Avery Soccer Match with Polk Postponed

This afternoon's home ladies soccer match with Polk County has been postponed to a later date due to weather.

From the Student Section...I'm Back!

Well, after a few weeks after disappering from the newspaper scene, I am back at it. Here are a few things going on in the world of sports:

• Don't forget to enter the Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog's Bracket challenge. Details are listed in yesterday's post.


• It's Tourney Time! The brackets are out, and the matchups are set. There are some really interesting things in this year's bracket. Of course, I want to offer my take on a few of the things that caught my eye.


• The Charlotte Region is probably one of the toughest regions in my opinion. North Carolina got a huge reward by not having to leave the state for their first four games. Tennessee, on the other hand, probably feels like they got a bad deal. Their loss to Arkansas (yes, the same Arkansas that saw Appalachian State beat them in Little Rock) cost them more then they imagined. Most brackets had the Vols as a one seed until that lost. The committee must have taken the Arkansas lost more seriously than expectedas they knocked UT from a one to a weak two seed. Add in Louisville, George Mason, Winthrop and Butler, this region will have some tough games. (However, I do not think that the Vols will suffer a first round defeat at the hand of American University.)


• Some of the lower seeded teams got an unexpected reward on Sunday. There a few lower teams who will play in their home state for the first two rounds. Davidson, a ten seed, faces off against seven seed Gonzaga in North Carolina. In another 7-10 matchup, Butler faces South Alabama in Birmingham. There are examples of that for games in the Sweet 16 that have the same issues if the teams win out. Take the South Region if both Memphis and Texas win out. They will play for the right to advance to the Final Four in Houston. Is it fair?


• Most intriguing games: USC-Kansas State and Drake and Western Kentucky. These two games have the potential to be upsets, but are they really? USC and K-State have the two super freshman, and Drake and WK are two of the top mid-majors this year.


• The past weekend, I was in Bristol enjoying the racing atmosphere. I am hoping to have something posted on my experience later on this week!


• Have a safe and Happy Easter!

Scoreboard Widget added

Keep your brackets updated to-the-second with our newest addition... the NCAA Tournament Scoreboard, from CBS.

The Avery Journal-Times "Mountain Challenge"

The Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog has started a group on ESPN.com for our first ever NCAA Bracket Challenge. All you have to do is open an ESPN.com account (it's free!) and then search for the public group "The Mountain Challenge". The group motto is "The official Group of the Avery Journal-Times." That may help you find it. The winner will get bragging rights and maybe their name and picture in the paper. Invite any and everyone that you want to,no matter where they are at. Good luck to all!

Big Red Women's Soccer Drops First Two Contests of Season at Watauga, Hendersonville

The Avery Lady Vikings tasted the bitterness of defeat for the first time this season on Saturday at Jack Groce Stadium in Boone, as Avery fell by a final score of 3-0.

The Pioneers (2-2, 1-1 NWC) took a 2-0 lead on Avery by halftime and added two goals 10 minutes into the second half in a steady rain. The game was stopped after thunder was heard in the area with about 10 minutes left in the game. Macy Johnson got the Pioneers started against with a goal in the first half. The Pioneers struck quickly in the second half with two goals from Ashlyn Baird and another by Lucy Binning. Both of Baird’s goals were scored off of corner kicks. Binning also had two assists, while Anna Lisa Hart had another.

Avery played shorthanded with only two subs to call upon in the match, but the girls played much improved soccer from the 9-0 shutout against the Lady Pioneers a season ago.

On Monday night, Avery was unable to return to its winning ways in a matchup of top-10 ranked 1A schools in Hendersonville, as the 5th ranked Lady Bearcats handed the 8th ranked Lady Vikings a 3-0 defeat. Avery returns to the pitch on Wednesday when it hosts the 4th ranked Polk Lady Wolverines.