Alston tops 3,000 career rushing yards

Rocky Mount senior running back Marquavis Alston topped the 3,000-yard career rushing mark Friday evening in the Gryphons' 16-13 loss to J.H. Rose.

He picked up 56 yards on 17 carries to bring his career total to 3,052 yards. His 49 rushing touchdowns is tops among all Nash County players. But he has a shot at the Twin Counties record - 64 by North Edgecombe's Milton Shaw.

But who does he join in the 3,000-yard club among all-time Nash County players?

The leader of the club is Julius Peppers (3,501) of Southern Nash, followed by former Firebird Lamont Avent, Ahmad Leonard of Northern Nash and J.J. Arrington of Northern. I have their numbers, but at the time of writing this blog entry, they are out of my grasp. I will add them later ... promise!

If you look at the Twin Counties and toss in Edgecombe County, the numbers rise considerably.

The leader would be Shaw (6,168), followed by former SouthWest Edgecombe star Jerome Staton (5,003). Tarboro's Derrick Harrell would be No. 3 (mid-4,000).

Most area fans would be shocked to find out that former Tarboro great Kelvin Bryant never reached the 3,000-yard mark in his career. Most assuredly, they'd guess that he's the Vikings' all-time leading rusher.

But they would be wrong!

Glad RMHS is fielding a girls golf team

- Meredith Tucker Bass and her son Tucker

Somewhere between Nashville and Spring Hope, I know Meredith Tucker Bass is smiling right now.

I know chasing a new toddler around is giving her untold joy, but she has to be busting at the seams to know that Rocky Mount High is fielding a girls golf team for the first time since she served as head coach for one year back in the late 90s.

Given that the 1990 RMHS alum is the best girls golfer - make that, the best golfer RMHS has ever produced, period - and she had to play on the boys team to even participate in the game at all.

But when she won the 1989 NCHSAA girls medalist state title in Chapel Hill (the same day of the Oakland-San Francisco World Series earthquake, by the way), she put RM golf on the map.

She went on to a solid collegiate career at North Carolina, but I know she would have loved having a team of her own peers.

I hope Emily Brown, Kourtney Sanders and Morgan Lewis, the three girls who make up RM's revived team this season, will continue to encourage their friends and peers to pick up the game and join the squad.

This is one program I hope won't get scrapped due to financial cuts.

AP Football Poll - Oct. 6

Here is the Associated Press state high school football poll for the week of Oct. 6, first-place votes in parentheses, records and total points as voted upon by a statewide panel of prep sports writers:

Class 4-A

1. Charlotte Independence (11) (7-0) 137 1
2. Matthews Butler (3) (5-0) 128 2
3. Fayetteville Britt (6-0) 110 3
4. Jamestown Ragsdale (7-0) 95 4
5. West Forsyth (6-0) 70 6
6. Richmond County (5-1) 68 5
7. Wake Forest-Rolesville (6-0) 47 7
8. Mallard Creek (5-1) 39 8
T9. Winston-Salem Reynolds (6-0) 30 10
T9. Greensboro Dudley (6-1) 30 9

Others receiving votes: Raleigh Leesville Road 6, Southeast Raleigh 6, Harnett Central 2, Alexander Central 1, Greensboro Page 1.

Class 3-A

1. West Rowan (14) (7-0) 140 1
2. Lenoir Hibriten (6-0) 115 4
3. Hertford County (7-0) 100 5
4. Belmont South Point (6-1) 88 6
5. Asheville (4-0-1) 64 7
6. Eastern Alamance (5-1) 46 2
7. Waynesville Tuscola (4-1-1) 39 8
8. Northern Guilford (5-1) 37
9. Havelock (5-1) 36 9
10. Shelby Crest (5-1) 34 3

Others receiving votes: Marvin Ridge 25, Gastonia Forestview 15, Pikeville Aycock 11, Fayetteville Westover 9, West Craven 5, R-S Central 4, Franklin 2.

Class 2-A

1. Reidsville (12) (6-0) 137 1
2. Tarboro (6-0) 121 3
3. SouthWest Edgecombe (2) (7-0) 116 4
4. East Duplin (6-0) 95 5
5. Pittsboro Northwood (7-0) 85 6
6. Kinston (6-1) 55 8
7. Shelby (5-1) 49 7
8. Newton-Conover (5-1) 47 2
9. East Bladen (6-0) 37 9
10. Catawba Bandys (5-1) 11

Others receiving votes: East Burke 8, East Lincoln 4, Louisburg 2, Canton Pisgah 1, Boonville Starmount 1, Burnsville Mountain Heritage 1.

