Hendersonville defeated Avery 30-24 in a controversial overtime contest in Henderson County last season.
Scouting the Bearcats:
Hendersonville is coached by B.J. Laughter and utilize a version of the wishbone offense. The Bearcats were 7-6 overall last season, with a 2-4 mark in conference play, but have improved dramatically as its young players from a season ago have matured.
Hendersonville has experience at most skill positions. Leading the charge for the Bearcats is senior running back Cedrick Allen (107 rushes, 828 yards, 16 TD in 2008). An All-Western Highlands Conference player last season, Allen ran for over 1,500 yards in 2007 and scored 23 touchdowns.
“Cedrick’s the first kid I’ve ever appointed as a captain as a coach,” Hendersonville head coach BJ Laughter told the local newspaper in Hendersonville over the summer. “He has all the intangibles you want in a football player.”
Allen broke his nose in the first half of last week’s win over Madison. Rather than sit on the bench, he illustrated his heart by playing hurt and helping lead his team to victory.
Alongside Allen in the Bearcat backfield are seniors Darryl Demps and Darren Perry, who combined for 900 rushing yards last year and nine touchdowns.
“The chemistry is there and everybody knows what their role is,” Laughter said about the returning backfield. “There’s no dissension. They all share the load.”
Triggering the offense for Hendersonville is junior quarterback Ben Walgenbach (31 rushes, 220 yards, 2 TD; 32 of 54 passing for 917 yards with 11 TD). Walgenbach has already matched this season his 11 scores from a season ago. He is a player the coach calls one of the best quarterbacks he has ever coached, describing him as “a true field general.”
When the Bearcats choose to go to the air, the ball often falls into the hands of receivers Daniel Orr, Tory Sitton, and James Foster. The offensive line is anchored by 6’8”, 263-pound senior Wesley Cook.
The Low Down:
It is obvious that the Bearcats football program has been down the past couple of years, but this year’s team is one which many argue is its best since its 2003 team that went deep into the state 1A playoffs.
Although the Bearcats have talent and speed, the one team in the Western Highlands Conference that seems to fare well against them since 2005 has been the Vikings. If not for the travesty of the officials allowing a field goal to tie the game after time had expired at Dietz Field a season ago, Avery would have three straight victories in this series.
The Vikings showed a week ago that when they have all their players on the field and are able to avoid the injury bug, they can be both diverse and difficult to stop offensively.
For Avery to have an opportunity for victory this week, the defense will improve overall from last week’s performance, while maintaining the ability it showed last week to make momentum-changing plays. The team must also take care of the football.
Avery senior quarterback Adam Pate may be the X-factor on Friday night. If he is healthy enough to play at a high level this week, the two-headed attack of he and Chris Childress behind center will prove treacherous for the Hendersonville defense.
The wild card for Hendersonville this week will be their quarterback Walgenbach. He showed he can be a threat with both his arms and legs last week. The Big Red defense will have to keep him in check to improve its chances Friday night.
Finally, a number of Avery players remember well the debacle that occurred last season in Hendersonville which many say robbed them of a victory. This year’s squad has momentum and should be hungry to put that memory behind them by upending the Bearcats this week.
By the Numbers:
2- turnovers in Avery’s win last week over West Henderson, as well as touchdown rushes by Travis Thomas last week.
3- fumbles forced by the Viking defense last week.
4 – Avery players with multiple pass catches in last week’s 31-30 win.
18- cumulative tackles by Avery’s pair of Taylor Potter and Chris Childress in last week’s Homecoming victory.
224- Yards of total offense (124 passing, 100 rushing) by Hendersonville QB Ben Walgenbach in last week’s win over Madison.
292- rushing yards given up by the Hendersonville defense in last week’s win over the Patriots.
