Rocky Mount High School | Archive | June, 2016

The 2016 Telegram All-Area Boys’ Tennis Player of the Year, Tyler Brice, of Rocky Mount High School.
©Telegram photo / Alan Campbell

The 2016 Telegram All-Area Boys’ Tennis Player of the Year, Tyler Brice, of Rocky Mount High School.
©Telegram photo / Alan Campbell

The 2016 Telegram All-Area Boys’ Tennis Player of the Year, Tyler Brice, of Rocky Mount High School.
©Telegram photo / Alan Campbell

Tyler Brice sat in the stands at North Carolina’s NCAA Tournament match and soaked in the raucous atmosphere of high-level tennis.

It was in that moment that the Rocky Mount High sophomore realized he needed to put in a lot more work if he ever wanted the chance to play in that type of environment.

Introduced to the sport by his father, who played at UNC-Wilmington and participated in a couple of small professional events, Brice admitted that he played tennis mostly because it was a family activity. But that Tar Heels’ match made him change his attitude on the sport.

“I really, honestly, only picked up a true passion for the sport at the end of last year,” Brice admitted. “(Before) it wasn’t a duty thing, it was more of ‘Oh, it’s in the spring, I’ll play tennis for the school or whatever.’ But then when I started getting a passion for it, it was like a bug bit me and I started playing all the time.”

The result of that work was an improvement worthy of being named the 2016 Telegram All-Area Boys’ Tennis Player of the Year.

Brice rarely faced much adversity on the court during singles play, but two memorable occasions both came against Wilson Fike. In the home match, he dropped the first set in a tiebreak before storming back to win. And in the road match, he fell behind 4-1 in the first set before turning the tables and winning in straight sets.

Both were matches he probably wouldn’t have won as a freshman, but his maturation process over the summer allowed him to stay calm and win those critical points for the Gryphons.

“It was a great mixture of mental and technical (improvements),” Brice said. “Over the summer I really worked on groundstrokes that were down to a point where I could go to them during tight points in a match and they wouldn’t break on me. The other side of that was the mental game — allowing myself to be able to trust my groundstrokes and realize that no matter how far down I am, I can always come back.”

Brice made his mark as the 3-A East Regional doubles champion with classmate George Shannon. The duo went 19-2 this year including a first-round loss in the state tournament to a pair from Waxhaw Marvin Ridge that was delayed several times mid-match due to rain.

But the sophomore quietly compiled a 14-1 record as a singles player this season with the sole loss coming in the state playoffs against a top-five player in the state. He also had a chance early in the season to face 3-A East Regional champion Dylan Betancourt of Clayton Cleveland, but the match was rained out.

Both Brice and his coach Barry Nethercutt said the sophomore truly thrives off the energy of the crowd, which makes those matches against marquee opponents the ones that excite Brice the most. So much so that Nethercutt actually relented to letting Brice play Betancourt despite having lost to Shannon in practice the previous day.

“What makes Ty, Ty is his determination and passion for being competitive,” Nethercutt said. “He wanted to see how he compared to Dylan, because he knew how much work he had put into (his game). He just wanted to see how much he had progressed from last year to this year.

“He has every athletic ability to compete against the best in the state, and he showed this year that he has the mental matchplay to do that as well.”

ALL-AREA TEAM

First Team

TYLER BRICE, SO., ROCKY MOUNT HIGH — Brice was nearly perfect atop the Gryphons’ lineup in both singles and doubles play, with a remarkable combined record of 33-3 that includes a 3-A regional doubles title.

X’ZAVIER McDANIEL, SR., NORTHERN NASH — McDaniel was the Big East runner-up in singles and then lost a three-set heartbreaker in the quarterfinals of the regional tournament.

GEORGE SHANNON, SO., ROCKY MOUNT HIGH — Shannon is just a step behind Brice as a singles player, but he was part of the regional champion doubles duo and also went 14-1 as a singles player at No. 2.

TREY SMELCER, SO., NASH CENTRAL — The Eagles’ No. 1 player had another good year at the top of the lineup, earning All-State honors for a second consecutive season.

SETH WHITLEY, JR., SOUTHERN NASH — Whitley was an even 7-7 in the top-two spots of the lineup, but made his mark in doubles where he teamed with Avery Johnson to make the conference semifinals and regional second round.

ZACH ARRINGTON, JR., SOUTHWEST EDGECOMBE -— The Cougars’ No. 1 player reached the semifinals of the Eastern Plains tournament and the second round of the 2-A East Regional.

