2011 Angello-Chesson Scholarship Award winner announced



Rocky Mount senior Brittany Battle is seated with Shelton Chesson, father of late RMHS athlete Juan Chesson (Contributed photo) 



RALEIGH - Rocky Mount High School senior Brittany Battle is the 2011 recipient of the Angello-Chesson Scholarship. Battle is headed to N.C. A&T University next fall to major in Architectural Engineering.

Battle is the eighth recipient of the $1,000 award sponsored by donations to the Gryphon Fund, a foundation set up to honor the memory of late Gryphon athletes Joe Angello (RMHS '87) and Juan Chesson ('85).

Past winners have gone on to further their education at North Carolina State, North Carolina Central, UNC-Charlotte, East Carolina and North Carolina Wesleyan.

For those wishing to donate or would like more information on The Gryphon Fund, send an email to gryphonfund@aol.com. Your donation is tax-deductible and will help future graduates of Rocky Mount High School.

If you would like to donate now, make your check out to the Triangle Community Foundation (http://www.trianglecf.org/) and memo the check to "The Gryphon Fund" and mail to: The Gryphon Fund, c/o Triangle Community Foundation, 324 Blackwell Street, Suite 1220, Durham, N.C. 27701.

Here is a complete list of recipients:

Angello-Chesson Scholarship Winners

2011 - Brittany Battle

2010 - Collins Cuthrell

2009 - Hunter Perry

2008 - Malcolm Armwood

2007 - Taylor Huffman

2006 - Jonathan Tyndall

2005 - Kelion Lawrence

2004 - Terrance Thorne

Gryphon Announcements

SENIOR NIGHT - Senior Night for Rocky Mount's spring sport athletes will take place Thursday at Gryphon Stadium as a prelude to the Gryphons' 7 p.m. baseball home game with Big East foe Northern Nash.

Senior athletes in girls and boys track, boys golf, boys tennis, girls soccer, baseball and softball and their parents will be recognized just before game time.

Rocky Mount; however, will have one more home regular season baseball game - a makeup contest with Wilson Fike on Monday, May 9. Game time is 7 p.m.

BANQUET - The Rocky Mount Booster Club will sponsor the school's Annual Sports Banquet on Thursday, May 26 at 5 p.m. in the school's main gym. Ticket information will be forthcoming.

Rocky Mount Coleman-Pitt Post 58 Legion Baseball Tryouts scheduled

The Rocky Mount Coleman-Pitt Post 58 Senior American Legion baseball team will be holding its tryouts at N.C. Wesleyan College's Bauer Field on Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15 at 3:00 p.m.

It will be a Pro-Day style tryout - timed 60, fielding and throws from infield and outfield. Pitchers will throw and all will hit. Players need to bring their own gloves and bats and catchers' gear for catchers.

Players will not have aged out of participation as long they have turned 19 on or after Jan. 1, 2011.

Hank Jones enters his second season as head coach as Post 58 attempts to reach the state tournament for the third straight year.

Look for Post 58's playing schedule right here as soon as it's finalized.

Damper on Wilson Fike vs. Rocky Mount, again!

Rocky Mount's home baseball game with Wilson Fike, set back twice due to rain, was put off yet again by the wet stuff Wednesday afternoon.

The Gryphons will finally get to entertain the Golden Demons on Monday, May 9 - after RMHS' scheduled season-ending contest at Wilson Hunt.

With that cancellation, Rocky Mount will go two weeks between games. The Gryphons last hit the field on Tuesday, April 19 versus Cleveland High in the final day of the Johnston County Easter Invitational.

Rocky Mount will end the reguar season with four games in seven days. It will travel to Southern Nash Tuesday evening, entertain Northern Nash on Thursday night and play at Hunt (3 p.m.) Saturday - along with the Fike makeup!

We're now not sure if the Northern Nash or Fike contest will serve as Senior Night for graduating spring sports athletes. We will let you know.

Rocky Mount-Wilson Fike baseball game rained out - again!

For the second time, Rocky Mount's baseball team had its home contest with Big East Conference rival Wilson Fike rained out Tuesday evening. And with it, Fike players with have to wait one more day before they can start their spring break. 

