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Football teams will earn the right to play
Much has been made of whether or not there are too many teams and too many divisions in the NCHSAA football playoffs.
I could make an argument either way, but I prefer to look at the setup for what it is: An opportunity for youngsters. Sure, the teams that don’t “deserve” to be there will likely fall to bigger, stronger and faster opponents. But the point of the playoffs is opportunity. Let the teams play and the ones that survive will be rewarded.
These youngsters will learn later in life that you have to EARN what you reap. Some of these players might be accepted into a college one day, but they will have to do the work to EARN the degree. Later in life, they will be hired for jobs, but they will have to EARN their paychecks and EARN the right to keep those jobs.
- The second round of the playoffs begin tonight. There might be an landslide victory for SouthWest Edgecombe, Rocky Mount or Tarboro tonight, but that won’t likely continue in the coming weeks. Eventually, these teams will have to EARN it.
If they keep winning, there’s no doubt they will have done just that. Even if they lose, they have earned the right to play late into November. Those are the facts, no matter how many teams were in the field when the playoffs began.
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College Basketball fan’s dream
I wouldn’t dare watch anything but The Godfather Marathon on AMC this long, but ESPN is attempting to lure in the college basketball fan in a big way. Most of us have jobs, but for those who don’t, here is the schedule for today’s games, culminating - at least in this state - with Kentucky’s visit to North Carolina at 9 p.m.
10 a.m. - Penn at Drexel (ESPN)
- 2 p.m. - Liberty at UNC-Asheville (ESPN) (No, 7-foot-7 Kenny George, sorry).
- 4 p.m. - Centenary (where is that exactly?) at Baylor (ESPN)
- 6 p.m. - Richmond at Syracuse (ESPN)
- 7:30 p.m. - Preseason NIT
- 9 p.m. - Kentucky at North Carolina (ESPN) (No Hansbrough, of course)
- 9:30 p.m. - Preseason NIT
11:30 p.m. - Preseason NIT
Have fun if you choose to watch.
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N.C. Wesleyan’s sports day
The N.C. Wesleyan men’s soccer team fell short in its bid for a second consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. The Battling Bishops lost, 2-1, Sunday at Emory. N.C. Wesleyan coach Jason Kilby continues to bring in talent from across the nation and the world to make the Bishops’ program one of the more recognizable teams in Division III play.
The men’s basketball squad earned a 114-102 victory over Wesley in its opener Sunday. The Bishops are fun to watch when they shoot the ball like they did Sunday. I’m sure we’ll see more of that as the season continues, but like coach John Thompson told me in a story in Sunday’s edition, everything hinges on defense.
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Rocky Mount High wins in a blowout
Rain dampened the atmosphere - literally - in Rocky Mount High’s 42-7 victory over Jacksonville in the first round of the NCHSAA football 3-A East playoffs. There was no Gryphons marching band giving their version of “Soul Train” at halftime, and the field at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex football stadium was in bad shape after the game.
I walked through clumps of cleat-marked mud. Unless the rain subsides soon, the Gryphons will have a hard time making the field better for Friday’s game against Oxford Webb.
Rocky Mount dampened Jacksonville’s night. The win was easy for the Gryphons and for at least the third time this season, Rocky Mount played with a running clock in the second half.
Rocky Mount looked like a No. 1 seed. For the fans who missed Saturday’s game, don’t worry. We have a feeling around here that the Gryphons will be playing football for at least a few more weeks.
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Tarboro advances in first round
As I walked along the Tarboro sideline before the opening kickoff of Friday’s first round 2-A East playoffs game against Pasquotank, Vikings coach Jeff Craddock looked my way and said, “It looks like we made a good decision.” Craddock was referring to the weather, which was wet all day, but cleared up in time for the Vikings to beat Pasquotank, 44-20, on a wet field nonetheless.
The only knock on Tarboro on Friday was their slow start defensively. I didn’t know until after the game that the Vikings did not allow a first-quarter score during the regular-season. Craddock said Tarboro also lined up on a special teams play with only 10 players. One touchdown in the second half was called back due to a holding penalty.
