Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night Fundraiser set for RMHS Baseball Thursday

If you wish to support Rocky Mount High School's baseball program, here's an easy way to do it - and have a meal in the process.

Make plans Thursday night (Feb. 2) to eat dinner at the Chick-Fil-A Restaurant at Cobb Corners - in front of Wal-Mart on Jefferys Road..

From 5-8 that evening, Chick-Fil-A will donate 15 percent of all designated sales during that period to the Gryphon diamond program.

All you to have to do is to present a special slip to the cashier designating "RM Baseball" as the recipient of those proceeds.

You can get a slip from Rocky Mount head coach Kent Cox or from any Rocky Mount baseball player.

We will have a link later this weekend on this blog entry where you can print out a slip.

Please support Rocky Mount Baseball in its final season at the current Gryphon Stadium!

Former Nash Central star helps WCU light up scoreboard

Western Carolina guard Trey Sumler

CULLOWHEE - Former Nash Central basketball star Trey Sumler helped Western Carolina's men's basketball team set all sorts of records recently and turned the heads of college hoop fans across the nation - for one night.

Sumler, a redshirt sophomore guard for the Southern Conference member Catamounts, was the leading scorer for WCU with a game-high 18 points (6-for-9 from the floor, six assists) in a win over Toccoa Falls on its home court at the Ramsey Center on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

But it wasn't just an ordinary victory.

Western, which tallied the game's first 18 points, scored a school record 141 points against Toccoa that evening. What turned heads across the nation that night was the final score - 141-39!

Even ESPN's SportsCenter got into spreading the news of the rout that evening.

Sumler, Nash Central's all-time leading scorer (1,921 points), was among nine players who scored in double figures in the most lopsided victory in school history. It was also the third-largest margin of victory (102 points) in NCAA history.

The school records set that night by the Catamounts included the most points in a game (141), the most points in a half (72 in the first), the largest margin of victory (102), and the most double-figure scores in a game (nine).

Sumler and his teammates, however, couldn't follow up that point explosion last weekend against rival Appalachian State. WCU fell to 9-11 on the season with a 84-72 league loss.

But Sumler is playing at his best in his first year as a starter.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder, who is third behind Rocky Mount's Tashawn Mabry and Phil Ford as Nash County's all-time leading scorer, is WCU's second-leading point maker at 12 a game. He's grabbing 4.4 rebounds a contest and he is its leading assist man with just over three a game.

His offensive game has been coming on since the Christmas break. He has been the Catamounts' leading scorer their last three games.

Big East 3-A Conference Scoreboard - Jan. 25

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25

  

BOYS

Green Hope 57, Wilson Hunt 56

GIRLS

Green Hope 75, Wilson Hunt 46

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24

  

BOYS

Rocky Mount 77, Northern Nash 73

Nash Central 42, Southern Nash 40

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 59, Northern Nash 52

Nash Central 52, Southern Nash 49

WEDNESDAY'S TOP SCORERS 

Quanisha Brown, WIlson Hunt - 15 pts.

TUESDAY'S TOP SCORERS 

Lavon Brutus, Rocky Mount - 28 pts.

Josh Sessoms, Southern Nash - 23 pts.

Timyra Staton, Nash Central - 21 pts.
J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount - 20 pts.

Alexus Cooper, Rocky Mount - 20 pts.

Wesley Battle, Northern Nash - 18 pts.

Miya Bryant, Southern Nash - 17 pts.

Khadijah Manning, Southern Nash - 17 pts.

Ni'ya Styles, Nash Central - 15 pts.

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount - 14 pts.

Nathaniel Pittman, Nash Central - 13 pts.

 

STANDINGS

BOYS

School Conf.    Overall Rocky Mount  5-0 14-3 Nash Central  4-1 11-4 Wilson Hunt 3-2 10-7 Wilson Fike 2-3 3-12 Southern Nash  1-4 3-10 Northern Nash 0-5 1-13

GIRLS

School Conf.   Overall Rocky Mount 5-0 15-2 Northern Nash 4-1 13-1 Wilson Hunt 2-3 9-8 Wilson Fike 2-3 7-8 Nash Central 2-3 9-6 Southern Nash 1-4 2-11

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27

Nash Central @ Rocky Mount

Wilson Hunt @ Northern Nash
Southern Nash @ Wilson Fike

NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31

Wilson Hunt @ Rocky Mount

Wilson Fike @ Nash Central
Northern Nash @ Southern Nash 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2

