2010 RMHS Gryphons Baseball Team Video Tribute

This video, sent to me by Joe Bell, is a tribute to the 2010 Rocky Mount High School Gryphons baseball team which won the Big East Conference championship with a 10-0 league record, advanced to the second round of the NCHSAA 3-A playoffs and ended the season with a record of 22-3.

Hudgins signs with AFL's Chicago Rush

Darius Hudgins, father of former Rocky Mount and Elon University great Terrell Hudgins, told me last week that Terrell has signed to play wide receiver with the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League.

The Rush, which plays its home game in the 17,000-seat Allstate Arena (formerly called the Rosemont Horizon), will open play on Monday, March 14 at Milwaukee in the Bradley Center.

The Rush have qualified for the playoffs every season of their existence, and won ArenaBowl XX in 2006 - its only losing season, but it went to the playoffs that season as a wildcard and ended up winning the championship.

Below is the Rush's 18-game schedule.

Though the NFL Network will broadcast the Rush twice this coming season (vs. Philadelphia, March 18; vs. Kansas City, April 22), you can listen to every Rush game. Just click here !

2011 Chicago Rush Schedule

Day, Date, Opponent, Time, Site

Monday, March 14 - @ Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m. - Bradley Center

Friday, March 18 - Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. - Allstate Arena
Friday, March 25 - San Jose, 7:30 p.m. - Allstate Arena
Saturday, April 2 - @ Cleveland, 3 p.m. - Quicken Loans Arena
Saturday, April 9 - BYE
Saturday, April 16 - @ Iowa,  7 p.m. - Wells Fargo Arena
Friday, April 22 - Kansas City, 7 p.m. - Allstate Arena
Saturday, April 30 - New Orleans, 7 p.m. - Allstate Arena
Saturday, May 7 - @ Tulsa, 7 p.m. - BOK Center
Saturday, May 14 @ Arizona, 7:30 p.m. - US Airways Center
Sunday, May 22 - Dallas, 3 p.m. - Allstate Arena

Sunday, May 29 - Tulsa, 3 p.m. - Allstate Arena

Saturday, June 4 - @ Kansas City, 1 p.m. - Sprint Center

Saturday, June 11 - BYE

Saturday, June 18 - @ Spokane, 9 p.m. - Spokane Center

Sunday, June 26 - Iowa, 3 p.m. - Allstate Arena

Friday, July 1 - Utah, 7:30 p.m. - Allstate Arena

Saturday, July 9 - @ Georgia, 6:35 p.m. - Gwinnett Center

Saturday, July 16 - @ Dallas, 7:30 p.m. - American Airlines Center

Saturday, July 23 - Milwaukee, 7 p.m. - Allstate Arena

* All times are Central Standard Time, home games in bold

Gryphon fans may remember Wolfpack killer!

All N.C. State had to do was to beat Maryland Saturday to make it to the ACC Championship Game and a rematch with Virginia Tech.

But the player who gunned down the Wolfpack to a 38-31 loss Saturday played before the home folks at the Rocky Mount Athletic Facility three short seasons ago.

With perhaps Rocky Mount's best-ever offense and defense taking the field to start the 2008 season, now Terrapin quarterback Danny O'Brien brought his East Forsyth team to Rocky Mount for that season's opening endowment game.

Ask the then 6-foot-3, 198-pound O'Brien how that Friday night went.

He was bothered and bewildered in a 43-14 loss to the Gryphons. O'Brien, who had verbally committed to Maryland the summer before, had a rough time dealing with a Rocky Mount defense that ended the season allowing just nine points a contest. RMHS had a 43-0 lead before O'Brien, who finished with just 76 yards passing, scored twice on scoring tosses against some second-string Gryphons.

But the redshirt freshman from Kernersville, whose dad played football at Notre Dame (who would think that with a name like O'Brien), went wild on the Pack Saturday. It's hard to believe he only got scholarship offers from the Terrapins, East Carolina and Duke.

Against one of the worst secondaries in the ACC, O'Brien, who has bulked up to 215 pounds, went 37-for-47 for 417 yards and four touchdowns. He's the first Terp signal caller to throw for 400 yards or more since 1993.

State came into the contest tied for last in the league in interceptions (eight) and ninth in touchdown passes allowed (16). The Pack was also in the bottom of the league in completion percentage allowed and total passing yards allowed. So getting toasted by anybody shouldn't come as a surprise.

