Telegram Football Insider: SouthWest Edgecombe remains perfect

SouthWest Edgecombe completed a perfect regular season in a 32-7 victory at Greene Central on Friday night.

The Cougars (11-0, 6-0 EPC) won the Eastern Plains Conference championship and completed the program’s second undefeated regular season (2006) under coach Raymond Cobb.

“It’s a special bunch of kids,” Cobb said. “They’ve been very coachable. We have played a tough schedule in a tough conference.

“It’s a real credit to our kids.

“I’ve been blessed to have a great group of assistant coaches who work hard.”

Greene Central took a 7-0 lead in the contest — the Cougars’ first deficit of the season — but SouthWest Edgecombe responded with 32 unanswered points.

The Cougars will have a bye next week before the start of the state playoffs.

ROCKY MOUNT ACADEMY

The Eagles’ season came to a close when they lost to Hobgood, 49-46, in the first round of the NCISAA playoffs on Friday night.

Rocky Mount Academy led at four junctures throughout the contest, but it was not able to hold on to a lead.

Hobgood kicked a 25-yard field goal as time expired to end Rocky Mount Academy’s season at 4-6.

“I thought we played well, but we let them stay in the game with second chances,” Eagles coach Andy Jackson said.

Jackson, who completed his first season as varsity coach, did not always have a healthy squad, but the Eagles improved as the season continued.

Rocky Mount Academy won three of its last four games.

“Our kids didn’t make excuses,” Jackson said. “They just kept playing. I hated to lose, but I loved the way we played. I think they represented the school well.”

ROCKY MOUNT HIGH

One by one, each of the Rocky Mount High seniors lined up on the goal line after the team’s 24-19 victory over Southern Nash on Friday night.

Members of the Gryphons coaching staff and players greeted each senior with words of appreciation.

Everyone has a senior night, but Gryphons coach Dickie Schock said the team has performed the practice twice this season. They will do so again after the team’s final game of the season.

Schock said the season goes by quickly, and he wants his players to enjoy moments they will only be able to rewind in their minds.

“You want them to understand your time is limited and to play like the end is coming,” said Schock, whose team improved to 5-4 overall in 3-1 in Big East Conference play. “It’s tough, win or lose, when you get down to that last game. You want them to have that sense that they can play for a while.”

NASH CENTRAL

The Bulldogs still have a chance to make the playoffs.

That’s the focus for Nash Central after a 43-7 loss Friday night to Big East leader Wilson Hunt.

“We can at least put ourselves in position to be eligible,” said Nash Central coach Kevin Crudup, who served a one-game suspension Friday night. “We don’t want to end on this. We want to end on a positive note, and a playoffs berth would be positive for our program.”

Nash Central (3-7, 1-3 Big East) will have to beat Southern Nash for a second time this season to earn that berth. The Bulldogs beat the Firebirds in a nonconference game last month, but Crudup said he knows how difficult it is to defeat a team twice in one season.

NORTH EDGECOMBE

North Edgecombe’s season did not start off resembling one of a playoffs team, but the Warriors played well at the most critical time of the season.

The Warriors finished in second place in the Tar-Roanoke Conference regular-season standings.

They won five of its last six games.

“I thought it was great, considering the way we started off slowly and played catch up as far as the offensive line is concerned,” Warriors coach Danny Ward said. “To be one touchdown away from a conference title is pretty good.”

The Warriors finished their season with a 50-24 victory over Gates County on Friday night, a game in which they did not punt the football.