Honorable Mention

Oliver Adcox, Sr., Northern Nash; R.B. Armstrong, So., Tarboro; Dillon Garbrandt, So., SouthWest Edgecombe; Blaize Graham, So., Southern Nash; Pablo Hernandez, Sr.,Southern Nash; Avery Johnson, Sr., Southern Nash; Chandler Johnson, Sr., Nash Central; Langley Salter, Jr., Rocky Mount High; Stuart Whitehead, Jr., Northern Nash;

by Josh Walfish
Sports Writer for Rocky Mount Telegram

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

[!] Flag as Inappropriate

Processing your request, Please wait....

Report as:	Violent or Repulsive Content|Hateful or Abusive Content|Harmful Dangerous Acts|Child Abuse|Spam|Infringes My Rights
Write in Words: (Optional)

The 2016 Telegram All-Area Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year, Sarah Bland, of Rocky Mount High School.
©Telegram photo / Alan Campbell

The 2016 Telegram All-Area Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year, Sarah Bland, of Rocky Mount High School.
©Telegram photo / Alan Campbell

The 2016 Telegram All-Area Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year, Sarah Bland, of Rocky Mount High School.
©Telegram photo / Alan Campbell

When Rocky Mount High was getting set to play its third-round playoffs game, Sarah Bland was on the other side of the country.

The leading goal scorer in the 3-A classification was on a much-anticipated family vacation in San Francisco when the Gryphons kicked off against Jacksonville. It wasn’t the best-case scenario, but there weren’t many days left in the near future when a trip like this would be possible.

Bland’s brother, Sam, is in the U.S. Navy and was deployed overseas last month for a tour on an aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The family hadn’t had a vacation together in more than two years, and Sam was given a 10-day leave during the NCHSAA playoffs.

The question became which games would it be feasible for the 2016 Telegram All-Area Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year to miss?

“That was probably the hardest decision we’ve made about her playing soccer,” Bland’s father, Jeff, said. “We talked to her about it, and she was obviously disappointed. But she accepted it after we talked.”

From the Blands perspective, the third round made the most sense considering the Gryphons have lost in the second round four out of the previous six seasons. Ironically, it was Sarah Bland’s hat trick that sent Rocky Mount High past Richlands and into the third round for the first time in school history.

The junior admitted it was “bittersweet” to be in California for the last playoffs game, but said she knew what had to take precedence in this situation once it became clear there were no alternatives.

“Yeah, I was really bummed that I wasn’t going to make it, but I just felt like it’s something that I had to put my priorities for my family before (the game),” Sarah Bland said. “When I saw they were tied at halftime, it kind of made me think, if I would have been there, would it have made a difference.”

Like many successful female athletes, Sarah’s career was shaped by her interactions with her older brother.

Jeff Bland described the pair as “soulmates” in terms of how well the two get along with one another. Despite the six-year age gap, they faced each other consistently in the living room and backyard growing up. Sam, being bigger and a little bit more skilled at the time, won most of the time, but it was the first glimpse into the fiery spirit Bland provided on the field.

“We’re both competitive and that definitely came out when we played in the house or played in the backyard,” Sarah Bland said. “We would really go at -— all in fun of course — but it ended with me getting really upset a lot of times.”

“It made her elevate her game,” Jeff Bland added. “They would go out into the backyard and Sam wouldn’t give her much slack at all. She’s quick, but she also is very physical, which I think comes from having to outmuscle him for the ball.”

But more than anything else, Sarah inherited Sam’s blazing speed.

During a tournament in Greensboro with her travel soccer club, Sarah impressed an assistant referee with her quickness. The official approached her coach after the game to tell him that Bland was the first player to outrace him from the midfield line to the goal during open play. It wasn’t the first time, and it certainly wasn’t the last, that Bland would outrace someone on the field.

It was a major factor in Bland tallying 61 goals this season, two off the state leader across all four NCHSAA classifications. It was not uncommon for Rocky Mount High to test defenses with through passes that pitted Bland in a footrace with the defense — and more than 95 percent of the time Bland won those battles.

It is proof of what her parents consider one of her best characteristics — an unrelenting determination for success.

“When I step onto the field, I want to win,” Sarah Bland said. “I’m pretty laid back, and during practices we have a lot of fun. But once it’s a game, I get pretty competitive.”

ALL-AREA TEAM

First Team

SARAH BLAND, JR., F, ROCKY MOUNT HIGH — The 61 goals surely stand out, but Bland also added 13 assists and her speed opened space for her teammates to find success as well.

