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The NEW 6’s best rivalry
The conference name will not be the same next season, but the Nash Central and Rocky Mount High boys’ basketball teams are developing the league’s best rivalry. All three of the teams’ contest this season have been played in front of full gymnasiums. The teams feature the league’s best two players in Nash Central’s Trey Sumler and Rocky Mount High’s Tashawn Mabry.
There is a mutual respect between the two schools, coaches and players. “When the school opened up everyone thought it would be us and Northern Nash,” Nash Central coach Michael Mosley said after the Bulldogs fell to Rocky Mount, 87-76 in overtime. “It seems to be Rocky Mount and Nash Central. I don’t know why that is. That’s the way it worked out.”
Rocky Mount High coach Mike Gainey said players from each school spend time in the other program’s gyms during the summer where members from each program play against one another. Rocky Mount won two of three meetings this season. Nash Central won the regular-season title with a 9-1 record, its only loss came to the Gryphons in the finale. “We’re so close,” Gainey said. “Everyone’s good friends. Good competition like that. We go hard at it, and at the end of the game, everyone wins. That’s what you like.”
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NEW 6 tourney
On a personal note, Mr. Allen: I don’t have your e-mail address. My father was excited to hear about you leaving a comment on the blog. Send me your address when you can.
There haven’t been any surprises in NEW 6 Conference tournament play so far. The Southern Nash girls’ scored a mild upset by beating Nash Central on Tuesday night.
The boys’ bracket has its top four teams still intact (Nash Central, Wilson Fike, Rocky Mount High, SouthWest Edgecombe).
Congratulations to coach Sandra Langley (SouthWest Edgecombe girls) on her selection to the North Carolina Athletics Directors Hall of Fame. It won’t be a surprise to see her make the NCHSAA Hall of Fame on day, too. She is a member of the Hall of Fame at Barton and the Twin Counties Hall of Fame. That’s a lot of acceptance speeches.
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NEW 6 regular season complete
Rocky Mount High and Nash Central are the two best boys’ teams in the NEW 6 Conference, and a 67-52 victory by the Gryphons over the Bulldogs put some intrigue into the league’s conference tournament next week.
Nash Central played the best ball overall in 10 league games, but Rocky Mount is playing the best ball right now. The Gryphons are winners of five straight league games.
It would be a worthy final - the league champion and the league’s hottest team - if these two schools wind up playing in the conference tournament title game.
On the girls’ side, Northern Nash impressed me by beating SouthWest Edgecombe, 52-51, in overtime. I’ve mentioned before how capable I think the Knights are of winning more games. If they cut out mistakes, they can beat anyone in the league.
Rocky Mount High’s second straight undefeated regular-season conference run is impressive. The Gryphons do not always dominate all 32 minutes of action, but they make plays when needed.
My tough gal of the night award (this is the only one I’ve given out all season, so don’t expect another one) goes to Nash Central coach Terri Cash. Cash coached from the sideline Friday night with pinkeye. During the pregame handshakes with referees I could see her hiding her hands and mouthing, ‘I have pinkeye.”
Cash didn’t want to spread the irritation. Way to hang in there, coach.
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SouthWest Edgecombe basketball standouts
Just a few quick thoughts as the night closes: SouthWest Edgecombe has two players I really enjoy watching.
My choice on the girls’ side is junior guard Quanedra “Peanut” Braswell. Braswell is the only player in the NEW 6 (or in the state, that I know of) who wears knee pads while playing basketball. That’s because diving on the floor for loose balls is a natural instinct to her.
She is an above-average defender, and it would be interesting to see how many pass deflections she averages per game. She is tireless, and can play all 32 minutes of the game if needed. Braswell rarely leads the team in scoring (although she added 15 points in a 3-point loss to Rocky Mount High on Friday night), but watching her compete is a treat.
Braswell might be the fastest player on the Cougars’ squad. She was the first one out of the locker room Friday night and managed a smile as she assessed the Cougars’ loss and their season thus far. “Everybody thought we’d be sorry this year, but we’re right behind Rocky Mount,” Braswell said. “I’m happy.”