It’s the small things that Craddock wants his team to do better. If Tarboro does, they are more than capable of making a strong run through the 2-A bracket. Pasquotank tried to throw the tank at Tarboro. It executed a fake punt in the first half and opened the game with a 12-play drive to take an 8-0 lead. The Panthers did not play poorly for a 16 seed, but the Vikings were too much in the end.
More to come on the blog Saturday and in Sunday’s edition of the Telegram. I’ll talk to to victorious SouthWest Edgecombe coach Raymond Cobb, whose team earned a first-round victory over South Granville. I plan to ask Craddock about a trick the Tarboro offensive line pulled in the first half Friday, and I will check in with Nash Central coach Kevin Crudup, whose team lost a tough, low-scoring game at Kinston.
Look for a blog Saturday night as well about the Rocky Mount High/Jacksonville matchup that was postponed Friday.
Three teams are still alive in the area. Things should become more interesting from here.
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The weekend ahead
A long weekend of football begins tonight. I would not be surprised if Rocky Mount High, SouthWest Edgecombe and Tarboro win by double digits. Nash Central is a No. 14 seed that can turn its bracket around in a hurry.
I spoke with each of the four coaches about today’s weather forecast, which calls for rain. Each of the coaches said they wanted to play and would make decisions early in the day so that the teams traveling would have ample time to make adjustments. Nash Central is the only local team on the road and coach Kevin Crudup said he did not think a washout would be likely at Kinston.
Take your raincoats and umbrellas, and enjoy some high school football.
I’m afraid to make a pick in the North Carolina/Maryland game. Maryland seems to play its best when nobody expects it to do so. Tar Heels receiver Hakeem Nicks might have set a record last week, but his team won with defense. The Tar Heels have a lot of youth on that side of the ball, which will make them contenders in the league for at least the next two seasons.
Look out for N.C. State. The Wolfpack might play spoiler in the coming weeks. Wake Forest visits Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday to face an N.C. State team that is high on confidence. N.C. State players looked and sounded confident last week after the Duke game. That’s what winning will do for you.
East Carolina deserves credit for its resurgence. Pirates fans were talking about watching Skip Holtz’s team go undefeated after three games earlier this season. Those talks were tempered quickly, but East Carolina fought back and is in position to advance to the Conference USA championship game. Quarterback Patrick Pinkney is returning to his early-season form and the Pirates have overcome their share of injuries.
There is not much to say about the Carolina Panthers, who will play host to Detroit (0-9) at 1 p.m. Sunday. At this point in the season, nobody wants to be the first team to lose to the lowly Lions. I don’t see the Lions being competitive for even a half. Carolina, 34, Detroit 17.
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Regular season complete
The regular season played out the way most expected. Rocky Mount won its third NEW 6 regular-season title. SouthWest Edgecombe was second, followed by Wilson Fike, Nash Central, Southern Nash and Northern Nash.
Rocky Mount High is going to be a tough out in the playoffs. They do everything well.
SouthWest Edgecombe will be hard to knock off as well. They play the type of football that wins playoffs games. If they limit mistakes, success will follow.
Nash Central squeezed into the playoffs with a solid victory over Northern Nash on Friday. The Bulldogs can beat their share of teams when they are at their best.
Southern Nash. If effort was the only criteria to win games, the Firebirds would be NEW 6 champs. They fell just a touchdown short of upsetting SouthWest Edgecombe on Friday night. The playoffs are not a likely destination for the Firebirds, but we will see.
Northern Nash. The Knights won a game this season, but are still well behind other teams in the conference. Year three of the rebuilding project begins next week in the weight room.
Away from the NEW 6, Tarboro is the Eastern Plains Conference champion. A 10-1 record has the Vikings in good position to play a team they should defeat Friday when the state playoffs begin.
Visit our blogs throughout the week for thoughts on the playoffs. Seedings and brackets should be released this weekend by the NCHSAA.
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Holt shows Bulldogs he cares, Friday night thoughts
Rocky Mount High’s 35-7 victory over Nash Central on Friday was the closest 28-point victory I’ve attended in a long time. A few plays in the fourth quarter turned the game in Rocky Mount’s favor. Now, the Gryphons are one game away from earning another NEW 6 Conference title, but let’s look beyond the playing lines.
