'Landers Take Decisive Victory over Vikings in Border Battle Classic

The Cloudland Highlanders evened the score with the Avery Vikings on Friday night in Roan Mountain, seizing control early in a 43-21 final score.

Cloudland scored on seven of its ten offensive possessions, setting the tone by scoring touchdowns on each of the team's first drives on offense. Cloudland got on the board after the opening kickoff with a 7-play, 67 yard drive, capped off by a run of five yards from QB Randall Johnson to give the Landers the early 6-0 lead.

Avery moved the football on its first drive inside the Landers 20 yard line, but a fumble on an exchange between Vikings QB Adam Pate and his running back was recovered by Cloudland. The Landers immediately capitalized on the mistake, as Johnson found speedy wide receiver Seth Houtsma for a 79-yard touchdown pass on its first play following the turnover. A conversion attempt failed, but Cloudland led 12-0.

The Vikings got on the board with its next series when Travis Thomas recovered a fumbled snap and galloped 36 yards for an Avery score. Colton Blackburn's PAT narrowed the score to 12-7.

Cloudland scored on its next possession on a 1-yard run by Johnson, giving the Landers an 18-7 advantage as the second period began. Following an Avery three-and-out, Cloudland committed its first error when Jordan English intercepted a Johnson pass. Avery turned the miscue into points five plays later when Pate found Keith McKinney on a 33-yard touchdown strike. A 2-point conversion failed, but Avery again drew to within five points at 18-13.

It seemed for every Viking score, the Cloudland club found an answer. After a kickoff return gave the Landers field position near midfield to open its next series, the offense drove 53 yards over seven plays, culminating with another run by Johnson, a two-yard plunge to account for the eventual halftime score of 24-13.

As the second half began, the Cloudland defense continued to stifle the Big Red. Avery had the first offensive series to start the second half, but had a three-and-out and punted the ball to Cloudland. An eight play, 65-yard scoring drive that took four minutes off the third quarter clock appeared to sap the energy from the weary visiting Vikings. Matthew Tipton found paydirt with a 15-yard scamper along the sideline to push the Landers ahead by a 30-13 margin.

The Vikings hurt their own cause on its next offensive series with an interception near midfield, but the defense held on a fourth and inches run to get the football back. Avery's offense continued to move the football downfield as the third period wound down, but failed to convert on a fourth down play in Cloudland territory to stifle their longest drive of the game.

Cloudland put an exclamation point on an impressive performance with a pair of fourth period touchdowns, a 11-yard run by Tipton for his second score of the night, and a 9-yard run by Johnson for a 42-13 advantage. Avery's offense managed a late touchdown as Thomas scored on a 25-yard scurry and the Vikings successfully picked up a two-point conversion with two minutes remaining. The teams ran out the remaining seconds as the Landers celebrated a victory and possession of the Border Battle Trophy.

Avery returns to action on Friday night with its home opener against Robbinsville, while Cloudland travels to West Greene next week.

Pregame Interview with Cloudland Head Coach Robbie Turbyfill

Head Coach Robbie Turbyfill spoke with the Sports Blog prior to tonight's game with Avery at Orr Field in Roan Mountain. Click the title link above to go to the interview.

Comments from Avery head coach Darrell Brewer on Friday's Border Battle Classic

New ground is being broken by the Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog.... Audio Clips!

Listen to exclusive audio of an interview with Avery Vikings head football coach Darrell Brewer recorded for Saturday's tape-delayed broadcast on AM 1130 WECR of Friday night's Border Battle Classic matchup with Cloudland High School.

Follow the link by clicking the title of this post to access the audio.

Gosnell Hired as New AD in Madison County

Madison High School's vacant athletic director position was filled with the hiring of former Patriot player Mark Gosnell as countywide athletic director, replacing former high school AD Darren Ponder who resigned earlier this year.

According to a published story in the News-Sentinel newspaper in Madison County, Gosnell had applied for the football head coaching position which was recently filled by junior varsity head coach Eric Schneider.

“It’s going to be exciting,” Gosnell said. “The one goal that I have is to bring back togetherness … We need to be together in everything we do. We can’t make promises, but we’re going to bring some pride” back to Madison sports, Gosnell told the Marshall newspaper. "When I played there in 1987, there were five of us that received college scholarships in football … some type of college scholarship. Since then, “everywhere that I have been, I have coached college scholarships athletes. I have a lot of contacts all across the nation with college coaches in football and baseball, and I know a lot of basketball coaches. I’ve got a lot of contacts. The thing is, if we have the athletes who can play at the college level, we need to get their names out there.”