Braswell’s classmate, William Young is another fun player to watch. Young might only be 5-foot-6, but he is a big-time scorer. He had 26 points Friday in his team’s loss to Rocky Mount. Young is a left-handed shooter with a solid touch from the perimeter. He is a solid ballhandler and he earned a few gasps from the crowd with his skills Friday night. He can drive toward the basket and finish, and his coach - Tom Wooten - speaks highly of him. “Billy’s tough,” Wooten said. “If he doesn’t go, we don’t go. He’s our heart and soul.”
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Rocky Mount & Coaches vs. Cancer
There was a unifying moment Friday night in Rocky Mount High’s gymnasium. One that did not matter whether you cheered for the Gryphons or the Knights.
Tickets proceeds from Rocky Mount’s boys’ and girls’ basketball games against Northern Nash went to the Jimmy V Foundation for cancer research. One dollar per ticket, and on this night, the Jimmy V Foundation gained at least $1,000 dollars. Rocky Mount cheerleaders also took donations for the cause in addition to the $1,000 dollars.
Rocky Mount athletics director Mike Gainey was joined on the court between the boys’ and girls’ games by family members of former Gryphons athletics director, the late Dudley Whitley, who passed away earlier this month.
Gainey said the proceeds would go to the Jimmy V Foundation in Whitley’s name. Fans were then given an opportunity to join the Whitley family on the court. Anyone who had survived cancer or lost a loved one to the disease was invited to meet at center court.
A moment of silence was observed.
Coaches from both schools wore sneakers instead of dress shoes to honor Coaches vs. Cancer.
It was a nice gesture and quickly reminded folks that there was a bigger cause at stake than just winning basketball games.
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Full day
My mind was everywhere Tuesday. I listened to N.C. State women’s coach Stephanie Glance talk about Kay Yow.
I watched a few events in the Harrison YMCA during the NEW 6 Conference championship swim meet.
I watched Rocky Mount High’s Tashawn Mabry throw down a big dunk and score 27 points in a 69-60 loss to Nash Central. He did so in front of a few college scouts. The biggest name I saw was a tall man who wore a University of Pittsburgh sweatsuit.
North Carolina Central was on hand to look at Nash Central’s Trey Sumler, who scored 29 points in keeping the Bulldogs perfect in NEW 6 play. Sumler mentioned a few other division II schools to me who have shown interest as well. I believe he has Division I talent that is good enough to play at a mid-major school. Only time will tell.
A few thoughts as the day closes: Does any girl in the area run up and down the basketball court and finish as well as Rocky Mount’s Tia Hudgins? She consistently beat Nash Central’s defense down the floor in the fourth quarter Tuesday night as the Gryphons routed Nash Central by 28 points.
Can the economy be any worse?
I need to get to the movies sometime soon. I want to see a number of movies including Valkyrie, Notorious and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. There’s also a number of Red Box rentals I need to check out. Speaking of Red Box, Harris Teeter has the best ones in the city. They have two boxes, compared to just one in Wal-Mart. The one in Wal-Mart is always broken.
I like Wake Forest to pull the upset over Duke on Wednesday night and yank the Blue Devils from the dreaded No. 1 spot in the AP poll. No team seems able to hold on to the top spot.
Ellen DeGeneres has the best talk show on T.V. The only television I watch is in the morning, and her show is great. Simply put, it’s a fun show and she has a unique ability to make others happy.
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Kay Yow
N.C. State will never be the same again. Women’s basketball coach Kay Yow died Saturday at the age of 66 due to cancer.
I’ve had the chance to interview a lot of different coaches and players, but never Yow. I guess I missed out. She seemed like the kind of person I knew, though. Maybe it was her smile and courage portrayed through different articles and television interviews I’ve seen over the years.
Maybe it was because every nice thing people are saying about Yow is true. She was one of North Carolina’s gems. A famous basketball coach who won plenty of games, but none of that really mattered. It was the way she carried herself and treated others that made her special.
Over the last few seasons, everybody rooted for Yow - even when they were cheering for the other team. Yow was all about basketball without being ALL about basketball. She ultimately succumbed to cancer, but in reality she beat it. She beat it enough times to return to the bench and coach the young women she loved. She beat it by bringing awareness to an issue that touches almost everyone’s life. We all know someone who has been diagnosed with the disease.