The game has been moved to 5 p.m. Wednesday at Gryphon Stadium. But the two teams still aren't guaranteed they will get clear skies for the rescheduled contest. The JV contest between the two has been canceled.

Rain had struck twice earlier in the day Tuesday, but the Gryphon coaches had worked hard to get the field into playing shape only to have a line of showers pass through the area around 6:30 p.m. that was too heavy to cope with.

The original game was scheduled to be played on Friday, April 1.

RMHS senior pitcher Benton Moss (6-1 in 2011, 29-3 career) is slated to take the hill for the Gryphons. He will be going for his 30th career victory and it will tie him with former Northern Nash standout Tyler Joyner (30-7) for the most wins ever by a Twin Counties high school hurler.

Northern Nash's home game with Nash Central was also rained out and that game has been moved to Wednesday at 7.

The Moss File

Rocky Mount senior Benton Moss

Benton Moss has the top two career pitching marks in the Rocky Mount record book - career wins and strikeouts. There is one more pitching record that he's in reach of - total innings pitched.

He might reach Jim Leggett's mark, but that will depend on how the Gryphons do the rest of the season, and postseason.



Most career pitching victories:

29, (29-3), Benton Moss (2008-present);

28, (28-7) Jim Leggett (2005-08);

26, (26-6), John Kennedy (1978-80);

25, (25-6) Donnie Bobbitt (1984-86);

24, (24-7) Carter Harrell (1999-2001);

23, (23-3) Bill Wilkes (1979-81);

22, (22-7), Chad Womble (2004-07);

20, (20-9), Jeremy Ward (1993-96)

Most career strikeouts:

314, Benton Moss (2008-present);

215, Jeremy Ward (1993-96);

210, Hobbs Johnson (2009-10);

189, Doug Henley (1973-75);

174, Scott Gibson (1994-95)



Most career innings pitched:

237.2, Jim Leggett (2005-08);

209.0, Benton Moss (2008-present)

155.2, Kenny Wilson (1993-96);

145.1, Jeremy Ward (1993-96);

141.2, Doug Henley (1973-75)

Johnston County Easter Invitational All-Tournament Team; Matthew Berry makes squad

Rocky Mount senior Matthew Berry

Andy Pleasant Most Hits Award
Thomas Hill (West Johnston)

Will Raynor (South Johnston)

Pat Smith Outstanding Defensive Player Award

Jack Sherill (West Johnston)

John Stott Memorial MVP

Brad Ragan (West Johnston)

All-Tournament Team

Tre Joyner (Cleveland)
Matthew Berry (Rocky Mount)
Heinrich Zinkhan (Harnett Central)
Brian Taylor (Harnett Central)
Cam Austin (Hoke County)
Nate Driver (Smithfield-Selma)
Josh Harper (Smithfield-Selma)
Austin Lee (South Johnston)
Trey Thompson (South Johnston)
Logan Jernigan (South Johnston)
Taylor Davis (Clayton)
Jason Creasy (Clayton)
Matt Bunn (Clayton)
Aaron McGee (West Johnston)
Justin Carroll (West Johnston)
Matthew Parrish (West Johnston)
Kodi Whitley (West Johnston)

TOURNAMENT SCORES

Quarterfinals
Smithfield-Selma 14, Cleveland 4
Clayton 11, Hoke County 0
West Johnston 16, Rocky Mount 4
South Johnston 8, Harnett Central 7

Consolation, First Round
Hoke County 11, Cleveland 0
Harnett Central 10, Rocky Mount 6

Semifinals
West Johnston 7, South Johnston 1
Clayton 5, Smithfield-Selma 0

Consolation, Second Round
Rocky Mount 10, Cleveland 0
Harnett Central 11, Hoke County 8
South Johnston 8, Smithfield-Selma 2

Championship
West Johnston 3, Clayton 2 (8)


SEVENTH PLACE BOX
Rocky Mount 10, Cleveland 0
CLE 000 00 — 0 0 3
RMT 630 1x — 10 6 0
W—B.Moss; L—P.Banks.
HR: RMT—B.Moss.
Leading hitter: RMT—J.Johnson 2-3.