One of the nicer things I’ve seen in recent memory happened Friday night when after I finished interviewing Gryphons coach B.W. Holt. Holt went over to Nash Central’s postgame huddle at midfield and politely interrupted Bulldogs assistant coach Jeff Mizelle’s speech. Holt stood in front of the Bulldogs and told them that they were a good team. A good team that was going to make the playoffs. A good team that he did not want his team to play in the playoffs. Holt told them they had good coaches and added that if the Bulldogs believed in themselves, they would be just fine. “Keep your heads up,” Holt said.
The speech last only 20-30 seconds, then Holt walked away. To my recollection, Holt did the same to the Bulldogs a few seasons ago under coach Kenneth Grantham. Holt saw something in that Bulldogs squad that gave him the urge to lend some words of encouragement.
I thought the move was sincere. Holt spent the the last 30 seconds of an interview with me explaining how good a team he believes Nash Central to be. I’m sure he’s worked with some of the Nash Central players at one of the last two High School Player Development camps during the summer and realizes the talent just a few miles away from Rocky Mount’s campus.
Sometimes, an outsider coming in and showing he cares helps youngsters. We forget, this is only high school football. These teams compete against each other on Friday nights, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t personal relationships intertwined between Cougars, Gryphons, Knights, Firebirds and Bulldogs.
At the end of the day, an older, wise coach had something to share with a group of talented youngsters who lost their third consecutive game of the season. I’m sure Nash Central will take something positive from the conversation and move on toward next week and the upcoming playoffs.
Other brief thoughts: Rocky Mount Academy’s season ended with a loss to Raleigh St. David’s on Friday night in the first round of the NCISAA 2-A state playoffs. The Eagles’ seniors should be proud. They’ve done a lot for the school’s program despite this season’s disappointing finish.
The public address announcer at Nash Central said Friday night that he had “a shocking score” from the SouthWest Edgecombe/Northern Nash game. He mentioned that the Knights had an early lead. That’s not shocking to me. Northern Nash ultimately lost the contest, but this year’s bunch is not a group of quitters. They might be less talented in some areas, but they play hard each week.
North Edgecombe’s season finished with a 38-14 loss to Gates County. The Warriors were winless in 11 games this season. Something has to change in Leggett next season. There needs to be more of a commitment by players to the sport. What happened in a year’s time? North Edgecombe won a playoffs game in 2007. Wow. What a turnaround.
Tarboro continues to roll and is one step away from an Eastern Plains Conference title. Southern Nash fell short against Wilson Fike and is going to have a difficult time making the playoffs.
The last week of the regular season is Friday. The playoffs can’t come quick enough.
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Rocky Mount Academy/Friday night observations
Before I move on to the Eagles, let me shake my finger at the postponements in the area Friday. Northern Nash/Wilson Fike, Nash Central/SouthWest Edgecombe, Weldon/North Edgecombe, Greene Central/Tarboro were each postponed due to rain. Yes, rain.
I thought this was football. Our area wasn’t the only portion of the state to postpone games, but enough is enough. Why are FOOTBALL games being postponed? As long as tropical storms, lightning, hail or hurricanes aren’t coming through, the games should be played.
Is it safety of the players? Maybe, but that’s not always the No.1 bullet point. Schools are afraid to play games in the rain because of money. Rain means less people walking through the gates and less money for the athletics programs. Football is the highest revenue sport for a majority of schools. I don’t think moving games to Monday is a great idea if money is the factor. More people have busier schedules on Mondays and are less likely to stay out late because of school/work the next day. Fridays make sense. It’s only water.
We have some talented athletes in the area. It’s a shame that the first time most of them will play in steady rain will be if they play at the college level. I can see it now. One of our players moves on to a college practice and drops the ball during a rain shower. “Haven’t you ever played in the rain before?” the coach will ask the player. “Sorry, coach. All my high school games back home were postponed as soon as someone mentioned water, Sir!”
I joke about the subject, but I’m serious. Many of the postponements this season and in years past have been unnecessary. I’ve heard coaches and players tell me the same thing at times.