Simply put, thanks Coach Yow for everything. I’m sure you would have been a great interview.
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Nash Central-Northern Nash hoops observations
You can learn a lot by hanging out in the back hallways after a game. You see coaches interacting with each other. Players’ body language and actions after the game. The Nash Central boys changed into their street clothes and departed with coach Michael Mosley wishing them each safe weekends after a 77-54 victory over Northern Nash on Friday. Nothing new there.
The visitor’s lockeroom was not a happy one. The Knights left after somewhat lengthy coach/players post-game meeting. The door opened and Northern Nash’s group strolled out, a few players looking visibly unhappy. Nobody spoke.
The euphoria of the Knights’ buzzer-beating victory over Rocky Mount High two weeks ago is gone. Northern Nash must regroup after losses to two of the NEW 6 Conference’s better teams (Wilson Fike, Nash Central).
I spoke with an area coach while waiting for the Knights to come out of the lockeroom, and he agreed that a season can turn quickly - for the worse or for the better. I’m not saying Northern Nash’s season is going down the drain or that it is time to hit the panic button, but the Knights looked like a different team Friday night than the one that caught fire and won the Nash County Holiday Tournament last month. More than one person I spoke with agreed with me, and I’m sure coach Rick Ruffin would say the same.
There are a pair of personnel changes currently affecting the Knights, but the team has plenty of talent to fair better than it did against the Bulldogs.
Nash Central looks to have another solid team, one that might not have to always rely on its perimeter game if Terrance Copeland (8 points) and Brandon Thomas (6 points) perform the way they did against Northern Nash.
- The Bulldogs are led by Trey Sumler, the can-do-everything guard/forward. Fabian White is as good a shooter as there is in the league, and Dominique Holloway can get hot, too.
There is still a long way to go in the regular season, but we won’t be saying that for long. February is approaching, and after next week the league’s regular season will be at its midway point.
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Share your well-wishes with Yow
- Those who would like to do so can send Coach Yow an electronic message of support here: http://www.gopack.com//quest/Questionaire.dbml?QID=1607&DBOEMID=9200
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Yow to miss remainder of season
Sorry to start off my 2009 blog with sad news, but N.C. State women’s basketball coach Kay Yow will miss the remainder of the 2009 season. Here is a press release just sent to me from the school.
N.C. State director of athletics Lee Fowler and head women’s basketball coach Kay Yow announced jointly today that Yow is stepping away from her coaching duties for the remainder of the 2008-09 season. Associate head coach Stephanie Glance will serve as interim head coach.
“Stepping away from coaching is one of the hardest decisions I have had to make, but I have great confidence in the experienced staff I have been working with for such a long time and the character of everyone involved in the program to respond positively to my decision,” said Yow.
Yow’s current health situation simply will not allow her to give the energy necessary to coach her team at the standard she feels it deserves. She will revisit this decision no later than the end of the current 2008-09 campaign.
“The ability of any patient with stage four breast cancer to continue at her chosen occupation depends on symptoms from the disease itself, symptoms that can result from the treatments, and the physical and psychological demands of the job,” said Dr. Mark Graham, Yow’s longtime oncologist. “Back in late 2006 and early 2007, and again now, the balance of all these factors has not allowed Coach Yow to coach up to her high standards. It is my best advice to her at this time to focus on her disease and its treatment, which she will need to do for the foreseeable future.”
Yow, 66, has missed the last four Wolfpack games due to an extremely low energy level that has lingered now since she was absent for the game at Columbia in New York on Dec. 22.
“Our number one concern right now is the health and well-being of Coach Yow,” said Fowler. “I speak for our entire athletic department and say we support the decision that she has made and our thoughts and prayers are with her as she continues her fight. Just like a few years back, I hope that all Wolfpackers continue to support our women’s basketball program as strongly as ever.”
Yow took a 16-game leave of absence after her breast cancer reappeared in November of 2006. She returned in January of that season and inspired a determined Wolfpack club to a run into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
She was originally diagnosed with breast cancer back in 1987 and has been a public figure in the battle against the disease ever since.
Coach Yow played an integral role along with The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), in partnering with The V Foundation for Cancer Research to launch the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund last December.