Class 1-A

1. Mt. Airy (11) (6-0) 137 1
2. Albemarle (3) (6-0) 127 2
3. Southwest Onslow (6-0) 100 3
4. Hendersonville (6-0) 93 4
5. East Surry (6-0) 82 5
6. Monroe (6-0) 72 6
7. Manteo (6-0) 56 7
8. Kernersville McGuinness (6-0) 37 9
9. Pender County (5-0) 22
10. Robbinsville (4-1) 17

Others receiving votes: Elkin 8, Southeast Halifax 7, Bessemer City 6, Murphy 2, Wallace-Rose Hill 2, Williamston 1, Creswell 1.

Come Friday, Oct. 23, a probable 9-0 SouthWest Edgecombe team will be hosting a probable 8-0 Tarboro squad. I just wish every other game in the area could be rained out that night so everyone in the Twin Counties area could pile into Pinetops to witness this one!

It promises to be a classic. And who knows, they might be scalping tickets for this tilt! I can guarantee there will be plenty of cars lined up parked on N.C. 43.

Varnell out for season

I got some unsettling news yesterday on the status of injured senior linebacker Carter Varnell (No. 33 in inset picture).

He has a torn ACL in his left knee and he is out for the season. And with that, Varnell's baseball career may well be over as well as such an injury takes at least nine months to heal.

He has such hopes of coming back for the Greenville Rose game, but alas, those hopes were dashed after a day of practice Monday that saw him re-injure that knee.

I really feel for Carter and the team. His leadership and skills will be sorely missed.

I can't remember a time - certainly not in this century, that injuries have played such a big part in the Gryphons' season. Normally, no more than two starters had missed much time out at any one time. So, certainly, this may be the biggest single loss to injury since QB Jason Tyler went down with a broken wrist his junior season.

My best to Carter and his family and I know he will be urging on his teammates the rest of the season on the sidelines.

Associated Press HS Football Poll - Week 5

Class 4-A

1. Charlotte Independence (9) 4-0 126 1
2. Matthews Butler (4) 3-0 119 3
3. Fayetteville Britt 4-0 100 4
4. Jamestown Ragsdale 4-0 88 5
5. Richmond County 3-1 70 2
6. West Forsyth 4-0 57 7
7. Wake Forest-Rolesville 4-0 56 6
8. Mallard Creek 3-1 31 9
9. Greensboro Dudley 3-1 22 10
10. Winston-Salem Reynolds 4-0 11 _
Others receiving votes: Greensboro Page 10, Southeast Raleigh 6, Lake Norman 5, Raleigh Leesville Road 5, East Mecklenburg 3, Greensboro Grimsley 2, Asheville Reynolds 2, Harnett Central 1, Southern Pines Pinecrest 1.

Class 3-A

1. West Rowan (13) 4-0 130 1
2. Eastern Alamance 3-0 102 2
3. Shelby Crest 3-0 89 4
4. Lenoir Hibriten 4-0 77 8
5. Havelock 3-0 70 6
6. Belmont South Point 3-1 49 9
7. Rocky Mount 2-1 44 3
8. Hertford County 4-0 35 _
9. R-S Central 4-0 18 _
10. Asheville 1-1 16 _
Others receiving votes: Fayetteville Byrd 14, Charlotte Catholic 13, Kannapolis Brown 11, Waynesville Tuscola 11, Northern Guilford 7, Southern Nash 6, West Craven 5, Pikeville Aycock 5, Western Alamance 4, Kings Mountain 3, Wilson Hunt 3, Marvin Ridge 2, Fayetteville Westover 1.

Class 2-A

1. Reidsville (10) 4-0 126 1
2. Newton-Conover (2) 4-0 113 2
3. Tarboro (1) 4-0 107 3
4. SouthWest Edgecombe 4-0 89 5
5. Kinston 4-0 69 7
6. East Duplin 3-0 57 8
7. Canton Pisgah 3-1 35 4
8. Shelby 2-1 28 6
9. Pittsboro Northwood 4-0 15 _
10. Burnsville Mountain Heritage 3-0 14 _
(tie) Catawba Bandys 3-0 14 _
Others receiving votes: Lincolnton 12, East Bladen 9, Jacksonville Northside 6, South Granville 6, Winston-Salem Carver 6, Louisburg 5, East Lincoln 3, East Burke 1.