Now, on to Rocky Mount Academy. Friday, the Eagles looked like every thing I’ve read, seen and typed about in many of their lengthy box scores. RMA can score, has decent speed and talented players at key positions.
The question begs, do they have the toughness and the defense to survive the eight-team playoff that will decide the state champion. Running back Brandon Robertson told me after the Eagles’ 66-24 victory over Hobgood Academy that the team needs to have some physical practices in the upcoming week before it opens playoffs action next Friday.
RMA has shown the ability to score at will, but at some point it will have to stop the opposition from reaching the end zone.
A win next week would be the Eagles’ first in the playoffs. It only takes a victory to start the ball rolling. We’ll see if that occurs Friday at home.
Rocky Mount Academy expects to receive the No. 4 seed in the playoffs. Its likely opponent is Raleigh St. David’s. Coach Mac Allen said the seeding will be announced Sunday evening. Trinity Christian, Lasker Northeast Academy and Halifax Academy each beat RMA during the regular season and should earn the No. 1-3 seeds.
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Thanks, Matt.
We appreciate all of your work.
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Barth sticks with Chiefs
Corny, but true. If at first you don’t succeed, try again. Former North Carolina place-kicker Connor Barth is a member of the Kansas City Chiefs after signing with the team Wednesday. Barth lost the competition for the job to Nick Novak in the preseason, but after the latter’s troubles during last week’s 34-10 loss to Tennessee, Barth will earn the chance to see if he can do better.
Barth is joining a Chiefs squad that is 1-5. The team is in turmoil, and, its best player, running back Larry Johnson, will miss his second consecutive game Sunday due to an assault charge.
But who could ask for anything better. Place-kickers like Barth who do not make the team out of training camp are never far away from their cell phones. An injury - or in Novak’s case, his ineffectiveness - can open doors for good kickers like Barth. Novak missed a pair of kicks Sunday and was 6-for-10 on field goal attempts this season. I’m sure the pay Barth will receive will trump anything he was doing. Barth almost won the job out of training camp so it is likely the Chiefs will give him a decent shot to hold on to the position.
They say in the NFL that you are only “one play away.” That could mean from having your career end, or, in Barth’s case, begin. We’ll see what Barth does with his opportunity.
I took a political science class at UNC-Wilmington under Barth’s father, Tom and would often run into him while covering games at North Carolina.
Barth joins Pittsburgh Steelers place-kicker Jeff Reed as North Carolina alums whose feet have landed them spots in the NFL.
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Rocky Mount High observations
Perhaps the rain played a factor in keeping some people home. Others might have known the outcome of the game before the first snap. Whatever the case was, I was unimpressed by the Rocky Mount High/Northern Nash football crowd Friday night at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex.
Wasn’t this a rivalry game? I know this isn’t small-town Texas where some towns shut down for high school football. But Northern Nash’s support group did not travel well and Rocky Mount’s home bleachers could have a lot more spectators, too.
I have not lived here my whole life. I’ve only been in Rocky Mount for three years, but when you move here and are involved in sports the way I am, you are told by others how much the Rocky Mount/Northern Nash rivalry means in any sport. I’ve been told that it doesn’t matter if it’s boys’ or girls’ soccer, volleyball, swimming, badminton or table tennis, Rocky Mount wants to beat Northern Nash and Northern Nash wants to beat Rocky Mount.
You’d think that football would be a no-brainer, but something is missing. Perhaps Gryphons fans are taking their school’s football success for granted. The Gryphons won 49-0, Friday night and beat Northern Nash for the sixth straight season. Perhaps Northern Nash fans do not believe that their school has what it takes to turn around the football program.
I’m not telling anybody to go to a game. People have families and work schedules, etc. But how can a rivalry be built up to be like the Hatfields and McCoys only to see a so-so crowd at one of the “bigger” games of the football season. Rocky Mount High’s baseball team received their 2008 3-A state championship rings at halftime, adding something to what was supposed to be a big night.
I doubt we will see a poor showing of fans next week in Pinetops when SouthWest Edgecombe plays host to Rocky Mount High. Maybe the best football rivalry is now Cougars/Gryphons. Maybe Friday night was just a bad night for fans.
Am I wrong?