“Even though I don’t feel well enough to coach, I’m hopeful to feel well enough to attend some ACC games and show my support for the team as well as NC State University,” added Yow.
“I appreciate the thoughts and prayers of so many people and I’m grateful for the outpouring of support,” said Yow.
Yow has coached 34 seasons at NC State and has recorded 737 victories in her Hall of Fame career - the sixth-most in NCAA women’s basketball history.
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Northern Nash basketball
I made it out to my first prep basketball game this evening and watched the Northern Nash boys’ basketball team edge East Wake, 68-63. It’s always interesting to watch basketball teams during this stretch of the season. They play opponents of which they are not all that familiar. At times they look good, other times not so good.
Northern Nash is going to be competitive this season. They lack a definitive go-to scorer or rebounder in the post, but they make up for it in pieces. Sam Hughes and Octavius Lyons are solid players inside for the Knights, who also have good shooters on the perimeter.
Coach Rick Ruffin said he did not like everything his team did Tuesday night, but he talent to work with. There were times during the last two seasons where Northern Nash would have suffered a close loss in a game like Tuesday’s contest. But these Knights found a way to win, which can give them confidence heading into the Nash County Christmas Tournament next week and NEW 6 Conference play in January.
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Tarboro vs. Newton-Conover
Newton-Conover has won the NCHSAA 2-A state championship with a 51-28 win over Tarboro. It is the Red Devils’ first state championship.
Brandon Dozier scored on a 3-yard run to pull Tarboro within 51-20 with 3:54 remaining in the contest.
Newton-Conover leads 51-14 with 5:09 remaining in the game after A.J. Bazzle’s 1-yard touchdown run.
Good for the Tarboro band. That group seems to be enjoying themselves despite the score of the game. Hey, they’ll remember this night, too.
A good memory for Bellamy. He just scampered 13 yards for a touchdown to pull Tarboro within 44-14 with 9:26 remaining in the season.
Joseph Bryant just intercepted a Bellamy pass and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown. Newton-Conover leads 44-7 with 0:21 remaining in the third quarter. Bryant was ejected from the game after leaping into the end zone head-over-head on the play.
From bad to worse. Sam Royall’s 13-yard interception return has given Newton-Conover a 37-7 lead with 1:08 remaining in the third quarter.
A victory does not look likely for Tarboro tonight. Newton-Conover’s Dorian Jones sprinted into the end zone on a 21-yard run to put his team up 31-7 with 1:20 remaining in the third quarter.
Tarboro moved the ball 18 yards on its drive and will be forced to punt. Newton-Conover is enjoying good field position throughout this championship contest. Its worst field position was its own 19 on the first drive of the game. The Red Devils will take over on the Tarboro 48 with 2:25 remaining in the third quarter.
Another Red Devils score: Newton-Conover leads 24-7 after Spencer Linquist hit a 35-yard field goal with 5:41 remaining in the third quarter. Tarboro needs to score on this drive. It will not start with good field position. The ball is on the Tarboro 15.
Not a good start to the second half for the Vikings. Tarboro did not earn a first down for the third consecutive series. Jeremy Bellamy’s punt did not travel far. Newton-Conover takes over at the Tarboro 44.
One thought as Tarboro stretches on the field in preparation for the second half. The Vikings could use a little luck. Newton-Conover has two fumbles tonight, but has recovered both. A possible interception of an A.J. Bazzle pass went off the hands of defensive back Markel Pettaway. In this kind of game, you have to earn some turnovers. That is one way the Vikings can quickly re-establish themselves in the second half.
Halftime score: Newton-Conover 21, Tarboro 7. The Vikings’ second-half objective should be pretty simple: Stop the Red Devils and give the offense some chances. Tarboro cannot allow any more long drives during this contest. Newton-Conover is eating up clock with these nearly-five minute drives. Tarboro needs to find a way to play in space a bit more. The Red Devils are playing well against the ‘T’ and they don’t seem to be fooled as to where the ball is going.
- Halftime stats of note: Newton-Conover has 195 yards of total offense compared to just 86 for Tarboro. The Red Devils have 13 first downs, while Tarboro has only three.
Tarboro is losing the fight up front. Its offense went three and out for a second straight series. The Vikings will punt from their own 30 with 1:47 remaining in the half. Another Newton-Conover score could be disasterous.
