Firebirds defy the odds

Southern Nash hits the court today for the second straight year at the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A boys tennis championship.

The Firebirds didn't fare well in their last trip to the state finals at Burlington Tennis Center, losing 6-0 to Charlotte Catholic. Southern Nash won't have to worry about Charlotte Catholic today as the Cougars were toppled by Lake Norman in the West Regional final Thursday.

But Lake Norman has to be the odds-on favorite to win it all. After all, only one team east of Raleigh has won the 3-A title since the classifications were split up in 1986 and that was Eastern Wayne in 2003. The only other team east of Raleigh to win a boys state title since 1963 was Hunt when freshman Jim Rogerson led the Warriors to the school's first state championship. The NCHSAA's record book is spotty prior to 1963 but it appears Goldsboro and Rocky Mount may have won some state titles in the 1950s.

Needless to say, eastern N.C. is not where the best tennis players are found and certainly not in the 3-A ranks. But does that mean the Firebirds don't have a chance today? I didn't think they had a chance to even get this far considering they lost 5 of their starting 6 singles players from last year's team. The 2008 Firebirds had several players like Michael Barnes and Ethan Page who had been starting since their sophomore seasons.

Last May, it seemed Southern Nash's unbeaten run to the East crown was the culmination of many years of excellence under the watchful eye of head coach Brad Joyner. I figured Joyner would have another solid team this year but didn't think he and the Firebirds could pull off another unbeaten run to the state championship.

Certainly, he's been helped by the addition of German exchange student Julian Paulsen at No. 1 singles but the play of guys like Jordan Hagler, Isaac Arnold, Adam Glover and the Matthews brothers, Will and Clay, has been spectacular. For a rural school that draws students from an area larger than Wilson County, Southern Nash has established itself as a true state power in boys tennis.

So, although the Firebirds will take the court today as decided underdogs, who's to say they can't pull off the upset? But if they can't, I wouldn't bet against them going to Burlington again next May.

Warriors, Firebirds to spend another Easter in Rocky Mount

From our good friend in Rocky Mount, Charles Alston, comes the schedule for the 2008 Rocky Mount Invitational Baseball Tournament and once again, Hunt and Southern Nash return as participants.

However, the eight-team format will not return as just six teams make up this year's event, including host Rocky Mount, Northern Nash and Nash Central. They are joined by South Carolina 4-A school Fort Mill.

Because a single-elimination format won't work with six teams playing 3 games in 3 days, the tourney has become a round-robin deal and the championship will be awarded to the team that goes undefeated. In case of a tie, the tiebreakers are, in order, fewest runs allowed, head-to-head competition and runs scored.

It could make for an interesting — and possibly anti-climactic — finish.


Rocky Mount Invitational Baseball Tournament

2008 Schedule

Saturday, April 5

Game 1: Southern Nash vs. Nash Central, 1 p.m.
Game 2: Northern Nash vs. Fort Mill, S.C., 4 p.m.
Game 3: Rocky Mount vs. Wilson Hunt, 7 p.m.

Monday, April 7

Game 1: Rocky Mount vs. Fort Mill, S.C., 1 p.m.
Game 2: Southern Nash vs. Wilson Hunt, 4 p.m.
Game 3: Nash Central vs. Northern Nash, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, April 8

Game 1: Nash Central vs. Wilson Hunt, 1 p.m.
Game 2: Southern Nash vs. Fort Mill, S.C., 4 p.m.
Game 3: Rocky Mount vs. Northern Nash, 7 p.m.

Past champions
2007 - Rocky Mount def. Southern Nash, 13-1
2006 - Rocky Mount def. Northern Nash, 6-2
2005 - Rocky Mount def. Northern Nash, 5-2
2004 - Wilson Hunt def. Washington, 5-3 (5 inn., rain-shortened)
2003 - Morrisville Green Hope def. Rocky Mount 6-1
2002 - Kernersville Glenn def. Durham Riverside, 7-3
2001 - Kernersville Glenn def. Wilson Fike, 4-1
2000 - Durham Jordan def. Rocky Mount, 8-6
1999 - round-robin w/6 teams - no champion
1998 - final day of tournament rained out (RMHS, Beddingfield made the finals)
1997 - Rocky Mount def. Durhan Jordan, 6-2
1996 - Rocky Mount def. Northern Nash, 8-5
1995 - Rocky Mount def. Wilson Beddingfield, 6-0
1994 - Rocky Mount def. Wilson Beddingfield, 7-2
1993 - Northern Nash def. Southern Nash, 6-5
1992 - Greene Central
1991 - Greene Central
1990 - Greene Central def. Roanoke Rapids, 8-2
1989 - Southern Nash
1988 - Rocky Mount
1987 - Roanoke Rapids
1986 - Southern Nash
1985 - Roanoke Rapids
1984 - Roanoke Rapids
1983 - Roanoke Rapids
1982 - Northern Nash
1981 - Rocky Mount
1980 - Rocky Mount
1979 - Rocky Mount
1978 - Sanderson
1977 - Garner