FIFTH PLACE BOX

Harnett Central 11, Hoke County 8

HCO 002 300 3 — 8 8 6

HCL 010 023 x — 11 10 5

W—B.Taylor; L—C.Carter.

HRs: HCO—C.Austin, K.Black; HCL—B.Taylor, J.Costa.

Leading hitters: HCO—C.Austin 3-4, C.Carter 2-4; HCL—H.Zinkhan 2-3, B.Taylor 2-4, Z.Hall 3-4.

THIRD PLACE BOX

South Johnston 8, Smithfield-Selma 2

SJO 101 310 2 — 8 9 4

SSS 000 200 0 — 2 2 0

W—T.Thompson; L—B.Youngblood.
HR: SJO—C.Lee.
Leading hitters: SJO—T.Thompson 3-4, W.Raynor 2-4.

CHAMPIONSHIP BOX
West Johnston 3, Clayton 2
CLY 010 000 10 — 2 3 3
WJO 001 010 01 — 3 8 2
W—A.Pittman; L—L.Howard.
HR: CLY—M.Bunn.
Leading hitters: WJO—A.Morrison 3-4, J.Sherill 2-4.

Gryphons to play in seventh place game of the JCEI

FOUR OAKS - For the first time since 2001, Rocky Mount will be playing in a seventh place game of an Easter baseball tournament.

The Gryphons, playing two games on the same day for only the sixth time in school history, didn't have things go their way in their first contests at Bruce Coats Field in the annual Johnston County Easter Invitiational. They lost their opener 16-4 to West Johnston Monday morning and 10-6 to Harnett Central in their loser's bracket game that afternoon.

Storms in the area Saturday forced tournament officials to add two of its unplayed games to Monday's schedule.

Rocky Mount hopes to salvage one win Tuesday at 12 noon when it will send senior Benton Moss to the mound against winless Cleveland High, a new high school located just south of Wendell in Johnston County. Cleveland fell 12-0 to Harnett Central Monday to drop to the seventh place game.

Moss (5-1 in 2011, 28-3 in his career) will be going for the school record of 29 pitching wins - a mark he currently shares with former Gryphon hurler Jim Leggett. He has won his last five starts and struck out 51 batters in his last three outings.


2011 JOHNSTON COUNTY EASTER INVITATIONAL
Bruce Coats Field, South Johnston High School, Four Oaks, NC

DAY 2 - MONDAY

GAME 3 - West Johnston 16, Rocky Mount 4

GAME 4 - Hoke County 12, Cleveland 0

GAME 5 - South Johnston 8, Harnett Central 7

GAME 6 - Harnett Central 10, Rocky Mount 6

GAME 7 - West Johnston 7, South Johnston 1

GAME 8 - Clayton 5, Smithfield-Selma 0

DAY 3 - TUESDAY

Seventh Place - Rocky Mount (12-7) vs. Cleveland (0-16), 12 noon

Fifth Place - Harnett Central (10-5) vs. Hoke County (7-12), 2:30 p.m.

Third Place - South Johnston (9-11) vs. Smithfield-Selma (7-10), 5 p.m.

Championship - Clayton (14-3) vs. West Johnston (10-7), 7:30 p.m.

2011 Johnston County Easter Invitational results/revisions

FOUR OAKS - Rocky Mount's baseball team made the trip to South Johnston High School's Bruce Coats Field Saturday for its opening game in the Johnston County Easter Invitational.

But the Gryphons never took the field as a rash of thunderstorms and tornadoes made their way across the state and knocked out the final two games of the day - including the Gryphons' meeting with West Johnston.

Now the Gryphons will play two games Monday. Tournament officials have tried to accomodate Rocky Mount with a change in the schedule since it makes the longest trip of any of the event's participants.