Newton-Conover just had a very good 34 seconds. The Red Devils lead 21-7 with 3:24 remaining in the half. Thompson threw a halfback pass to Jordon Hill on first down, a 42-yard trick play that set up Thompson’s 13-yard touchdown run a play later. Tarboro needs to score before the half.
Tarboro did not answer. The Vikings just went three and out. Newton-Conover ball on its own 45-yard line with 3:58 to go in the half.
Well, the offense of both teams is as good as advertised. Newton-Conover leads 14-7 with 5:26 remaining in the second quarter after a 12-play, 69-yard drive. Wesley Hight ran in from the 7-yard line for the score, but it was his teammate Josh Thompson who did most of the damage. Thompson, the fullback, had three runs of 10 yards or more as the Red Devils often handed him the football on dives. Tarboro must sure up its inside rush defense and contain the outside lanes better. I’ve seen Vikings coach Jeff Craddock talk to his players a few times about that tonight.
It’s a ballgame. After 11 plays and 85 yards, Tarboro tied the game on Harper’s 2-yard run with 10:25 remaining in the second quarter. Tarboro 7, Newton-Conover 7.
Harper’s 16-yard run set up first and goal at the Red Devils’ 4-yard line. It is now third and goal at the 2. Newton-Conover called a defensive timeout. Tarboro is two yards away from sending this game closer to a tie.
A quick first quarter just ended. Tarboro trails 7-0 but has the ball on the Newton-Conover 21-yard line. The Vikings will begin the second quarter staring at a third down with four yards to go. Newton-Conover won that quarter, but Tarboro seems to be gaining momentum. Dozier’s run helped a bunch.
Damarius Harper just limped off the field. The Tarboro running back seems fine, but he hurt his ankle last week in the Eastern Regional. Brandon Dozier’s big run just moved the Vikings to the 27-yard line. 40-yard run for Dozier.
Newton-Conover just struck first. The Red Devils went 58 yards in 11 plays, capped by a 9-yard Dorian Jones touchdown run. Newton-Conover is running its triple-option well. Quarterback A.J. Bazzle is using Jones for the pitch often. Tarboro needs to shut off some of those gaps on the outside. Newton-Conover 7, Tarboro 0, 3:17 (1st quarter).
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State championship pregame
The Vikings were just introduced to the Kenan Stadium crowd. Newton-Conover followed a few moments later. The national anthem was just played. Three minutes to gametime.
Tarboro completed its pregame warmups five minutes before Newton-Conover decided to brake its huddle. Tarboro returned to its lockeroom the same way they ran onto the field - in a straight line. Newton-Conover made a path for a group of players (I’m assuming its starters) who ran through the wall of teammates before the squad went into the lockeroom. Only 13 minutes until gametime.
- It’s weird being at Kenan Stadium and seeing so many empty seats (go ahead, Duke and N.C. State fans, insert your joke). What I meant, was there will be 5,000 people here at most, but the stadium holds more than 60,000 people.
Tarboro is considered the home team in this game (all East teams this season are home). The Vikings are wearing their purple tops with gold pants. Newton-Conover is wearing a predominantly white jersey with red socks and red lettering.
A few observations: There is little to no wind at this point of the evening. This game could come down to a single kick. I’ll let you know if that changes.
The crowds? Just fine, too. Newton-Conover has brought quite a crowd. Tarboro has too. From my position in the press box I have to stand up to see Tarboro’s crowd, which is directly beneath me. There is plenty of purple and gold support.
Enough about us. How’s Tarboro doing? Just fine, it seems. The Vikings and Red Devils took the field together at precisely 6:30 p.m. (another NCHSAA rule). Newton-Conover ran directly onto the field and implored its crowd to make some noise. A few Tarboro players waved to fans, but the team ran in a straight line down its sideline, made a 90-degree cut in the back of the end zone, touched the base of the goalpost, and began their pre-game warmups.
I’m here tonight with staff photographer Joel Hodges. Joel and I must have been ready for the game, because we arrived at 5:15 p.m. We had to wait, like many anxious Newton-Conover and Tarboro fans, outside the stadium gates until 6 p.m. The NCHSAA stuck to its guns about not allowing anyone in until 6 p.m. It was no sweat off our backs, although others tried - but did not succeed - in entering the building early.
