville.

2011 N.C. American Legion State Baseball State Tournament

Friday, July 22

Game 1

Rowan County Post 342 vs. Wayne County Post 11, 10 a.m.

Game 2

Hickory Post 48 vs. Wilmington Post 10, 1 p.m.

Game 3

High Point Post 87 vs. Cary 67, 4:30 p.m.

Game 4

Cherryville Post 100 vs. Morehead Post 48, 7:30 p.m.

Notes: 

 Cary (23-9) is in its second straight state tournament after Post 67 finished as Area I runner-up for the third straight season. 
Cherryville (26-7) set a record for Area IV titles with 15 in its 2-1 series victory over Hickory. Post 100 will be making its record eighth state tournament appearance and fifth in a row. Cherryville has six state titles and four state runnerup finishes in its long history.

Hickory (20-11) is in its third state tournament after Post 48 advanced to the Area IV finals for the first time since 2002. Hickory was 1948 state champion.
High Point (21-8) is one of the hottest teams coming into the tournament with a six-game winning streak, including four straight in the Area III tournament in which a loss would’ve ended Post 87’s season. High Point’s area title was its fourth all-time and it is in the state tournament for a second time.

Morehead City (15-6) advanced as the host team, but did make it to the Area II semifinals before being swept by Hope Mills. Post 46 won the 2006 state title (with recent minor league graduate and Cleveland Indian rookie  Lonnie Chisenhall) and is making its fourth state tournament appearance.

Rowan County (23-8) is in its seventh state tournament after finishing as Area III runner-up for a record 17^th time. Also winner of a record 17 Area III titles, Post 342 has won seven state titles, its last coming in 2009 when it finished third in the World Series. 
Wayne County (25-5) won its record eighth Area I title in a one-game playoff over Cary. Post 11 is playing in its sixth state tournament, but first since 2008 in Gastonia.

Wilmington (29-5) enters the tournament with the best record after winning its record 23^rd Area II championship in a 3-1 series victory over Hope Mills. Post 10’s eight state titles is tied for second in state history with Charlotte/Newell/Mint Hill and trails only Gastonia Post 23’s nine state championships. Wilmington is in the state tournament for the sixth time and fourth in a row.

Edgecombe County loses a great lady

Ann Pitts Cobb

For those who have attended football games at North Edgecombe and SouthWest Edgecombe over the last 25 years or so, you know that Ann Pitts Cobb was a fixture of support. 

From this point on, she'll be in the stands at SWE in spirit.

Mrs. Cobb, who we all affectionately called "Ms. Ann", was the mother of SouthWest Edgecombe head football coach Raymond Cobb, and she passed away Thursday at Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville. She was 81.

Her endearing spirit and loyalty to both programs during Raymond's successful tenure at the schools were unmatched. Whether it was in the stands on those hot sultry days of early season games, or bearing the bitter cold of a late-season playoff matchup, Ms. Ann was there - more often than not bending the ear of her beloved daughter-in-law Martha, Raymond's wife, or her husband - the sublime J. Vines. She was the Ying to his Yang - and they were a wonderful pair.

She was a sweet spirit who lit up every room with her presence. A leader in so many facets of Edgecombe County life, this patron of the arts and all things good was the matriarch of the one of the nicest and dearest families I have ever known.

I have so many fond memories of her. Two come to mind, from 1997 and 1998.

She and the rest of the Cobb Clan made to trip to down I-95 (except Raymond and his team who superstitiously made trip down U.S. 301) to play South Robeson for the 1-A East finals and trip to the state championships.

It had to have been the coldest Friday in N.C. high school football history. But there she was - in this bone-chilling cold pulling for her Warriors. NE came from behind in the final two minutes and won the contest, then beat Rosman in the state 1-A finals to go undefeated for the season (15-0).

In 1998, North Edgecombe, which barely made the playoffs due to a myriad of injuries earlier in the season, was the No. 16 seed and made the trip to Camden to face the East's top-seeded team. J. Vines had just bought a new minivan and he wanted to put it on the road. So I was asked to accompany him, Ms. Ann, Martha and her son Jonathan to the game.

She was a ball of nerves making the trip to the little town outside Elizabeth City, but that was last time that minivan had to go on the road that season - until trekking to Chapel Hill.

That was the one year the NCHSAA had the rule that if a lower seed defeated a higher seed, that team would assume that team's seeding in the bracket.