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College Football
I’m not easily overwhelmed by college football games, but this week’s slate is intriguing. No. 5 Texas plays No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 4 LSU plays No. 11 Florida and No. 3 Missouri plays No. 17 Oklahoma State. No. 6 Penn State’s game at Wisconsin should also be interesting considering the Badgers were recently ranked just outside of the top 10 a few weeks ago.
The games begin to mean a little more now. The big boys have mostly put away 1-AA foes from their schedules and the battles for conference titles are in full swing. If top teams are going to lose, now is the time. There will still be time for them to take a nose dive before rising to the top toward the end of the season.
I’m of the hope every season that college football can hold my interest outside of the nation’s top 25 teams, but it fails to do so. I can watch almost any NFL game, but maybe it’s the unfamiliarity with players I’ve never heard of that keeps me from watching games Saturdays like I do Sundays.
What day is more special to you? Feel free to comment and we’ll start a discussion.
Enjoy the games. I’ll enjoy some, but not all of them.
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Carolina Panthers
The easy thing to do would be to point toward Carolina’s solid 4-1 record after a 34-0 thumping of Kansas City on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium, but let’s look a little bit deeper.
A big reason why the Panthers are playing well is because the organization is doing its homework in April when the NFL Draft takes place. Sunday, one of the Panthers’ 2007 first-round picks, DeAngelo Williams, rushed for three touchdowns and 123 yards. Right behind Williams was one of Carolina’s 2008 first-round selections, running back Jonathan Stewart. Stewart finished with 72 yards rushing and has proven himself to be a hard-nosed runner with elusive speed to match.
I didn’t catch all of the game Sunday, but I did manage to see Jon Beason - the 25th selection in the 2007 draft - intercept a pass off woeful Kansas City quarterback Damon Huard.
You can’t put a price tag on draft picks. Mix in a few veterans here and there, and the results are favorable. Nice job with the draft board, Panthers.
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N.C. State/Boston College observations
N.C. State showed a ton of fight Saturday, but there is only such a thing as a win-loss record. No ties and no almosts.
The Wolfpack allowed Boston College to march right down the field for the game-winning touchdown with 22 seconds remaining in an Eagles 38-31 victory Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium. Minus the final drive, N.C. State should feel good about the way it competed.
Boston College spread the ball all over the field early Saturday. It looked as if N.C. State would never stop the Eagles’ offense. The Wolfpack played from behind all day. 7-0. 14-7, 17-7 … and so on. The Wolfpack’s 31-17 halftime deficit looked almost insurmountable. But two touchdowns in the next 10 minutes of action made it a tied game before Boston College’s winning drive.
What went well for the Wolfpack on Saturday?
T.J. Graham’s kick returns. The speedster returned a kick for a 100-yard touchdown to end the first quarter and had a number of other successful returns.
Quarterback Russell Wilson. If the redshirt freshman stays healthy - and that’s a BIG if so far this season - he will definitely be the Wolfpack’s best choice for the position. He eludes pass rushers very well and has a strong arm. Most of all, he competes hard.
What didn’t go so well for the Wolfpack?
Defense. No matter what late-game heroics the offense produced, the defense allowed more than 500 yards for the second consecutive game. Yes, there are injuries across the board. The team misses linebacker Nate Irving, but the Wolfpack’s performance has to be better.
N.C. State heads into its bye week with a 2-4 record, including a 0-2 mark in ACC play. Few are surprised by the start, but a win Saturday could have put the Wolfpack at .500, which would have been a huge accomplishment considering the circumstances.
The Wolfpack play host to Florida State on Oct. 16 in the final contest of a four-game homestand. N.C. State needs to at least win at home. If the Wolfpack can dig a little deeper in future games, ALMOST, might not become a part of the team’s vocabulary.
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North Edgecombe observations
During a stop in Leggett this week, North Edgecombe coach Danny Ward told me this was the most perplexing season in his 29 seasons on a football sideline.
I didn’t see this type of season coming for the Warriors - nor did Ward - who advanced to the second round of the NCHSAA 1-A state playoffs last season. The program seemed to be going in the right direction. I know last season’s team had true leaders. Ward told me about the 2007 seniors who met in the offseason and set goals for the team. They also helped make sure those goals were met.
