Rocky Mount High School | Archive | August, 2018

Week 2 of the prep football season begins tonight. Here’s a rundown of what to expect for tonight’s games.

Rocky Mount High (1-0) at Greenville Conley (0-1)

Kickoff: 7 p.m.

Last week: Rocky Mount High defeated Apex Middle Creek, 35-16. Greenville Conley lost to Elizabeth City Northeastern, 42-34.

Numbers game: RMH: Rushed for 346 yards in last week’s win, led by Rodell Bridges’ 120 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries. Quarterback Jaquan Lynch was a crisp 6 of 10 passing for 91 yards and a touchdown.

Conley: Allowed 582 rushing yards in last week’s loss, as well as allowing six touchdowns on the ground.

Storylines: The Gryphons hadn’t beaten Apex Middle Creek in the previous three seasons before last week’s win. With a fresh start after a rare losing season, RMH is hoping to keep its balanced offensive attack on track. An emphasis on the the ground game could be in store as the Gryphons’ opponent had a tough time stopping that a week ago. … Meanwhile, Conley plays its first two games of the season at home, and is looking for an important win to avoid an 0-2 start before it embarks on a tough stretch of the schedule. The Vikings play six of their next seven games on the road.

There’s a recognizable amount of respect between Shyheim Battle and Zonovan Knight.

They aren’t necessarily best friends, and they didn’t grow up together learning the game that has unlocked a considerable amount of opportunity for both of them. They go to different schools, play different positions, and were raised in different towns, but there’s a knowing handshake you give to a fellow power five recruit from your area who’s been through all the same pitches and pressures along the way.

Knight, a running back and rising senior for Southern Nash, committed to N.C. State in early July. Battle, a cornerback and rising senior for Rocky Mount High, followed along with his word to the Wolfpack later in the same month.

In between, there was some nudging from Knight to his contemporary, throwing out the idea of two athletes from the 252 area code teaming up in Raleigh in 2019 for N.C. State.

After this high school football season, both will graduate early and enroll in college for the second semester of the school year, making that scenario a reality.

The two met up earlier this month at Rocky Mount High to discuss their future team, their two current teams, who’s going to win the Big East this year, long visits to Indiana, group chats, the time Knight got a step on Battle for a touchdown, and more.

Rocky Mount Telegram: How well do you guys know each other? When did you guys meet?

Shyheim Battle: Middle school. Seventh grade.

Zonovan Knight: I didn’t really know-know Shyheim until high school. I think our relationship really clicked this year when we played them. He was a wide receiver and I had to guard him. I just kept telling him, ‘Good job,’ ‘Good job,’ after every play. That’s where we clicked.

RMT: When did you take notice of Zonovan?

SB: When we first played Southern Nash in middle school, I didn’t know who he was, but every time he got the ball he was running up the sidelines. He frustrated me. In high school, I come to find out he’s a fast kid. A pretty good kid. Had to keep my eye on him. He’s a good baller.

RMT: Of Shyheim?

ZK: I think my sophomore year when Sherrod Greene was here. We played them and they came to us.

RMT: You’re in the same grade and in the same area getting the same kind of recognition. Did that make you closer as friends?

SB: Yeah. I started hitting him with the direct messages. I think we followed each other, starting DMing each other: Who you like? Where you going to go? That type of stuff. Our relationship started growing when we found out we were the top two guys in our area. We started communicating more.

RMT: Who followed who?

(Pause)

ZK: I can’t even remember. (Laughs)

SB: I just know we started texting around the time we got some more offers.

ZK: It’s just something that happened.

RMT: What do you remember about those conversations?

ZK: Like Shyheim said, most of the time when we were talking we were just asking what our top schools were.

RMT: You guys committed to N.C. State pretty close to each other. (Zonovan) was in early-July. (Shyheim) was later that month. In that time between, did you guys talk at all?

SB: He was persuading me to commit. I kept telling him I would think about. I might make a move. When it all came down to the end, I thought about who was there the longest.