With the support and urging of Ms. Ann and the rest of the Warrior fans, North Edgecombe upset Camden 8-6. After taking over Camden's No. 1 seeding, the Warriors beat every opponent - at home - the next three weeks to end up in the 1-A state title game again.

Only a hard-fought 22-20 loss  to Starmount, ironically, one year after B.W. Holt's departure, kept the Warriors from becoming the subject of the ultimate Cinderella story.

And as you can imagine, the NCHSAA threw out that rule after one season. But for one year, Ms. Ann saw it help her miracle Warriors.

The highs for Ms. Ann certainly outweighed the lows in every facet of her life. It's those wonderful memories that keep people alive in our hearts.

Ms. Ann will forever be a glow in mine.

Morales to represent RMHS in Greensboro

Recent Rocky Mount High graduate Andrew Morales will represent the Gryphons next week at the 2011 N.C. Coaches Association's East-West All-Star Games. 

Morales, a 5-foot-10, 155-pound midfielder, will be the second Gyphon ever to participate in the Boys' East-West All-Star Soccer Game which is being played Tuesday evening (8:30) at UNC-Greensboro's Soccer Stadium. 

Kingsley McLeod was the first-ever Rocky Mount soccer player so selected back in 2008.

Morales will play for Duke University this fall where he'll major in economics. He plans to pursue a career in law.

As a senior, he was named All-State, All-Conference, All-Region and ESPN Rise All-American as he scored 38 goals and 40 assists. He closed out his career with 89 goals and 85 assists.

“I am very excited to be playing in the all-star game, and I expect it to be a very competitive game, ” Morales told game officials.

NCAA Men’s Soccer East-West All-Star Game

Venue: UNC-Greensboro Soccer Stadium, Greensboro

Date:  Tuesday, July 19, 8:30 p.m.

Admission: $10 adults, $5 students. Group rates are available in advance – call 336-379-9095.

Parking:  Parking deck on Walker Avenue and on lots at Walker Ave. and Aycock St. 

Midnight Madness set for RMHS season-opening practice

Make plans to stay up late Friday, July 29.

Rocky Mount High will unveil its 2011 varsity football team with the start of the season's first practice under the stars - one minute after midnight (12:01 a.m.) at the Rocky Mount Athletic Complex.

Dickie Schock will open his third season as head coach under lights! Practice is expected to last approximately one hour. July 30 is the official start date for high school football across the state.

This will also be the last season the Gryphons will play at RMAC. It may be a sentimental sendoff to the place where the Gryphons have called home for 24 seasons. 

So come out and support your Gryphons!

Former Rocky Mount football coach takes over at Granville Central

John Hammett is making a return to the football sidelines.

Hammett, who spent four seasons as Rocky Mount's head football coach, was last a head coach at Oxford Webb.

But Hammett made a career change. He decided to go into the administrative side of education and was serving as an elementary school assistant principal in Granville County.

At end of last month, he accepted the head football coaching job at Granville Central High School - a relatively new high school that enters its third year of varsity football this fall. He replaces Don Colgan at the post.

Hammett made a return to Rocky Mount as Webb's head coach in the Warriors' second round 2008 NCHSAA 3-A state playoff game against the Gryphons. RMHS prevailed 48-14.

Post 58's Game 1 playoff game with Wayne Co. moved to Friday

After just three innings, the skies opened up Thursday evening and rained out Coleman-Pitt Post 58's Area I East semifinal playoff matchup with Wayne County Post 11 at Nash Central's Dawg Pound. 

After a 45-minute delay, the contest was called off, but Legion officials didn't have the facts of where or when Game 1 of the best-of-three series would be played (the three innings Thursday were wiped out as half the game had not been completed) until around noon Friday.

Game 1 will now be played at 4 p.m. at Rocky Mount High's Gryphon Stadium, where Post 58 played its home games last season.

Virgil to play for USA in IFAF Senior World Championship

IFAF Release



Stephan Virgil



The game of American Football has truly developed into a global sport which has been made clearly evident with the attraction of the upcoming IFAF Senior World Championship which will be held in Austria from July 8-16 as eight countries compete for the coveted gold medal.

Former Rocky Mount athlete and Virginia Tech cornerback Stephan Virgil will be playing for the USA team. Virgil is listed on the team roster at 5-11, 190 pounds and he will wear the No. 22. He is one of 39 former college football stars selected for the team.                                               

Many may be surprised by the number of countries that play organized American Football a sport that is stereotyped as a sport mainly played in United States. The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) was formed in 1998 (See complete IFAF History) and currently has 59 country members that participate in the continuously growing sport.   