This season has been marred by issues such as inconsistent play and a small roster (25 varsity players). The Warriors are winless in seven games after Northampton-West beat the Warriors, 28-14 on Friday night. North Edgecombe is 0-2 in Tar-Roanoke Conference play. This conference is winnable on any night, but the Warriors have not put together a winning effort.
It’s been a long season - and there’s still a month left.
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Knights win, Knights, win, Knights win
Whaddaya know? Northern Nash is back in the victory column again. The Knights beat Southern Vance 20-15 Friday night for their first victory in the Chad Smith era. They didn’t do it easily. A pass interference set up a Marc McCadden touchdown catch with no time remaining for the Knights’ victory.
I reached Smith by cell phone Friday night. Smith said he might coach another 40 years and not win a game in the manner his team won against Southern Vance.
I’m sure Smith and his coaching staff saw this win coming. The team started playing well, oddly enough, in a 42-point loss to Hertford County. Last week the Knights nearly beat Bertie. They did not let an opportunity slide away from them Friday night.
Good for the Knights. This team needed a victory before NEW 6 Conference season begins in two weeks. Confidence means a lot to high school athletes. Maybe more wins will follow.
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Rocky Mount High … Dominant … Again
Rocky Mount players and coaches tell me often that the team works extremely hard during the week. I’ve always believed them, but I’m starting to think that their practices are more competitive than the games. That’s the case of late. Rocky Mount has won their last three games by a combined 111 points. Some teams haven’t scored 111 points this season.
Friday night’s 63-6 victory over Southern Wayne was so easy that the Gryphons’ first team offense and defense spent the entire second half watching from the sideline. I asked coach Rocky Mount coach B.W. Holt during the second half why he decided to take his headset off. I knew the 49-6 halftime score had a lot to do with that, but he said he wanted to allow his assistants to have the freedom to call the shots.
Marquavis Alston’s performance was one of the better brief outings I’ve seen at the high school level. He scored all four times he touched the ball in the first half, finishing with 141 yards. I told him that if he carried the ball in the second half that he was going to ruin his average. He mentioned that he would have taken it to the house again if given the chance. I don’t doubt him the way he carried the ball Friday night.
I had to laugh when an official ran over toward a couple of Rocky Mount High players during the second half on what was an uncrowded portion of the sideline and told the two to back up behind the line. Really? I guess this official didn’t have anything better to do. The players toes were literally a few inches over the line. Southern Wayne didn’t make it around a corner of the Rocky Mount defense all night, so I don’t think the players were in harm’s way. Maybe the official was bored and felt the need to officiate.
Rocky Mount’s halftime output (49 points) was the most for the program in the first half since it led Wilson Fike, 48-0 in 1978. The Gryphons probably would have set a new scoring mark ff not for a running second-half clock. The program scored 75 points against Norfolk (Va.) Catholic in 1961.
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Down East pregame thoughts
Before we throw our energy into high school football, here are a few lingering thoughts on the 11th Annual Down East Viking Football Classic that are floating in my head.
Will Elizabeth City State running back and former SouthWest Edgecombe standout D.D. Bush get a chance to show his skills in front of folks from his area?
Keep an eye on Vikings defensive back Derrick Downey. The Rocky Mount High alum is now a senior and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind making a mark in his final Classic. He has nine tackles this season in three games played.
Will this contest come down to wire, much like the one a year ago when place-kickers decided the outcome of the game? Sports Editor Ben Jones deemed Shaw’s win “Shaw’s Shank Redemption.” Great headline, Ben.
Who will have the better band? Matt LaWell will give his take on that Saturday after the game.
Most of all, who’s going to win? Elizabeth City State seems to be more capable of putting up points on the offensive side of the ball. Vikings running back Dennis Hamilton told me in a phone conversation Thursday that the team hasn’t put together a full 60 minutes of play the way they are capable of doing. St. Augustine’s has scored no more than 17 points in any game this season. My nod goes to Elizabeth City State. Prediction: ECSU 32, St. Augustine’ s 22
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The cycle of sports
Imagine a sports fan falling asleep for 10 years and waking up. Boy, have things changed since then. The Tampa Bay Rays have clinched a spot in the American League playoffs. So much has changed in a decade that sleepy fan knew the team as the Devil Rays. But what else has changed? I did a quick glance back at the four major professional sports (football, baseball, basketball, hockey) to see what things looked like compared to today.