Wilson Hunt @ Wilson Beddingfield 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3

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

Big East Conference Basketball Scoreboard - Jan. 21

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20

  

BOYS

Rocky Mount 73, Southern Nash 63

Nash Central 56, Wilson Hunt 46
Wilson Fike 56, Northern Nash 48

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 67, Southern Nash 24
Wilson Hunt 54, Nash Central 50

Northern Nash 76, Wilson Fike 46

FRIDAY'S TOP SCORERS 

Alexus Hill, Northern Nash - 25 pts.
Tia Hudgins, Rocky Mount - 22 pts.
J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount - 20 pts.
Jalen Hendricks, Nash Central - 20 pts.
Jasmine Griffin, Northern Nash - 19 pts.
Ni'ya Styles, Nash Central - 19 pts.
Shatera Black, Wilson Fike - 19 pts.
E.J. Proctor, Wilson Fike - 19 pts.
Quanisha Brown, Wilson Hunt - 17 pts.
Josh Sessoms, Southern Nash - 16 pts.

Lavon Brutus, Rocky Mount - 15 pts.

Josh King, WIlson Fike - 15 pts.

Timyra Staton, Nash Central - 14 pts.

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount - 14 pts.

Nathaniel Pittman, Nash Central - 13 pts.

 

STANDINGS

BOYS

School Conf.    Overall Rocky Mount  4-0 13-3 Nash Central  3-1 10-4 Wilson Hunt 3-2 10-6 Wilson Fike 2-2 3-12 Southern Nash  1-3 3-9 Northern Nash 0-4 1-12

GIRLS

School Conf.   Overall Northern Nash 4-0 13-0 Rocky Mount 4-0 14-2 Wilson Hunt 2-3 9-7 Wilson Fike 2-3 7-8 Nash Central 1-3 8-6 Southern Nash 1-3 2-10

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

TUESDAY

Northern Nash @ Rocky Mount

Southern Nash @ Nash Central

WEDNESDAY

Wilson Hunt @ Green Hope 

FRIDAY

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

Big East Conference Basketball Scoreboard - Jan. 18

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18

  

BOYS

 

Wilson Hunt 60, Wilson Fike 58, OT

Tarboro 57, Northern Nash 42

GIRLS

Wilson Fike 39, Wilson Fike 36

Northern Nash 73, Tarboro 34

WEDNESDAYS TOP SCORERS 

Jermaine Crowder, Wilson Fike - 17 pts.

Shatera Black, Wilson Fike - 15 pts.

Sam Ellis, WIlson Fike - 14 pts.

Parker Lamm, Wilson Hunt - 13 pts.

 

STANDINGS

BOYS

School Conf.    Overall Rocky Mount  3-0 12-3 Wilson Hunt  3-1 10-5 Nash Central  2-1 9-4 Southern Nash 1-2 3-8 Wilson Fike 1-2 2-10 Northern Nash 0-3 1-12

GIRLS

School Conf.   Overall Northern Nash 3-0 12-0 Rocky Mount 3-0 13-2 Wilson Fike 2-2 7-6 Nash Central 1-2 8-5 Wilson Hunt 1-3 8-7 Southern Nash 1-2 2-9

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

FRIDAY

Rocky Mount @ Southern Nash

Wilson Hunt @ Nash Central

Northern Nash @ Wilson Fike

Northern Nash girls, Rocky Mount girls and boys state-ranked

The Northern Nash Lady Knights maintained their ranking in the latest NCPreps.com/HS Media Basketball polls released Monday evening.

Northern stayed in its No. 4 spot in the 3-A ranks from a week ago after beating Wilson Fike 61-38 last Friday night in its only contest of the week. Nash County teams were all in exams until Friday afternoon. Coach Grover Battle's girls are 11-0 entering this week of play (won 73-34 over Tarboro Wednesday night) and are one of only two 3-A girls teams still sporting no losses. The other team is West Craven. Hickory (16-1) stayed in the No. 1 spot for the third straight week.

The Rocky Mount girls, ranked No. 9 last week, moved up two spots to No. 7 after its 66-40 victory over Wilson Hunt last Friday. The 12-3 Lady Gryphons got 29 points from junior J'Kyra Brown in the win. Both Northern Nash and Rocky Mount are 3-0 in Big East Conference play and seem to be on a collision course for first place at RMHS on Tuesday, Jan. 24.