The Senior World Championship is an impressive event that features eight countries from four continents - Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico and United States - competing but even more than that, the tournament has attracted spectators from all around the world. 

Currently, American football fanatics from 28 different countries have purchased tickets to witness first-hand some of the best players from the world compete in one place!  The countries include 24 from Europe, three in North America and Australia.

To check out the USA Team roster, click here

Post 58 advances without playing

New Bern Post 24 played dead once again Monday as the team has now forfeited the entire first round series of the Area I East American Legion Baseball Playoffs to Coleman-Pitt Post 58.

After 11 days off, Post 58 (17-5) will finally get to hit the field Thursday when it hosts Wayne County in a second round best-of-three series. Game time is 7 p.m. at Nash Central High School.

Wayne County beat Edenton 14-7 Sunday evening in Mt. Olive, then topped Edenton at Historic Hicks Field 8-3 Monday night to take its opening series 2-0.

Post 58 playoff game forfeited

Rocky Mount Coleman-Pitt Post 58 picked up a win without even hitting the field Sunday.

It was supposed to play New Bern Post 24 in the opening round of the Area I East Legion Baseball playoffs tonight at home. But New Bern, due to vacations and members playing on summer travel teams, won't be able to field a team for the contest. 

Therefore, it has forfeited the contest - leaving Post 58 1-up in the best-of-three series.

But it has not been determined where Game 2 will be played. As the top seed, Post 58 should get at least one home game (gate and concessions), so right now it's not known whether Post 58 will travel to New Bern Monday or play a home game that evening.

We hope to have that info shortly!

RMHS summer activity calendar

Here is the activity calendar for Rocky Mount High School sports for the remainder of the summer.

JULY

25-29 -

Volleyball Camp: 6:30 p.m. (Grades 9-12 only)

30 -

Football practice starts: 12:01 a.m. to 1 a.m - Midnight Madness @ RM Athletic Complex. Please contact Coach Dickie Schock at 977-3085 (school) 977-3164 (football office).

AUGUST

1 -

All preseason fall sports practice begins:

Cross Country (Dee Davis): 7:30 a.m. @ Stone Park

Girls Golf (Kent Cox): 10 a.m. @ Northgreen Country Club

Boys Soccer (Andrew Nick): 6 a.m.- 8 a.m.; 5 p.m-7 p.m.

Girls Tennis (Barry Nethercutt): @ Sunset Park, TBA

Volleyball (Tabitha Wilcox): 9 a.m.-12 noon

4 -

Fall Athletic Picture Day: 3 p.m. @ Main Gym

8 -

Fall Athletic Parent (Mandatory) Meeting: 6 p.m. @ Main gym

RMHS Athletic Booster Club meeting: 8 p.m.

12 -

Authorization for Athletic Participation forms are to be turned in. These forms are required before your son or daughter can participate in any sport. You will receive this package at the parent meeting.

18 -

JV football vs. Bunn, 7 p.m.

19 -

Season opener: Varsity football @ Bunn, 7:30 p.m.

25 -

School starts.

Nash County's best baseball players

I recently received an inquiry from an area resident. He wanted to know if I could produce a list of all the Nash County high schoolers that went on to play college baseball - at any level

And he wanted to know which Nash Co. players were drafted and/or signed by a professional team.

My memory is pretty good, but I know I missed quite a few players. But 99 percent of guys on these lists were off the top of my head. 

So I decided to share these lists with you and if you know of someone that I missed, please send that person's info to me via the comment link at the bottom of the article. I will gladly add them. 

Certainly, it will be the players from the 60's and beyond that will not be in my memory banks, so I urge you to send them on to me. 

Can't wait to see your entries!

(Editor's Note - Many of you have responded to my plea for help and I have added as many as 30 more players to my original list. Keep them coming! 
Were there any players who went to Red Oak, Benvenue, Coopers, Spring Hope or Nashville High Schools that belong on these lists?)

NASH COUNTY'S COLLEGE BASEBALL PLAYERS

Jack Allsbrook, Rocky Mount - Class of 1947 - to Atlantic Christian (Barton)
Dudley Whitley, Rocky Mount - Class of 1952 - to N.C. State
Harold Gilbert, Rocky Mount - Class of 1956 - to N.C. State
Bobby Ellis, Rocky Mount - Class of 1961 - to Frederick College

Danny Talbott, Rocky Mount - Class of 1963 - to UNC

Mike Tyson, Northern Nash - Class of 1970 - to Indian River C.C.

