TENNIS:
The Avery tennis team began regular season play with a pair of conference matches this week. On Tuesday the squad skunked the Polk County Lady Wolverines nine matches to zero, and also won both its exhibition matches for good measure. Anna Melton, Morgan Yackey, Judy Dillashaw, Hayden Blackburn, Leah Powell, and Echo Wise each won singles matches on the afternoon.
On Thursday the Lady Vikings defeated Owen 5 match victories to 4 to capture its first ever victory over the Warlassies. Melton, Yackey and Dillashaw each won singles matches, with the teams of Melton/Yackey and Dillashaw/Blackburn winning doubles matches to earn the win.
VOLLEYBALL:
The Avery volleyball team struggled against a tougher-than-expected Thomas Jefferson Academy, but the varsity team took a five-game match victory on Tuesday. The junior varsity team was dominant in winning two straight over TJCA.
On Thursday evening the Lady Vikings hosted the Hendersonville Lady Bearcats. Hendersonville picked up a pair of games for the win in junior varsity action to open the evening. In varsity play, Avery won the first game by a 28-26 score which was a harbinger of the tightness of the match.Hendersonville won game two to even the match, but the Lady Vikings took game three to lead 2 games to 1. Hendersonville showed the heart of a champion in battling back to capture game four to again knot the match at two games each, then managed to win a hard-fought 15-11 win in the fifth and deciding game to escape Viking Gym with victory. Avery travels to Morganton to take on Patton to close out the week.
SOCCER:
Avery men's soccer took on a pair of tough rivals in hosting Watauga and Ashe County this week in a pair of entertaining matches.
On Tuesday the Vikings fell behind 2-0 at halftime on a a penalty kick by Jennings Rex as well as a second goal later in the opening half. Avery fell behind 3-0 after a Ben Robertson goal, but
Avery rallied with goals by Andrew Ingram and Kyle Griewisch, the second a long direct kick from roughly 40 yards out which bounced over the keeper's head to cut the lead in the 58th minute to 3-2. A second Robertson goal gave the Pioneers a 4-2 advantage, but Ingram added a second goal off a throw-in to cut the lead to 4-3 in the 76th minute of action.Avery could not tally the equalizer in the closing minutes of an exciting match for players and fans alike.
On a sunny Thursday afternoon the Vikings hosted the Ashe County Huskies and were looking for revenge after a loss to the Huskies earlier this season in Jefferson. The first half was a tight affair as both teams had scoring opportunites but could not capitalize offensively, resulting in a scoreless half.
The lone goal of the match came off the foot of Ashe County's Richie Absher, skirting a shot passed the sprawling Avery keeper. The score held up as the Avery offense was unable to convert a number of corner kicks and offensive runs.
JUNIOR VARSITY FOOTBALL:
The Avery junior varsity football team was unable to hold off a pressing Watauga offense on Thursday night at MacDonald Stadium. Watauga took a 14-0 advantage at halftime, and added another touchdown to take a 20-0 lead. Avery picked off a Watauga pass attempt and the offense used its I-formation rushing game to find its way into the end zone as Andy Gonzalez rolled out and scrambled left for a six-yard touchdown run. A conversion run by Trent Mitchell provided Avery's points in cutting the lead to 20-8.
The Pioneers added an insurance score late in the half to win by the final score of 28-8. The JV's have a week off before facing the Johnson County Longhorns in Mountain City on Monday, September 15th.