Class 1-A

1. Mt. Airy (7) 4-0 124 2
2. Albemarle (6) 4-0 121 1
3. Williamston 3-0 85 3
4. Elkin 3-0 80 4
5. Hendersonville 3-0 79 5
6. Southwest Onslow 4-0 76 6
7. East Surry 3-0 42 9
8. Warsaw Kenan 2-1 29 8
9. Monroe 4-0 23 _
10. Manteo 3-0 21 _
Others receiving votes: Cherokee 8, Wallace-Rose Hill 8, Murphy 6, Robbinsville 6, Bessemer City 4, South Stanly 2, Pender County 1.

Durham Co. Stadium has come a long way

DURHAM - As a member of the Rocky Mount Senior High marching band, I got my first look at Durham County Memorial Stadium in Sept. of 1973 when the Gryphons made a trip there to play Durham Hillside in football.

I remember that the slopes on the side of the stadium were so steep that we almost had to slide by the seat of our black wool pants to get down to the field to perform at halftime.

Has that place come a long way since then!

Now primarily the home of Northern Durham's football teams, Durham County has plunked down $8 million for some major renovations to the 50-year-old stadium - coming in three phases. Rocky Mount's football fans, who last saw the Gryphons play there in 1999, observed much of Phase I's upgrades Saturday evening when they arrived to watch the Gryphons take on the Knights.

Phase I, which began this past April, consists of an artificial turf football and soccer playing field, new scoreboard, storage facility and a high school level track and field facility. The scoreboard and field are in and it was played on for the very first time Saturday night.

It is the only artificial turf (field turf) high school field in eastern North Carolina. They are several in the western part of the state - including every high school in Buncombe County (T.C. Roberson, Asheville, A.C. Reynolds, Enka, Owen, Erwin, North Buncombe).

Phase II will consist of new outbuildings for the south grandstand containing public restrooms, concessions buildings and ticket booths. Also, this phase will implement landscaping improvements and new paved ADA parking spaces for both north and south grandstands.

Phase III, which begins after the conclusion of the 2009 football season, will see the renovation of the existing locker rooms, public restrooms and concession stands within the north and south grandstands as well as the construction of a new, expanded press box facility.

The press box will be ADA compliant and include elevator access, open and enclosed viewing areas, two coaches’ boxes, media/broadcast booth, announcer/scoring booth, and video deck. All enclosed spaces will be heated and air conditioned.

Amen to that! It was quite a steep climb to get to that current press box.

With all the changes due to be completed by the beginning of next season, the 8,000-seat facility would make a fine site for a state championship football contest(s) should the NCHSAA want to bring it back to Durham.

Duke University dropped out of the current rotation to host state championship games a few years back, but this cozy and future state-of-the-art stadium would be just perfect for the 1-As or 2-As state finals.

Former Gryphon on Campbell's roster

Emmanuel Davis, one of Rocky Mount's most prolific defensive players the last few seasons, is on the roster at Campbell University and he is expected to contribute to the Camels' program at linebacker.

Davis, who now prefers to be called Manny, will see plenty of action. The 5-foot-11, 230-pound redshirt freshman transferred from Elon, where he was hoping to play with former Gryphon Terrell Hudgins.

But that didn't work out.

To refresh your memory, he was a two-year varsity letter winner and a two-time All-Conference and All-Area selection. He won the 2007 Rocky Mount Telegram and NEW 6 Conference Defensive Player of the Year. His senior season he tallied 106 tackles with five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He concluded his career with 258 tackles, 11 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and two interceptions.

Davis was also an All-Conference wrestler and he was named Rocky Mount's Male Athlete of the Year as a senior.

Campbell opens its season at home Sept. 5 against Methodist.

Winningest N.C. high school football programs

I found this big high school football tidbit on a message board recently.

Someone compiled, percentage-wise, the 30 winningest high school football programs in the state. There should be no surprise that the No. 1 spot belongs to Richmond County. Charlotte Independence is not listed, which surprised me.

But I am not surprised that new Big East Conference member Wilson Hunt is on the list at No. 24. B.W. Holt's old stomping ground Starmount made the list at No. 20. Well over half of the Rams' wins are on Holt's ledger.

The record in parenthesis is the school's 2008 football season mark.

Where does Rocky Mount fall in relation to all this?