But the only time area fans got to see O'Brien, he spent more time flat on his back.

NOTE: O'Brien has been named the ACC’s offensive and overall rookie of the year by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. He wound up starting nine games for the 8-4 Terrapins and has passed for 2,257 yards and 21 touchdowns while throwing six interceptions.

Rocky Mount girls win Triangle Tip-off Tournament Saturday

Triangle Tip-off Tournament, Knightdale HS, Knightdale

GIRLS

Championship (Saturday)


Rocky Mount 62, Knightdale 55  (overtime)


RMH 8 - 11 - 15 - 13 - 15 -- 62
KHS 14 - 7 - 17 - 9 - 8 -- 55


RMH - Marquita Hines 19, J'Kyra Brown 15, Tia Hudgins 11, Timisha Walker 10 (10 reb), Seabreeze 7,

Records: RMH 3-0.

Semifinals (Friday)

Rocky Mount 68, Wake Forest-Rolesville 45

RMH - 21 - 23 - 16 - 8 -- 68

WF-R - 5 - 17 - 7 - 16 -- 45

RMH - Timisha Walker 11, Tia Hudgins 11, Marquita Hines 11, Kushunn Seabreeze 10, Brown 8, Richardson 7, Cooper 6.

BOYS


(Saturday)


Rocky Mount 44, Athens Drive 43


RMH - 12 - 8 - 17 - 7 -- 44
AD - 5 - 12 - 7 - 19 -- 43


RMH - Dante Battle 10, Brutus 9, Hines 8, Taylor 5, Cooper 3, Gainey 3, Applewhite 3, Bullock 2, Bailey 1.


Records: RMH 2-1

(Friday)

Millbrook 65, Rocky Mount 64

RMH - 16- 26 - 6 - 16 -- 64

MHS - 15 - 22 - 2 - 26 - 65

RMH - Tevin Taylor 22, Tecoby Hines 12, Cooper 7, Battle 6, Applewhite 5, Peoples 4, Bullock 3, Te. Hilliard 2, Ta. Hilliard 2, Jenkins 1.

Day 1 schedule - Triangle Tip-off Tournament

@ Knightdale High School,  Knightdale

Friday's schedule

Knightdale girls vs. Wilson Fike, 11 a.m.
Wake Forest-Rolesville boys vs. Wilson Fike, 12:30 p.m.
Rocky Mount girls vs. Wake Forest-Rolesville, 2 p.m
Millbrook boys vs. Rocky Mount, 3:30 p.m.
East Chapel Hill boys vs. Athens Drive, 5 p.m.
Knightdale boys vs. Sanderson, 6:30 p.m.

A record six Gryphons make All-Big East boys soccer team

A record six Gryphons have been named to the 2010 Big East All-Conference boys soccer team. As you might guess, seniors (four) dominate this lineup for Rocky Mount.

The Gryphons, conference regular season champions, finished the season with a school record 22 wins (22-2-2) but fell in the third round of the NCHSAA 3-A playoffs.

A Rocky Mount player was selected Defensive Player of the Year - goalie Drew Gorham. Three Gryphons were named to the Region 3 All-region team, including Gorham.

All-Big East Boys Soccer Team

First Team


• Andrew Morales, Rocky Mount
• Matt Williams, Rocky Mount
• Drew Gorham, Rocky Mount
• Paul Lilley, Rocky Mount
• Mark Gray, Rocky Mount
• Robert Chambless, Rocky Mount
• Eric O’Brien, Wilson Hunt
• Will Jacobs, Wilson Hunt
• Linwood White, Wilson Hunt
• Raul Hernandez, Wilson Hunt
• Matthew Westbrook, Wilson Hunt
• Philip Packard, Wilson Fike
• Rob Brown, Wilson Fike
• Kyle Lewis, Wilson Fike
• Nick James, Wilson Fike
• Josh Barnes, Southern Nash
• Moises Gonzalez, Southern Nash
• Adam Hatchel, Southern Nash
• Isai Gonzales, Northern Nash
• Dylan Hendricks, Northern Nash
• Zach Connor, Nash Central
• Turner Votipka, Nash Central