RMT: What kind of stuff were you telling Shyheim?

ZK: At first, he was kind of telling me that State was his first option. That was back when I was committed to Duke. And, like, once I decommitted, that’s when I started seeing, and we’d talk about, all the good stuff (Shyheim) liked about State. When I committed, I tried to recruit him. Tell him we had a good class coming in. He kind of surprised me when he committed.

RMT: How’d you find out? Twitter?

ZK: No, we were messaging each other on Instagram. He said he “flipped the switch.” I didn’t know what that meant. Then I started getting all these alerts — four-star cornerback commits to N.C. State. I texted Coach Doeren, he said he did.

RMT: How’d you find out about Zonovan?

SB: He told me right after, but I had a feeling he was going to go there. He visited N.C. State a lot of times. I was like, ‘Man, he’s at N.C. State everyday.’

ZK: Yeah, everybody already knew. (Laughs)

SB: Yep. I said, ‘He’s got to be going.’

RMT: It seems like it’s the movement right now for in-state players to go to N.C. State. Did that matter to you?

ZK: It played a big role. We had a group chat. We were all connected through the group chat, saying what we liked about State.

RMT: All you guys with a bunch of offers had a group chat?

ZK: It wasn’t everyone. I don’t think Shyheim was in it. We had (N.C. State commit) Josh Harris, he was in it. (N.C. State commit) Drake Thomas was in it. We all knew we were going to commit before we said it, but we didn’t really say anything.

RMT: You guys both had chances to go pretty far. When you see a guy like Zonovan commit close to home — and there are a bunch of others from around here — is that a perk to be familiar with teammates? Instead of somewhere you wouldn’t know many people?

SB: When Coach Doeren was recruiting me, when he first offered me, he sold that — ‘You won’t have to travel far. You can save money. You’ll have that connection with the area.’ That type of thing. You don’t have to travel way on the other side of the country. You won’t have to start a new life. That’s a good thing to me.

RMT: What did your moms say when you decided to stay close?

SB: She was shocked, surprised. But they’re behind me. They supported me. They can just drive up the street. They say they’re going to move, too.

ZK: My mom kind of already knew. I think when I went on my official visit to Purdue, that kind of sealed the deal. I knew I wanted to be close. I didn’t want to be too far from home. I wanted to go visit my parents.

RMT: All the way in Indiana?

ZK: Yessir. It was a different kind of feel. The first day there I knew it wasn’t for me. It was a great school. I just knew I wanted to be home.

RMT: Maybe that visit was a good thing, just to know you wanted to be close.

ZK: Before that, I was telling coaches I didn’t mind going across the country. That one visit showed everything to me. (Laughs)

RMT: Dave Doeren is a champion for Raleigh. He’s always touting the city and the facilities. Did his passion stick out to you guys?

SB: He’s really big on the area. He hasn’t been there so long but he says he doesn’t want to leave. He wants to raise his family there. He really likes it, the people he works with. My dad showed me something the other day, that another program was trying to take his guys, so he offered them raises so they won’t leave.

ZK: Really, he was family-based. Making sure my family was close, so they wouldn’t have to spend much money coming to the games. I grew up in Raleigh before I moved to Middlesex, so he didn’t so much have to sell me on the city. I already knew it was a great city.

RMT: What sticks out to you about Shyheim as a cornerback?

ZK: His break on the ball. He’s a great player. Most of the time, I guard him when we play. I watched his film. His ability to break on the ball is really good. He’s lanky. It gives him an advantage.

RMT: Shyheim?

SB: Everytime he gets the ball, I know he’s going to take a couple of steps, find a hole, and from there, ain’t nobody touching him. I can promise you, he’s got breakaway speed. He got three steps on me one time. I knew it was over. I know how it is when you have that speed.

RMT: If you both switched positions, who would be the better player at what?

ZK: I’d probably be the better corner (Laughs). But I like the feeling of scoring versus defense.

SB: I was a good running back in middle school. On the high school level I might not be so good. Maybe quarterback, wide receiver, not running back.