Rocky Mount's boys also made a two-position move this week. After beating Wilson Hunt Friday (61-57) for the first time since the 2010 season, the Gryphons (12-3) improved from No. 9 to No. 7 in the 3-A boys poll. Three squads are still unbeaten in the 3-A ranks (Chapel Hill, Concord, West Craven) with Chapel Hill sitting at No. 1.

NCPreps.com/HS Media Basketball Polls - Week 3

3A Girls
 
1. Hickory (6) (16-1) - 69 (1)
2. West Craven (1) (14-0) - 62 (2)
3. Carson (14-1) 54 - (3)
4. Northern Nash (11-0) - 53 (4)
5. RS Central (15-1) - 43 (5)
6. Berry (14-1) - 32 (6)
7. Rocky Mount (13-2) - 23 (9)
8. Forestview (14-2) - 18 (NR)
9. South Central (8-2) - 17 (8)
10. Chapel Hill (13-2) - 9 (7)

Honorable Mention: Harding (12-2) - 5.

3A Boys
 
1. Chapel Hill (5)(16-0) - 68 (1)
2. Concord (2)(14-0) - 65 (2)
3. West Craven (15-0) - 55 (3)
4. Freedom (16-1) 48 - (4)
5. North Forsyth (13-2) - 45 (5)
6. Hickory (15-2) - 31 (8)
7. Rocky Mount (12-3) - 17 (9)
8. Asheboro (16-1)15 - (10)
9. Charlotte Catholic (12-3) - 14 (6)
10. Harding (13-3) - 10 (NR)

Honorable Mention: Statesville (11-3) - 7; Southern Wayne (13-3) - 5; Triton (15-3) - 5; South Point (11-2) - 4; Berry (12-4) - 1; JM Robinson (10-3) - 1.

Big East Conference Basketball Scoreboard

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13

  

BOYS

Rocky Mount 61, Wilson Hunt 57

Nash Central 59, Wilson Fike 49

Southern Nash 50, Northern Nash 38

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 66, Wilson Hunt 40

Wilson Fike 49, Nash Central 42

Northern Nash 61, Southern Nash 38

FRIDAY'S TOP SCORERS 

J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount - 29 pts.

Timyra Staton, Nash Central - 25 pts. 

Khadijah Manning, Southern Nash - 21 pts.

Lavon Brutus, Rocky Mount - 19 pts.

Alexus Hill, Northern Nash - 19 pts.

Justin Jefferson, Wilson Hunt - 16 pts. 

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount - 15 pts.

Jaquan Wilkins, Nash Central - 15 pts.

Alexus Cooper, Rocky Mount - 14 pts. 

Jameka Ruffin, Wilson Fike - 13 pts.

Jasmine Griffin, Northern Nash - 13 pts.

Phillip Jones, Nash Central - 13 pts.

Jalen Hendricks, Nash Central - 13 pts.

 

STANDINGS

BOYS

School Conf.    Overall Rocky Mount  3-0 12-3 Nash Central  2-1 9-4 Wilson Hunt  2-1 9-5 Southern Nash 1-2 3-8 Wilson Fike 1-2 2-10 Northern Nash 0-3 1-11

GIRLS

School Conf.   Overall Northern Nash 3-0 12-0 Rocky Mount 3-0 13-2 Nash Central 1-2 8-5 Wilson Hunt 1-2 8-6 Wilson Fike 1-2 6-6 Southern Nash 1-2 2-9

NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY

Wilson Hunt @ Wilson Fike

Northern Nash @ Tarboro

FRIDAY

Rocky Mount @ Southern Nash

Wilson Hunt @ Nash Central

Northern Nash @ Wilson Fike

Fly to be inducted into Whitfield Hall of Fame tonight

Longtime basketball and baseball official and former Rocky Mount resident Ron Fly will be inducted into the George Whitfield Hall of Fame during ceremonies Friday at 7 p.m. at Goldsboro High School's auditorium. 

Ron, who now lives in Goldsboro, and his twin brother Don have called hundreds of games in the Twin Counties - including in the gym at Rocky Mount High School where I first saw then both call a basketball game. 

I had trouble telling them apart back in the winter of 1973, and I still do now! The duo has been in stripes or in shirts and chest protectors for the past 40 years.