REBEKAH BEAL, SR., F, NORTHERN NASH — Beal leaves Northern Nash as the school’s all-time leading goal scorer after adding 48 tallies to bring her total to 124 while also earning All-State recognition.

NEFTHALI GONZALEZ, FR., F, SOUTHERN NASH — Gonzalez was a much-needed spark for the Ladybirds with her 16 goals, helping to lead Southern Nash back into the playoffs.

BARKLEY BROWDER, JR. MF, ROCKY MOUNT HIGH — Browder’s 20 goals and 13 assists would have put her on this list, but her work rate in the midfield was critical to the Gryphons’ success this year.

ERIN COOKE, JR., MF, ROCKY MOUNT HIGH — Working right next to Browder, Cooke did a lot of the little things to help Rocky Mount High have a fairly dominant midfield.

CAITLYN McLAUGHLIN, SO., MF, NORTHERN NASH — There were few things McLaughlin didn’t do for the Knights this year as the workhorse in the midfield.

HARLEY MARSHALL, SO., M, NORTHERN NASH — More of a defensive midfielder, Marshall built off her strong freshamn year with a second All-Region selection as a sophomore.

HALEY McCALL, 8TH, D, ROCKY MOUNT ACADEMY — McCall played sweeper for the Eagles and earned two votes in the conference’s player of the year voting, a testament to her talent as an underclassman.

ANNA VICK, JR., D, ROCKY MOUNT HIGH — Vick was the last line of defense for the Gryphons, and played her role exceptionally well to help lead the school to the third round of the playoffs.

KELSEY HUTCHINSON, FR., D, NORTHERN NASH — Hutchinson was the backbone of the Knights defense and a worthy All-Big East honoree in her first year.

ANNA SHAYE THOMPSON, SO., GK, NASH CENTRAL — The clear class of the area in terms of goalkeepers, Thompson singlehandedly kept Nash Central in games this year with almost 16 saves per game.

Honorable Mention

Erin Binkley, Jr., Rocky Mount High; Leticia Cantera, Sr., Southern Nash; Hailey Dinota, Fr., Nash Central; Ada Everette, 8th, Rocky Mount Academy; Sydney Farmer, Jr., Faith Christian; Lauren Fassnacht, Jr., Faith Christian; Katie Gutshall, Sr., Rocky Mount Academy; Mary McCall Leland, Sr., Rocky Mount High; Linzi Long, So., Nash Central; Katie Moss, Fr., Rocky Mount High; Schuyler Moss, Sr., Rocky Mount High; Sabrina Vaughn, Sr., Southern Nash;

by Josh Walfish
Sports Writer for Rocky Mount Telegram

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

[!] Flag as Inappropriate

Processing your request, Please wait....

Report as:	Violent or Repulsive Content|Hateful or Abusive Content|Harmful Dangerous Acts|Child Abuse|Spam|Infringes My Rights
Write in Words: (Optional)

Scenes from the Rocky Mount High vs. Hertford County football game Friday Sept. 5, 2014 at Rocky Mount High School.

Add the defending national champions to the growing list of offers for Rocky Mount High linebacker Sherrod Greene.

Alabama coach Nick Saban officially offered the rising senior a scholarship on Friday after Greene participated in a camp in Tuscaloosa earlier this week.

“I was really shocked,” Greene said over the phone Saturday about the phone call from Alabama on Friday. “It was a special moment because I never thought Alabama would have interest in me as a football player.”

The Crimson Tide’s camp was the start of a roadtrip to several ACC and SEC schools that have showed a varying level of interest in Greene. In addition to Alabama, Greene made visits to Georgia, Georgia Tech, South Carolina and Virginia Tech. At the moment, he only has firm offers from the Gamecocks and Hokies.

The three-star linebacker said he had a good time meeting the coaches and stressed how important these visits were to helping him ultimately make a final decision.

“It’s about the people,” Greene said. “They’re basically all good schools so it’s the people who will help me make the decision. I want to make sure I’m surrounding myself with good people along the way.”

Greene also holds Power 5 offers from California, Maryland, North Carolina and N.C. State.

by Josh Walfish
Sports Writer for Rocky Mount Telegram

Saturday, June 18, 2016

[!] Flag as Inappropriate

Processing your request, Please wait....

Report as:	Violent or Repulsive Content|Hateful or Abusive Content|Harmful Dangerous Acts|Child Abuse|Spam|Infringes My Rights
Write in Words: (Optional)