RMT: What’s one thing that surprised you throughout the whole college recruiting process?

SB: The attention. Once you’re a big-time recruit they treat you like a celebrity. It’s kind of like a respect thing. It makes you feel good but you’ve got to know what you’re worth too.

ZK: Being an NCAA Division I athlete, a lot of people expect different things from you. Expect you to do better. That was a hard adjustment for me.

RMT: Was all the attention weird?

ZK: At some point it feels like people want to be around you for that reason. Before all the offers not too many people were around.

RMT: You guys are all wrapped up college-wise. But there’s still a senior season to be played. Who’s going to win the Big East this year?

SB: Good question. I’m pretty confident in my team. Other than us two in the conference though, I don’t think there’s nobody else there.

ZK: I’m going to go ahead and agree with that.

RMT: Are you going to miss playing with Kendrick Bell?

ZK: I’m going to miss it a lot. Our relationship was pretty good. This past season we had to take over. The relationship over the course of the year grew through football, basketball and track.

RMT: How’s he doing at Charleston Southern?

ZK: Last time I talked to him, he was beat. He said they hadn’t touched the ball yet. Just conditioning. (Laughs)

The last thing I’ll ask — being from this area, being two marquee athletes in your grade — do you guys take pride in that?

SB: I take pride. I know I’m a competitor. I don’t like to be beat. I lost an All-Star Game and it got me good. I want to be the best at what I do. I’m going to work for it.

ZK: I feel like I have a lot to prove. You hear all those stories about the people that almost make it or don’t make it because of injuries and other things. I don’t want to be one of those people. I want to be one of those people that actually makes it. I want to change my families lives and take care of my mom.

This Q&A can be found in the Telegram’s upcoming football preview magazine.

On prep football’s first Friday of the season, it was a good night to be Rodell Bridges.

Last season, the Rocky Mount High senior played almost exclusively on defense as a middle linebacker, rushing just eight times for 32 all-purpose yards of offense. One game into 2018, he’s already quadrupled that number.

He can thank a three-touchdown performance with 103 rushing yards and 45 receiving yards on three receptions against Apex Middle Creek on Friday night at Rocky Mount High for that.

His breakout game on offense, crossed with a crisp, well-played contest from junior quarterback Jaquan Lynch, all added up to a 35-16 opening-night win for the Gryphons, avenging a loss to Middle Creek in last season’s opener.

“I wanted to come in here and do it. I wanted to make a mark,” Bridges said. “I wanted to show them what I could do.”

Friday night was the first time RMHS has beat the 4-A school in its last four tries.

“We made some adjustments to our roster in the spring. Rodell was a kid we felt like we could move over,” RMHS coach Jason Battle said. “He can do multiple things for us offensively. He proved that tonight.”

Along with Bridges’ three scores — all on the ground — Antwain Dunston fell on a fumbled ball in the end zone in the second quarter and Tashaun Lawrence punched in a 10-yard run late in the fourth as the game’s exclamation point.

Lynch, who focused on game management and accuracy in between his sophomore and junior seasons, started off his second year as Rocky Mount High’s starting quarterback almost perfectly. His numbers — 5-of-10 passing for 79 yards and an interception — don’t stick out, but two of those incompletions were drops, with one coming in the end zone.

His lone interception was a de facto punt on a fourth down late in the first half. All night, he kept the Mustangs defense off-balance with well-sold play fakes and perfectly lofted passes.

After the game, it was a strong contrast in feeling for Lynch compared to last year’s opening night, a loss to Middle Creek in his first varsity start.

“Coach was just talking about it, we had that heart this time,” Lynch said. “We don’t care who got the touchdowns. I didn’t throw a single touchdown but I did what the team needed me to do.”

Three things

N.C. State commit Shyheim Battle was thrown at on the first play of the game, which resulted in a two-yard gain, but was only targeted four more times after. The last four resulted in incompletions. He also had a pass deflection on a late-game Hail Mary for Mustang quarterback Sean Brown, who had impressive moments, throwing for two touchdowns on 25 attempts.