As usual, a great cross-section of sports dignitaries from across the state will be inducted with Ron this evening. Also being inducted from this area are N.C. Wesleyan head trainer Carol Carson and Edgecombe County native and Northern Nash assistant football coach Richie Pridgen. Pridgen was head coach at Wilson Fike for many seasons.

This is the complete list of honorees for the 40th annual event: 

— Former NFL and UNC star and Goldsboro native David Thornton

— Former voice of the Tar Heels Woody Durham 

— Air Force Maj. Gen. Alfred K. Flowers

— Former ACC champion tennis player Alexander “Andy" Andrews

— A five-time N.C. Sports Writer-of-the-Year recipient Wilt Browning

— Richard Bell, Arkansas tight end in late 1950s
— Carol Carson, head athletic trainer at N.C. Wesleyan College
— Wes Chesson, played in NFL with Atlanta and Philadelphia
— Bill Davis, served in World War II and played football at Duke
— Ron Fly, well-renowned basketball official
— Wells Gulledge, Mount Olive graduate who coaches at Kinston High
— Mark Johnson, retired head baseball coach at Sam Houston State
— Robert P. Kennel, former football player at N.C. State
— Ray Korn, prep and collegiate standout athlete from New Jersey
— Mac Morris, compiled 400-plus victories as basketball coach
— Wendell H. Murphy, Duplin County native and agricultural genius
— Richard Pridgen, former head football coach at Wilson Fike
— William Rowe, started 8-man football program at Parrott Academy
— Don Shea, former sports director at WTVD-TV in Durham
— Carl R. Tacy, former men’s basketball coach at Wake Forest
— Timothy Taft M.D., played soccer and ran track at Princeton University
— David Thompson, played on N.C. State's 1974 National Championship basketball team
— Jerry R. Tolley, lettered in four sports at Holmes HS in Edenton
— Robert Vaughan, started men’s basketball at Elizabeth City State
— Lindsay Warren, Washington native has served several positions
— Tony Womack, played in Majors with Pittsburgh and Arizona
— Larry Worsley, played for legendary Everett Case at N.C. State

Big East Hoop Roundup - Week 1

Here is a roundup of the results of Week 1 of Big East 3-A Conference basketball:

FRIDAY

BOYS

Rocky Mount 66, Nash Central 61, OT
Wilson Fike 59, Southern Nash 55
Wilson Hunt 61, Northern Nash 45

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 59, Nash Central 43
Southern Nash 45, Wilson Fike 37
Northern Nash 50, Wilson Hunt 35

WEDNESDAY

BOYS

Rocky Mount 98, Hertford County 53
Bunn 60, Nash Central 56
SW Edgecombe 80, Northern Nash 65

GIRLS 

Rocky Mount 78, Hertford County 41
Bunn 54, Nash Central 37
Northern Nash 60, SW Edgecombe 35

TUESDAY

BOYS

Rocky Mount 72, Wilson Fike 44
Nash Central 64, Northern Nash 40
Wilson Hunt 74, Southern Nash 61

GIRLS 

Rocky Mount 84, Wilson Fike 47
Northern Nash 57, Nash Central 40
Wilson Hunt 46, Southern Nash 33

The Barnes Report - from Nashville, Tn. - Epilogue

Whit Barnes

  
(Editor's note: Wake Forest played Mississippi State in the Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl Friday evening at Nashville's LP Field. Wake Forest fell to the Bulldogs 23-17 to fall to 6-7 for the season. 

Here is the final blog entry by Deacon offensive lineman and former RMHS Gryphon Whit Barnes.)

The weather in Nashville was awesome all week, but the loss to Mississippi State wasn't.

My overall experience this week was great. Having my family there to cheer on the Deacs meant a lot and I think my family, led by mom and dad Russ and Martha, had a wonderful experience in Nashville.

I stayed behind with my folks after the game and we got back to Rocky Mount Sunday evening. We woke up at 8:30 a.m. and started driving.

But we spent New Years' Eve in downtown Nashville. We went to the Grand Ole Opry (Ryman Auditorium). It was definitely a great experience and there is so much history in that building.

Bristol, Va./Bristol, Tn.; pop., 43,000

Then we got to listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd play live at a free outdoor concert. It was a great night. The streets were so packed that you could barely walk around. (Editor's note - I know that they had to have played the Gryphons' baseball victory song - "Sweet Home Alabama." But those might have been fighting words in the heart of Tennessee.)