BASEBALL THEN: The New York Yankees won the World Series by beating the San Diego Padres. The Yankees won 114 games during the regular-season.
BASEBALL NOW: The Yankees (86-71) will miss the postseason for the first time in 13 years after being eliminated Tuesday night. Yankee Stadium has seen its last baseball game. Some things are still the same there, though. New York still has unlimited financial resources and Derek Jeter is playing shortstop. Some things don’t need to change.
BASKETBALL THEN: The Chicago Bulls (and Michael Jordan, of course) won their third consecutive NBA title. The victory was the last of Jordan’s six titles.
BASKETBALL NOW: The Bulls won only 33 games last season. Michael Jordan is now making player personnel decisions for the Charlotte Bobcats. Yes, back then, Charlotte had a team called the Hornets. The Hornets are now in New Orleans. Yes, times have changed.
HOCKEY THEN: The Detroit Red Wings earned Lord Stanley’s Cup in 1998, back when Hockey was popular (sorry, hockey fans, but it’s true).
HOCKEY NOW: Maybe some things don’t change. The Red Wings are fresh off a sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins and will enter the upcoming season as the defending champs. The NHL is certainly in last place of the four major sports.
FOOTBALL THEN: The Denver Broncos edged the Green Bay Packers, 31-24 in Super Bowl XXXII. That was a great Super Bowl. John Elway vs. Brett Favre (as the media put it then as if the Hall of Fame quarterbacks were the only ones playing).
FOOTBALL NOW: The New York Giants are the defending champs after a 17-14 victory in February. That victory made one member of the Telegram sports department a happy man.
Thanks, Giants. I’ll never forget that win.
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N.C. State’s silence
Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien never divulges more information than is asked of him. During Monday’s press conference in Raleigh he told the media that redshirt freshman quarterback Russell Wilson would be out for Saturday’s game against South Florida.
O’Brien did not disclose Wilson’s injury, but my thought is that the quarterback might have suffered another concussion. Wilson looked fine while being interviewed after the Wolfpack’s 30-24 victory over East Carolina on Saturday, but concussions are an incurable injury.
More than one of my colleagues mentioned Saturday while watching the game that Wilson needs to avoid more hits. Wilson scrambles as much as he passes the football. No quarterback can take continuous beatings without suffering some sort of injury. It’s a shame Wilson can’t play this week because he made a lot of progress Saturday against the Pirates, throwing the first three touchdown passes of his career. Monday he was named the ACC’s Offensive Back of the Week.
I applaud Wilson’s no-fear attitude, but I’m sure Wolfpack fans want to see him out of harms way more than they have. The concussion he suffered against South Carolina on Aug. 28 forced him to miss only one game. Who knows if it has returned in some way. Maybe we’ll get a better answer from O’Brien later this week, but knowing O’Brien, don’t hold your breath.
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Latest comments
Key will be as to how focused RM plays offense and defense on that first drive to set the tone. RM can’t always count on a 98 yard kick-off return so the offense and defense need to be psyched from the get go. Not sure what was going on with the RM
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Bottom line is if the Jacksonville coach had any reservations about playing the game and the ending results then the best thing he could have done is contacted the NCHSAA prior to the play-offs and given up their spot. Give it to someone like Southern Nash
... read the full comment by gryphon86 | Comment on Rocky Mount High wins in a blowout Read Rocky Mount High wins in a blowout
Hey Jesse, It’s the A.D. that needed to resign.Coach Smith I wish you the the best maybe if you had a better A.D the program would’ve been better. It’s time for the “KNIGHTS” to rise back up now.
... read the full comment by nnftball88 | Comment on Regular season complete Read Regular season complete
Hey Jesse, I hope I see an article about why Chad Smith is leaving the Northern Nash Football position…perhaps what chased him away from the school…
... read the full comment by Really? | Comment on Regular season complete Read Regular season complete