Well, after the Gryphons' win Saturday at Northern Durham, which is No. 3 on the all-time list, to start the school's 56th season of football, Rocky Mount's all-time record is 366-217-13 with a winning percentage of .6241.

I imagine we'd make the top 50, if the list went that far - not bad considering that over 350 schools play football in this state!

N.C.'s Winningest High School Football Schools

1. Richmond Sr., NC---(12-2)------.8224: 387-82-5
2. Clinton, NC---------(8-6)-------.7366: 490-173-7
3. Durham Northern, NC----(5-7)---.7325: 449-164-0
4. SW Onslow, NC------(9-3)------.7313: 283-104-0
5. A.L. Brown, NC------(13-3)-----.7303: 463-165-19
6. Wallace-Rose Hill, NC---(2-10)---.7239: 435-165-3
7. Brevard, NC---------(6-6)------.7151: 476-186-12
8. Shelby, NC---------(9-4)-------.7053: 677-268-51
9. Chrltte Cntry Day, NC---(8-3)---.7047: 398-165-6
10. Greensboro Page, NC---(9-5)---.7028: 379-158-8
11. T.W. Andrews, NC----(8-4)-----.7012: 343-145-4
12. Tuscola, NC-------(11-2)-------.6947: 566-244-17
13. Fuquay-Varina, NC----(11-2)----.6811: 359-167-4
14. Sylva-Webster, NC---(closed)---.6803: 205-95-5
15. Forest Hills, NC------(11-4)-----.6796: 339-159-3
16. Brlngtn Cummings, NC----(4-8)--.6755: 341-163-3
17. West Craven, NC----(15-1)-----.6754: 258-124-0
18. Swain Cty, NC--------(5-7)-----.6753: 448-211-17
19. Mt. Airy, NC-------(16-0)-------.6749: 562-266-18
20. Starmount, NC-----(11-4)------.6728: 329-159-4
21. Reidsville, NC--------(16-0)----.6726: 628-296-38
22. Maiden, NC----------(6-6)-----.6689: 478-231-22
23. Thomasville, NC------(16-0)----.6681: 586-283-32
23. Farmville Ctrl, NC-----(1-10)----.6670: 295-147-1
24. Wilson Hunt, NC------(4-8)-----.6628: 230-117-0
25. Hickory, NC---------(6-6)------.6606: 603-304-24
26. Belmont South Point, NC-----(13-2)-----.6554: 295-153-9
27. Havelock, NC---------(8-4)----.6553: 372-194-7
28. Charlotte Cth, NC----(11-3)----.6523: 391-207-6
29. Swanannoa Owen, NC-------------(4-7)----.6504: 364-195-3
30. Concord, NC---------(3-7)-----.6459: 556-298-30

Big East Football Roundup - Week 1

New Northern Nash head coach Mickey Crouch listens to quarterback Tavis Richardson. (Photo/David Hahula)

(NOTE: I will run this each weekend while the Big East 3-A Conference teams are playing non-conference opponents.)

WILSON BEDDINGFIELD 29, NORTHERN NASH 14

Wilson Beddingfield scored 23 unanswered points in this season-opening contest at Death Valley for both squads.

Beddingfield senior quarterback Lance Price was 12-for-25 for 198 yards and three touchdowns, while Bruin back Monteith Lucas ran for 126 yards on 18 carries.

Kris Horton led the Northern rushing attack with 68 yards on 15 carries including a 16-yard TD run in the first period. Knights QB Tavis Richardson was 2-of-4 for 25 yards.

TARBORO 39, NASH CENTRAL 0

The passing game and some crucial Nash Central turnovers early got Tarboro a 27-0 lead at halftime in the Dawg Pound Friday.

Tarboro QB Markel Pettaway hit Lekevious Battle with scoring passes of 57 and 43 yards in the second period to push the Vikings to their big lead at intermission.

Pettaway added a 60-yard keeper for a score before halftime.

Nash Central managed just 137 yards of offense on the night and just six first downs. Dequan Battle led the Bulldog rushing attack with 42 yards on 12 carries.

SOUTHERN NASH 37, FRANKLINTON 28

The Firebirds' Terron Huffman ran for 122 yards and two touchdowns (40, 45) in a contest that was marred by a fight on the field between the two teams. Southern piled up 379 yards of total offense. Tracy Coppedge also scored twice in the game (8, 15).

Southern's fumbles cost them their large lead in the contest. The Firebirds layed the ball on the ground nine times and they lost it four times.