Honorable Mention

• Lee McAvoy, Rocky Mount
• Jose Rojas, Wilson Hunt
• Keith Higgs, Wilson Fike
• Cody Joyner, Southern Nash
• Jeff Powell, Northern Nash
• Alex Whitehead, Nash Central

• Big East Conference Champion Coach: Drew Nick, Rocky Mount
• Big East Offensive Player of the Year: Eric O’Brien, Wilson Hunt
• Big East Defensive Player of the Year: Drew Gorham, Rocky Mount


All-Region Team

First Team

• Josh Barnes, Southern Nash
• Rob Brown, Wilson Fike
• Daniel Goff, Erwin Triton
• Isai Gonzales, Northern Nash
• Drew Gorham, Rocky Mount
• Will Jacobs, Wilson Hunt
• Kyle Lewis, Wilson Fike
• Andrew Morales, Rocky Mount
• Eric O’Brien, Wilson Hunt
• Philip Packard, Wilson Fike
• Logan Rash, Currituck
• Linwood White, Wilson Hunt
• Matt Williams, Rocky Mount

• Regional Coach of the Year: John Matthews, Southern Nash

Moss signs with North Carolina

Senior Benton Moss signs last week with UNC. (Photo/Ashley Moss)

 Rocky Mount senior pitcher Benton Moss has signed a national letter-of-intent to play baseball at the University of North Carolina. Moss signed on the dotted line last Thursday.

I am hoping he will not need the scholarship should he win the coveted Morehead-Cain Scholarship, for which he has been nominated. Former East Bladen standout and one-time Washington National Tyrell Godwin (UNC '01) was the last UNC baseball player to win the prestigious honor.

Moss, who is just six wins away from becoming Rocky Mount High School's all-time winningest pitcher, as a freshman (7-0 record) helped the Gryphons win a state title in 2008. He verbally committed to the Tar Heels the summer before his junior season after turning down offers from East Carolina, N.C. State and South Carolina.

He needs just five strikeouts to become the Gryphons' all-time leader (record held by Jeremy Ward of 216) and has compiled an eye-catching 23-2 career mark on the hill for the Gryphons.

Moss was also named last week to Baseball America's list of the top 100 high school baseball seniors in the country. He made the list at No. 85. To see the complete list, click here!

Goodwin suspended from UNC baseball squad

Former Rocky Mount High School standout and 2009 N.C. Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year Brian Goodwin has been suspended from the University of North Carolina baseball team (Photo/David Hahula)

 CHAPEL HILL - University of North Carolina sophomore outfielder Brian Goodwin has been suspended for the 2011 spring semester for violating University policy. He plans to return to North Carolina for the 2011-12 academic year.

Goodwin, a native of Rocky Mount, started all 60 games last year, batted .291 and was a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America. He led the Tar Heels last season in games started (60), RBI (63), triples (8) and walks (45).

This case is not related to the University and NCAA’s investigation into the North Carolina football program.

Rocky Mount 2010-11 Basketball Schedules

I have gotten several requests to run the Rocky Mount varsity boys/girls basketball schedules for the 2010-11 season, so here it is below.

A plus to the schedule - the Gryphons will not only host the annual Nash County Christmas Basketball Tournament (before Christmas for the first time in years and will be played over three days instead of two), but they will also entertain the Big East Conference for its cage tournament in mid-February.

Yes, it will be nice to stay home for once during the winter cage season!

ROCKY MOUNT 2010-11 VARSITY BOYS/GIRLS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
(Start times: Girls, 6 p.m.; Boys, 7:30 p.m.)

Nov. 23 - GREENVILLE ROSE
Nov. 26 - Triangle Tip-off Tournament, Knightdale HS; Girls 2 p.m./Boys 5 p.m.
Nov. 27 - Triangle Tip-off Tournament, Knightdale HS ; TBA
Nov. 30 - @ South Central
Dec. 1 - @ Wilson Beddingfield
Dec. 2 - @ SouthWest Edgecombe
Dec. 7 - WILSON BEDDINGFIELD
Dec. 8 - SOUTHWEST EDGECOMBE
Dec. 10 - SOUTH CENTRAL
Dec. 15 - @ Hertford County
Dec. 17 - @ Greenville Rose
Dec. 20 - NASH COUNTY CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENT @ RMHS
Dec. 21 - NASH COUNTY CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENT @ RMHS
Dec. 22 - NASH COUNTY CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENT @ RMHS

