Jenkins shines in ECU's Purple-Gold Game

Former Rocky Mount star athlete Jacobi Jenkins showed some of his speed and pass catching talent in East Carolina's annual Purple-Gold football game at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Jenkins, the NCHSAA 3-A state champion in the 110 hurdles in 2008, signed with the Pirates in February last year and was redshirted this past fall. But it looks as though he is in the Pirates' offensive plans for the 2009 season.

Playing for the Pirates, the 6-foot, 175-pound wide receiver caught five passes for 55 yards in a 31-10 loss to the ECU squad.

RMHS' Battle signs with Queens University

Rocky Mount senior Dyonna Battle signed a national letter-of-intent Wednesday to play basketball at D-II Queens University in Charlotte next school year.

Pictured above (click on picture to enlarge) is Battle flanked by her mother Gail and and her father Donnell. Looking on are, left, Dyonna's coach Pam Gainey and Rocky Mount athletic director Mike Gainey.

Read more about her signing on Rocky Mount's sports website rockymounthigh.ihigh.com next week. (Photo/David Hahula)

Cobb explains why he chose Arizona

I reached former Rocky Mount athlete Travis Cobb recently and he sent me an explaination as to why in February he signed to play football at the University of Arizona next fall.

Cobb, a member of the RMHS Class of 2005, played on the football team, but started at second base in baseball. He is now at Blinn Junior College in Texas. Here is what he said about his recent journeys.

"Well, I decided to go to the University of Arizona, I came to that decision around December. I have two friends out there that play on the team already from this junior college (Blinn JUCO, Tx.) last year, so I was real comfortable out there had a need. They needed a reciever with some experience to step in because their main receiver is going into the NFL Draft this year.

I wanted to come in and fill that need. I will be there in June at the begining of summer workouts.

My coming down to Blinn in Texas went like this.

I was at Louisburg College in N.C., but they weren't trying to get me a spot anywhere at the next level. So I took it upon myself to make a move. I came to a combine at Blinn and I ran a 4.35 in the 40 and the coaches just fell in love with me.

That first season I had to sit out because all my credits from Louisburg didn't transfer over.

But I had 1,000 total yards of offense the next season and that helped me a lot with getting recruited. Now all I have to do is do a minimester here, then I will be Arizona-bound."

Former Gryphon assistant gets another head job

I never thought when Mark Hoover left Rocky Mount as an assistant football coach that he'd be a head coach three times in a seven-year span.

But that's what the Pennsylvania native has done.

Hoover, an assistant under former Gryphon head coach John Hammett for two seasons in the early part of the decade, has just been hired as the head football coach at Central Davidson High in Lexington.

Hoover, who is currently an assistant coach at West Forsyth, has had head jobs at Chatham Central and West Lincoln before getting his new gig. Both those positions involved turning programs upside down to get the wins coming in - including putting an end to Chatham Central's massive 28-game losing streak.

Central Davidson hasn't been a consistent winner of late, so let's see if he will inject some wins into the 1-A program.

After all, he'll be running the Wing-T!

Website predicts Goodwin to go to the Yankees!

Rocky Mount senior centerfielder Brian Goodwin is predicted to be the 28th pick of the first round of the 2009 MLB Draft which is set for Tuesday, June 9.

The website myMLBDraft.com has Goodwin going to the New York Yankees with their first pick in their mock draft.

For a look at the site's prediction, including former Conley pitcher and current UNC hurler Alex White going in the top three picks, click here!

It would hurt my feelings to see him in pinstripes considering that I've been a Red Sox fan for over 40 years, but at least we'd see him more playing for an East coast team.

We wish him all the best when the time comes!

Twin Counties Football in 2009: NORTHERN NASH

Northern Nash, with new head coach Mickey Crouch, has relesed its 2009 varsity football schedule.

Right away, I noticed that Hertford County and Bertie have disappeared. Cary is making a return to the Knights' ledger. Also new is South Central.

So, how many wins do you see for Coach Crouch's bunch?

2009 NORTHERN NASH SCHEDULE

• Aug. 21 -- BEDDINGFIELD
• Aug. 28 -- CARY
• Sept. 4 -- at Tarboro
• Sept. 11 -- SOUTH CENTRAL
• Sept. 18 -- at South Johnston
• Sept. 25 -- at Southern Vance
• Oct. 2 -- OPEN
• Oct. 9 -- WILSON HUNT*
• Oct. 16 -- at Southern Nash*
• Oct. 23 -- at Nash Central*
• Oct. 30 -- WILSON FIKE*
• Nov. 6 -- ROCKY MOUNT

Twin Counties Football in 2009: SW EDGECOMBE

About a week ago, I called SouthWest Edgecombe head coach Raymond Cobb and he revealed to me his 2009 football schedule and a look at his new Eastern Plains 2-A slate.