Gosnell's most recent employment was as assistant football coach and head baseball coach for Stephens County, Georgia, where he led his teams to an overall record of 51-14, a Region 8-AAA championship in 2007 and a berth in the AAA state finals in 2008 where the Indians lost to Cartersville. Stephens County's 29 victories under Gosnell in 2008 is a school record for wins in one season.

Gosnell came under fire last season due to a national controversy surrounding the conduct of a pitcher and catcher in the third game of his high school's team's state championship series against Cartersville High School. The video of the incident quickly circulated nationwide on the popular website YouTube, which can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tsFSALrA1o&feature=related According to the Toccoa Record newspaper, the school was fined $1,000 by the GA High School Association, and, as part of the GHSA’s penalty, Gosnell and his assistants were instructed to complete a sportsmanship education program. Gosnell resigned his position in early July, according to published reports.

Despite the recent events, Gosnell told the News Record and Sentinel that it was his experience on the field at Madison which will serve him well in his return to his alma mater. “I played football there from 1983 to 1987. I was the varsity quarterback my junior and senior years. We had winning records and made the playoffs. I broke the all-time passing record there, and also broke the all-time school record for touchdown passes,” he recalled. He said the Patriot football team in 1986 was “ranked as high as number two in Western North Carolina,” and he was the Western North Carolina pass leader in 1987.

Gosnell attended Wingate College on a double scholarship - in baseball and football - but “baseball bought out the football scholarship” so he could focus on being a catcher. He earned his degree in parks and recreation administration at Wingate, and then attended the University of North Carolina at Pembroke to earn his teacher certification in physical education.

Madison's football team finished with a winless 0-11 season in 2007.

Vikings and Landers Tangle in Second Border Battle Classic to Open Regular Season

The opening kickoff for the 2008 prep football season is upon us, and two local schools duke it out for bragging rights as the Avery Vikings travel to Orr Field in Roan Mountain to square off against the Cloudland Highlanders. The Vikings won the first installment of the Classic by a 35-14 score last season to take home the Avery Journal-Times Border Battle Trophy and advanced to the North Carolina High School football playoffs. Meanwhile, Cloudland used the defeat as motivation for an impressive 7-4 season and playoff appearance under first-year head coach Robbie Turbyfill.

Scouting the Teams:
Many faces have changed for both clubs entering this contest. Gone are both teams’ starting quarterbacks from a year ago, Preston Jennings of Avery and Jordan Hughes of Cloudland. For the Vikings, senior Adam Pate will call signals behind center for a team that finished 5-7 a season ago. Pate will not be new to the task, as he split time with Jennings for a formidable 1-2 punch in 2007.

Avery looks for continued success from the spread offense that has helped them to playoff appearances in each of the past five seasons, while the defense will use multiple formations out of its basic 50 front.

The Vikings return seven starters to its spread attack offense, but only four players hold over from last season’s defensive squad. The team is inexperienced at the linebacker position, but hopes that a strong and experienced front line can help the secondary mature quickly.

For the Landers, Randall Johnson and Seth Miller have been sharing snaps behind center in practice in a heated competition for the starting quarterback position. Johnson, who played wide receiver last season, is expected to be the starter for the ‘Landers.

Cloudland lost only four seniors from last year’s club and must rely on its experienced nucleus to keep last season’s momentum rolling. Besides Johnson, the ‘Lander coaching staff expects big things from running back Matthew Tipton. Lucas Clawson, Seth Houtsma, Nick Sluder, and Logan Morgan are all expected to contribute for the ‘Landers.

The ‘Landers feel they return eight starters to their spread system, which was implemented last season, and also eight starters to the defensive side of the ball. That kind of experience is what the Highlanders will need to be successful against the Vikings.

The Low Down:
A key to this year’s contest might be depth. Both teams will have a number of players who will take snaps on both sides of the football, and stamina in this opening game may come into play. It will be worth watching to see if the Avery squad has improved on its tackling from its recent scrimmage and practices, a flaw Coach Brewer and his staff has emphasized on shaping up leading to Friday’s showdown.

For Cloudland, they must do a better job of taking care of the football than they did in last year’s game. Two mistakes in execution, a muffed punt and early fumble, dug a hole too deep for the ‘Landers to climb out of a year ago.

As with most opening games, new players must step up and make plays for their respective clubs to escape with a win. Tensions, not to mention attendance, should be high for this emotion-filled encounter.

