Hunt will face East Rowan for 3-A title

For the first time since 1999, a Wilson County team will be going after a state title in baseball.

Wilson Hunt, a team Rocky Mount beat twice during the Big East Conference season, will face East Rowan in the NCHSAA 3-A state baseball championship series beginning Friday.

The last Wilson team to get this far - Wilson Fike beat T.C. Roberson for the NCHSAA 3-A title in 1999.

In all likelihood, the Warriors (26-4) will play their series at Five County Stadium in Zebulon or at N.C. State's Doak Field.

Of course, Gryphon fans will remember that East Rowan was downed in 2008 in the 3-A title series 2-1 to give Rocky Mount its fifth state title.

2009-10 RMHS sports award winners

FALL SPORTS

Varsity Football

Collins Cuthrell - Outstanding QB/Receiver
Nah'jerrelle Graves - Outstanding DL
Marquavis Alston - Outstanding RB
Aaron Barnes - Outstanding LB
Marcus Jones - Outstanding DB
Zebebee Battle - Billy Smith Lineman Award

JV Volleyball

Evie Hunter - Most Valuable Player
Alexus Threatt - Best Defensive Player

Varsity Volleyball

Lauren Campbell - Coaches Award
Kendria Worley - Extra Effort Award
Danita Whitaker - Most Outstanding Player

Girls Varsity Tennis

Lindsay Thomas - Most Valuable Player
Kate Gray - Coaches Award
Addie Keeter - Coaches Award

Cross Country/Boys

Daniel Hannon - Most Valuable Player
James Bonds - Most Improved

Cross Country/Girls

Neferteti Thigpen - Most Improved
Zikeena Parker - Co-Most Valuable Player
Latoya Applewhite - Co -Most Valuable Player

Boys Soccer

Justin Marsigli - Outstanding Offensive Player
Drew Gorham - Outstanding Defensive Player
Andrew Morales - Most Valuable

Girls Golf

Morgan Lewis - Top Golfer
Emily Brown - Most Improved

WINTER SPORTS

Indoor Track

Boys:
MVP - Winston McLaughlin
Most Improved - Culpriest Clark
Coaches' Award - Christopher Miller

Girls:
Outstanding Performer - Zikeena Parker
Outstanding Performer - Michaela Thorne

Swimming:

Girls:
MVP - Kristi Barnes
Coaches' Award - Lauren Campbell
Most Improved - Janeeka Harris

Boys:
MVP - Zachary Vestal
Coaches' Award - Ross Bradley
Most Improved - Clark Covolo

JV Cheerleaders:

Best Attitude - Brandi Whitaker
Most Spirited - Brittney Chambers

Varsity Cheerleaders:

Best All Around - Aerostata Brown
Coaches' Award - Brandy Murray
Coaches' Award - McAuley Fish

JV Girls Basketball:

Most Outstanding - Precious White
Most Improved - Kelsey Daniels

Varsity Girls Basketball:

MVP - Danita Whitaker
Coaches' Award - Latoya Applewhite
Most Improved - Timisha Walker

JV Boys Basketball:

Co-MVP - Mason Hines
Co-MVP - Kenneth Peoples

Varsity Boys Basketball:

Most Valuable - Tashawn Mabry
Offensive MVP - William Young
Gryphon Pride Award - Hakeem Parker

Wrestling:

Co-MVP - Chandler Phillips
Co-MVP - Janicento "JK" Wiliamson
Coaches' Award - Mason Holt

SPRING SPORTS

Boys Track:

Most Valuable Runner - Devonte Jenkins

Coaches' Award - Paul Lilley

Most Improved - Culpriest Clark

Girls Track:

Most Valuable Performer - Zikeena Parker

Leadership Award - Nancy Thai

Gryphon P.R.I.D.E. Award - Marquita Hines

Girls Soccer:

MVP - Sydney Browder

Defensive Player of the Year - Kate Gray
Offensive Player of the Year - Allison Raper
Player of the Year - Kate Gray

Varsity Baseball:

Cy Young Award - Hobbs Johnson
Most Improved - Spencer Bell
Mr. Consistency Award - Collins Cuthrell
Charlie Hustle Award - Michael Whitehead

JV Baseball:

Most Improved - Abu Bakar Raja

Armed Services Award: Addie Keeter, Andrew Bowers

JUAN CHESSON AWARD - Carter Varnell

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Danita Whitaker

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Marquavis Alston

FEMALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Addie Keeter

MALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Andrew Bowers

SWE gym named for Langley; Jenkins sisters enshrined in Hall of Fame

By Tom Ham, Wilson Times

PINETOPS -- The steeped girls basketball tradition at SouthWest Edgecombe High originated with the Jenkins sisters, Alphelia and Bridget, and their coach, Sandra Langley.

