How Bout Them Rams: Greene Central is Headed to the 2A State Championship

SNOW HILL, N.C — For the ninth time in Greene Central history and the first time in 22 years, the Greene Central Rams (27-1) are headed back to the state championships. The Rams flexed their muscles in front of a gigantic home crowd, dominating Whiteville(24-3) 9-1 in the 2A Eastern Regional Finals to secure their ninth state championship berth.

With their two senior pitchers, Austin Hardy and Braden Burress, exhausted from earlier games in the week, Greene Central turned to sophomore Riley Radford. Despite having pitched only 20 innings all season, Radford delivered an extraordinary performance. He pitched a complete game, allowing just one hit, striking out five, and securing a shutout. His teammates loved it.

"He's a dog!" exclaimed senior Jordan Scott.

Radford's contributions were not limited to the mound. He also went 2-for-3 at the plate, driving in four runs, including a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth. This performance was reminiscent of his father, Daren Radford, who pitched Greene Central to a state championship in 1987.

"Riley played a heck of a game," said Head Coach Ben Brann. "He has been struggling the last couple of weeks at the plate, but we've been working with him at batting practice. Sometimes all it takes is one barrel, and tonight he showed up big."

The Rams dropped Game 1 at home 4-3 but bounced back with a 4-0 win in Whiteville to force a decisive Game 3. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Will Radford and Noah Uzzell sparked the Rams' offense. Will Radford led off with a walk, and Uzzell drove him in with an RBI single up the middle.

Whiteville answered back in the fifth with a run, capitalizing on a fielding error by Riley Radford. However, the Rams' offense exploded in the bottom half of the inning. After Brady Anderson walked and Jordan Scott sacrificed him to second, Whiteville intentionally walked Burress. Easton Creech made them pay with an RBI single, followed by another RBI single from Will Radford.

"They made a mistake twice, and I capitalized," said Creech. "They pitched around our best hitter. I'm not saying it was disrespectful to me, but I had to get up there and capitalize, and I did twice."

Riley Radford then stepped to the plate, breaking his series slump with a three-run homer over the left-field fence. In the bottom of the sixth, Radford nearly hit another home run, but the ball fell short, hitting the wall. The Rams tacked on two more runs, sealing the 9-1 victory.

"All I could ask for, it doesn't get any better than that," said senior Jordan Scott. "Coach told us before the game it's 0-0; it's anybody's game. We had to work hard and want it."

Senior Brady Anderson was filled with pride and joy.

“It is really hard to describe this feeling, to see all the hours pay off is really special… This is really a special group of guys and they’ve all worked so hard for it.”

Greene Central's six seniors, including Cam Taylor, Brady Anderson, Austin Hardy, Jordan Scott, Braden Burress, and Noah Uzzell, played a crucial role in bringing this program back to the top. Coach Brann expressed his pride in their hard work and dedication over the past four years.

"I am super proud of how hard they have worked," Brann said. "Playing their last game at Greene Central High School, I am just super proud of them."

The Rams' journey to the state championship is marked by an undefeated regular season and a conference championship. The team has embodied the mantra of playing where their feet are and focusing on the task at hand, a philosophy that has propelled them to this significant achievement.

Reflecting on the season, Will Radford emphasized the importance of the team's unity and determination. "It means a lot. We had a really good season last year and got cut short, so we learned a lot from that. We came out this year and did everything we could, and obviously, it has paid off."

Will Radford also commented on his brother Riley's performance, "I just told him it was me and you, and that is it. There is no pressure. He is the only guy we had, and he was the best guy we had. I told him to go out there and be yourself. I thought he did pretty good," he added with a chuckle.

Riley Radford reflected on his moment, "I felt great. I felt like it was my time to shine. I came in, tried my hardest, and came out on top."

"Braden came out there every time I got a little shaky. He always had something positive to say," Riley added. "I knew what I was doing wrong. I have been working on fixing it, and tonight I finally did it."

As the Rams prepare for the state championship, they carry with them the support and pride of their community, eager to bring home another title. For Greene Central, the wait is finally over. The Rams are back, and they are ready to make history once again.

KEY STATS

- Riley Radford: Complete game, 1-hit shutout, 5 strikeouts; 2-for-3, 4 RBIs, 3-run homer
- Easton Creech: 2-for-4, 2 RBIs
- Will Radford: 1-for-3, 1 RBI