It has some interesting matchups on it.

First, Cobb, who hasn't played that many endowment games since moving over to SouthWest, has one next season. He'll make his first-ever trip to Elizabeth City Northeastern. Although, he has been just across the river from Elizabeth City at Camden County - where he won a fateful 8-6 playoff game there in 1998 that helped send his North Edgecombe team to Chapel Hill and a shot at the 1-A state title against Starmount. NE lost to a Rams team - one year removed from B.W. Holt's exit.

But Holt and Cobb finally did get to meet and their teams are now great rivals - albeit, Rocky Mount holds a 4-1 edge in their recent meetings. SouthWest comes calling on the Gryphons on Sept. 18.

The EPC will be one tough league - with the likes of 2008 eastern champ Tarboro, a Kinston and Beddingfield squad that dropped from the 3-A ranks, and an up-and-coming North Pitt team.

Another interesting note about SWE's schedule is that Cougars end the season with an open date. Whether that's good or bad is debatable. If you're playoff bound and you have kids with some nagging injuries, the break can be good. But it could be a momentum buster, depending on how the season is going. I hope it works out for the Cougars.

2009 SW EDGECOMBE SCHEDULE

• Aug. 21 -- at Northeastern (E)

• Aug. 28 -- CURRITUCK

• Sept. 4 -- NORTH EDGECOMBE

• Sept. 11 -- at Wilson Hunt

• Sept. 18 -- at Rocky Mount

• Sept. 25 -- KINSTON*

• Oct. 2 -- at Farmville Central*

• Oct. 9 -- BEDDINGFIELD*

• Oct. 16 -- at North Pitt*

• Oct. 23 -- TARBORO*

• Oct. 30 -- @ Greene Central*

• Nov. 6 -- OPEN

Twin Counties Football in 2009: SOUTHERN NASH

As I receive area 2009 high school football schedules, I will share them with you right here.

First up is Southern Nash's football slate, which has an interesting twist.

I guess they are taking a page out of Wilson Fike's scheduling book. For the past few years, Hunt and Fike have played twice - home and home. Because they are natural rivals, the gates for both games have been tremendous.

This coming fall, Southern Nash will be doing the same thing with Nash Central - playing once as a non-conference meeting and once as a league game.

A problem with Firebirds' slate is that they play six of their last eight games on the road!

(home games are listed in CAPS):

2009 SOUTHERN NASH SCHEDULE

• Aug. 21 -- FRANKLINTON
• Aug. 28 -- BUNN
• Sept. 4 -- WILSON BEDDINGFIELD
• Sept. 11 -- at Roanoke Rapids
• Sept. 18 -- at South Granville
• Oct. 2 -- at Nash Central
• Oct. 9 -- at Wilson Fike*
• Oct. 16 -- NORTHERN NASH*
• Oct. 23 -- at Wilson Hunt*
• Oct. 30 -- at Rocky Mount*
• Nov. 6 -- NASH CENTRAL*

Barton's Johnson on a tear!

Barton senior and former Gryphon Will Johnson is congratulated by his teammates Sunday after hitting one of his two home runs in a victory over Pfeiffer. (Photo/Tom Ham, Wilson Daily Times)

RMHS alums Don and Wanda Johnson had three sons (Britt, Will and Grant) who spent a nine-year stretch playing varsity sports at Rocky Mount High School.

But the only one who played sports collegiately on scholarship was middle son Will.

Now a senior second baseman at Barton College, Will is tearing the cover off the ball as the Bulldogs are fighting for a title in Conference Carolinas - a D-II league.

Over the past two weeks, Johnson has been hotter than a firecracker. And on Senior Day Sunday, he belted two home runs, back-to-back, to help the Bulldogs beat Pfeiffer.

Johnson's pair of solo shots pushed his season's total to four. In the last seven games, Johnson has batted a scorching .522 (12 for 23), scored 10 runs and knocked in seven. All four of his homers have come during the stretch - including a two-run bomb against my alma mater, N.C. Wesleyan, last week in a 7-4 Barton win at Fleming Stadium.

"His power numbers have caught everybody that knows him by surprise," Barton head coach Todd Wilkinson told the Wilson Daily Times. "However, he has worked hard in the weight room and has great timing right now. His addition at the bottom of the lineup has been a huge boost for our team."