Jan. 5 - HERTFORD COUNTY

Jan. 7 - NASH CENTRAL*
Jan. 14 - WILSON HUNT*
Jan. 18 - @ Wilson Fike*
Jan. 21 - SOUTHERN NASH*

Jan. 25 - @ Northern Nash*

Jan. 28 - @ Nash Central*

Feb. 1 - @ Wilson Hunt*

Feb. 4 - WILSON FIKE*

Feb. 8 - @ Southern Nash*

Feb. 11 - NORTHERN NASH*

Feb. 14-18 - BIG EAST TOURNAMENT @ RMHS

* Big East Conference games

Gryphon cagers to play in Triangle Tip-off Tournament Thanksgiving weekend

KNIGHTDALE - Like last season, both of Rocky Mount's varsity basketball teams will play in the Triangle Tip-off Tournament at Knightdale High School next Friday and Saturday. HighSchoolOT.com is the title sponsor of the event.

Jamborees open Rocky Mount's cage season

Basketball will take centerstage in Rocky Mount athletics starting Thursday with the girls' team hitting the courts for a Jamboree beginning at 2 p.m.

Squads from Bertie, North Edgecombe, Northern Nash, Rocky Mount Prep and Southen Nash will be attending.

Saturday, it will be the boys' turn as several teams will join the Gryphons on the hardwood in a Jamboree in their two gyms beginning at 9 a.m.

The Gryphons will face such schools as Wilson Beddingfield, Bertie, Eastern Wayne, Goldsboro, Greenville Rose, Wilson Hunt, North Lenior and Rocky Mount Prep. 

Also of note, after scrimmages with South Central (girls, Sat., Nov. 13, away) and Westover (boys, Tues., Nov. 16, home), both RM varisty teams will open the regular season on Tuesday, Nov. 23 at home against Greenville Rose.

Girls' head coach Pam Gainey, who will start her 18th season at the helm, needs just five wins to reach the 300-career win plateau.

Can the Gryphon boys repeat as 3-A state champions? They are going to give it a run!

PAM GAINEY - girls basketball

2009-10 - 17-6, Big East champ, playoffs

2008-09 - 22-5, NEW 6 champ, tourney champ, playoffs
2007-08 - 23-2, NEW 6 champ, tourney champ, playoffs
2006-07 - 16-11, playoffs
2005-06 - 8-18, playoffs
2004-05 - 17-8, Big East champs, playoffs
2003-04 - 23-5, Big East champs, tourney champs, playoffs
2002-03 - 22-3, Big East champs, tourney champs, playoffs
2001-02 - 20-3, Big East champs, tourney champs, playoffs
2000-01 - 24-3, Big East champs, tourney champs, playoffs
1999-00 - 20-5, Big East champs, tourney champs, playoffs
1998-99 - 20-6, playoffs
1997-98 - 12-12, playoffs
1996-97 - 12-13, playoffs
1995-96 - 14-10, playoffs
1994-95 - 15-10, playoffs
1993-94 - 10-14

Career - 295-134, .688 winning percentage (start of 18th season)

(Nine conference titles, seven conference tournament crowns, eight 20-win seasons, one sectional title, 16 straight playoff appearances)
)

MIKE GAINEY - boys basketball

2009-10 - 24-3, Big East champ, playoffs, sectional champs, 3-A state championship
2008-09 - 17-11, NEW 6 tourney champ, playoffs
2007-08 - 19-7, NEW 6 champs, tourney champs, playoffs
2006-07 - 14-14, playoffs
2005-06 - 16-12, NEW 6 champs, tourney champs, sectional champs
2004-05 - 17-9, playoffs
2003-04 - 22-7, playoffs
2002-03 - 25-2, Big East champs, tourney champs, sectional champs
2001-02 - 19-2, Big East champs, tourney champs, playoffs
2000-01 - 13-11, playoffs

1999-00 - 12-12, playoffs

1998-99 - 16-10, Big East tourney champs, playoffs

1997-98 - 17-6, playoffs

Career - 231-106, .685 winning percentage (start of 14th season)

(Five conference titles, six conference tournament crowns, three 20-win seasons, three sectional titles, one NCHSAA state title, made playoffs all 13 seasons)

Bell awarded Babe Ruth Baseball scholarship

TRENTON, N.J. – Spencer Bell, a 2010 International Baccalaureate graduate of Rocky Mount High School, has been selected to receive a scholarship from Babe Ruth League, Inc.

