TARBORO —
The Tarboro Vikings ruled the Eastern Plains Conference this season in football. They won the conference for the third time in four years and dominated every opponent that they faced. They ran the table going 6-0.
With their great performances during the season came rewards. The rewards were two Player of the Year awards and a Coach of the Year. Quentin Roberson received the Offensive Player of the Year, Travonne Marshall was Defensive Player of the Year and head coach Jeff Craddock was named Coach of the Year.
Roberson was the go to guy who was asked to carry the ball for the Vikings the season in hopes of leading them to another superb season. He did just that and with that came a large quantity of yards and touchdowns during his performances over the season. Roberson missed two games this season but still piled up the numbers out of the back field.
Roberson rushed for 1,960 yards on 187 carries and scored 27 times. Coming into the season, Craddock told him that he was going to have to carry the mail for the Vikings this season and be a huge impact leader on the offensive side of the ball.
"Quentin has been a great player for us and was huge for us this season," Craddock said. "He was one of the kids I was concerned about early on in his career because I didn't know which way he was going to go. He matured a lot over the course of his career and was instrumental for us this season."
Roberson didn't see much action in the back field last season, because the Vikings had a lot of players in that position, but he came on this year and exploded from the beginning of the season and never looked back.
"It was rewarding for him during his senior year after he was patient during his junior season," Craddock said. "It was very nice for him to introduce himself to the scene this year and give us more then what he did."
Roberson was the go to guy in the majority of the Vikings games this season and rushed for over 200 yards in five games. He had a spectacular performance during the state championship game where he rushed for 202 yards and scored twice. He was named the Offensive Player of the Game for the Vikings.
Marhsall was a very big impact player for the Vikings this season on both sides of the ball. He was notcied all season for what he did on the defense, but a lot people didn't realize the type of impact he had on offense. Marshall was the key leading blocker out of the back field this season which helped Roberson and Radja Bobbitt gain the majority of their yards. Marshall played for the Vikings for just one season, but made his impact known during that time.
"I sure wished I could have had him here since he was a freshman," Craddock said. "That says a lot about him. He is a special player and just a good kid."
The explosive impact that Marshall brought to the table for Tarboro was on defense though. He amazed and wowed many coaches, opposing players and fans with his forceful and dangerous hits. He led the team with over 120 tackles this season and had three interceptions.
When Marshall came to Tarboro this season, Craddock didn't know what roles he would play for the Vikings, but Marshall made a quick and lasting impression on the coaching staff.
"I didn't expect that type of impact from him with just one season in our program," Craddock said. "He has been a joy to watch and I hope our fans appreciated what he brought to the table."
Marshall had special qualities, which included leadership, intensity and passion for the game that were unmatched. He came in and blended right in with the entire program and didn't want the spot light. He just wanted to be a part of a championship team.
"You just don't see it happen very often with the type of play he brought and the outstanding leadership he gave us," Craddock said. "He was just a true blessing to our school and to our football team."
Marshall was a hard nosed player when he was at Northern Nash, but while at Tarboro he began to get noticed. Marshall and Craddock have sent films to numerous colleges in hopes of getting him into school to continue to play football. Film has been sent to East Carolina, Appalachian State and Chowan. The options are open for Marshall.
Craddock received another award for his coaching performances this season, but he isn't a coach who likes to take all the credit. He has said time after time, that if it wasn't for his coaching staff there would be no Tarboro football. He was named Coach of the Year once again.
"To win the award it is nice, but it is a reflection of the people I have with me," Craddock said. "I can't coach this team on my own and I couldn't do what we do without the help I get from my coaching staff. Every single coach I have is very important to me and to the program."
Craddock credits the majority of the Vikings success to the coaching staff, because of all of the hard work that they put into the season. The job is a year around job, but for six months it is a seven day a week job that requires a lot of time.
"I enjoy the staff that we have in place here because all of us get along so great," Craddock said. "This is just a result of our hard work that has paid off."
Craddock said the award is an individual award, but he doesn't look at it that way. He looks at it as being a team award, because it takes everyone in the program, from coaches to players to make that possible.
"Without everybody doing what I need them to do then their is no coach of the year," Craddock said. "The award usually goes to a coach who has a pretty good football team. If you don't have that then no one is interested in what you are doing with the program."