Gary Ange, Rocky Mount - Class of 1971 - to NC Wesleyan

Howard McCullough, Rocky Mount, Class of 1972 - to Louisburg, East Carolina
Terry Leonard, Rocky Mount - Class of 1972 - to Chowan 

Randy Warrick, Rocky Mount - Class of 1973 - to Louisburg, UNC

Marvin "Sonny " Wooten, Rocky Mount - Class of 1973 - to Louisburg, East Carolina
Larry Daughtridge, Rocky Mount - Class of 1973 - to Louisburg
Danny Weaver, Northern Nash - Class of 1973 - to Atlantic Christian (Barton)
Tommy Warrick, Rocky Mount - Class of 1974 - to Louisburg, East Carolina
Doug Henley, Rocky Mount - Class of 1975 - to Wake Forest, Georgia
Tommy Crocker, Rocky Mount - Class of 1975 - to N.C. State
Greg Proctor, Rocky Mount - Class of 1975 - to Louisburg CC

Steve Partin, Rocky Mount - Class of 1976 - to Louisburg CC
Buddy Luper, Rocky Mount - Class of 1976 - to Louisburg CC
Mike Leonard, Northern Nash - Class of 1977 - to Pembroke State (UNC-Pembroke)
Greg Clark, Rocky Mount - Class of 1978 - to NC Wesleyan

Kevin Bunn, Rocky Mount - Class of 1980 - to Wake Forest

David Downs, Rocky Mount - Class of 1980 - Wake Forest

Bill Merrifield, Rocky Mount - Class of 1980 - to Wake Forest

Jeff Newsome, Rocky Mount - Class of 1980 - to UNC-Wilmington

Bill Wilkes, Rocky Mount - Class of 1981 - to Campbell

Billy Godwin, Northern Nash - Class of 1982 - to Atlantic Christian (Barton)
Carl Payne, Northern Nash - Class of 1982 - to NC Wesleyan

David Ellis, Rocky Mount - Class of 1983 - to NC Wesleyan

Neil Avent, Rocky Mount - Class of 1985 - to Wake Forest
Charlie Long, Northern Nash - Class of 1985 - to Mount Olive

Donnie Bobbitt, Rocky Mount - Class of 1986 - to Wake Forest
Shelton Grant, Rocky Mount - Class of 1986 - Western Carolina
John Adams, Northern Nash - Class of 1986 - to East Carolina

Phil Bryant, Southern Nash - Class of 1986 - to NC Wesleyan

Lee Boone, Northern Nash - Class of 1988 - to US Coast Guard Academy

Mark Worsley, Rocky Mount - Class of 1988 - to Lenoir CC, N.C. State

Ernie Jones, Southern Nash - Class of 1989 - to Lenoir CC, NC Wesleyan

Greg Bobbitt, Northern Nash - Class of 1989 - to St. Augustine's

John Bonner, Northern Nash - Class of 1990 - to Appalachian State

Eric Gazaway, Northern Nash - Class of 1990 - to NC Wesleyan

Rocky Seagroves, Rocky Mount - Class of 1991 - to Lenoir CC, NC Wesleyan

David Joyner, Northern Nash - Class of 1991 - to Lenoir CC

Kelvin Whitaker, Rocky Mount - Class of 1991 - to St. Augustine's

Marcus Mitchell, Rocky Mount - Class of 1992 - to Pfeiffer

Byron Evans, Northern Nash - Class of 1992 - to NC Wesleyan

Chris Bryant, Southern Nash - Class of 1992 - to NC Wesleyan

Fred Boone, Northern Nash - Class of 1992 - to US Coast Guard Academy

Marcus Battle, Rocky Mount - Class of 1994 - to UNC-G

Scott Gibson, Rocky Mount - Class of 1994 - to UNC-Pembroke

Jeremy Stewart, Northern Nash - Class of 1995 - to NC Wesleyan
Travis Matthews - Rocky Mount - Class of 1995 - Brevard JC, Barton

Andy Jones, Southern Nash - Class of 1995 - to NC Wesleyan

Jeremy Ward, Rocky Mount - Class of 1996 - to Wake Forest, Long Beach State

Kenny Wilson, Rocky Mount - Class of 1996 - to Louisburg, UNC-Wilmington
Chris Tyndall , Rocky Mount - Class of 1996 - East Carolina
Jeremiah Parvin, Rocky Mount - Class of 1997 - to Davidson