Penalites also made a mess of the contest. All told, a combined 233 yards of penalites were flagged on both squads.

WILSON FIKE 14, D.H. CONLEY 8

Fike trailed 8-0 at halftime, but got solid running performances from Tyler Newman and Lawrence Hardy to get the victory in Greenville.

Newman ran in from 12 yards out and Fike's DeAndreye Hill threw a two-point conversion to tie it at 8-all in the third period.

Hardy capped the comeback later in third when when he bulled his way in from a yard out.

Newman, a sophomore transfer from Kansas who had earlier in the week been on the JV sqaud, led Fike with 77 yards on 11 carries, while Hardy had 19 carries for 73 yards.

WILSON HUNT 42, EASTERN WAYNE 14

Hunt head coach Randy Raper, in his 19th season, said he wanted more from his running game this season with his salvaged Pro-I offense and he got in Goldsboro Friday night.

Junior Caleb Bass rushed for a career-high 201 yards - 128 of it coming in the first half, in the battle of the Warriors. Behind Bass' running, Hunt led 20-0 by the end of the first quarter.

He had 14 carries and scored three touchdowns - including a 90-yard scoring bolt.

Cameron Williams helped out Hunt's running attack with 117 yards on 14 carries and two scores.

Goodwin doesn't sign with White Sox

Area high school baseball fans may have gotten mixed signals about the baseball fate of former Gryphon center fielder Brian Goodwin Sunday evening.

On FSN's broadcast of the 2009 Aflac All-American All-Star Baseball Game in San Diego, the commentator, when a list of former game MVPs were listed in a graphic on screen, said "Brian Goodwin of the White Sox."

It got one thinking - had Brian, the Game's MVP in Los Angeles in 2008, been one of those last-minute signees with the Major League Baseball signing deadline set for Monday?

I got a few calls asking me if Brian had indeed made a deal with Chicago.

So I went to the No. 1 source on all-things Brian - his dad Sylvester.

He and his wife Brenda saw the All-Star game and also heard the "White Sox comment" from the broadcast. And they were slightly puzzled, too. Why didn't they say " North Carolina or UNC"?

The elder Goodwin told me that Brian had not signed with anyone and was headed to Chapel Hill the next day.

Goodwin, considered unsignable by most clubs due to his solid commitment to UNC and the possible high signing price tag being suggested to clubs by his advisor Scott Boras, went in the 17th round of the MLB Draft back in June to the White Sox.

I guess that case is closed!

GOODWIN HELPS MIDLAND TO TITLE - Brian spent his summer playing for the Midland (Oh.) Redskins - one of the top amateur teams in the nation. Midland proved that last week as it won the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington, N.M. with a 7-1 victory over the Dallas DBAT Mustangs.

The American Amateur Baseball Congress is the sponsoring organization of the Connie Mack World Series. The A.A.B.C. provides activities for youth and young adult baseball players through seven league divisions in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Connie Mack regular season play allows players ages 16 to 18 to participate.

The World Series has been played in Farmington (pop. approx. 44,000) since 1965 and is played at the 5,000-seat Ricketts Park.

Goodwin went 1-for-3 in the title game and scored a run, though he reached base four times (hit, hit by pitch, error, walk). He was one of six Redskin players to make the event's All-Tournament team.

Midland claimed its 11th national championship with the victory and its second in the last three years.

Perhaps it's only right that the CMWS is played in Farmington. Farmington High School, a 4-A school with about 1,500 students, has won 13 baseball state championships - including four straight from 2005 to 2008. The school has won 47 state titles overall.

WZAX 99.3 FM will carry a few Nash County games

- RM head coach Dickie Schock

Looks like WZAX 99.3 FM will be carrying high school football games this season, after all.

I had heard the station wasn't going to do a "Game of the Week" this season, but apparently my sources were wrong. I ran into its play-by-play guy Paul Andre at the Big East Conference's coaching meeting last week and he provided me a list of games the station, now known as Jammin' 99.3, will be broadcasting.

As a great number of its advertisers are in Wilson County, a great many of the 12 games it will carry will involve Wilson County high schools.