The Gryphons led, 21-10, at halftime, but things got a lot more interesting when the Mustangs started the half with a defensive stop, then scored a touchdown to make it 21-16. The ensuing drive for the Gryphons shut down momentum for Middle Creek. It was a prompt, three-minute drive that ended with a hat trick for Bridges, and made the score 28-16. The lead never went below double-digits from there.

Early in the third quarter, Lynch connected with Lawrence for a 30-yard gain on a wheel route. The ball was perfectly placed along the sideline over the outstretched hands of two Middle Creek defenders. For someone down on his throwing touch as a sophomore, it was a moment of pride. “I liked that one,” Lynch said, smiling. “I took a shot on that one, but we don’t have to talk about that.”

He said it

“It’s big for our kids and their confidence. Their confidence level changes coming back to practice Monday,” said Coach Battle, on finally beating Middle Creek. “They can feel like they washed off the 2017 season. We can finally put that behind us.”

Up next

The Gryphons will head to D.H. Conley next Friday for their first road game of the season. The game is set for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

Gnats buzzed in bunches across Rocky Mount High’s practice football field. The flying insects parted when an athlete barrelled through a swarm. Heavy rains washed through hours earlier, and the thick, humid air seemed to suspend the flying annoyances.

No grouping seemed safe from disruption as Jaquan Lynch sent footballs all over the field during a practice in early August. It was as if each cluster was a target.

The junior quarterback showed off a strong arm by zipping a tight spiral to a receiver on his right. The next play called for Lynch to attack the secondary. He tossed a downfield pass that traveled close to 50 yards before landing just out of reach.

“Touch, it’s all about touch,” Lynch said after the practice. “That’s all I’ve been hearing since last season ended. I’ve been working on it and getting better. The big thing is reminding myself to not throw it 100 mph every time.”

Important work is being done on the back fields behind the bricked school. The Gryphons and coach Jason Battle have spent the past couple years working with the young quarterback with the hope that he will guide the team back from its first losing season since 2011.

And there’s reason to believe he’s the guy to do so. A successful first year as a starter made a promising project turn into a safe bet with great upside. As a sophomore, Lynch showed he has the physical tools to make difficult throws, and the mental acuity to make proper decisions.

It’s the blend of attributes that Battle has been searching for.

“You always look for that kid, you look for kids that got it. I always say, of all the positions, it’s difficult to build a quarterback because there’s so many parts to the position,” Battle said. “The kid has to be a confident kid, he’s got to have ice water in his veins, stay even keeled, but also has to have leadership skills. This biggest thing now is our team follows (Lynch). They trust him as a guy who will get us in the right position.”

***

Jaquan Lynch caught the eye of Rocky Mount High football coaches when the young quarterback was in the eighth grade. At that point, it was Lynch’s ability to comprehend what was being asked of him that drew the interest of Gryphons coach Jason Battle.

The two talked often, and it was during those conversations that Battle knew he had something in the young athlete. Everything just seemed to click. Battle found himself being able to speak about passing concepts, what different defensive alignments look like and what they are trying to take away, as well as emergency plans once a play breaks down.

It was clear that Lynch wasn’t overwhelmed by the wealth of information spewed his way.

“Some kids, they play quarterback in middle school or wherever and you just talk football to them and everything just looks and sounds foreign,” Battle said. “But with him, we were throwing things at him and five minutes later he got it. The next day, you’re building on the things you talked about. You’re not going back. You might review, but you’re not re-teaching.”

Since that initial meeting, Battle began envisioning scenarios where Lynch would be the quarterback of the future for a Gryphons team that hadn’t had, or needed, a true passer in years. Oh, the opportunities this could create.

During the Gryphons’ state championship-winning season in 2015, Forrest Bell threw for over 1,600 yards, but tossed just eight touchdowns with five interceptions on a team that was carried by a group of talented running backs and a hard-hitting defense.