David Ange, Rocky Mount - Class of 1998 - to UNC-Wilmington

Barrett Bodiford, Rocky Mount - Class of 1998 - to Appalachian State
Jason Battle, Rocky Mount - Class of 1998 - to N.C. A&T

Paul Jenkins, Rocky Mount - Class of 2001 - to UNC

Carter Harrell, Rocky Mount - Class of 2001 - to UNC, Louisburg, East Carolina

Chad Alligood, Northern Nash - Class of 2001 - to Greensboro College

Brian Massey, Southern Nash - Class of 2001 - to Mount Olive
Will Tyson, Southern Nash - Class of 2001 - to Barton
Paul Bauer, Rocky Mount - Class of 2001 - to Lenoir CC
Chuck Davis, Rocky Mount - Class of 2001 - to Lenoir CC
Adam Weaver, Rocky Mount - Class of 2002 - to UNC, Elon
Ricky Howard, Southern Nash - Class of 2002 - to Louisburg, Campbell
Luke Murray, Southern Nash - Class of 2002 - to NC Wesleyan

Tyler Petty, Northern Nash - Class of 2002 - to Barton

Kai Mullen, Rocky Mount - Class of 2002 - to Elon

Josh Richardson, Faith Christian - Class of 2002 - to NC Wesleyan

Michael Parker, Rocky Mount - Class of 2003 - to Barton

O.J. Jenkins, Rocky Mount - Class of 2004 - to N.C. Central

Mark Wooten, Northern Nash - Class of 2004 - to NC Wesleyan

Ted Williams, Northern Nash - Class of 2004 - to NC Wesleyan
Thomas Evans, Southern Nash - Class of 2004 - to Barton
Jason Webb, Southern Nash - Class of 2004 - to Barton

Will Johnson, Rocky Mount - Class of 2005 - to Barton

Bryan Braswell, Northern Nash - Class of 2006 - to Campbell

Jonathan Lucas, Northern Nash - Class of 2006 - to NC Wesleyan
Joseph Keel, Southern Nash - Class of 2006 - to Mars Hill

Chad Womble, Rocky Mount - Class of 2007 - to Flor./Darlington C.C., NC Wesleyan

Jason Gay, Northern Nash - Class of 2007 - to NC Wesleyan

Thomas Sykes, Northern Nash - Class of 2007 - to NC Wesleyan

Andrew Webb, Northern Nash - Class of 2007 - to NC Wesleyan

Brian Allen, Southern Nash - Class of 2007 - to Pitt C.C., NC Wesleyan
Adam Hodges, RM Academy - Class of 2007 - to Hamden-Sydney

Ryan Waldrep, Rocky Mount/S. Brunswick, Class of 2008 - to Appalachian State

Zach Woodley, Northern Nash - Class of 2008 - to Pitt C.C.

Daniel Moore, Northern Nash - Class of 2008 - NC Wesleyan

Jim Leggett, Rocky Mount - Class of 2008 - to Belmont Abbey, Pitt C.C.

Alex Pearce, Nash Central - Class of 2008 - to UNC-Pembroke

Edmund Gravely, RM Academy - Class of 2008 - to Newberry

Ben Fish, Rocky Mount - Class of 2009 - to Campbell U.

Tyler Joyner, Northern Nash - Class of 2009 - to East Carolina

Tyler Clark, Northern Nash - Class of 2009 - to NC Wesleyan

Cameron Ramsey, Rocky Mount - Class of 2009 - to Wake C.C./Campbell U.

Gabe Brown, Rocky Mount - Class of 2009 - to Lenoir C.C./N.C. Central

Mike Williams, Northern Nash - Class of 2009 - to Pitt C.C.

Eric Mull, Faith Christian - Class of 2009 - to NC Wesleyan

Hobbs Johnson, Rocky Mount - Class of 2010 - to UNC

Collins Cuthrell, Rocky Mount - Class of 2010 - to Barton

T.J. Taylor, Nash Central - Class of 2010 - to Wake C.C.

Brett Allen, Southern Nash/Wilson Fike - Class of 2010 - to NC Wesleyan
Thomas Berry, Rocky Mount - Class of 2011 - to Lander U.

