WOMEN'S SOCCER The Avery women's soccer team travels to Polk County this evening for the opening round of the 1A soccer playoffs. That's right, the same Polk County that the Lady Vikings traveled to Friday night, losing a narrow 1-0 match on Polk's Senior Night.
The Lady Wolverines boast six players who have scored six or more goals this season, but Avery has given the team trouble like no other squad this season, being held to only a single goal a total of 180 minutes of soccer action.
Tonight's game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. We'll have results as quickly as we can post them shortly after the match.
BASEBALL
Avery's varsity baseball team dropped a 3-0 contest yesterday in Ledger. Vikings starter Chris Childress gave up all three runs in the opening inning off a pair of bunt singles, a throwing error, and a 2-RBI single. He allowed only one additional hit over the final six innings of a complete-game effort.
The Vikings' struggles at the plate continued Tuesday night. The team's best scoring opportunity off Mitchell starter Pfouts came in the first inning when Pedro Benavides reached base, was bunted over to second and advanced to third on a groundout, only to have a strikeout strand the senior at third base.
Avery finished the regular season at 5-14 overall on the season, with a 2-10 conference mark. It was a "Good news, Bad news" scenario earlier today as the NCHSAA playoff brackets were released. The Good News... Avery qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card entrant. The Bad News?? They must face 19-1 Swain County, the top team in the Impact Baseball 1A state baseball poll, in Bryson City on Friday afternoon.
Again, we hope to post game results shortly after the game, so check the blog late Friday night or early Saturday morning for details!
Again, we hope to post game results shortly after the game, so check the blog late Friday night or early Saturday morning for details!
Avery's junior varsity baseball team picked up a 10-9 win and season sweep yesterday over the Mitchell Mountaineers in Newland on Tuesday, and wrap up its season this afternoon with a conference make-up game at Hendersonville.
SOFTBALL:
The Lady Vikings softball team lost a heartbreaking 6-5 contest to Mitchell on Senior Day Tuesday afternoon. The game was a back-and-forth affair, as the teams traded the lead on multiple occasions.
Avery's seniors were honored during the game, and it appeared the team would provide a victory for its veteran pair of players when a two-out double by junior Samantha Shook in the bottom of the fourth inning gave Avery a 5-4 lead. Mitchell rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the fifth for what proved to be the winning runs.Avery starter Morgan Yackey gave up only three earned runs and eight hits over seven innings of work and struck out seven Lady Mountaineers.
"The girls played hard and came back to take the lead twice during the game. We had a couple defensive mistakes that helped give them three unearned runs. I am proud of the effort and our continued abilty to compete for the entire game," Coach Merritt Yackey said after the game. "As it was senior day we recognized our two seniors, Andrea McFee and Sierra Perkins, both of whom were escorted by their parents. Hopefully we will get a bid to play in the state tournament."
Avery hosts Madison on Thursday afternoon in the team's home finale, and will then wait to see if they have earned a likely berth in this year's 1A softball playoffs.
TRACK AND FIELD
Avery boasts an array of athletes who have qualified to participate at this weekend's Western Regional Track and Field Championships at Polk County High School.
On the women's side, seven ladies will be attempting to qualify for the state meet. In women's Shot, Judi Dillashaw and Heather Carpenter have qualified, with Dillashaw also qualifying in the women's discus. Caroline Crenshaw has qualified in the women's long jump, triple jump, 100 meter hurdles, and 300 meter hurdles.
Also qualifying in the triple jump and 100 meter hurdles, as well as the high jump is Ginny Smith. Katelynn Eudy has qualified in the 100 meter dash and 400 meter dash, with Kate Griewisch and Mary Chesnut Smith qualifying in the 1600 meter and 3200 meter runs. Mary Chesnut also qualified for a third event, the 800 meter run.
On the boys side, Andrew Ingram has qualified to compete in the men's discus and long jump. Alex Brannon also qualified for the long jump, in addition to the men's 400 meter run. Chase Arrowood will compete in the men's triple jump, with Quentin Burleson competing in the men's 300 meter hurdles. Forrest Sickler and John Ray Benfield have qualified for the 800 meter run, while Kyle Griewisch and Tony Villanueva will compete in the 200 meter dash. Villanueva has also qualified and will compete in the men's 100 meter dash. Best of luck to all of Avery's track and field athletes this weekend at Regionals!