By the Numbers:
21 – number of unanswered first half points scored by Avery before a second quarter touchdown by Cloudland.
56 – yards gained by the Avery rushing attack in the pivotal scoring drive late in the third quarter of last year’s contest.
96 – yards of total offense allowed by the Avery defense in last year’s 35-14 win.
103 – yards rushing by former Avery RB Tommy Shea in last year’s victory.
63 – penalty yards accumulated against Cloudland in last year’s game.
162 – penalty yards Avery racked up last season against the ‘Landers.

Read next week’s edition of the Journal-Times and check the site for a full recap of this week’s game, as well as a preview of next week's games!

Western Highlands Conference Team-By-Team Football Preview

This season the Western Highlands Conference shapes up to be a wide-open campaign as a number of teams look to move to the top of the pack. This week is part of a two-part look at the teams that the Avery Vikings will face within conference play.

Hendersonville Bearcats – The Bearcats are picked by most pundits to win the Western Highlands Conference this season. The squad was 7-6 last season, with a 3-3 conference mark. Hendersonville returns more experience players at skill positions than anyone in the conference, and will boast one of the fastest squads in the region. The Bearcats are senior-laden, led by NCPreps.com Preseason 1A All-State selection Wesley Cook at offensive tackle. The 6’7”, 262-pound player was all-conference a year ago. His father was an All-American at East Tennessee State and has received a college scholarship offer from East Carolina University.
A trio of senior running backs returns for the Cats with speed to burn, including All-Conference returnee Cedric Allen, who rushed for 1,580 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2007. Also assisting Allen behind quarterback are Darren Perry and Darryl Demps. Both players rushed for over 350 yards last season and combined for nine rushing touchdowns.
Preseason NCPreps.com kicker selection Will Roper will anchor a strong special teams unit, with fellow seniors Corey Cook, Lance Allen, Eric Hanson, and Tory Sitton providing additional support. Behind center for Hendersonville will be junior signal-caller Ben Walgenbach, who passed for 1,095 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2007.
“We will contend for our conference title and make a deep run into the playoffs,” head coach B.J. Laughter remarked. “With the addition of Jim Fox (former long-time coach at Rosman High School) to our staff, we should really cause some problems for defenses.”

Owen Warhorses – Expectations in Swannanoa are always high for a squad that seems to contend every year for a conference championship. However, the Warhorses were a senior loaded club a season ago and will have to mature in a hurry to contend in 2008.
Gone from this year’s club is All-Conference running back Dion Wilson, who accounted for almost 1,400 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns, as well as WHC special teams player of the year Aaron Reese.
For the first time in recent memory, the team will not have a returning feature back to rely on. With the Warhorses returning only four starters from last year’s team, Coach Ken Ford admitted recently that youth will be served on this year’s squad.
"We're going to have to play a lot of young guys," Ford said. "We're relying on a lot of people for the first time. Once we start the season, it might take us a little longer to get to where we normally are. We may go through some growing pains along the way."
Junior Andy Coleman will shift from receiver to Owen's feature back and run primarily behind the blocking of Josh Leake, a 6-foot-2, 300-pound senior. Senior linebacker Seth Blankenship, is the Warhorses' lone returning All-Western Highlands Conference selection.
Owen's five-year run as the WHC champion was ended last fall by Polk County. Owen may be young in ’08, but that does not guarantee a sub par season, as the 2007 JV Warhorses was undefeated in conference play en route to a 9-1 overall record.

Polk County Wolverines- Polk County captured the conference championship last season after a thrilling win in the regular season finale against Hendersonville. Unfortunately a week later the two teams played a rematch in the opening round of the 1A state playoffs with the Bearcats exacting revenge in a seven-point win.
The Wolverines will look to rebuild in 2008 without the services of graduated All-Conference quarterback Derrick Overholt, lineman Regis Bittle, and wide receiver Josh Twitty. Kamron Kerr appears in line to pick up the mantel of leadership for the young Wolverines this season. The rising senior had 872 yards receiving and eight touchdowns a year ago while averaging 17.1 yards a catch.
Other all-conference selections returning this season for Polk include Ryan Owens, J.P. Ruth and Tony Wicklund.

Madison Patriots- The Madison Patriots faced a tumultuous season in 2007 and hopes to turn the page in 2008. Head coach Darren Ponder resigned after a single season and a winless mark of 0-11. The season was also marred when a dozen football players received suspensions from varsity play after admitting "illegal use of alcohol, marijuana or prescription drugs". Further complicating the coach's situation was the arrest and conviction of one of his assistant coaches.
This season new Madison head coach Eric Schneider is looking to rebuild and turn around a club that has only posted 17 wins this entire decade. “We're going to surprise some people. I honestly feel that we will," Schneider recently commented at Patriots preseason practice.
The Patriots are installing a new multiple-formation offense and 3-4 defense, while returning only one All-Conference player in RB/LB Colby Coates. In all, Madison has about 40 total players out for football, with 22 expected to play varsity. Schneider led the Patriots junior varsity team to a 7-3 record in 2007. No member last year’s coaching staff remains on this year’s varsity staff.