In their combined five varsity seasons, the Jenkins sisters, with Alphelia a year older than Bridget, combined for nearly 4,000 points and a pair of N.C, High School Athletic Association championships.

Since the sisters' departure, Langley, the only head girls basketball coach in the school's history, has guided the Lady Cougars to two more state titles and Langley is nearing 700 career wins.

Alphelia and Bridget Jenkins were honored at the start of SouthWest's athletic banquet on Monday night with their induction as the fifth class into the SouthWest Edgecombe High Athletic Hall of Fame, increasing membership to 11.

The pair unexpectedly shared the spotlight when first-year Principal John Westberg dropped a proverbial bombshell upon Langley.

Westberg announced that the Edgecombe County Board of Education, earlier in the day, approved naming the SouthWest gymnasium as "Sandra Shelton Langley Gymnasium." Langley, banquet master of ceremonies, was stunned, visibly shaken.

Alphelia Jenkins described she and her sister, who was not present, being inducted into the hall of fame on the same evening that the school gym was named in Langley's honor as "remarkable."

"I'm very happy for her," added Alphelia Jenkins, who now resides in Newport News, Va. She explained that Bridget Jenkins, now a resident of Suitland, Md., and employed by the Department of Transportation, could not attend because of a conflict.

"This is quite an honor, obviously with the program's history that we started. It's a long time coming. It means a lot to both of us. When we got the nominations, we were both very ecstatic," said Alphelia Jenkins, who accepted both commemorative plaques.

Langley hailed the Jenkins sisters as "two good role models."

Both Jenkinses starred for the 1981 team that defeated Burnsville Mountain Heritage 65-64 for the state championship. Bridget Jenkins then ignited the 1982 Lady Cougars to a state-championship triumph against Shelby Crest High. Both teams were undefeated. Alphelia and Bridget Jenkins are the program's only two first-team Converse All-Americans.

Alphelia Jenkins, a tremendous leaper at 6-foot-1, scored 2,007 career points, trailing only Tyneshia Lewis among SouthWest's career scorers. The Associated Press proclaimed Alphelia Jenkins as all-state in 1981.

She continued her career at Old Dominion University and was joined by her sister as two of the nine players on ODU's 1985 national championship team. Upon her graduation from ODU in 1985, Alphelia Jenkins played professionally in Ireland and, at age 32, tried out with the Charlotte Sting and the New York Liberty in the fledgling WNBA. She also toured Spain with the U.S. National Team.

Alphelia Jenkins' life after basketball includes finance, banking and youth services.

Bridget Jenkins amassed 1,958 career points and starred for the two state-championship teams that were nationally ranked by USA Today. The 1982 team was ranked in the top 15. Heralded as a "pure jump shooter," Bridget Jenkins was proclaimed All-State in 1981 and 1982.

She signed with East Carolina University but transferred to ODU after one year. ODU's 1985 national-championship team earned a spot in the finals against Georgia thanks to Bridget Jenkins blistering the nets for 22 points in the final eight minutes of the semifinal against Northeastern Louisiana.

Bridget Jenkins, Old Dominion's Most Valuable Player in 1987 -- the year she graduated, enlisted in the U.S. Army and landed All-Army acclaim before ending her basketball career with a major knee injury.

Alphelia Jenkins' jersey No. 32 and Bridget Jenkins' jersey No. 23 at SouthWest have been retired.

"We accept these awards with much pride and dignity," Alphelia Jenkins spoke in behalf of her sister. "And we are both fully aware that our legacy began right here at SouthWest Edgecombe."

SouthWest Edgecombe is where Langley never left after launching her esteemed coaching career with brief stints at North Edgecombe and West Edgecombe. She is a graduate of South Edgecombe.

Struggling to regain her composure, Langley commented: "It doesn't get any better. I love my community, love basketball and love my former players. I've had good players, good support and good administrators.