Benton Moss, Rocky Mount - Class of 2011 - to UNC

Matthew Berry, Rocky Mount - Class of 2011 - to Barton

Jeremy Lucas, Northern Nash - Class of 2011 - to Barton 

PRO SIGNINGS/DRAFTED

Dudley Whitley, Rocky Mount - Class of 1952 - N.C. State - signed by Corpus Christi Clippers

Danny Talbott, Rocky Mount - Class of 1963 - UNC - drafted by Detroit Tigers (2nd round - No. 22)

Mike Tyson, Northern Nash - Class of 1970 - Indian River State College (Fl.) - signed by St. Louis Cardinals (3rd round - No. 60)
Marvin "Sonny" Wooten, Rocky Mount - Class of 1973 - drafted by Chicago Cubs (29th round - No. 641)

Doug Henley, Rocky Mount - Class of 1975 - Wake Forest, Georgia - signed with New York Mets (free agent)
Greg Clark, Rocky Mount - Class of 1978 - NC Wesleyan - signed by Los Angeles Dodgers (18th round - No. 462)

Bill Merrifield, Rocky Mount - Class of 1980 - Wake Forest - signed by California Angels (2nd round - No. 53)

Greg Bobbitt, Northern Nash - Class of 1989 - St. Augustine's - signed by Chicago Cubs (free agent)
Duane Thomas, Rocky Mount - Class of 1991 - signed with Baltimore Orioles (free agent)
Carl Payne, Northern Nash - Class of 1982 - signed with Kansas City Royals (free agent)
Chris Bryant, Southern Nash - Class of 1992 - NC Wesleyan - signed by Baltimore Orioles (14th round - No. 388)

Jeremy Ward, Rocky Mount - Class of 1996 - Wake Forest/Long Beach State - signed by Arizona Diamondbacks - (2nd round - No. 71)

Maurice Cobb, Rocky Mount - Class of 2002 - signed by Montreal Expos - (27th round - No. 767)

Xavier Macklin, Nash Central - Class of 2008 - N.C. A&T - signed by Oakland A's - (12th round - No. 376)
Brian Goodwin, Rocky Mount - Class of 2009 - UNC/Miami Dade CC - signed by Washington Nationals - (Compensation round - No. 34)

Holts are grandparents for the third time!

The Holts are grandparents again!

Former Rocky Mount head football coach B.W. Holt and his wife Barbara became grandparents for the third time Wednesday with the arrival of AnnWallace Whitley Holt in a hospital in Bowling Green, Ky. to parents Stu and Kim Holt.

Mother and daughter are doing fine. AnnWallace, the Holts' third grandaughter, weighed 6 lbs, 2 oz, and was also born on the birthday of her great grandmother, B.W. mom's. 

Congrats to the Holt family. 

I'm not sure of the origin of "AnnWallace", but "Whitley" is B.W.'s middle name.

Just wondering if B.W. will ever get to coach up a grandson!

Matthew Berry to ink with Barton

Matthew Berry

What a way to end the biggest day of your athletic life!

During the day Wednesday, recent Rocky Mount grad Matthew Berry verbally committed to play baseball for D-II Barton College. 

Later that evening, he hit a walk-off grand slam for Coleman-Pitt Post 58 to give it a 17-4, seven-inning, 10-run rule victory at home over Wilson Post 13. That win clinched the Area I East Northern Division title for Post 58 with two regular season games left on its slate. 

Berry marks the fourth Gryphon player in the last decade to play for the Bulldogs. He'll join former players Michael Parker, Will Johnson and current player Collins Cuthrell in wearing the royal blue and white. 

The slugger recently set the career batting average mark for RMHS at .473. His 71 career hits ranks No. 9 on the school's all-time list. He knocked in 52 runs and scored 49 times. He closed his Gryphon career with six home runs and 22 doubles.

The two-year letter winner was especially hot this past season when he led the team in batting average (.455), hits (35), doubles (12) , triples (1), RBI (32) and walks (17). His performance garnered him a spot on the first-team squad from the Big East 3-A Conference.

Earlier this summer, his twin brother Thomas signed with D-II Lander University. Although the two schools are not in the same conference, perhaps sometime in the next four years, the two brothers will get to face each other.

It might be nerve-wracking for parents Cindy and Steve, but it would be interesting too see for us fans who got see them play during their prep days.

Alright Baseball Britt - see if you can help make this matchup happen!

Post 58 runs winning streak to eight!

MT. OLIVE - Rocky Mount Post 58 brought out not one, not two, but seven pitchers to the mound to face Wayne County Thursday night in a non-conference American Legion Area I East affair played at Mount Olive College. 

Post 58 came away with an 8-4 win to bring its winning streak to eight. It will face Edenton Post 40 in a doubleheader Saturday at Nash Central's Dawg Pound beginning at 5 p.m.