The schedule for Monday's play is below:

DAY 1 - SATURDAY

GAME 1 - Smithfield-Selma 15, Cleveland 5 

GAME 2 - Clayton 11, Hoke County 0

GAME 3 - Rocky Mount (12-5) vs.West Johnston (8-7), ppd., rain, storms

GAME 4 - Harnett Central (8-4) vs. South Johnston (8-10), ppd., rain, storms

DAY 2 - MONDAY - revised

10 a.m - GAME 3 - Rocky Mount (12-5) vs. West Johnston (8-7) 
12 noon - GAME 4 - Cleveland (0-15) vs. Hoke County (6-10)
2:30 p.m. - GAME 5 -  Harnett Central (8-4) vs. South Johnston (8-10)
4:30 p.m. - GAME 6 - Game 3 loser vs. Game 5 loser
6:30 p.m. - GAME 7 - Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner
8:30 p.m. - GAME 8 - Clayton (13-3) vs. Smithfield-Selma (9-7) 

DAY 3 - TUESDAY - revised

12 noon - Seventh Place - Game 4 loser vs. Game 6 loser

2:30 p.m. - Fifth Place - Game 4 winner vs. Game 6 winner

5 p.m. - Third Place - Game 7 loser vs. Game 8 loser

7:30 p.m. - Championship - Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner

RMHS' Brown named to 2010-11 NCPreps.com 3-A All-State Girls Hoops Team

Rocky Mount sophomore J'Kyra Brown drives to the basket against Northern Nash in the Big East Conference Tournament championship game. She was named MVP of the event.

(Photo/David Hahula)

HAMPTONVILLE - Rocky Mount sophomore J'Kyra Brown rebounded from missing her entire freshman season with a knee injury to making an All-State girls basketball team in her first campaign as a varsity player.

Earlier this week, Brown was named to the NCPreps.com 3-A All-State Girls Basketball Team. Brown led the Lady Gryphons to a school-record 25 wins (25-4), a share of the Big East Conference regular season title, the conference's tournament championship and an Eastern sectional final berth with eventual state champion South Central.

Brown scored 14.8 points a game, pulled down 5.3 rebounds an outing and dished out 3.1 assists a contest. She also popped in a team-leading 44 3-pointers.

NCPREPS.COM 3A GIRLS ALL-STATE TEAM

Ayana Avery, West Rowan
Ariel Bursey, Western Harnett
Danielle Butts, South Central
J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount
Jamie Cherry, West Craven
Amber Clark, South Central
Samantha Coffer, Northern Guilford
Janesha Ebron, South Central
Taylor Gibson, Tuscola
Shannon Hines, RS Central
Miranda Jenkins, Eastern Guilford
Jada Payne, Hickory
Hillary Sigmon, Hickory
Lindsay Simpson, Franklin
Mandessa Singletary, North Iredell
Jasmine Trawick, Westover

Danielle Butts, South Central - 3A Player of the Year
Mary Bryan Carlyle, South Central - 3A Coach of the Year

Gryphons' opener at Johnston County Easter Invitational moved up

FOUR OAKS - Rocky Mount's baseball team was scheduled to face West Johnston in its opening game of the Johnston County Easter Invitational Saturday at 5:30 p.m at South Johnston High School.

But with the inclement weather expected in the state sometime Saturday, the Gryphons' game time has been moved up to 4 p.m

If the entire schedule has been moved up 90 minutes, then here is the schedule for Day 1. The remaining games will be played Monday and Tuesday starting at 12 noon.

2011 Johnston County Baseball Invitational

DAY 1 - SATURDAY

10:30 a.m. - GAME 1 - Cleveland (0-14) vs. Smithfield-Selma (6-9)

12:30 p.m. - GAME 2 - Hoke County (6-11) vs. Clayton (12-3)

2:30 p.m. - Home Run Derby

4 p.m. - GAME 3 - Rocky Mount  (12-5) vs.West Johnston (8-7)

5:30 p.m. - GAME 4 - Harnett Central (8-4) vs. South Johnston (8-10)

DAY 2 - MONDAY

12:00 p.m. - GAME 5 - Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser

2:30 p.m. - GAME 6 - Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser

5 p.m. - GAME 7 - Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner

7 p.m. - GAME 8 - Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner

DAY 3 - TUESDAY

12 p.m. - Seventh Place - Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser

2:30 p.m. - Fifth Place - Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner

5 p.m. - Third Place - Game 7 loser vs. Game 8 loser

7:30 p.m. - Championship - Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner

2011 Big East Baseball Standings - April 8

2011 BIG EAST BASEBALL STANDINGS

Wilson Hunt        5-0, 12-2

Rocky Mount      3-1, 11-4

Nash Central      2-2, 12-3

Northern Nash    2-2, 9-4

Wilson Fike        1-3, 7-7

Southern Nash   0-5, 4-7

Last week's scores

WEDNESDAY

Rocky Mount 8, Wilson Fike 0

Nash Central 7, Northern Nash 4, 8 inn.

Wilson Hunt 11, Southern Nash 1, 5 inn.

THURSDAY

Rocky Mount 12, Southern Nash 0, 5 inn.

Northern Nash 10, Wilson Fike 4 (Fike gets 15 hits, but losses by 6)
Wilson Hunt 12, Nash Central 4

FRIDAY

Wilson Hunt 13, Southern Nash 2, 5 inn. (Hunt hits five HRs, scored 10 runs in the first inning.)

This week's games

TUESDAY
 Rocky Mount @ Northern Nash
Nash Central @ Southern Nash
Wilson Hunt @ Wilson Fike

THURSDAY

Rocky Mount @ Nash Central
Wilson Fike @ Southern Nash
Northern Nash @ Wilson Hunt

FRIDAY

Farmville Central @ Wilson Hunt
East Wake @ Northern Nash

SATURDAY

Rocky Mount vs. West Johnston @ South Johnston Baseball Invitational

Moss sets strikeout record while hurling one-hitter at Wilson Fike



RMHS senior Benton Moss

WILSON - Rocky Mount senior pitcher Benton Moss has, for the most part, been dominating all season.
He really showed that domination Tuesday evening as he struck out a school-record 20 batters en route to an 8-0 win over Wilson Fike.

Moss gave up just one hit - a single to Tyler Poythress in the fifth, and he hit one batter.

But that was it as he passed the RMHS record for Ks previously set at 19 by Carter Harrell ( vs. Hillsborough Orange, 2001) and Donnie Bobbitt (vs. Southern Nash, 1986)        

Over his last two outings in 14 innings of work, he has struck out an astounding 37 batters.

And it's always nice when you get some offensive support, too. And fellow senior Thomas Berry chipped in there. His grand slam to right center in the first inning gave him plenty of wiggle room, as if he would need it.

Ironically, Berry also hit first-inning granny last year in the Gryphons' late season win against another Wilson County team in Hunt.

RMHS BASEBALL RECORD BOOK

Most strikeouts in a game:
:
20, Benton Moss (vs. Wilson Fike, 2011);
19, Carter Harrell (vs. Hillsborough Orange, 2001);
19, Donnie Bobbitt (vs. Southern Nash, 1986);
17, Benton Moss (vs. Nash Central, 2011);
16, Benton Moss (vs. Southern Nash, 2010);
16, Scott Gibson (vs. Durham Jordan, 1995;
16, Scott Gibson (vs. Northern Nash, 1994);
16, Greg Proctor (vs. Wilson Fike, 1975);
15, Hobbs Johnson (vs. Tarboro, 2009);
15, Carter Harrell (vs. JH Rose, 2000);
15, Scott Lewis (vs. Kinston, 1988);
15, Larry Daughtridge (vs. Broughton, 1971);
14, Hobbs Johnson (vs. Southern Wayne, 2009);
14, Barrett Bodiford (vs. Garner, 1998);
14, Marcus Battle (vs. Kinston, 1994);
14, Danny Talbott (vs. Durham, 1963);
13, Hobbs Johnson (vs. Wilson Fike, 2010);
13, Carter Harrell (vs. Northeastern, 1999);
13, Scott Gibson (vs. Beddingfield, 1994);
13, Greg Proctor (vs. Northeastern, 1974);
13, Doug Henley (vs. Northern Nash, 1974);
13, Gary Ange (vs. Enloe, 1972);
13, Buddy Edgerton (vs. Durham, 1968);
13, Alton Oakley (vs. Goldsboro, 1958)
12, Benton Moss (vs. J.H. Rose, 2011);
12, Scott Lewis (vs. Wilson Hunt, 1988);
12, Buddy Edgerton (vs. Greensboro Smith, 1969);
12, Digit Laughtridge (vs. South Edgecombe, 1963)

RMHS-Hunt baseball games rained out

Rocky Mount's Big East baseball clash with Wilson Hunt, set for Gryphon Stadium Thursday evening, was rained out.

The game has been moved to Saturday at 7 p.m. The JV contest will be played at 4 p.m.

Rocky Mount (9-3, 1-0) opened with a 10-1 win over Nash Central, while Hunt (8-2, 1-0) beat Northern Nash 4-3.

Big East Baseball Roundup - Wilson Fike's Flowers wins 400th career game

WILSON FIKE 6, SOUTHERN NASH 2

WILSON - Veteran Wilson Fike High varsity baseball coach Will Flowers notched his 400th career win Tuesday night in the Golden Demons’ 6-2 victory over Southern Nash to open 3-A Big East Conference play.

Jackson Pardue picked up the win in relief for Fike, 7-5 overall, striking out three, walking one and yielding one hit in 2 2/3 innings of work. Southern Nash fell to 4-3 and 0-1.

Fike jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Matt Owens reached on an outfield error and scored on Pardue’s RBI-double. Dustin Edwards followed with an RBI-single to bring in Pardue for a 2-0 lead.

Fike only tallied five total hits for the game.

Chris Phillips was 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored, while Pardue was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBI and a run scored.

Southern Nash 000 101 0 — 2
Wilson Fike      202 002 0 — 6

WP - Jackson Pardue (2-0) 2 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
LP- Zack Parris

WILSON HUNT 4, NORTHERN NASH 3

ROCKY MOUNT — Senior Ches Lamm earned the win on the mound and drove in what proved to be the winning run as Hunt opened 3-A Big East Conference varsity baseball play with a 4-3 victory at Northern Nash on Tuesday.

Lamm improved to 3-0 as he went five innings, yielding three runs on five hits and five walks while striking out eight. His fifth-inning single scored teammate Parker Lamm, who had doubled, with the winning margin. Northern Nash (7-3, 0-1 Big East) reached Lamm for two runs in the bottom of the inning but reliever Alex Nguyen allowed just one base runner over the final two innings to notch his first save of the season.

Spencer Boykin drilled a solo home run in the top of the first for the Warriors (8-2, 1-0 Big East). In the third, junior Jacob Page, who was 3-or-4, slapped an RBI-single and Hunt added another run on Ches Lamm’s grounder.

WILSON HUNT 4, NORTHERN NASH 3

Wilson Hunt     102 010 0 — 4
Northern Nash 010 020 0 — 3

WP - Ches Lamm (3-0) 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 8 SO.
LP - Jeremy Lucas
S - Alex Nguyen (1) 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO

LEADING HITTERS — Hunt: Spencer Boykin 2-4, HR, RBI; Cory Nygard 1-4, 2B; Parker Lamm 2-4, 2B; Jacob Page 3-4, RBI; Ches Lamm 1-3, 2 RBI

(Courtesy of Wilson Times)

Big East Conference baseball action starts Tuesday

Big East Conference baseball action opens tonight at three sites. Here are the contests and the records of the combatants.

Game time for the three is 7 p.m.

BIG EAST CONFERENCE
BASEBALL SCHEDULE

Tuesday

Nash Central (10-1, 0-0) at Rocky Mount (8-3, 0-0)

Wilson Hunt (7-2, 0-0) at Northern Nash (7-2, 0-0)

Southern Nash (4-2, 0-0) at Wilson Fike (6-5, 0-0)

Bulldogs pushing Rocky Mount for Wachovia Cup lead

CHAPEL HILL - Rocky Mount had a solid lead in the Big East Conference's Wachovia Cup points standing after the fall season. But Nash Central is quicky gaining on the Gryphons.

And so is the rest of the league. Only nine points stand between the No. 1 and No. 4 schools.

After finishing first in women's swimming and wrestling, the Bulldogs are now nipping on the heels of the Gryphons at the conclusion of winter sports action.

Rocky Mount is still on top with 112.5 points, but it has a slim four-and a half-point lead over the Bulldogs (108 points) entering the spring sports season. The Gryphons managed to stay narrowly in front thanks to a tie for first in women's basketball and a second-place finish in boys basketball.

A solid winter season including a runner-up finish in men’s swimming kept Wilson Fike just in front of Wilson Hunt for the third spot in the conference with 104 points. Hunt (103.5 pts.) won the league's regular season men's basketball title. Northern Nash's first-place tie with RMHS in women's basketball helped keep it ahead of Southern Nash for fifth place.

Here are the conference standings through the winter sports season.

2010-11 Big East Conference Wachovia Cup Point Standings

(through winter season)

1. Rocky Mount 112.5
2. Nash Central 108
3. Wilson Fike 104
4. Wilson Hunt 103.5
5. Northern Nash 83.5
6. Southern Nash 82.5

Preview Baseball Capsules: Big East's Wilson County schools

Here is a preview look at Wilson County's representatives in the Big East Conference baseball race. Ironically, these teams finished at the top and the bottom of the coaches' preseason poll - Hunt at the top, Fike tied for the bottom.

Conference play begins Tuesday evening!

WILSON FIKE

Head coach - Will Flowers (29th season)

2010 record - 18-8, 6-4 Big East
Returning starters - 4
Strengths - Defense
Weaknesses - Pitching experience
Toughest non-conference game - Rosewood. North Johnston
Starters -
1B - Dustin Edwards, Jr.
2B - Matt Owens, Sr.
SS - Tyler Poythress, So.
3B - Hunter Cockrell, Fr.
C - Jackson Pardue, Sr.
LF - Richard Hinton, So.
CF - Travis Ricks, Jr.
RF - Nathan Everette, Jr.
Starting pitchers: Nathan Everette, Jr., Matt Owens, Sr.
Coach's expectations - " It's a transition year for us. Three starting pitchers graduated. We have a lot youth and we're rebuilding. But our goal remain the same - win the conference and go to the playoffs."


WILSON HUNT

Head coach - Jon Smith (4th season)
2010 record - 26-7, 8-2 Big East
Returning starters - 3
Strengths - Balance

Weaknesses - Inexperience

Toughest non-conference game - Holly Springs

Starters -

1B - Ches Lamm, Sr.

2B - Spencer Boykin, Sr..

SS - Parker Lamm, Jr.

3B - Corey Nygard, Sr.

C - Logan Butts, Jr.

LF - Dillan Howard, Jr.

CF - Jacob Page, Jr.

RF - Avery Harper, Sr.

Starting pitchers: Avery Harper, Sr., Ches Lamm, Sr.

Coach's expectations - "We'd love to compete for a conference championship."

Wilson Hunt picked to win Big East baseball title

Wilson Hunt didn't even win the Big East Conference baseball title last season. Yet, the Warriors ended up in the state championship series with East Rowan for the NCHSAA 3-A title.

With the 2011 conference season set to get underway next week, it could be a wide open race to see who will end up on top.

Despite having only three starters back this season, Hunt, by a small margin over Nash Central, has been voted to win the league title in a vote of the conference's head coaches.

Both teams received three first place votes, but Hunt, which tallied 23 total points, got two nods for second place, while the Bulldogs (21 points) got two votes for third place to give the Warriors the edge in the balloting. Nash Central returns seven starters.

Rocky Mount, the defending champion that went 10-0 in league play last season, received four second-place votes and a third-place nod to garner 19 points and third place in the voting. The Gryphons were also hit hard by graduation and only return four starters.

Northern Nash, with seven starters back for this season, placed fourth with 13 points. The Knights got three third-place votes and two fourth-place picks. Southern Nash and Wilson Fike finished in a tie for fifth place with seven points (each received two fourth-place votes and three fifth-place selections.

2011 Big East Preseason Baseball Coaches' Poll

(Teams received five points for first place, four points for second place, etc. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.)

1. Wilson Hunt - (3) 23 pts.

2. Nash Central - (3) 21 pts.
3. Rocky Mount - 19 pts.
4. Northern Nash - 13 pts.
5. Southern Nash - 7 pts.
5. Wilson Fike - 7 pts.

RMHS senior Benton Moss is WITN-TV7's Player of the Week