On the way home, we stopped to have lunch in Bristol, Tn. with Coach B.W. Holt (my head coach at RMHS) and his wife Dr. Barbara. They showed us around Bristol (Interesting note - the city is split down its main street downtown into two states -  Virginia and Tennessee). 

The whole family then went to see my grandma's college where she hasn't visited since 1957. She was able to stand in front of the college and get some pictures and I know it must have brought back a lot of memories for her.

Got some down time now. Classes don't resume until the18th.

Gryphon Hilliard makes HSOT.com Holiday Invitational All-Tourney team

RALEIGH - Rocky Mount senior Terrill Hilliard was named to the Shavlik Randolph bracket All-Tournament team at the HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational Friday evening at Broughton High's Holliday Gym. 

Though Rocky Mount played its games on Tuesday and Wednesday, the All-Tournament team was announced following the bracket 's championship game. Chapel Hill remained undefeated (13-0) after beating homestanding Broughton 75-71 in overtime.

Hilliard, the Gryphons' leading scorer and rebounder, had 25 points in each of its two losses in the tournament (68-56 to Broughton, 62-60 in overtime to Clayton).

Chapel Hill's Denzel Ingram, who had 43 points - 33 in the second half against the Caps in the title contest, was named MVP of the tournament. 

Joining Hilliard and Ingram on the honorary squad were Clayton's Gary Clark, Broughton's James Hemphill and Chapel Hill's Anthony Vanhook.


HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational Tournament
Shavlik Randolph Bracket
All-Tournament Team

Denzel Ingram, Chapel Hill - MVP 

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount

James Hemphill, Broughton
Anthony Vanhook, Chapel Hill
Gary Clark, Clayton

Tournament Notes

On Tuesday evening, former Rocky Mount greats Phil Ford and Buck Williams were named as two of 11 Legends of the Tournament for the 40-year-old event.

Ford and Williams joined players Cedric Maxwell (Kinston), Nate McMillan (Enloe), Rodney Monroe (St. Maria Goretti, Md.), Rodney Rogers (Durham Hillside), Jerry Stackhouse (Kinston), Billy Williams (Broughton), Donald Williams (Garner), Danny Young (Enloe) and prep journalist Tim Stevens (Raleigh News and Observer).

Each legend was given a special plaque recognizing their achievements. The plaque was made from sections of the Holliday Gym floor was that was saved after the gym was totally remodeled a few years ago. The first ever-tournament in 1971 was played on that floor.

A teammate of Ford's was on the floor at the Shavlik Randolph title game. RMSH Class of 1975 member and reserve guard Don Johnson was a member of the three-man officiating crew Friday evening.

The Barnes Report - from Nashville, Tn.

Whit Barnes, WFU's backup long snapper, warms up before the game.

(Editor's note: Wake Forest played Mississippi State in the Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl Friday evening at Nashville's LP Field. And the result did not go the Deacons' way!

Wake Forest fell to the Bulldogs 23-17 to fall to 6-7 for the season. We hope to have some final comments from Deacon offensive lineman and former RMHS Gryphon Whit Barnes sometime this weekend on the defeat and his  whole Bowl experience.)

The Barnes Report - from Nashville, Tn.

(Editor's note: Wake Forest played Mississippi State in the Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl Friday evening. Wake Forest offensive lineman and former RMHS Gryphon Whit Barnes is blogging from Nashville, Tn. each day on his exploits. Here is entry No. 3)

We went to the head coaches' luncheon at the Wild Horse Saloon to see Coach (Jim) Grobe and Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen on stage answering questions from fans on Facebook and Twitter.

On the menu was barbecue, fried chicken and lots of banana pudding. 

Then we had practice this afternoon (Thursday). 

My family got into town tonight and I spent some time with my brother and cousins after all the activities were over. It's not the first time in Nashville for some of them. My parents and brother came to the Vanderbilt game last year and my grandparents have been to Nashville a few times. I think it's the second time for the rest of the family.

The Bowl committee gives all the players a goodie bag (up to $500 in value.). I gave the bowl watch (Reactor) to my dad for Christmas I also got a Sony surround sound system and a fender guitar with the bowl logo on it. 

- Whit Barnes, Wake Forest offensive lineman, RMHS '09