Here is the schedule, which includes three Rocky Mount games with new head coach Dickie Schock. All the Nash County games are in bold:

WZAX 99.3 "Game of the Week" Schedule

Aug. 21 - Tarboro at Nash Central
Aug. 28 - Wilson Fike at Wilson Hunt
Sept. 4 - Wilson Beddingfield at Southern Nash
Sept. 11 - Wilson Beddingfield at Wilson Fike
Sept. 18 - Wilson Hunt at Wilson Beddingfield
Sept. 25 - Eastern Wayne at Wilson Fike
Oct. 2 - Greenville Rose at Rocky Mount
Oct. 9 - Wilson Beddingfield at SW Edgecombe
Oct. 16 - Wilson Hunt at Rocky Mount
Oct. 23 - Rocky Mount at Wilson Fike
Oct. 30 - Nash Central at Wilson Hunt
Nov. 6 - Wilson Hunt at Wilson Fike

WHIG-TV releases "Game of the Week" slate

WHIG-TV will carry a full slate of high school football games this fall as part of its "Game of the Week" series.

Here is a list of the Friday night contests that you can see taped-delayed each Saturday morning following the game. If you can't get WHIG-TV (Suddenlink Ch. 17), then tune in on line at http://www.whigtv.com/.

Mike Hennen will provide the play-by-play, while Chris Mitchell will handle the color analyst duties.

Rocky Mount, which will appear on the show four times, has its games bold faced on the schedule.

Aug. 28 - Smithfield-Selma at Nash Central
Sept. 4 - North Edgecombe at SW Edgecombe
Sept. 11 - Tarboro at North Edgecombe
Sept. 18 - SW Edgecombe at Rocky Mount
Sept. 25 - WHIG-TV Studio Show - season recap/conference preview
Oct. 2 - Southern Nash at Nash Central
Oct. 9 - Nash Central at Rocky Mount
Oct. 16 - Northern Nash at Southern Nash
Oct. 23 - Tarboro at SW Edgecombe
Oct. 30 - Southern Nash at Rocky Mount
Nov. 6 - Rocky Mount at Northern Nash

As for live radio broadcasts of county teams, only Rocky Mount's football games will be on the air this season.

For the second straight year, WEED "Old School" AM 1390 will carry all Gryphon games each Friday at 7 p.m. beginning Aug. 28. Wes Bradshaw will provide the play-by-play action while Tony Doughtie will handle the color duties.

Post 58 Baseball Awards

Coleman-Pitt American Legion Post 58 honored its baseball team Sunday evening with a banquet to celebrate the success of the team and to dole out awards to some of its deserving players.

Post 58 (20-6), Area I champions for the first time since 1986, had five of its players honored.

The team's pitching award went to Brandon Denton. Denton will be a senior at Northern Nash this fall.

The hitting award went to Tyler Clark. He hopes to follow in the Hall of Fame footsteps of his dad Greg as he will enter N.C. Wesleyan in a few weeks.

Cameron Ramsey was honored with the team's Coaches Award. Ramsey will be a part of Wake Tech's first-ever baseball team next spring.

The MVP Award was shared by Xavier Macklin and Ben Fish. No surprise there. The "Bash Brothers" provided the power that led to the team to score nearly 13 runs a game in its run to the N.C. State Championship tournament.

Macklin will return to N.C. A&T for his sophomore season, while Fish will start his freshman campaign at Campbell University.

Whit at work!

Wake Forest freshman center Whit Barnes works out with QB Ted Stachitas during the Demon Deacons' first day of practice Friday. Notice the buzz cut Whit is sporting. Wake's barber took this shot of the former Gryphon All-Stater.

Schock replaced at Orange High

Rocky Mount head football coach Dickie Schock's shoes have been filled at Orange High School.

And they didn't have to go far to find him. Just 17 miles down I-85.

Former Graham head coach Pat Moser has accepted the head football coaching position with the Panthers.

Moser, 44, has suffered through several years of health problems since stepping down at Graham in 2004. He led Graham to consecutive NCHSAA 1-A state championships in 1999 and 2000.

He was 71-24 in his eight seasons at Graham.

New men on campus

(Photos/David Hahula) - click on pictures to enlarge

Here are Rocky Mount's new men on campus - or should I say, gridiron.

In the top photo, new head Gryphon football coach Dickie Schock gives out some instruction during Monday's practice - Day 2 of the 2009 preseason. The offense will get most of Schock's attention this season as offensive coordinator Jason Battle will not be returning to the staff this season.

In the bottom photo, new assistant coach Elbert Thomas (red shorts) has a talk with potential offensive linemen. Thomas, who most recently was the head coach at West Montgomery, will guide the offensive line.