"Everybody has been asking me the same thing and I have no idea," Johnson, an All-Conference and All-Area performer who led RMHS in pass receiving his senior season, told the WDT of a binge that earlier included hits in eight consecutive at-bats. "My swing feels good and everything is clicking and working out well."

Of his power surge, Johnson laughed and added: "If I knew, I would have been doing it all four years."

Editor's Note: As of the weekend of May 2, Barton (30-17) was waiting to see if it would get an at-large bid to the NCAA Div. II baseball regionals. If Johnson's career is through, his senior season certainly will have been a memorable one. He would have closed it with a .337 batting average, six doubles, six home runs (second on the team), 20 RBI and the team's second highest slugging percentage (.598).

Way to go out, Will!

RM's Battle to sign with Queens University

Rocky Mount senior forward Dyonna Battle will be taking her game to the next level.

On April 15, she is expected to sign a letter-of-intent to play basketball for Queens University in Charlotte. Queens, a D-II school, is a member of the Conference Carolinas Conference, which calls Barton College and Mount Olive College home.

Battle had an outstanding career at RMHS - finishing as the school's No. 3 girls' basketball scorer with 1,290 points. Only all-staters Kim Taylor and Danielle Powell finished ahead of her.

She was a four-time NEW 6 Conference All-Conference selection and was the league's MVP in 2008. She was the league's tournament MVP last month. Battle, who led the league in scoring this past season with a 16.6 avearge and hauled down 6.6 rebounds a game, helped Rocky Mount to successive NEW 6 regular season and tournament titles.

Her last two games of her career were truly memorable. Both in the NCHSAA playoffs, she scored a combined 56 points - including a career-high 31 points against Havelock in the second round. In those two contests, she was 23-for-23 at the free throw line. She finished the season shooting 81 percent from the charity stripe.

The Royals went 15-13 this past season under head coach Trudi Lacey, the former All-American player from N.C. State.

Her family and friends will get to see her play at least twice each season when Queens comes east to Wilson and Mount Olive.

Fish picks Campbell

Rocky Mount senior catcher Ben Fish has made his decision as to where he'll play his college ball. Ben has picked Campbell University.

He'll sign in the coming days with the Camels. He made his decision after a campus visit on Monday.

For the first time since 2001, at least three D-I recruits are playing on a Rocky Mount team at the same time. The 1980 team won the 4-A state title with five D-I players: David Downs, Kevin Bunn and Bill Merrifield all signed with Wake Forest, while catcher Jeff Newsome inked with UNC-W and then-junior pitcher Bill Wilkes later signed with Campbell, which may have been in the NAIA back then. Check back with me on that.

In 2001, Paul Jenkins, Carter Harrell and Adam Weaver all verbally committed to UNC, although Weaver signed one season later.

From the current team, senior Brian Goodwin has signed with UNC, while junior lefty hurler Hobbs Johnson has verbally committed to the Tar Heels.

Congrats to Ben and his family (shoutout to Ashley, Macauley and Don!). And he's only a few RBI away from becoming the top Gryphon on that list.

The record is currently held by Jeremy Ward and Chris Berry at 66. Fish entered his senior campaign with 54. He currently stands at 61.

NCWC's Long wins 300th game; Bishops post victory No. 1,000

NCWC Sports Information

North Carolina Wesleyan College head baseball coach Charlie Long earned the 300th win of his career on Sunday as the Battling Bishops turned in a 5-2 victory over USA South rival Methodist University in Fayetteville.

Coupled with Saturday’s 5-4 defeat of the Monarchs, the Bishops were able to sweep the series and take over sole possession of first place in the league standings with 3-1 conference record. Wesleyan has now won 10 of its last 11 contests to move to 14-11 overall.

Long, a Northern Nash graduate, chalked up his 299th victory on Saturday in NCWC’s series-opening 5-4 victory.

Wesleyan took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first when senior Luke Williford singled, stole second and third, and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

The Monarchs (16-7, 2-2) answered with a pair of runs in the third to take a 2-1 lead, but the Bishops countered with two of their own in their next at-bat. Sophomore Zach Alexander led off the inning with a solo blast to right-center, and Williford later drove in a run with an RBI-single to right.

Down 3-2, Methodist again plated a pair in the fourth and maintained its 4-3 advantage until the eighth inning. It was then that Williford struck again, this time with a two-out, two-run single that proved to be the game-winner.

NCWC starter Jonathan Lucas went six complete, allowing four runs on 11 hits and striking out four in the no-decision.

Freshman Ben Franceschi (2-0) earned the win in relief after tossing a scoreless 2.0 innings, which set the stage for junior John Child’s fourth save of the season.

