Black Friday is no more a headline to describe another Rocky Mount playoff loss. This year they may be using that headline in the Burlington area, as the Gryphons defeated the Eastern Alamance Eagles 42-21 Friday night in the third round of the NCHSAA 3-A playoffs.
Rocky Mount used touchdown scores by four different Gryphons in the first half to jump out to a 28-0 halftime lead.
Eastern Alamance brought with them a large following of faithful, but the Gryphons silenced their opening cheers by marching right down the field on the game’s opening drive. La’Var Silver capped off the drive, scoring from a yard out to start the scoring.
At the end of the first half, Jordan Ford scampered in from six yards away to give the Gryphons a two score advantage.
Minutes into the second quarter, senior Nick Hahula rumbled thirty five yards into the endzone.
Nearing the end of the first half, Rocky Mount’s all-time touchdown leader Marquavis Alston added to his career total by darting in for the nine yard touchdown scamper.
Hahula’s ensuing kickoff was mishandled by Eastern Alamance, and was recovered by the Gryphons’ Josh Boulware at the Eagle 17-yard line.
Junior Jordan Ford finished the Gryphons drive by getting scoring the five-yard touchdown run with under a minute remaining in the half.
Eastern Alamance came out in the third quarter by playing good defense, before the offense got going late in the half.
The Eagles got onto the board when Elliott Powell rambled for a 36-yard touchdown run.
The ensuing kickoff was of the onside variety, with Eastern Alamance recovering. The Eagles’ Jordan Carter to Eric Hester for a five yard touchdown strike that had Eastern Alamance and their fans getting back into the game, with the score 35-14.
But the Eagles were unable to keep any of the momentum they may have gained.
In the fourth quarter, Rocky Mount quarterback Collins Cuthrell finished of a Gryphon drive by himself, scoring from five yards out with just over five minutes remaining in the game.
A combination of Gryphons second-team and JV players gave up a 61-yard Powell hook-and-ladder touchdown pass, but the score came with the game already in hand and just over three minutes remaining.
The win snaps Rocky Mount’s losing streak against Alamance County teams, and gets the Gryphons over the elusive hump that hung over their heads.
The win also moves the Gryphons into the Eastern Finals next week at home against West Craven at the Rocky Mount Athletic Complex.
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