Ten questions with Dickie Schock

So you Rocky Mount football fans could to get to know new head coach Dickie Schock a bit better, I posed 10 questions for him to answer - five about the football program and five about him personally.

Here are his responses - in italics!

1. Will you be bringing in any assistant coaches with you? If so, are any on board yet?

Hopefully. Nothing is finalized yet.

2. What is the biggest thing you have learned in your two weeks on the job about the program?

There's never enough time to do everything you want to do. There's barely enough time to do the things you have to do. So Prioritize.

3. The most-often asked question I have gotten from RM fans since you were hired is "will he pass more than BW?" OK, will you? Do you embrace the passing game more than BW did?

Embrace winning. Running or throwing is far less important.

4. Does having a complete rookie starting offensive line your biggest concern of 2009?

No. My biggest concerns are filling out the coaching staff and getting to know our players and what they do best.

5. What do you plan to coach this fall? You had the "D" and special teams last time you were here and you were OC at WF-R. So what will you do here?

I will run the offense. The defensive side of the ball is in good shape staff-wise. Coach (J.J.) Jones and Coach (Kent) Cox called the defense last year and did a great job. Coach (Gerald) Costen is over there to keep them straight. Coach (Alan) Hess is an asset on special teams, so that leaves me with the offense.

6. Now some to some personal stuff. What are your favorite professional football, basketball and baseball teams?

Raiders, Knicks, Reds.

7. You've heard this one before, but I always find the answers interesting. If you could host a dinner party of five and anyone, alive or dead, could attend, what four persons would you invite and why?

No time for dinner parties until after the season. By then, I'll know whether to invite Lombardi or Bryant - or maybe both.

8. What is your favorite movie of all-time?

The books are always better - "To Kill a Mockingbird."

9. Who are your all-time favorite actor and actress?

I'm not that interested in movies.

10. If you were stuck on a desert island with a portable DVD player with one DVD of one of the episodes from a TV classic, what show would it be?

Probably an episode of NCIS, though it's hardly a classic.

Nash County Post 58's last hurrah

(Photo/David Hahula) - click on picture to enlarge

Nash County Post 58's players (above) welcome home Collins Cuthrell and Xavier Macklin to home plate after Macklin slamed a two-run home run in the third inning of its game Sunday with Shelby Post 82 - a loser's bracket contest of the N.C. American Legion State Tournament held at Greenville's Guy Smith Stadium.

The homer gave Post 58 a 2-1 lead.

Sadly, they were the only runs Post 58 would get as it would give up a two-run shot later in the game in its 3-2 loss to Shelby. Macklin's dinger was his 12th of the season despite playing in just 16 games. Post 58's season ended with a 20-6 record.

In its opener Saturday, Post 58 suffered a 5-4 loss, despite being struck out 15 times. Macklin and Ben Fish both homered in the game.

NASH COUNTY POST 58
SCHEDULE/RESULTS

June 7 - @ New Bern - L, 14-4 - (0-1, 0-0)
June 11 - @ Kinston - W, 7-2 - (1-1, 0-0)
June 14 - EDENTON - W, 15-6 - 2-1, 1-0)
June 17 - @ Tarboro - W, 28-3 - (3-1, 2-0)
June 18 - WILSON - W, 12-2 - (4-1, 3-0)
June 19 - @ Ahoskie - W, 10-8 - (5-1, 4-0)
June 20 - @ Wilson - W, 14-3 - (6-1, 5-0)
June 21 - @ Edenton - L, 12-10 - (6-2, 5-1)
June 22 - AHOSKIE - W, 12-11 - (7-2, 6-1)
June 25 - TARBORO - W, 26-1 - (8-2, 7-1)

PLAYOFFS

Round 1 - Area One East
June 30 - PITT CO. #39 - W, 9-3 - (9-2)
July 1 - @ Pitt County #39 - W, 10-0 (10-2)
July 2 - PITT CO. #39 - W, 12-2 (11-2)

Round 2 - Area One East
July 6 - EDENTON #40 - W, 25-6 (12-2)
July 7 - @ Edenton #40 - W, 17-5 (13-2)
July 8 - EDENTON #40 - W, 6-4 (14-2)

Area I East finals
July 12 - WILSON #13 - L, 14-9 (14-3)
July 14 - @ Wilson #13 - L, 6-5 (14-4)
July 15 - WILSON #13 - W, 32-5 (15-4)
July 16 - @ Wilson #13 - W, 16-4 (16-4)
July 17 - WILSON #13 - W, 11-10 (17-4)