Williford finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored, while Zollie Woodlief and Alexander each had two hits. Wesleyan ripped 10 hits as a team in the contest.

Saturday’s victory set the stage for Long’s milestone win on Sunday, and senior righty Ben Moore made sure his coach did not have to wait.

Moore (3-1) tossed a complete game, scattering six hits and allowing just two runs while striking out five and walking one.

Long’s 300th coaching victory is the second major milestone for the N.C. Wesleyan baseball program in the past two weeks.

The Battling Bishops also turned in the program’s 1,000th overall victory with a recent 12-10 win over Piedmont College at Bauer Field.

NCWC has three players from Nash County on its roster and all three are Northern Nash alums: Andrew Webb, Daniel Moore and Lucas.

Hahula, Lee headed to Greensboro this summer

Rocky Mount football players Torey Lee and Nick Hahula will play for the East at the Annual NCCA East-West All-Star Football Game on Wednesday, July 22 at Grimsley High School's Jamieson Stadium.

All told, five Twin County area players will be participating (in bold). The head coach for the East will SouthWest Edgecombe's Raymond Cobb. Check out the list of his assistants and you will see some familiar names, too!

East Roster

• Taylor Hanson, Offensive Lineman, Wake Forest-Rolesville

• Dorian Edwards, Offensive Lineman, Kinston

• Roy Marsh, Offensive Lineman, East Wake

• Torey Lee, Offensive Lineman, Rocky Mount

• Marquis Hines, Offensive Lineman, SouthWest Edgecombe

• Charles Crank, Offensive Lineman, Richmond Senior

• A.J. Ferguson, Tight End, South Brunswick

• Danny Allen, Wide Receiver, Nash Central

• Rashad Parker, Running back, Wilson Fike

• Hakeem Strickland, Running Back, Louisburg

• Brad Simmons, Running Back, Northside

• Steven Moore, Running Back, Chapel Hill

• KaRonne Jones, Fullback, Cape Fear

• Nick Hahula, Fullback/Kicker, Rocky Mount

• Ryan Hill, Quarterback, West Brunswick

• Antwan Thorpe, Quarterback, Oxford Webb

• Reggie Geddie, Defensive Lineman, Erwin Triton

• Dylan Buntyn, Defensive Lineman, Havelock

• Darian Tripp, Defensive Lineman, Greene Central

• Ralph Bonner, Defensive Lineman, Fayetteville Jack Britt

• Keegan Ray, Defensive Lineman, Chapel Hill

• T.J. Batchelor, Defensive Lineman, Southern Nash

• Daniel Collins, Linebacker, Holly Springs

• Joseph Blanks, Linebacker, Purnell-Swett

• Mark Walker, Linebacker, Leesville Road

• Carlos Fields, Linebacker, Northern Vance

• Marcus Allen, Linebacker, Pine Forest

• Justin Rodgers, Linebacker, Bunn

• Tyreese Prince, Safety, Harnett Central

• Jared White, Safety, Fayetteville Jack Britt

• Greg Gilbert, Cornerback, South Brunswick

• Jamal Rolle, Cornerback, Wilson Beddingfield

East Coaching Staff

• Head Coach Raymond Cobb (SouthWest Edgecombe)

• Assistant Coach Brian Foster (Southern Nash)

• Assistant Coach Kenneth Grantham (Greene Central)

• Assistant Coach Grover Battle (Northern Nash)

• Assistant Coach Jimmy Williams (East Wake)

• Assistant Coach Ken Whitehurst (D.H. Conley)

Goodwin reaches century mark!

It was a given that senior Brian Goodwin was going to set several RMHS baseball records as he proceeds through his senior season.

Three games in, Goodwin hasn't broken any quite yet, but he did reach a milestone Tuesday in the Gryphons' 5-4 home loss to J.H. Rose.

His bunt single in the ninth inning was the 100th hit of his RMHS career. He trails only Adam Weaver (121) in total career hits in RMHS history.

Goodwin needs just two doubles to take that RMHS career record away from Jeremy Ward and Weaver. Both currently share it at 27, while Goodwin sits at 26.

Strangely enough, through three games, the Gryphons have recorded just two extra-base hits - a double by senior Dillon Cockrell in RMHS' 8-4 season-opening win over South Granville last week, and a double by sophomore Thomas Berry against Wesleyan Christian Saturday (5-2 RM win).

Baseball America article on IMPACT Saturday

Click here to check out the article on Baseball America's website on the day of baseball at the IMPACT Baseball Invitational this past Saturday at the USA Baseball Training Complex.

Rocky Mount won its game with a 5-2 victory over Wesleyan Christian.