Chase Johnson started, went just one inning, and was then followed by Cam Webb, Jeremy Lucas, Trellis Ashley, Matthew Berry, Stevie Williams and Spiers Miller. Johnson and Ashley were the only ones who pulled more than an inning of work.

At the plate, Miller was a standout as he went 2-for-5 with an RBI, while Abel Hernandez and Miller also added two hits. Both teams had eight hits apiece, but Post 58 threw in five stolen bases.

Thomas Berry signs with Lander University

Thomas Berry

For the third time in Lander University baseball history, a former Rocky Mount player and the Greenwood, S.C. school have crossed paths.

In the early 2000s, former Rocky Mount catcher Jerry Edwards was an assistant coach there. Then last year, former Gryphon athlete Britt Johnson also made his way there as an assistant.

Now the first Gryphon athlete will be playing on the field for Bearcats.

Recent Gryphon graduate Thomas Berry has signed a national letter-of-intent to play baseball at Lander. The school (enrollment, 3,000), is a member of the D-II Peach Belt Conference (which includes UNC-Pembroke). Berry is expected to play first or DH for the school, which had one of the toughest NCAA Div. II schedules in the country last season. The Bearcats closed out their 2011 campaign at 29-24, but was nationally ranked earlier in the season.

Add in the fact that Lander is moving into a brand new stadium next spring, and Johnson is just waiting to see the lefty Berry knock them out over the fence in right center.

Berry just concluded a stellar three-year career as a Gryphon starter. The burly senior, who earned a ring as a freshman reserve on Rocky Mount's 2008 state title team, had his best season at the plate this past spring hitting .392 with 32 RBI, three home runs and 22 runs scored.

He concluded his career hitting .352, knocked in 67 runs (second only to Ben Fish on the all-time list) on 67 hits, slammed nine home runs and scored 53 runs. He also earned an astounding 52 base-on-balls, No. 2 on the RMHS career list to Brian Goodwin. 

There is another RMHS baseball connection to Lander. 

Former Gryphon pitcher Jim Leggett was signed by current Lander head coach Kermit Smith to play for Belmont Abbey when Smith was the head coach there. Leggett was forced to sit out his lone year there as a redshirt after shoulder surgery. Smith led that team to the NCAA D-II Baseball World Series.

And with Berry's help, that's what he and Johnson want to do at Lander.

Wilson Post 13 humbled by Rocky Mount 12-2 in Fleming

Jeremy Sloop

By Tom Ham

Wilson Times

WILSON - Two hot American Legion baseball teams collided for sole possession of the North Conference lead of Area One’s Eastern Division in Fleming Stadium on Wednesday evening.

But an ideal night for baseball turned into a cold, sobering occasion for a sloppy Wilson Post 13 team that was humbled by Rocky Mount, 12-2. The contest, scheduled for nine innings, was halted after seven because of the 10-run lead rule.

Thomas Berry

Both teams entered 3-0 in the conference. Overall, Rocky Mount, with its seventh consecutive win, climbed to 9-3. Post 13, winner of three straight and five of its last six, plunged to 7-5.

Coleman-Pitt Post 58 visits Wayne County this evening, before Wayne County comes to Wilson on Friday night at 7 in Fleming Stadium.

The score was knotted 1-1 when Post 13 left the bases loaded in the bottom of the second inning. Rocky Mount then reached starting — and losing — Wilson pitcher Ches Lamm for four runs in the top of the third, and boosted its lead to 12-2 with six runs in the top of the sixth.

Jon Naylor

Starting right-handed Rocky Mount pitcher Jeremy Sloop made certain that Wilson did not prolong the game past the seventh inning by striking out the side to complete his route-going performance.

“Our pitching wasn’t there,” lamented Post 13 head coach Rusty Dail. “We walked too many (seven) people. We put them in situations in which they capitalized.

“We threw the ball away a couple of times and fell apart. We became a different team. I told the guys that any team can play ahead but, to be a good team, we have to be able to play from behind. Maybe we can learn from this.”

Second-year Rocky Mount head coach Hank Jones was understandably pleased.

“I had seen Wilson play twice and consider them the team to beat in our conference,” Jones contended. “To come over here and get a win is a big deal for us. We started off (the season) kind of rough, but we are getting better ... It has been a process.”

Wilson answered Rocky Mount’s run in the first when shortstop Zach Houchins doubled some 400 feet to center field and scampered home on third baseman Mitchell Wheeler’s single.

But after wiggling out of the bases-loaded jam in the second, Sloop (3-1) stopped Post 13 on a pair of singles and an unearned run the last five innings. The Nash Central High product yielded six hits and one earned run while walking three and striking out seven.