Area I finals
July 18 - CARY #67 - W, 15-0 (18-4)
July 19 - @Cary #67 - W, 7-6 (19-)4)
July 20 - CARY #67 - W, 8-5 (20-4)

N.C. State Tournament
July 25 - MOORESVILLE #66 - L, 5-4 (20-5)
July 26 - SHELBY #82 - L, 3-2 (20-6)

Season Complete

Dudley's star QB could have been a Gryphon

GREENSBORO - You just never know who you are going to see at a high school football game - especially one with statewide appeal like the annual East-West All-Star Football Game. The fans in the stands represent mostly the coaching staffs of the schools that the players on the field represent and their family and friends.

I was speaking to Martha Cobb, wife of SouthWest Edgecombe head coach Raymond Cobb who served as head coach of the East, near the main entrance of Jamieson Stadium Wednesday evening when in walked two characters from my past that immediately recognized.

James Wright and Ricky Lewis were the guys. Wright was a class behind me and is brother of Carolina Stallions head coach Michael Wright (who played in the 1970 game). The other, Lewis, had been going to church with me since we both were six. We graduated together from RMHS in 1976.

I had seen Lewis sparingly over the years, but when I approached him, I told him that I had heard about the death of his mother (age 89) recently and gave him my condolences.

On a lighter note, I later asked what in the world brought him here to the game. He replied, "to see his son play!"

Then the wheels began rolling in my head - and I then blurted out - 'your son is Ricky Lewis Jr.?'

He said, "one in the same."

The senior Lewis had gone to N.C. A&T after graduating from RMHS, I knew that. But I had no idea he was still in the area.

In case you don't know, Ricky Lewis Jr., at quarterback, led Greensboro Dudley to the last two NCHSAA 3-AA state football championships. I knew that, of course. I even watched him beat Charlotte Catholic in their first title game in Chapel Hill in 2007. He was the AP's first-team QB on its 2008 All-State team. But I never connected the two. I figured Jr.'s dad would be a bit younger than us - a spry 51!

But Jr. is the last of three Lewis kids. I never took that into account.

I kidded Sr., who is a counselor at Smith High School in Greensboro, that if he had stayed in Rocky Mount, Jr. could have possibly brought his alma mater a title.

He responded, "he still can. He's going to A&T in the fall."

Hahula, Lee play vital roles in All-Star Game Wednesday

Former Gryphons Nick Hahula (top) and Torey Lee, playing for the East squad, are introduced to the crowd at the 61st NCCA East-West All-Star Football Game Wednesday in Greensboro. The East won the game 6-0. (Photos/David Hahula)

GREENSBORO - Both former Rocky Mount football standouts Nick Hahula and Torey Lee said they had the time of their lives playing for SouthWest Edgecombe football coach Raymond Cobb's East squad at the NCCA East-West All-Star Football Game Wednesday night.

Both played vital roles in the East's win in the event (a 6-0 victory over the West) before an announced crowd of 8,643 at Grimsley High's Jamieson Stadium.

Lee, playing at left guard, helped make holes for the East backs on their only scoring drive of the night - a 13-play, 71-play drive that culminated in a 5-yard scoring run by Chapel Hill's Steven Moore with 9:11 left in the game.

Hahula, who handled the night's kicking duties, missed the ensuing PAT (blocked), but seconds later, he buried the kickoff into the end zone that penned the West at its 20. Twice more in the quarter, Hahula kicked punts that took all the steam out of a West comeback drive. He nailed kicks of 49 and 42 yards on the East's last two possessions to keep the West bottled up.

Apparently former teammates Kendall Noble and Nazir Levine set the winning tone for the pair. The two offensive linemen, now playing at Norfolk State and Winston-Salem State, respectively, helped the East start their now three-game winning streak with a 22-14 victory in the 2007 game.

Hahula will be kicking for N.C. Central University in the fall, while Lee will be attending a new institution, the Central Carolina Sports Academy, in Guilford County. He will attend Guilford Tech for his classes and play football for the Academy in hopes of transferring to a four-year school.

Hahula and Lee are the 45th and 46th players to represent Rocky Mount High School in the contest (including current RMHS assistant principal Linwood Weeks who played in the 1980 game). They are also the fifth and sixth players selected under former head football coach B.W. Holt. Along with Noble and Levine, the other two Holt players who have played were Robert Hart and Terrell Hudgins (2005).