The following year, when RMH advanced to its second consecutive title game, the team did so on the same merits — tough defense and hard running. A pair of senior quarterbacks split time in that 2016 season, and the tandem combined for 1,199 yards, eight touchdowns and four picks.

Lynch could be the answer to a more balanced approach.

***

Jaquan Lynch was frustrated. Quarterback is a tough position and he was figuring that out on the fly.

Lynch got his first varsity start in the 2017 season opener on the road in Apex. The outcome was a 33-15 loss to Middle Creek. Though the box score suggested he had a strong game — passing for 210 yards, a touchdown and an interception — it could have been so much more.

A series of overthrows, missing open receivers, and the lack of the ever-important touch on his passes all amounted to a stressful Friday night. Frustrations began to boil over. Then a sophomore, Lynch admits that he couldn’t escape his emotions and his play would be altered.

Lynch’s solution? Throw harder. He was wild at times, but if he threw the ball hard enough, he thought, it would get to where it needed to go before the defense could react. Only it didn’t work out as planned.

“Early on I would try to throw the ball 100 mph every throw,” Lynch said. “I know that’s why I had a lot of overthrows. Or I’d hit guys before they had time to react. Especially in the Middle Creek game, oh my, I overthrew like five touchdowns.”

Lynch can smile about those errors now, mostly because he knows how to fix the problem in a more constructive way. The junior looks back at those games and sees a kid learning the ropes of the most important position on the field.

“It’s OK to make mistakes. I know that now,” Lynch said. “As long as I don’t make the same ones again.”

***

Those around the Rocky Mount High program see Jaquan Lynch’s ascendance to starting quarterback, and his future, as a fulfilling project taken on by Jason Battle. Long before he became the Gryphons coach, Battle was a stellar two-sport athlete at Senior High.

Battle went on to play baseball and football at N.C. A&T, and played quarterback for the Aggies from 1999-2002. Battle ranks eighth in program history in career passing yards, and ranks ninth in career completions.

It would be fair to say that the education of Jaquan Lynch is being handled by the ideal man for the job, seeing as how Battle, himself, did it at a high level for years.

“It’s a real comfortable setting knowing that he’s already been there and played the position before,” Lynch said. “He does a good job of knowing how I feel, and what questions I have, and because he’s done it before he is a good person to talk about it with.”

The two haven’t always had a smooth relationship. Sometimes the growing pains and failures that come with learning the intricacies of the quarterback position would cause tension.

Battle had to teach himself patience, and to look for another avenue to get through to a young mind. And Lynch had to come to terms with the fact that he wouldn’t become an elite passer overnight. Both parties grew and came to understand the other a bit better.

“I feel like one of the biggest things of playing as a sophomore in Game 1 last year was he did get frustrated and rattled,” Battle said. “It’s going to happen because he’s never been there before.

“And at first it frustrated me to the point that me and him got off the same page. But I learned how to coach the kid better. He still gets frustrated at times, he’s just an incoming junior, but I can see growth in him. He’s got a lot more growing to do but he has the opportunity to be real good.”

***

Jaquan Lynch threw for 1,415 yards to go with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions last year, which was good enough for the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in the area. To do that as a sophomore is encouraging.

The Gryphons are hoping Lynch can improve on those gaudy numbers, and lead a team in a year where the offense is populated by a number of young, unproven athletes. If the quarterback can make things happen, RMH will follow suit.

Even more encouraging is that Lynch is a willing participant. He wants to work on his craft.

“I’ve always wanted to play quarterback and I knew what it would take to play it successfully,” he said. “It sounds off, but it’s not all about throwing. It’s about reading defenses and knowing matchups, and basically that’s what I’m interested in learning about. It’s how I’ve always been.”

As for Battle, he will make sure to keep a close eye on his protege.

“More importantly than him being a quarterback, he’s a great kid and phenomenal student,” Battle said. “Just a good guy all across the board. Just a model kid that I appreciate having in our program.”

This is a condensed version of our story that will run in next week’s football preview magazine. Look for it in Sunday, Aug. 26’s Telegram edition, and at next Friday’s football games.