Three Gryphon fall sports teams are ranked

Rocky Mount's football, girls tennis and boys soccer teams are all currently ranked in the Top 10 in statewide polls.

The football team is third in the most recent NCPreps/Rivals.com 3-A poll. The girls tennis team is 10th in the North Carolina High School Tennis Coaches Association 3-A poll, while the boys soccer team is sitting in the No. 8 spot in the N.C. Soccer Coaches Association 3-A Boys Soccer poll.

Here are all three polls:

NCPreps/Rivals 3-A Football Poll

1. Western Alamance (1-0)
2. Charlotte Catholic (1-0)
3. Rocky Mount (1-0)
4. A.L. Brown (1-0)
5. Hertford Co. (1-0)
6. Concord (0-0)
7. NE Guilford (0-0)
8. North Gaston (1-0)
9. SW Edgecombe (0-0)
10. Sun Valley (1-0)
11. Dudley (1-0)
12. T.C. Roberson (1-0)
13. NW Cabarrus (1-0)

(Honorable Mention): Andrews, T.W. (0-0), Anson County (1-0), Asheville High (0-0), Franklin (1-0), Glenn (1-0), Harnett Central (1-0), Hickory (0-0), Olympic (1-0), South Point (0-0), SE Guilford (0-0), West Iredell (1-0), West Rowan (1-0)

NCHSTCA 3-A Girls Tennis Poll

1. Hickory
2. Ragsdale
3. Charlotte Catholic
4. Union Pines
5. Wilson Fike
6. Burlington Williams
7. T.C Roberson
8. Rocky Mount
9. Southwest Guilford
10. Southern Alamance

N.C. Soccer Coaches Association 3-A Boys Soccer Poll

1. Lake Norman
2. Jacksonville
3. Western Guilford
4. T.C. Roberson
5. Forestview
6. Rutherfordton-Spindale Central
7. Asheville
8. Union Pines
9. Charlotte Catholic
10. Rocky Mount
11. SW Guilford
12. Western Alamance
13. Hickory
14. Wilson Fike
15. Glenn
15. Porter Ridge

Sinclair matches RMHS return stat of 2006

- RMHS senior Donovan Sinclair

As offensive-minded as Rocky Mount's 2006 football team was, it only recorded one punt return for a touchdown the whole season.

Senior Anthony Smith scooted 60 yards on a punt return to paydirt at Wilson Hunt at a crucial time in that 21-7 Gryphon win. RMHS had trailed 7-0 at halftime and it could have been 10-0 if not for a certain blocked field goal attempt.

Rocky Mount tied it on an 86-yard scoring jaunt by Demetric Marshall, and Smith's return got the Gryphons their first lead.

Friday night, lightning sorta struck again in the Gryphons' favor. Senior Jacobi Jenkins blocked a key extra point attempt by Hunt that kept the game tied late at 20-all.

Guess who also registered that key FG block last season against Hunt? None other than Jenkins, who has received a scholarship offer from East Carolina.

Minutes later, senior Donovan Sinclair delivered an electrifying 65-yard punt return with 1:09 left in the game to give the Gryphons the lead. Senior Emmanuel Davis delivered the crushing block that sprung Sinclair to his dance down the sideline past his teammates for the score - matching last year's team's lone punt return TD.