Coach Jones Gets Early Christmas Present

Rocky Mount wrestlers gave coach Jermaine Jones an early Christmas present in Goldsboro Tuesday evening with not one, but two victories at Rosewood High School. The Gryphons slipped by Rosewood (ranked as the #5 1A team in the east) 34-33, then dominated Southwest Edgecombe 54-12.

Jones' team limped through November, going 3-4, but compiled an impressive December record of 11-2, including nine out of their last 10.

The Gryphons gave up their customary 103 and 119 pound matches, and were also without 112 pounder Ahmir Scott. Francisco Alfaro, Chandler Phillips, JK Williamson, Dedrick Silver, Daryl Cross and Guy Williamson each won both of their matches.

ROCKY MOUNT 34 - ROSEWOOD 33

JK Williamson started out a 4 match win streak from the onset, winning a 9-2 decision. Silver followed with a pin. Cross added 4 points for a major decision in the 189 match 14-2, and Guy Williamson followed with another pin.

The Eagles quickly closed the gap, winning a 9-6 decision at heavyweight and two forfeit wins at 103 and 112, leaving the Gryphons with a slim 19-15 lead.

Neither team sent out a wrestler at 119.

Demonte Hill notched 6 points for the Gryphs with a forfeit win at 125, followed by an Alfaro pin at 130.

Phillips put the match out of the Eagles' reach with a 5-1 decision at 135. They needed all those points, as the Gryphons gave up a forfeit at 140 and lost by pin in both the 145 and 152 pound matches, for the final, one point victory.

ROCKY MOUNT 54 - SOUTHWEST EDGECOMBE 12

If there is a team that gives up more forfeit points than the Gryphons, it's the Cougars. The match started with Gryphon forfeit wins at 171, 189 and 215 and an instant 18-0 lead. Ezekial Thorne notched a decision win 2-1 at heavyweight to increase the lead to 21-0.

Neither team sent out a wrestler for 103 or 119 matches, and SWE got six forfeit points at 112.

The Gryphons lost their only match on the mat by pin at 125, getting the Cougars as close as they would get at 21-12.

Kinston Peters got a pin to win at 130 and Alfaro was given a forfeit win at 135, as the Cougars bumped up their 135 pounder to face Phillips at 140 instead.

Phillips won by pin.

Damien Bynum drew a forfeit at 145 and Justin Atkinson won a close battle at 152, outlasting his opponent 13-10. JK Williamson closed out the scoring at 160 with another forfeit.

Jones will have his team practicing through the Holidays before returning to the mat on January 3 for the J A Holmes Invitational.

Here's hoping everyone's Christmas was as good as Jones'.