Craddock has been blessed with a well rounded staff that includes young to very experienced coaches. He and his coaching staff are on the same page the majority of the time and know exactly what each other is thinking in certain situations, because they spend a lot of time together during the season going over every possible scenario that they could be facing.
Craddock is already looking forward to next season and said that team will be ready to make their own mark in the Vikings program.
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Tarboro Vikings head coach Jeff Craddock was named the Eastern Plains Conference Coach of the Year.
Vikings rack up on conference awards
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14-Under softball tryout
The Tarboro Parks and Recreation Department and Edgecombe County Girls Softball League will be having tryouts for 14-under girls fast-pitch softball Wednesday, May 29 from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at Farmington Park in Rocky Mount. The is located at 319 Wellington Dr. There will also be a tryout Thursday, May 30 at Indian Lake Sports Complex on field 1 in Tarboro from 6 - 7:30 p.m. There is a $10 fee for Tarboro residents and a $35 fee for non-residents. For more information call the sports complex at 641-4202, Kathy Webb 252-813-4697 or Jamie Lindsey 252-883-0883 or sftbllgrlunc@hotmail.com.
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Thorne tabbed Regional Player of the Year
Tarboro Lady Vikings forward Shayla Thorne is still learning about the game of soccer. She has turned into one of the best female soccer players in school history. Every time she takes the field she gets better and better, because of her hard work and the help of her teammates. Her hard work paid off for her during her junior year as she led the Vikings with a winning record, co-confoerence championship and into the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
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Cobb, Rhodes inducted in Cougars Hall of Fame
PINETOPS – The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars athletic department inducted two legendary coaches into their Hall of Fame Monday night. Former football coach Raymond Cobb and former baseball coach Bruce Rhodes were the recipients of the awards.
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SWE Athletes of the Year
SouthWest Edgecombe Cougar Dawson Gould was named Female Athlete of the Year and Kenneth Plummer was named Male Athlete of the Year Monday night at the Cougars annual athletic awards banquet. Gould played volleyball, basketball and softball. Plummer played football, ran indoor and outdoor track.
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Pinetops 300
PINETOPS – With the threat of rain during the weekend, it put a little damper on the Pinetops 300 Tractor and Truck Pull attendance. Friday night there was a large crowd in attendance, but not the amount it has been the last several years. There was 500 less people in attendance Friday then there was a year ago, but it didn't stop the pullers from slinging mud everywhere. The fans in one section even had a chance to see what it looked like when a belt breaks on a fine tuned machine. During the Mini Modified run, Thomas Coleman, of Stoneville, had a belt break on his KB 526 Pure Hell ride and the belt slung into the crowd. No one was injured.
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Vikings, Cougars compete in 2-A state meet
The Tarboro Vikings and SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars had six girls apiece competing in the NCHSAA 2-A state track meet in Greensboro Friday at North Carolina A&T State University.
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Six Tarboro girls to compete in track finals
Motivation is a big part of the Tarboro Viking girl's track team's success this season. They enjoy working hard during practice for their coach Rickie Dozier and get fulfillment when they compete in events. Friday will be no different for the six girls that are headed to Greensboro to compete in the NCHSAA 2-A state championship meet at North Carolina A&T State University. They will compete in three relay events and the long jump.
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BIG FISH
Camden Grant and her boyfriend Ricky Davis, Jr. caught a 10 pound carp at a state wildlife pond Wednesday morning off of Highway 33 just outside of Tarboro. Grant said she caught the fish on a piece of shrimp around 10:30 a.m.
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Vikings ousted from playoffs by Jaguars
CARRBORO – After defeating the No. 1 seed in the playoffs Friday, the Tarboro Vikings forgot one thing, they had to hit the ball again Tuesday against the Carrboro Jaguars or their season would be over.
Tarboro failed to be productive at the plate and were eliminated from the NCHSAA 2-A playoffs after losing 8-0 in the second round. Tarboro never gave in after getting down early, but they just couldn't catch a break offensively and get anything going after trailing by five runs after the second inning. -
Cougars finish 7th in state golf match
The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars went through the regionals and won by four strokes. They just couldn't get it going in the state golf championships Monday or Tuesday at Longleaf Golf and Country Club in Southern Pines. The Cougars finished seventh as a team after shooting 658 over the two day period.
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