Mountain Heritage Cougars – Hopes are high in Yancey County this season as eighth-year head coach Joey Robinson’s club boasts one of the most veteran-laden team in the conference. Heritage returns ten varsity starters on offense and nine on defense to a club that finished 4-7 last season and made the 2A state playoffs.
The team returns experienced players at skill positions, and just as importantly, along the line of scrimmage. Over the summer the Cougars have worked on implementing a shotgun spread offense, a similar move employed by Avery within the past five seasons.
“Overall, as a group, I feel like our skilled players and our line will be the best that we have put on the football field since I have been at Mountain Heritage. This is the best team speed that we have had, and a lot of teams will have trouble matching up with our big line,” Coach Robinson told a Yancey County media outlet the opening week of practice. “We should have a very good power running game this season, but what makes this team scary is its ability to throw the football.”
Twenty one of the 32 varsity players who turned out for fall practice are seniors, led by quarterback Kirk Burnette, who tallied 1107 yards passing and 10 touchdowns last fall, running back Jessie Ballew who rushed for 409 yards, and wide receiver Dylan McMahan (44 receptions, 577 yards).

Mitchell Mountaineers- Mitchell County brought a 6-4 record and possibility for a share of a conference championship into its home finale against Avery last season, only to fall by a single point, finish with a 3-3 conference mark, and lose 42-14 at Lincolnton in the opening round of the 2A state playoffs.
Russell Barnett enters his second season as head coach of the Mountaineers facing the prospect of rebuilding a team that lost many key elements due to graduation, most notably All-Conference quarterback Joe Hoilman. The graduated senior racked up 161 carries for 1,203 yards and 14 touchdowns and was the sixth leading passer in the state in terms of yards with 2,986 yards on 154 of 274 attempts to go with 29 TD. Leading receivers Jordan Jones (45 receptions, 1,001 yards, 8 TD), Randy Miller, and Joe Bomar must also be replaced from the high-octane passing attack. The key returnee for this year’s club is Jake Jarrett, one of the team’s leading rushers from last year.
The Mountaineers will get an early test in the opening week of the season when they will host traditional 1A power Murphy, a game originally scheduled to take place at Western Carolina University, but was moved due to new turf installation in Cullowee.

Vikings Triumph in Season Openers in Volleyball, Soccer

Avery picked up a pair of wins on Monday evening in soccer and volleyball action.

The Lady Vikings volleyball team won its opening contest against the Patton Lady Panthers. The junior varsity squad set the pace with a straight set victory, then the varsity team won its best 3 of 5 match in four games. Avery used a late run to hold off Patton in game one by a 25-20 score, then appeared poised to take command of the match with the first six points in the second game. Patton rallied back to tie the match at 1 game each, however, with a 25-23 win.

Avery broke open a close third game midway through the contest, turning a slim 11-9 advantage into a 19-11 lead with the help of strong kills by senior hitter Katie Ellis and strong service games by the pair of Sara Singleton and Savannah Dellinger. Avery rode the momentum to a 25-17 win to regain the lead in the match two games to one.

The Lady Vikings seized early control of the fourth and deciding game of the match, scoring 6 of the first 7 points as Dellinger continued a hot service game. Avery built its lead to 10-1 over Patton. The Lady Panthers cut the deficit to 12-6 later in the game, but the Big Red kept the pressure on the visiting Panthers squad to lead 19-11. The Vikings limited errors on the defensive side and used good ball placement and teamwork in upending the Panthers 25-17 to take the match victory.

In men's soccer action held at Lees-McRae College, the Vikings soccer team started its season on a positive note, shutting out the Cardinals of East Wilkes High School by a final score of 4-0. J.C. Steinbaugh put the Big Red on the scoreboard with an early goal, the first of two scored in the half. Kyle Griewisch added a goal late in the half to stake Avery to a 3-0 halftime advantage. Griewisch scored the only goal of the second half to provide the final margin as the Avery defense smothered its fellow 1A competitor from Ronda, NC. Morgan Bounds returned to goal after sitting out Thursday's scrimmage and shut out the Cardinals offense on the night.

The soccer team will travel to Jefferson on Wednesday to take on Ashe County. The volleyball team will return to action on Thursday, traveling to take on Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy.