Goodwin becomes a millionaire

Brian Goodwin in now a National.

From MLB Daily Dish Blog

The Washington Nationals are just starting to warm up after coming to terms with the 34th overall pick Brian Goodwin to a deal believed to be $3.6 million. Goodwin is left-handed outfielder who may possibly stick at center.

He originally played at the University of North Carolina, but was dismissed from there due to academic issues. He then restarted his career at Miami Dade College, where he became Florida's top ranked college player.

He had a commitment to play at the University of South Carolina, but decided to sign with the Nationals instead. Last year, he had an on-base percentage of .500, allowing the Nationals to dream of him as a possible future leadoff hitter.

Goodwin had been drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2009 after playing at UNC, where he was named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American Team and the Gatorade Player of the Year in North Carolina.

Gryphons play well in scrimmages

Rocky Mount tangles with Roanoke Rapids last Wednesday in a practice session at Yellow Jackets'  Hoyle Field. (Photo/Roanoke Rapids News Herald)

Rocky Mount's football team finally got to hit someone else this past Wednesday and Friday.

The Gryphons traveled up I-95 to Roanoke Rapids to face the Yellow Jackets, champions of the Northern Carolina 2-A Conference last season and a 2-A playoff victim of Tarboro last season.

Rocky Mount outscored RoRap three to nothing.

At the Mellow Mushroom Pigskin Classic Friday evening at Wake Forest-Rolesville High's Trentini Stadium, RMHS squared off for an hour with Leesville Road. Both teams were missing starters. Big among the Gryphon MIAs was starting running back Rodquez Greene. A strained MCL was keeping him on the sidelines.

But the Gryphons played well on both sides of the ball as they prevailed two scores to none over a Pride team that went 9-3 last season.

Mason Hines' 1-yard plunge got RMHS its first score late in the first half. It culminated a nine-play, 60-yard drive. A two-point conversion pass failed.

In the second half, quarterback Michael Hines hit Damien Strickland on a 70-yard scoring pass. RM was successful on a two-point toss as well.

RMHS' defense played solidly all game long and allowed the Pride to cross midfield only once.

But the games will count for real Friday as the Gryphons will travel to Bunn to open the regular season. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

RMHS is first in volleyball, second in boys soccer in preseason picks

I thought of doing this a few years ago, but I needed help. I got it Wednesday morning.

For the last eight or nine years, I have polled the Big East/NEW 6/Big East football coaches for their preseason football picks.

But I always wanted to poll some of the other fall sports coaches of their picks, but they meet at the same time as the football coaches and I couldn't be in three places at one time.

Enter friend Dave Buck and his son Stevie.

They administered poll ballots to the other coaches, while I took care of the football coaches. In the end, even with the absence of a couple coaches, we concluded with preseason conference polls in football, volleyball and boys soccer.

And Rocky Mount fared well in both, unlike football. Tabitha Wilcox's volleyball team finished narrowly in first, while Andrew Nick's squad placed behind Wilson Hunt for the boys soccer crown.

2011 Big East Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll

(Five points for first place, four points for second place,. etc. Coaches could not vote for their own team)

1. Rocky Mount (2) 18 pts.

2. Wilson Hunt (3) 16 pts.

3. Northern Nash 14 pts.

4. Nash Central 12 pts.

5. Southern Nash 9 pts.

6. Wilson Fike 5 pts.

(one coach was absent for voting)

2011 Big East Preseason Boys Soccer Coaches Poll

(Five points for first place, four points for second place,. etc. Coaches could not vote for their own team)

1. Wilson Hunt (4) 24 pts.

2. Rocky Mount (1) 16 pts.

3. Wilson Fike 14 pts.

4. Southern Nash 10 pts.

T5. Nash Central 6 pts.

T5. Northern Nash 6 pts.

(one coach was absent for voting)

Gryphons picked to share last place in Big East football

Rocky Mount has had the pressure taken off it for the 2011 football season.

The Gryphons, a conference-winning favorite seven of the last nine years, along with Wilson Fike were picked to finish dead last in the Big East Conference race this season.

In a vote of the league's coaches at the Big East Conference Kickoff Meeting at Wilson Fike Wednesday, Rocky Mount and Wilson Fike got the lowest number points - seven.

Wilson Hunt, the co-champion last season, garnered all the first place votes it could (five) to get the No. 1 spot in the preseason poll (25 points). 

Southern Nash, which finished in the league race last season, got one first-place vote and was second with 20 points.

Northern Nash (16), which shared 2011 title with Hunt, outpointed Southern Nash (15) by one in the race for third place in the poll.

2011 Big East Preseason Football Coaches Poll

(Five points for first place, four points for second place,. etc. Coaches could not vote for their own team)

1. Wilson Hunt (5) 25 pts.

2. Southern Nash (1) 20 pts.

3. Northern Nash 16 pts.

4. Nash Central 15 pts.

T5. Rocky Mount 7 pts.

T5. Wilson Fike 7 pts.

Brown makes early commitment to East Carolina

Rocky Mount's J'Kyra Brown drives to the basket against Northern Nash in a game last season. (Photo/David Hahula)

Rocky Mount athletic director Mike Gainey confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Gryphon guard J'Kyra Brown, who played her first year of varsity basketball this past season, has verbally committed to play college basketball at East Carolina.

The rising junior, who missed her entire freshman year due a torn ACL, had a phenomenal season for her first time out of the gate. 

Brown was named to the NCPreps.com 3-A All-State Girls Basketball Team last season to go with her Player of the Year honor from the Big East Conference. 

She 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.

Take in a scrimmage this week

It's now time for every high school football team, should it decide to accept it, to enter "The Scrimmage Zone."

Beginning Wednesday and running to end of the week, every Nash County team will participate in at least one scrimmage or jamboree. Rocky Mount and Nash Central will do it - twice!

So here's the list where each team will be playing. And interestingly enough, all four will do it on the road!

Nash County HS Football Scrimmage Schedule

Wed., Aug. 10 - Rocky Mount @ Roanoke Rapids, 6 p.m.

Fri., Aug. 12 - Northern Nash @ North Johnston Football Jamboree, 5 p.m.

Fri., Aug. 12 - Southern Nash @ Wilson Fike Football Jamboree, 6 p.m.

Fri., Aug 12 - Nash Central @ Greene Central Football Jamboree, 6 p.m.

Fri., Aug, 12 - Rocky Mount vs. Leesville Road @ Merry Mushroom Pigskin Classic, 7 p.m.

Sat., Aug. 13 - Nash Central @ East Wake Football Jamboree, 5 p.m.

Rocky Mount Telegram Football Tour - Rocky Mount Gryphons

Click on the arrow to see Rocky Mount Telegram sports staff members discuss the 2011 Gryphon football program with third-year head coach Dickie Schock.

Scenes from the future: RMHS' new football stadium

Home Stands

Scoreboard End Zone

Away Stands

Home Stands - zoom shot (Photos/Chris Hughes - click on each to enlarge)

Everyone likes brand new things - most of the time. In about one year, the Rocky Mount Gryphons will be breaking in its new football stadium - on its new campus. It will be the first time the Blackbirds or the Gryphons have ever played a game on the actual school grounds.

Above are a few shots (click on each shot to enlarge) of the new stadium - far from complete - taken by CarolinaPreps.com's Chris Hughes. It eventually will be part of his wonderful "The Stadium Project" where he has photographed virtually every high school football stadium in the state. He says he has about seven or eight left to visit of the near 375-plus across the state.

Wakefield, Eden Morehead, Heritage and Southeast Raleigh are among the few missing from his site.

Hughes plans to return next summer and get shots of a perfectly completed stadium project. 

RMHS fans may miss the 766 seats at the Rocky Mount Athletic Complex at midfield that have seat backs. 

But I won't miss not having A/C in the press box. The new one will be as cool as a cucumber - just perfect for a first season that should have a few August home games!

The 1972-73 Rocky Mount boys hoop team to be honored at Glaxo

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the GlaxoSmithKline Holiday Invitational Basketball Tournament, the members of the original four teams (Rocky Mount, Garner, Sanderson, Kinston) that played in the inaugural tournament are being invited back to the event and will honored during the week of play.

And of course, the current teams from those schools will play in a special bracket of the tournament this December at Broughton's Holliday Gym.

In case you don't remember who was on that '72-'73 team that won that first championship, here are those 12 gentlemen and the class they graduated in - including MVP Phil  Ford.

1972-73 "RMSH" Boys Basketball Team Roster

Carlton "BooBoo" Alston '74

Jeff Collins '74

Gerald Costen '73

John Dinan '73

Phil Ford '74

James Hart '73

Cleveland Howard '73

Joe Jones '74
Thomas Lancaster '74

Roy Thomas '74

Randy Warrick '73

Jimmy Weeks '74

Head Coach - Richard Hicks

Assistant Coach - Shelton Chesson

Gryphons to scrimmage in Wake Forest-Rolesville event

Rocky Mount head football coach Dickie Schock (right, foreground) talks over practice plans with assistants (l-r) Curtis Rushing, Jason Battle and Gerald Costen last Saturday morning at the Rocky Mount Athletic Complex. (Photo/David Hahula)

Rocky Mount will play in just one football scrimmage this preseason. The Gryphons will be headed to Wake Forest to play in the Mellow Mushroom Pigskin Classic at Wake Forest-Rolesville High's newly remodeled Trintini Stadium on Friday, Aug. 12.

The eight-team event will have Rocky Mount facing Leesville Road in an one-hour session beginning at 7 p.m.

The Gryphons' only other preseason matchup with another team will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 10  when they travel up I-95 to practice against Roanoke Rapids. Practice will begin at 6 p.m.

Rocky Mount opens the regular season on Friday, Aug. 19 at Bunn High School - their first-ever meeting.

Mellow Mushroom Pigskin Classic

Trintini Stadium, Wake Forest-Rolesville High School

Wake Forest, North Carolina

Friday, Aug. 12 

5 p.m. - Bunn vs. Oxford Webb

6 p.m. - Heritage vs. East Wake

7 p.m. - Leesville Road vs. Rocky Mount

8 p.m. - Wake Forest-Rolesville vs. Panther Creek

Pickette takes over as RMHS' head trainer

It's hard to replace a legend.

Doug Pickette

So Rocky Mount High School did the next best thing when it came to Bernie Capps - tab his understudy!

Capps, who served the school for 39 years as its head athletic trainer, stepped down from his post at the end of the school year in June. Until his 66th birthday, the N.C. Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Famer oversaw the whole sports program, but was more visible at football, basketball and baseball games.

The school decided to go inside and select his protege’, Doug Pickette, not really to fill Capps’ shoes, but to continue the quality of service young athletes deserve and promote the standards established by him when he came aboard in the fall of 1972. 

Pickette, 54, has been a teacher (Social Studies) and a trainer at RMHS for the last 12 years. The Scotland Neck native could usually be found attending to school athletes at soccer and softball games. 

Now, he's on a bigger stage. 

"Doug Pickette will be taking over the head trainer’s position, and the good thing about that is he knows the system and the athletes," said Rocky Mount Athletic Director Mike Gainey. "It is comforting to know that we have people on staff here that are able to move into a leadership position after someone leaves or retire. My preference is to hire from within as opposed to going outside. Doug has been in the system for quite awhile and he has the knowledge and knows how to get the job done.

"It is going to be a challenge, but from what I have observed, he is ready for it."

Actually, his duties have already started as he cared for the school’s football players during their 7-on-7 passing league schedule this past summer. But officially, he was on duty for the first time at the Gryphons' first football practice of the season Saturday seconds after midnight. 

"Many have asked me about replacing Bernie,” said Pickette, who graduated from East Carolina University and got his training career going while teaching and coaching at Southeast Halifax in the mid-80s."I have told everyone for years that he is irreplaceable! He deserves a place of honor in the Gryphon Hall of Fame. Bernie will be around continuing to contribute to the success of our programs in the diplomatic sense, particularly, for as long as he feels led to and is able.

“He and I talk almost daily and it is great not having to re-invent the wheel in the new position I have." 

Pickette left teaching for a time for a career in retailing, but he found himself drawn back to the classroom. 

He returned to teaching in 1996 when he took a position at Edwards Middle School, RMHS’ main feeder school. He furthered his training with courses to become an EMT and a first responder and for a time, he worked part-time as a Nash County EMT. 

Three years later, he transferred to RMHS and began to assist Capps with over 24 varsity and junior varsity sports teams it fields. 

Pickette says he’s ready for his new task at hand and is eager to see how his new experience will go. 

“I have already come to enjoy the intensity and working relationships that I have in this new role at RMHS,” he said.

Gainey to coach in the Carolinas Basketball Classic

RMHS boys basketball coach Mike Gainey (Photo/David Hahula)

Rocky Mount athletic director and head boys basketball coach Mike Gainey has been selected to be an assistant for the N.C. boys squad at the 2012 NC/SC Carolinas Basketball Classic game in Myrtle Beach, S.C. in March.

Gainey, whose Gryphons won the 2010 NCHSAA 3-A state championship, was the head coach for the victorious East boys squad (99-98) at the 2010 NCCA East-West All-Star Basketball Game.

"I am blessed and honored to be selected to coach again in an All-Star game," Gainey said Monday. "This year, I am serving as an assistant and I look forward to the challenge. I am also blessed to have a wife and two children who continue to give me the strength, love and support throughout my career.

"I would like to thank my staff and players (former and present) for their hard work and dedication to the Gryphon program." 

He has a career record of 253-114 in 14 seasons. His teams have won five conference titles, seven conference tournament crowns, recorded four 20-win seasons, three sectional titles and a regional title.

Jammin' 99.3 FM releases its "Game of the Week" football schedule

Can't make it to a football game on Friday nights this fall? Well, catch a local game on the radio, or the Internet.

Jammin' 99.3 WDLX FM has released it broadcast schedule for the 2011 season. Here are the games. Tune in at 99.3 FM, or go to the station's website at jammin993.com 

Each broadcast starts at 7 p.m. Paul Andre will handle the play-by-play, while Bob Maloney has the color duties.

Rocky Mount will take to the air three times - on Aug. 26 (at Bertie), Oct. 7 (vs. Wilson Hunt - Homecoming) and Oct. 21 (at Wilson Fike).

2011 Jammin' 99.3 WDLX FM "Game of the Week" Schedule

Aug. 22 - Wilson Beddingfield @ Northern Nash

Aug. 25 - Rocky Mount @ Bertie

Sept. 2  - Northern Nash @ Tarboro

Sept. 9 - Wilson Hunt @ Wilson Beddingfield

Sept.16 - Wilson Fike @ Wilson Hunt
Sept. 26 - SW Edgecombe @ Farmville Central

Sept. 30 - Southern Nash @ Wilson Fike

Oct. 7 - Wilson Hunt @ Rocky Mount

Oct.14 - Tarboro @ SW Edgecombe

Oct. 21 - Rocky Mount @ Wilson Fike

Oct. 28 - Wilson Beddingfield @ Tarboro

Cobb signs as free agent with the Bears

Travis Cobb

The Chicago Bears, coming off the Lockout, came to terms with 26 free agents Tuesday. One of them was former Gryphon Travis Cobb.

Cobb, who played baseball and football for RMHS, spent the last two seasons as a wide receiver and kick returner for the University of Arizona. The 6-foot, 180-pounder helped the Wildcats reach the Alamo Bowl to end his career.

Cobb, who turns 24 next Friday, is coming off a senior season where he led the Wildcats in kick returning with 34 attempts for 887 yards, including a 100-yard kickoff for a score against Iowa. He caught 26 passes for 290 yards and a touchdown.

The 2005 Rocky Mount graduate went undrafted in the NFL Draft last spring and didn't go the NFL Combines. But his Pro Day numbers were good (4.37 in the 40, 37-inch vertical jump, 4.14 in the 20-yd. shuttle). He joins a team that has the most prolific kick returner in the NFL in Devin Hester. And he can't wait to learn a thing or two from the six-year veteran and two-time All-Pro.

"I'm really blessed to have signed with the Bears," Cobb told me in a Facebook message Thursday evening. "This has been a dream of mine to play in the NFL since I was in high school and it really was a hard road for me. But I never gave up and with parents like mine, they wouldn't let me and I didn't want to let them down. 

Hester is on the verge of becoming the NFL's all-time leader in kickoff returns for touchdowns. He couldn't have a better mentor.

"Playing with Hester is something I always wanted to do as he was my favorite player growing up watching him at Miami," Cobb said. "Now I get to learn from him on kick return this is going to be exciting."

Nash County's best baseball players - updated

 

(Editor's Note - Many of you have responded to my plea for help and I have added as many as 50 players to my original lists - thanks to you! Keep them coming! Were there any players who went to Red Oak, Benvenue, Coopers, Spring Hope, Bailey, Nash Central, Swift Creek or Nashville High Schools that belong on these lists?)

NASH COUNTY'S COLLEGE BASEBALL PLAYERS

Jack Allsbrook, Rocky Mount - Class of 1947 - to Atlantic Christian (Barton)
Dudley Whitley, Rocky Mount - Class of 1952 - to N.C. State
Harold Gilbert, Rocky Mount - Class of 1956 - to N.C. State
Bobby Ellis, Rocky Mount - Class of 1961 - to Frederick College

Danny Talbott, Rocky Mount - Class of 1963 - to UNC

Mike Tyson, Northern Nash - Class of 1970 - to Indian River C.C.

Gary Ange, Rocky Mount - Class of 1971 - to NC Wesleyan

Howard McCullough, Rocky Mount, Class of 1972 - to Louisburg, East Carolina
Terry Leonard, Rocky Mount - Class of 1972 - to Chowan 

Randy Warrick, Rocky Mount - Class of 1973 - to Louisburg, UNC

Marvin "Sonny " Wooten, Rocky Mount - Class of 1973 - to Louisburg, East Carolina
Larry Daughtridge, Rocky Mount - Class of 1973 - to Louisburg
Danny Weaver, Northern Nash - Class of 1973 - to Atlantic Christian (Barton)
Tommy Warrick, Rocky Mount - Class of 1974 - to Louisburg, East Carolina
Doug Henley, Rocky Mount - Class of 1975 - to Wake Forest, Georgia
Tommy Crocker, Rocky Mount - Class of 1975 - to N.C. State
Greg Proctor, Rocky Mount - Class of 1975 - to Louisburg CC

Steve Partin, Rocky Mount - Class of 1976 - to Louisburg CC
Buddy Luper, Rocky Mount - Class of 1976 - to Louisburg CC
Mike Leonard, Northern Nash - Class of 1977 - to Pembroke State (UNC-Pembroke)
Greg Clark, Rocky Mount - Class of 1978 - to NC Wesleyan

Kevin Bunn, Rocky Mount - Class of 1980 - to Wake Forest

David Downs, Rocky Mount - Class of 1980 - Wake Forest

Bill Merrifield, Rocky Mount - Class of 1980 - to Wake Forest

Jeff Newsome, Rocky Mount - Class of 1980 - to UNC-Wilmington

Bill Wilkes, Rocky Mount - Class of 1981 - to Campbell

Paul Bauer, Rocky Mount - Class of 1981 - to Lenoir CC
Chuck Davis, Rocky Mount - Class of 1981 - to Lenoir CC
Billy Godwin, Northern Nash - Class of 1982 - to Atlantic Christian (Barton)
Carl Payne, Northern Nash - Class of 1982 - to NC Wesleyan

David Ellis, Rocky Mount - Class of 1983 - to NC Wesleyan

Neil Avent, Rocky Mount - Class of 1985 - to Wake Forest
Charlie Long, Northern Nash - Class of 1985 - to Mount Olive

Donnie Bobbitt, Rocky Mount - Class of 1986 - to Wake Forest
Shelton Grant, Rocky Mount - Class of 1986 - Western Carolina
John Adams, Northern Nash - Class of 1986 - to East Carolina

Phil Bryant, Southern Nash - Class of 1986 - to NC Wesleyan

Lee Boone, Northern Nash - Class of 1988 - to US Coast Guard Academy

Mark Worsley, Rocky Mount - Class of 1988 - to Lenoir CC, N.C. State

Ernie Jones, Southern Nash - Class of 1989 - to Lenoir CC, NC Wesleyan

Greg Bobbitt, Northern Nash - Class of 1989 - to St. Augustine's
Ralph Mihlfeld, Rocky Mount - Class of 1989 - to Lenoir CC
Scott Lewis, Rocky Mount - Class of 1989 - to Lenor CC

John Bonner, Northern Nash - Class of 1990 - to Appalachian State

Eric Gazaway, Northern Nash - Class of 1990 - to NC Wesleyan

Rocky Seagroves, Rocky Mount - Class of 1991 - to Lenoir CC, NC Wesleyan

David Joyner, Northern Nash - Class of 1991 - to Lenoir CC

Kelvin Whitaker, Rocky Mount - Class of 1991 - to St. Augustine's

Marcus Mitchell, Rocky Mount - Class of 1992 - to Pfeiffer

Byron Evans, Northern Nash - Class of 1992 - to NC Wesleyan

Chris Bryant, Southern Nash - Class of 1992 - to NC Wesleyan

Fred Boone, Northern Nash - Class of 1992 - to US Coast Guard Academy

Marcus Battle, Rocky Mount - Class of 1994 - to UNC-G

Scott Gibson, Rocky Mount - Class of 1994 - to UNC-Pembroke

Jeremy Stewart, Northern Nash - Class of 1995 - to NC Wesleyan
Travis Matthews - Rocky Mount - Class of 1995 - Brevard JC, Barton

Andy Jones, Southern Nash - Class of 1995 - to NC Wesleyan

Jeremy Ward, Rocky Mount - Class of 1996 - to Wake Forest, Long Beach State

Kenny Wilson, Rocky Mount - Class of 1996 - to Louisburg, UNC-Wilmington
Chris Tyndall , Rocky Mount - Class of 1996 - East Carolina
Jeremiah Parvin, Rocky Mount - Class of 1997 - to Davidson

David Ange, Rocky Mount - Class of 1998 - to UNC-Wilmington

Barrett Bodiford, Rocky Mount - Class of 1998 - to Appalachian State
Jason Battle, Rocky Mount - Class of 1998 - to N.C. A&T

Paul Jenkins, Rocky Mount - Class of 2001 - to UNC

Carter Harrell, Rocky Mount - Class of 2001 - to UNC, Louisburg, East Carolina

Chad Alligood, Northern Nash - Class of 2001 - to Greensboro College

Brian Massey, Southern Nash - Class of 2001 - to Mount Olive
Will Tyson, Southern Nash - Class of 2001 - to Barton
Adam Weaver, Rocky Mount - Class of 2002 - to UNC, Elon
Ricky Howard, Southern Nash - Class of 2002 - to Louisburg, Campbell
Luke Murray, Southern Nash - Class of 2002 - to NC Wesleyan

Tyler Petty, Northern Nash - Class of 2002 - to Barton

Kai Mullen, Rocky Mount - Class of 2002 - to Elon

Josh Richardson, Faith Christian - Class of 2002 - to NC Wesleyan

Michael Parker, Rocky Mount - Class of 2003 - to Barton

O.J. Jenkins, Rocky Mount - Class of 2004 - to N.C. Central

Mark Wooten, Northern Nash - Class of 2004 - to NC Wesleyan

Ted Williams, Northern Nash - Class of 2004 - to NC Wesleyan
Thomas Evans, Southern Nash - Class of 2004 - to Barton
Jason Webb, Southern Nash - Class of 2004 - to Barton

Will Johnson, Rocky Mount - Class of 2005 - to Barton

Bryan Braswell, Northern Nash - Class of 2006 - to Campbell

Jonathan Lucas, Northern Nash - Class of 2006 - to NC Wesleyan
Joseph Keel, Southern Nash - Class of 2006 - to Mars Hill

Chad Womble, Rocky Mount - Class of 2007 - to Flor./Darlington C.C., NC Wesleyan

Jason Gay, Northern Nash - Class of 2007 - to NC Wesleyan

Thomas Sykes, Northern Nash - Class of 2007 - to NC Wesleyan

Andrew Webb, Northern Nash - Class of 2007 - to NC Wesleyan

Brian Allen, Southern Nash - Class of 2007 - to Pitt C.C., NC Wesleyan
Adam Hodges, RM Academy - Class of 2007 - to Hamden-Sydney

Ryan Waldrep, Rocky Mount/S. Brunswick, Class of 2008 - to Appalachian State

Zach Woodley, Northern Nash - Class of 2008 - to Pitt C.C.

Daniel Moore, Northern Nash - Class of 2008 - NC Wesleyan

Jim Leggett, Rocky Mount - Class of 2008 - to Belmont Abbey, Pitt C.C.

Alex Pearce, Nash Central - Class of 2008 - to UNC-Pembroke
Xavier Macklin, Nash Central - Class of 2008 - to N.C. A&T

Edmund Gravely, RM Academy - Class of 2008 - to Newberry

Brian Goodwin, Rocky Mount - Class of 2009 - to UNC, Miami Dade C.C.
Ben Fish, Rocky Mount - Class of 2009 - to Campbell

Tyler Joyner, Northern Nash - Class of 2009 - to East Carolina

Tyler Clark, Northern Nash - Class of 2009 - to NC Wesleyan

Cameron Ramsey, Rocky Mount - Class of 2009 - to Wake C.C.

Gabe Brown, Rocky Mount - Class of 2009 - to Lenoir C.C.

Mike Williams, Northern Nash - Class of 2009 - to Pitt C.C.

Eric Mull, Faith Christian - Class of 2009 - to NC Wesleyan

Hobbs Johnson, Rocky Mount - Class of 2010 - to UNC

Collins Cuthrell, Rocky Mount - Class of 2010 - to Barton

T.J. Taylor, Nash Central - Class of 2010 - to Wake C.C.

Brett Allen, Southern Nash/Wilson Fike - Class of 2010 - to NC Wesleyan
Thomas Berry, Rocky Mount - Class of 2011 - to Lander U.

Benton Moss, Rocky Mount - Class of 2011 - to UNC

Matthew Berry, Rocky Mount - Class of 2011 - to Barton

Jeremy Lucas, Northern Nash - Class of 2011 - to Barton 

PRO SIGNINGS/DRAFTED

Dudley Whitley, Rocky Mount - Class of 1952 - N.C. State - signed by Corpus Christi Clippers

Danny Talbott, Rocky Mount - Class of 1963 - UNC - drafted by Detroit Tigers (2nd round - No. 22)

Mike Tyson, Northern Nash - Class of 1970 - Indian River State College (Fl.) - signed by St. Louis Cardinals (3rd round - No. 60)
Marvin "Sonny" Wooten, Rocky Mount - Class of 1973 - drafted by Chicago Cubs (29th round - No. 641)

Doug Henley, Rocky Mount - Class of 1975 - Wake Forest, Georgia - signed with New York Mets (free agent)
Greg Clark, Rocky Mount - Class of 1978 - NC Wesleyan - signed by Los Angeles Dodgers (18th round - No. 462)

Bill Merrifield, Rocky Mount - Class of 1980 - Wake Forest - signed by California Angels (2nd round - No. 53)

Greg Bobbitt, Northern Nash - Class of 1989 - St. Augustine's - signed by Chicago Cubs (free agent)
Duane Thomas, Rocky Mount - Class of 1991 - signed with Baltimore Orioles (free agent)
Carl Payne, Northern Nash - Class of 1982 - signed with Kansas City Royals (free agent)
Chris Bryant, Southern Nash - Class of 1992 - NC Wesleyan - signed by Baltimore Orioles (14th round - No. 388)

Jeremy Ward, Rocky Mount - Class of 1996 - Wake Forest/Long Beach State - signed by Arizona Diamondbacks - (2nd round - No. 71)

Maurice Cobb, Rocky Mount - Class of 2002 - signed by Montreal Expos - (27th round - No. 767)
Tyler Joyner, Northern Nash - Class of 2009 - East Carolina - drafted by Cleveland Indians (50th round - No. 1505)
Brian Goodwin, Rocky Mount - Class of 2009 - UNC/Miami Dade CC - signed by Washington Nationals (Compensation round - No. 34)

Xavier Macklin, Nash Central - Class of 2008 - signed by Oakland A's - (12th round - No. 376)

Bardin, Suiter to go into the NCHSAA Hall of Fame

CHAPEL HILL -  Two individuals with longtime connections to Nash County will be inducted into the next N.C. High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame next spring.

The NCHSAA announced Tuesday that Rosalie Bardin and Tom Suiter will be among the eight inductees for the 2011 class.

Rosalie Bardin

Bardin

Bardin has been an outstanding coach and administrator during her career in education.
                  

After graduating from Lucama High School and then magna cum laude from Atlantic Christian (now Barton) College, Bardin began a stellar run at Southern Nash High School, where she coached women's basketball for 12 years, volleyball for 18, track and field for seven, and softball for 24, including the transition from slow pitch to fast pitch. She also served as cheerleading coach and athletic trainer during her tenure at Southern Nash.
                  

She compiled a brilliant record in slow pitch of 373-130 and her fast pitch mark was an outstanding 71-11. Her teams earned 15 conference championships in softball, one state championship in slow pitch in 1995 and a runner-up finish in fast pitch.
                  

Bardin moved into administration in 1998 and wound up serving as principal at Southern Nash for several years, where she has twice been Nash-Rocky Mount Principal of the Year, She retired from the teaching field in 2010.

Tom Suiter

Suiter

The legendary sports television anchor enjoyed a tremendous career at WRAL-TV in Raleigh, and high school athletics was an integral part of it.
                  

Suiter, a native of Rocky Mount who grew up just blocks from RMHS' campus, attended Christ School outside Asheville and then went to Erskine College in Due West, S.C. Upon graduation from Erskine in 1971, he joined at WRAL and moved from weekend anchor and sports reporter to the weekday sports anchor, staying there for his entire career and retirement from full-time broadcasting in 2008.

He anchored the award-winning "Football Friday" show on Friday nights, pioneering coverage of so many games in a single show starting in 1981 and is still running today. He celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the show last fall.

                  

The Extra Effort Awards were started at the station under his direction, honoring a high school student-athlete who excels on the field or court as well as in the classroom. He has previously been named the winner of the annual Media Representative of the Year by the NCHSAA.

Cherryville is the N.C. American Legion Baseball State Champion

MOREHEAD CITY - Cherryville Post 100 defeated Wayne County Post 11 9-1 in the championship game of the N.C. American Legion State Baseball Tournament held at Pug O'Neil Field at Big Rock Stadium Tuesday afternoon.

Cherryville took its sixth state title in the past 16 years. Post 100 previously won N.C. championships in 1953, 1981, 1997, 1998, 2003 and 2007. The 1953, 1998 and 2003 seasons ended in the Little World Series with Cherryville finishing as the national runner-up in 1998 and 2003.

Cherryville advances to the Southeast Regional Tournament at Riley Park in Sumter, S.C. Aug. 4-8.

Its first game will be at 9 a.m. on Aug. 4 vs. the Alabama state champion.

If Cherryville wins the regional, it will only take a 12-mile ride to Cleveland County and the city of Shelby for the 2011 American Legion World Series being played at its new permanent home at newly refubished Keeter Stadium at Veterans Field - located on the campus of Shelby High School.  
 
2011 N.C. American Legion State Tournament Recap

Friday's games

Rowan County 6, Wayne County 4
High Point 11, Cary 7
Wilmington 12, Hickory 3
Cherryville 13, Morehead City 1, 7 innings

Saturday's games

Wayne Coun ty 14, Hickory 0, 7 innings
Morehead City 11, Cary 7
Wilmington 5, Rowan County 4, 10 innings
Cherryville 7, High Point 0

Sunday's games

Rowan County 11, Morehead City 7
Wayne County 11, High Point 7
Cherryville 4, Wilmington 2

Monday's games

Wayne County 8, Wilmington 6
Cherryville 6, Rowan County 4
 
Tuesday's game

Cherryville 9, Wayne County 1 - Championship game

Big East Coaches meet on Aug. 10 in Wilson

The Big East Conference will gather all its coaches from each and every sport to discuss the upcoming school year next Wednesday, Aug. 10, at Fike High School in Wilson.

Since the induction of Wilson Hunt into the family, the league has held the event at Hunt, at Southern Nash and now at Fike.

For us high school football fans, the football coaches will take center stage. The area and regional media, including myself, will be there probing each coach about their upcoming season and all the new faces, the returning faces and sadly, some of the missing faces gone due to graduation.

I will get to poll these coaches for their prediction of the order of finish for the league race. They all should have a better idea about the teams in the league after eight or nine practices.

Look for these poll results right here next Wednesday afternoon!

Wayne Co. plays Cherryville for Legion State title Tuesday

MOREHEAD CITY - Area I's Wayne County Post 11 will have to win two games Tuesday, but if it can pull off that feat, it will be the N.C. American Legion Baseball state champion.

But it will have do it Tuesday against Cherryville Post 100 which is undefeated in state tourrnament play at Puck O'Neil Field at Big Rock Stadium. 

The two teams will play at 1 p.m. Should Wayne Co. win, the two will meet again at 4 p.m.

For the second straight year, the team that knocked out Coleman-Pitt Post 58 is playing for the state title.

Cherryville will be looking for its fifth state title in the past 15 years. Post 100 previously won N.C. championships in 1953, 1981, 1997, 1998, 2003 and 2007. The 1953, 1998 and 2003 seasons ended in the Little World Series with Cherryville finishing as the national runner-up in 1998 and 2003.

Wayne County was the runner-up to Cherryville in the 2007 state championship.

2011 N.C. American Legion State Tournament Recap

Friday’s games

Rowan County 6, Wayne County 4
High Point 11, Cary 7
Wilmington 12, Hickory 3
Cherryville 13, Morehead City 1, 7 innings

Saturday’s games

Wayne County 14, Hickory 0, 7 innings
Morehead City 11, Cary 7
Wilmington 5, Rowan County 4, 10 innings
Cherryville 7, High Point 0

Sunday’s games

Rowan County 11, Morehead City 7
Wayne County 11, High Point 7
Cherryville 4, Wilmington 2

Monday’s games

Wayne County 8, Wilmington 6
Cherryville 6, Rowan County 4

Tuesday’s games

Wayne County vs. Cherryville, 1 p.m.
If Wayne wins at 1 p.m., 4 p.m.

Day 3 results, schedules - N.C. American Legion State Baseball Tournament

Area I champ Wayne County is still alive as we have reached the semifinals of the N.C. American Legion State Baseball Tournament.

Wayne County will face unbeaten Cherryville Monday at 7 p.m. Rowan County, which gave Wayne County its only loss, faces Wilmington in the other semifinal at 3 p.m.


@ Puck O'Neil Field at Big Rock Stadium, Morehead City


Sunday 

Game 9 - Rowan County 11. Morehead City 7

Game 10 - Wayne County 11. High Point 7

Game 11 - Cherryville 4, Wilmington 2


Morehead City, High Point eliminated

Monday 

Game 12 - Wayne County (27-6) vs. Wilmington (31-6), 3 p.m.

Game 13 - Cherryville (29-7) vs. Rowan County (25-9), 7 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 14 - Game 12 winner vs. Game 13 winner, 1 p.m.

Game 15 - if needed, 4 p.m.