We are less than an hour away from kickoff here at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill where Tarboro is preparing to face Newton-Conover for the NCHSAA 2-A football state title.
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State championship night
Well, there’s been a lot written about the Tarboro Vikings. Now, we head to Chapel Hill to write the final chapter. I’ll be on the road Friday along with staff photographer Joel Hodges. We plan to arrive in Chapel Hill around 5:30 or so (give or take some traffic) and I should begin blogging around 6 p.m. or so.
Feel free to log on and stay in tune with the proceedings. Send a question or two, or three, and I’ll see if I can’t answer them after each quarter.
As for Thursday, sports editor Ben Jones and I visited Tarboro High on Thursday afternoon. The Vikings were business as usual. Players met for a film session before taking the practice field. Heavy rain came down and forced the players into the gymnasium before they started stretching.
The Vikings are ready to play. The players are without a doubt excited about the opportunity, but they were attentive in their film study. Many walked around wearing purple or black Eastern Regional championship T-shirts. There was a confidence in their walk, but not an arrogance.
Friday the Vikings will play the most important game of their lives. For those who are traveling, I’ll see you at the game. For those who are not, log on to your computers and keep up with the action from Kenan Stadium. We will do our best to keep you informed.
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Two winners, one with a chance to win a state title
Well, it’s on to Chapel Hill next Friday to watch Tarboro play for the 2-A state championship. Congrats to Vikings coach Jeff Craddock and his team. I’ll have to ask Craddock myself, but I got the feeling from other media that Jacksonville Northside was the favorite coming into this contest. For some reason, Tarboro, now 14-1, seemed to be a bit overlooked.
Sure, Jacksonville Northside had a Division I recruit on its team. The visitors had only allowed double digit scoring once this season. But Tarboro scored a season-high 28 points against Jacksonville Northside’s defense and prevailed, 28-14.
Tarboro showed it was worthy of the No. 1 seed. They played like it, too. Check back in all week for coverage of the Vikings leading up to Friday’s 7:30 p.m. game at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill against Newton-Conover.
On to Rocky Mount High: Rocky Mount lost once again in the 3-A Eastern Regional final, but this 22-19 loss to West Craven hurts the Gryphons the most. This year’s Rocky Mount team was the most dominant of any of coach B.W. Holt’s squads. They held the lead for a majority of the contest, but could not put West Craven away.
D-block, the self-given name to the Gryphons’ defense, kept West Craven scoreless the entire second half, but could not stop the visitors’ on the last drive.
Rocky Mount will not play for a state championship. Players seemed to truly believe a championship was their destiny. That’s why this loss was tough for the Gyphons to handle.
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Regional finals night
Twin Counties football teams have played a combined 97 games this season. Now, only two games matter.
Just a few quick thoughts before the final night leading up to Rocky Mount/West Craven and Jacksonville Northside/Tarboro.
I’m not telling you who to root for, but the Twin Counties should feel a sense of pride in having a pair of teams play host to these games. Two No. 1 seeds playing the biggest game you can play at your home stadium on the same night. Both stadiums should be packed.
Prediction time - sort of. There is a lot I like about both Rocky Mount High and Tarboro. Both teams are extremely focused and business-like. This has been the goal for both teams all season and they are one game away from making it happen.
I plan to be out of town next weekend. I know I will be covering at least one game. I know better than to doubt either of these teams, so there’s a good chance I’ll be covering two games.
We will see, won’t we?
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How you finish
What more can you say about the way N.C. State finished the season. Four consecutive wins. No losses against Division I teams from within the state. A bowl invitation to come soon.
You could argue that N.C. State will be one of the league’s better teams next season. Its quarterback, Russell Wilson, will only be a redshirt sophomore. Much of the talent on offense returns and the Wolfpack will be able to play some of its talent that missed the season to injury, including wide receiver Donald Bowens.
The ACC showed us this season that it doesn’t take much to throw your name into the hat of conference contenders. If N.C. State starts a lot faster than it did this season, the 2009 campaign might just be one to remember.