Jones suggested Rocky Mount’s four-run third (5-1 lead) was pivotal for Sloop.

“That might have given him a little confidence,” Post 58’s head coach suggested, “and calmed him down a little bit.”

In the meantime, Lamm constantly fell behind in the count to Rocky Mount batters and threw 94 pitches in four innings — when he walked five and struck out five.

Also, Dail’s decision to issue two intentional walks backfired in the six-run sixth. Post 58 tallied two of its runs on bases-loaded walks.

Rocky Mount nicked four Post 13 pitchers for 12 hits. Shortstop Jon Naylor batted 3 for 5 and drove in two runs. First baseman Thomas Berry went 2 for 3 with two RBI1. Catcher Tyler Wooten and second baseman Spires Miller each contributed two hits. Post 58’s defense, especially the outfielders, made all the plays.

Center fielder Will Bynum, a product of Greene Central High and Mount Olive College, was the only Wilson hitter with a pair of base knocks.

Dail described Post 58 as a “scrappy little team.” However, Jones indicates his Post 58 squad is not about to be deceived by Wednesday night’s success.

“When they come to Rocky Mount, we know we’ve got to play our best,” he cautioned.

(Thanks to Wilson Times sports editor Paul Durham for allowing me to reprint this article).

Hess headed back to Indiana, accepts head coaching job

Indiana native Alan Hess is going back home

Rocky Mount assistant football coach Alan Hess has one interesting to-do list in front of him.

• - Pack a U-Haul and drive nearly 700 miles to a new town, Marenga, Indiana, this weekend
• - Marry his finance' Jennifer Ignet on Saturday, July 9
  
• - Take over as the new head football coach at Crawford County High School

Hess, 26, has become the fifth Rocky Mount assistant under former head coach B.W. Holt to become a high school head coach. Hess, who coached the offensive line and special teams at RMHS, will take over a program at a school that's been around for 35 years, but has only had football since 2007.

The former head coach didn't have any beginner's luck - going a dismal 4-36 in four seasons. The school, the only high school in a county of less that 11,000 people and one stop light, saw the coach resign after going win-less last season.

Crawford County Schools officials liked Hess, who is from Tell City, about a 45-minute drive southwest of Marenga in the southern part of the state. He heard about the resignation of the former coach in February and decided to apply for the position. 

About two weeks ago after several telephone conversations, he was asked to fly in for an in-person interview. He apparently was exactly what that they were looking for in a head coach.

"I'm nervous, sad, happy, excited, overjoyed ... about every emotion there is," said Hess, a social studies teacher who coached Gryphon football for three seasons and baseball the last two. "I can't thank Coach Holt enough for bringing me on here and all my coaches at Urbana (College in Ohio where he was a kicker/punter) for preparing me for this moment."

Things were more than a bit haphazard in the program last season. Hess says they employed the wishbone, the spread and the pro-I. The coaching was inconsistent. Players left the program during the season. In fact, only 18 dressed for the final game of the season. He knows changes have to be made.

And it all starts with getting bodies on the field.

When he returned to Rocky Mount from getting the job, Hess brought back a list of potential freshmen that might be playing next year. He's personally calling every player on the list to try to convince them to join the program. 

He's determined to do all the little things to build the program into a winner.

Hess, who played baseball and basketball against Crawford County in his high school days, is still unsure of a few things. He's not sure who will be on the team this fall, who will be on his staff and right now, he doesn't even know what he'll be teaching - social studies or physical education. The former head football coach is still at the school as the baseball coach.

HEAD COACHING HOTBED

Since 2001, 11 Nash County assistant football coaches have become head coaches.

Amazingly, six of them have been from Rocky Mount. 

Here is a list of those coaches:

Alan Hess, Rocky Mount - to Crawford County (Ind.)

Jeremy Jones, Nash Central - to South Creek

Chris Lee, Rocky Mount - to Louisburg

Brent David, Rocky Mount - to Winston-Salem Carver

Chad Smith, Rocky Mount - to Northern Nash (now Easley, S.C.)

Russell Weinstein, Northern Nash - Roanoke Rapids
Kevin Crudup, Nash Central - to Nash Central

T.J. Worrell, Nash Central - to Perquimans

Dickie Schock, Rocky Mount - to Franklinton (to Orange, now Rocky Mount)

Lonnie Custer, Southern Nash - to North Lincoln

Mark Hoover, Rocky Mount - to Chatham Central (to West Lincoln, now Central Davidson)