In 2001, Babe Ruth League, Inc. established a College Scholarship Program for players who participated in the Babe Ruth League Baseball and Softball divisions. Bell is one of 10 former Babe Ruth League players from across the United States to be awarded a scholarship in 2010.

Bell played in the Nash County, North Carolina, Babe Ruth League in 2005 and 2006. He was a starter on the 2006 Nash County 14-Year-Old Babe Ruth All-Star team which advanced to the championship game of the 2006 14-Year-Old Babe Ruth World Series held in Wilson. During the World Series, Bell was named as the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game in Nash County’s game versus Roseburg, Ore.

Bell, the son of Joe and Amy Bell, is a freshman at N.C. State University where he is majoring in Zoology.

Congrats, Coach Loes!

Give the man credit. He knows his baseball!

In a recent Gryphon Grapevine poll of the Big East Conference's baseball coaches on how the World Series would turn out, Northern Nash head baseball coach Eddie Loesner was the only one of the six to pick the San Francisco Giants.

And he said in six!

Well, the Giants did him one better and did it in five games, 4-1.

His counterparts had Texas winning in six or seven games.

Said Loesner in a recent email, " (It's) good to be right every once in a while."

Rocky Mount vs. Northern Nash - The Series

As controversial as their 2009 matchup was, Northern Nash will be really psyched about making this year's trip to Rocky Mount.

The Gryphons have won seven meetings in a row and shutout the Knights four of their last six meetings. But with Collins Cuthell scoring a questionable touchdown with less than four seconds left in their 15-12 meeting at Death Valley last November, Northern's players and coaches have had this game in their sights since.

Will Rocky Mount's rule of the series end this season and put the Knights atop the Big East Conference? Will the Gryphons end their season on a high note?

Well, that's why they play the game - and we all will get to see it Friday starting at 7:30 p.m.

ROCKY MOUNT vs. NORTHERN NASH

RMHS leads 24-17

2009 - RM wins, 15-12
2008 - RM wins, 49-0
2007 - RM wins, 54-21
2006 - RM wins, 54-0
2005 - RM wins, 21-0
2004 - RM wins, 40-0
2003 - RM wins, 21-14
2002 - NN wins, 47-6
2001 - NN wins, 48-13
2000 - NN wins, 48-28
1999 - NN wins, 21-20
1998 - RM wins, 21-7
1997 - RM wins, 28-12
1996 - RM wins, 39-12
1995 - RM wins, 14-12
1994 - NN wins, 54-31
1993 - NN wins, 28-12
1992 - RM wins, 13-7, OT
1991 - NN wins 21-19
1990 - RM wins 35-7
1989 - NN wins 20-18
1988 - NN wins 21-6
1987 - NN wins 13-10, OT
1986 - NN wins 34-14
1985 - NN wins 14-12
1984 - RM wins 20-7
1983 - RM wins 21-14
1982 - NN wins 21-13
1981 - NN wins 21-16
1980 - RM wins 21-18
1979 - RM wins 21-14
1978 - RM wins 22-0
1977 - RM wins 23-6
1976 - NN wins 20-6
1975 - NN wins 18-6
1974 - RM wins 21-7
1973 - RM wins 28-16
1972 - RM wins 21-6
1971 - NN wins 14-8
1970 - RM wins 21-12
1969 - RM wins 20-0

SERIES TRENDS:

1. Rocky Mount has won 14 times scoring 21 points or less. Northern has done it nine times.

2. Rocky Mount has shut out Northern Nash six times - four times in the last six seasons, but the Knights have never shut out the Gryphons.

3. Until Northern's first-quarter score in the 2007 tilt, the Knights went scoreless in the series for straight 14 quarters.

4. Both teams have won a contest in overtime.

5. Rocky Mount is the first team in the series to win seven consecutive games.

6. The two teams actually played a game at Nash Central. Yes, in NCHS' first season of existence (had only a JV team - 2002), RM played all its home games at Nash Central's Dawg Pound due to terrible field conditions at Rocky Mount. That was also the last year NN beat RM (47-6).