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Two teams remain
There’s more high football to be played in the Twin Counties this season. Rocky Mount and Tarboro have proved themselves to be worthy of being No. 1 seeds in the 3-and 2-A East brackets, respectively. Now, both will play Friday night for spots in state title games in two weeks.
Tarboro trailed by five points at halftime against Goldsboro before rebounding with a 28-12 victory. Rocky Mount High was dominant in the first half of a 42-21 win over Eastern Alamance.
Both teams have a similar formula for success: Run the football well and play defense. From Pee Wee the pros, that formula works.
The Twin Counties was denied what could have been one of the bigger games in its history next week if SouthWest Edgecombe had won against West Craven. A few drives turned the game in West Craven’s favor and the Cougars fell, 42-27.
It was a very good season for SouthWest Edgecombe, which has been a major player in the state playoffs for the last four seasons. I’ll admit: We allowed ourselves to think about a Rocky Mount/SouthWest Edgecombe matchup here in our office and what that could have meant as far as an exciting week for the Twin Counties. Instead, the Gryphons will face a very good West Craven squad that has not lost this season.
Tarboro will face second-seeded Northside Jacksonville in its attempt to reach the state title game for the first time since 1998.
It has been a great season that is sure to have more memories in the next week, possibly two.
What are your thoughts about these teams in the state title game?
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Rocky Mount Prep’s big win
The victory was just one of a season that will see more smiles and handshakes, but Rocky Mount Prep’s 56-50 victory over North Edgecombe in boys’ basketball action Tuesday night was big for the school.
First-year coach Edward Knudsen said the Jaguars have eight seniors who have played together for a few seasons. The Jaguars’ continuity showed against North Edgecombe. They did not start the game well at all. In fact, they did not make a field goal in the first quarter. But they did hang in there.
Ryan McGee hit a pair of big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to rally the Jaguars and Joeroyal Evans made his last eight free throws to give Rocky Mount Prep the win.
Keep an eye on Rocky Mount Prep this season. They will not play other area public schools this season, but Knudsen said he hopes this win will open the door and give more opportunity to his players and the program.
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Thanksgiving - sports style
You might have done this before, but I’ll start the list. Name something, a team, a player or anything you want that you are thankful for in the world of sports. We’ll see how many we get before the week is over.
I’m thankful for honesty. We hear so much about cheating/bending the rules. I’d like to say thanks to J.P. Hayes, a golfer who will not have his PGA Tour card this season because he turned himself in on an infraction that nobody else would have caught. Golf is supposed to be a self-policed game, but Hayes stepped up when many of us would not have.
Help me out. Fill in the list and why you made the choice.
My list continues: Monday’s thanks: For plenty of sports to watch during the Thanksgiving week. Take your pick: The Maui Invitational headlines a number of college basketball tournaments. College Football plays a few of its better rivalry games during the weekend. The NFL gives us three games (it used to be two up until a year or two ago).
Eat, drink and be a fan all week if you want. Which games are you looking forward to the most?
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Congrats on nothing Texas Tech
Still don’t believe the NFL is better than college football? Look no further than Saturday’s super-anticipated showdown between No. 2 Texas Tech and No. 5 Oklahoma. The game was over at halftime. After all the hype, pregame chatter, commercials and analysis, Oklahoma routed Texas Tech in a game that fans could have turned off almost immediately.
This kind of game does not happen in the NFL. A battle between two good teams usually comes down to the fourth quarter in the pros. Sure, there have been some blowout Super Bowls in past seasons, but the analysts had us believe that Texas Tech was invincible.
Now look at what this does for Texas Tech’s season. They lose one game near the end of the season and they won’t have a chance to play for a title. Could the Red Raiders be national title worthy? Sure. Maybe if there was a playoffs system the team would have a second chance to redeem itself.
The NFL’s best team record-wise, the Tennessee Titans, have won 10 straight games. If they lose Sunday against the New York Jets, it’s not the end of the world. The two teams could meet again in the playoffs and Sunday’s game would be meaningless.
It should always be about how you finish. I don’t feel college football teams are rewarded for that. It’s a little bit of when you lose, what the polls say, how much you win by, and those crazy BCS numbers.
I’ll pay attention to college football, but I’ll take the NFL’s system any day.
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