On another note, Gryphon senior Brian Goodwin has also been named to Baseball America's 10-member Preseason High School All-America first team.

The Gainey Files

Here are the up-to-date numbers on the coaching careers of Rocky Mount basketball coaches Pam Gainey and Mike Gainey.

PAM GAINEY

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 - 278-128, .685 winning percentage (16 seasons)

(Eight conference titles, seven conference tournament crowns, eight 20-win seasons, one sectional title, 15 straight playoff appearances)

MIKE GAINEY

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 - 207-103, .655 winning percentage (12 seasons)

(Four conference titles, six conference tournament crowns, two 20-win seasons, two sectional titles, made playoffs all 12 seasons)

NEW 6 hoop seniors made a real mark!

Several senior basketball players in the NEW 6 Conference have made some indelible impressions in their four years as varsity players.

But I am going to start the list with an impressive junior!

Rocky Mount's Tashawn Mabry finished the season averaging 26.5 points a contest - third in the state. He also averaged eight rebounds a game and two assists a game. He recorded 78 blocks (3.4 a game). He has scored 1,823 points. The school record is 2,093 points held by Phil Ford (1974). Mabry has been All-Conference first team three times.

Now with seniors!

RMHS forward Dyonna Battle scored 16.6 pts. a game this past season. She finished her career with 1,290 points. - third on RM's all-time girls basketball scoring list. She also had 594 rebounds. Battle was an All-Conference first-team selection four times.

RM's point guard Alonzo Sharpe finished his career with 1,134 pts. and 507 assists.

Nash Central guard Trey Sumler concluded his fine career with 1,921 points. He's been a first-team All-Conference selection four times. He averaged 23.6 this past season including a career-high 40 points. vs. Bunn. He's the school's all-time assist leader with 405 and steals leader with 260. Sumler also led the Bulldogs to a sterling 74-31 record the last four seasons.

NC's forward Michael Speight also reached the 1,000-point plateau with 1,034 career points and is NC's career leading rebounder with 612.

Wilson Fike's forward Jeremy Atkinson closed his career with 2,001 points. He's a four-time NEW 6 first-teamer. He's been Player and Co-Player of the Year in the league.

Fike guard Tramicka James ended her career with 1,074 points. She'll play soccer at Tusculum (Tn.) next fall.

Southern Nash's scoring tandem of Alyse Hall and Shante Neal also eclipsed 1,000-career points. Hall, a four-time first-team NEW 6 selection, closed her career with 1,515 points. Neal finished with 1,099.

Mabry gets two more offers

Rocky Mount junior All-Stater Tashawn Mabry received two more scholarship offers Monday.

Mabry, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard/forward, had already gotten offers from N.C. State, Wake Forest and Clemson.

Monday, he got offers from Marquette and LSU. Xavier and Virginia Tech are on the verge of making him an offer, says his dad Mike Mabry.

Although the NEW 6 All-Conference basketball team has not been released, Mabry, the co-MVP of the league last season, is a lock to be picked to the first team squad for the third straight season. He averaged 26.4 points this past season and is moving ever so close to becoming Rocky Mount's all-time scorer.

I will have to get up with Charlotte Bobcats assistant Phil Ford to see what he's up to next Christmas, when his 2,093 points - the RM scoring record he's held for 35 years, will come down. Mabry needs just over 280 points to get there.

Ford was very gracious in saluting Tyler Hansbrough when his 31-year stranglehold on UNC's top scoring mark went down this season.

Perhaps he'll do the same for Mabry.

RM's Goodwin named to All-America team

CHARLOTTE - Rocky Mount center fielder Brian Goodwin started gaining national attention for his talents last season and this past summer.

More attention was recently thrown his way when The Sporting News' 2009 Baseball Yearbook hit newstands with him as a member of its 2009 High School All-America Team.

He joins Charlotte Providence infielder Richie Shaffer as the only North Carolina players on the squad.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior was named to the 10-player All-America squad. Weather permitting, fans of the Gryphons can catch him in their season opener at home Wednesday against South Granville.

Goodwin helped Rocky Mount win the NCHSAA 3-A state championship last season while hitting .473, socking a state-leading 15 doubles and 21 RBI while stealing 21of 21 bases.

Goodwin has signed to play next season with the University of North Carolina, which The Sporting News ranked as the team to beat for an NCAA title this season.

NEW 6 Tournament Champs!

Rocky Mount's boys basketball team won its second consecutive NEW 6 Tournament title Friday with an 87-76 overtime win over Nash Central Friday evening. They will face Western Alamance in the first round of the NCHSAA 3-A state playoffs at home Monday at 7 p.m.