"I've been in the right place at the right time. (First SouthWest Principal Cecil) Long saw something in me and decided to give me the job. I came in with some superstars (including Jenkins sisters); I can't take credit for it. I'm shocked."

Langley became SouthWest's athletic director in 1991. She joked that her love for the school is extensive to the point her husband, Gerald, once suggested: "Why don't you just go and sleep out there."

"But I was determined to show," she added in a serious tone, "that you can be a female, have a family (two sons), God in your life, work -- all of it -- if you are willing to do it the right way."

Former Gryphon assistant football coach calls it quits at Winston-Salem Carver

By Mason Linker, Winston-Salem Journal

WINSTON-SALEM - Brent David's stay as Carver's football coach is over after two seasons.

Saying he thought that there might be a better person to coach the team, David turned in a letter of resignation late last week.

David, 39, coached Carver to a 19-8 record, including 8-5 last fall. The Yellowjackets' 2009 season ended with a 16-14 loss to Lincolnton in the second round of the NCHSAA 2-A playoffs.

"It's a great place over here, and as far as the talent, it's here," David said. "They have a very good team coming back. The nucleus is here. But everyone in the entire program needs to be heading in the same direction, not only the head coach but the assistants and everyone involved.

"Those are the key components to win a state championship, and I didn't think that was happening with me as head coach.

"I wish the kids the best of luck and (Athletics Director) Aaron Bailey, who does a good job, and I am sure they will find the right fit for Carver."

Bailey said that the position will be advertised and that there's a possibility of naming an interim head coach from the current staff.

"We want to make sure the program stays afloat and that there's a common voice the players can relate to," Bailey said. "Coach David has been going to workouts, he has consistently been in the weight room with the kids. I don't know what changed.

"I think Coach David did a good job. From what I saw, he is a very knowledgeable football coach and knows the game without a shadow of a doubt. He did a good job, and his results indicated that."

David, a native of High Point who played linebacker at Appalachian State, took over at Carver in 2008 after several seasons as an assistant at Rocky Mount. Carver finished 11-3 in his first season, losing 20-16 to West Rowan in the Class 3-A quarterfinals. West Rowan, winner of the last two 3-A titles, needed two long, trick-play touchdowns to win.

David said he planned to continue to teach physical education at Carver and take a year off from coaching. He said he would like to continue working with athletes in the weight room and that he would do anything he could for the players.

"I'll do anything that will help this team," he said. "That was the reason for me stepping down. I think the program was taking a hit. I felt like we were trying to do it the right way, we were going in the right direction, but I felt like it might be a little better without me.

"By no means am I done as a coach. I will continue to work on my craft, do some scouting and take in as many seminars and clinics as I can and try to get better. I am kind of proud of the decision I made.

"I have waited all my life for a head-coaching job, and this was a good opportunity. But sometimes you have to do a self-assessment and see if I am what this situation needs. Someone else might be able to do a better job over here."

RMHS boys basketball team awarded rings Thursday

Here are shots of Rocky Mount head boys basketball coach and athletic director Mike Gainey's state championship ring.

Duplicates of this ring were awarded to team members, assistant coaches and team managers and trainers of the team Thursday evening at the school's annual athletic banquet and awards ceremony.

Click on each shot to enlarge.

2010 Rocky Mount football schedule released

Gryphon fans, get ready to hit the road for the 2010 football season!

Rocky Mount will have seven road games on the schedule, which was released Tuesday.

And two new teams will be on the slate. Well, really one new team and one team the Gryphons haven't faced in over 30 years!

An endowment game has been added - a road trip to Bertie on Aug. 20. The Falcons and the Gryphons haven't met on the gridiron since 1979 - the last year Bertie was a 4-A school.

Gone is Northampton-East and added is newbie East Duplin (Beulaville), a 2-A school. The Panthers are members of the East Central Conference.

Have a look!

2010 Rocky Mount Football Schedule

August 20^th - @ Bertie (E)

August 27^th - NORTHERN DURHAM

September 3^rd - @ East Duplin

September 10^{th -} HERTFORD

September 17^th - @ Southwest Edgecombe

September 24^th – open-

October 1^st - @ JH Rose

October 8^th - @ Nash Central*

October 15^th - @ Hunt*

October 22^nd - WILSON FIKE*

October 29^th - @ Southern Nash*

November 5^{th -} NORTHERN NASH*