Scenes From UT-UAB

For more details and results, keep checking with the Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog. Photos are property of the Avery Journal-Times and Matt Laws.

From the Student Section...Please Don't Celebrate

Isn't football suppose to be a game? When you do something great, like scoring a touchdown, should you get punished by getting a personal foul for celebrating? By now, you have heard about the controversial penalty that was called in the Washington-BYU game. Washington Quarterback Jake Locker scored from 3-yards out with two seconds remaining to put his team within an extra point of forcing halftime. However, the officials penalized Locker for unsportsmanlike conduct. The extra point was pushed back 15-yards, and was blocked by BYU. The rule is clear cut, but should the refs determine a game because of a player's excitement and reaction to possibly tieing the game?
In my opinion, no they should not. While the rule does say "throw the ball in the air," Locker did not throw the ball in a taunting manner, and it did not land very far from where he was at. It was pure emotion. It was more like a flip, and was not very taunting. Should refs be more lenient on emotional moments, such as this play? I think even though this rule is black and white, there should be some "wiggle" room for situations like this. The game was not delayed by the throw, it did not end up in the crowd, it was taunting, and the ball did not hit any other player. I hate to see a game decided by a call that had no effect on play, and I don't think I am not the only one.

While I disagree with the call, the refs did enforce the rules. In fact, the rule needs to be looked at to keep the emotion in college football.

I read a column earlier this week by Chattanooga Times Free Press' Ward Gossett on an overzealous ref enforcing the new sideline rules. In his column (that link will take you to his column), he makes a point that really good officials blend into the game, and not become a primary part of it. I second that idea. We have some great officials in this area, and I bet almost everyone of them wants the game to be decided by the teams on the field and not the refs.

Swart Wins Gold in 2k Time Trial at USA Cycling Collegiate Track Nationals

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. --Lees-McRae Bobcat cyclist Carla Swart earned the first USA Collegiate Cycling national title of the 2008-2009 season when she finished the the women's 2k time trial with an impressive 2:39.918 to earn the gold medal.

For Swart (Buford, Ga.), standing on the podium is not an new experience as she is is also the reigning DI road race champion. Her top place finish gives the Bobcats an early boost in the team omnium contest. A junior, Swart is a dual sport athlete, also competing on the women's cross country team at Lees-McRae.Alao racing well for the Bobcats was senior Kristi Henne (Plainview, Ark.) who raced to 12th place in the women's 2k with a time of 2:52.557.

In the men's 3k Time Trial Scott Jackson (Chatham, N.J.) finished 20th with a time of 3:34.532, Wentworth Knipe (Sheffield, Va.) finished 26th with a time of 3:44.754, and Christopher Bogedin (Rochester, Mich.) came in 28th with a time of 3:45.935 to round out the top 30 cyclists.
The Short Track National Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado continue through Sunday, September 14.

Comments about Johnson County game with Vikings Head Coach Darrell Brewer

A pre-game conversation with Avery head football coach Darrell Brewer can be accessed by clicking the title link to this post.

HIGHLANDER GAMEDAY

The ‘Landers will try to stop a two game losing streak next week as they will travel to Afton to take on the Chuckey-Doak Black Knights. The Black Knights enter the game 1-2, with their lone victory over Unaka in Week 0 21-0. They fell to Gatlinburg-Pittman 44-6 last week. The ‘Landers took the victory 32-13 last season in Roan Mountain.
“I think the effort is there,” Coach Turbyfill said of what his team needs to correct before entering tonight's contest. “I don’t think it is the effort or the scheme. I think it is just taking care of the mental mistakes and small things here and there that we have to get better at.”
Kickoff is at 7:30 on Friday at Chuckey-Doak.

For more information on last week’s and this week’s game, check the Avery Journal-Times and the Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog at www.ajtsports.blogspot.com!

Bobcat Men's Soccer Downs Carson-Newman

BANNER ELK, N.C. – Lee Squires scored on a free kick in the 34th minute to give the Lees-McRae Bobcats a 1-0 win over the Carson-Newman College Eagles in a non-conference match Wednesday at Tate Field.

Freshman David Palmer (Gateshead, England) set up the free kick when he drew a foul around 20 yards out. Classmate Luke Staats (Almere, Holland) touched the ball for the indirect kick, and Squires (Sheffield, England) blasted the ball to the near post past the keeper.The two teams battled in the downpour for the rest of the match. In the 83rd minute Carson-Newman’s Omar Cooke’s shot was deflected by Bobcat keeper Sean Paradise (North Port, Fla.) off the post and cleared by Staats to seal the victory.Squires, who was named Conference Carolinas Player of the Week for his performance last week, has scored 10 of 15 Bobcat goals and has scored in all five matches.Paradise earned the shut-out in net for the Bobcats with five saves.

“It was a good win in difficult conditions,” said head coach Chris Whalley. ”We took advantage on the free kick and held on, but we missed some opportunities to extend the lead.”The Bobcats open up Conference Carolinas play Saturday, September 13th in Laurinburg, N.C. against St. Andrews Presbyterian College. Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m.

Pioneers Retain Bucket Over Vikings in Thrilling Border War

It was a tale of two halves for the Avery football team in their battle with Watauga at Jack Groce Stadium on Friday night. The first two quarters were likened to a horror story, as Avery’s offense and defense appeared at times grossly overmatched and unable to get on track. The second half of play was the stuff of inspirational classics, as the team put on a late charge in an attempt to snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat. Unfortunately the tale could not end happily for the Big Red as the Pioneers held on for a 28-14 victory before a capacity crowd.

Throughout much of the first half defenses were dominant. Watauga’s opening drive of the game was abruptly ended by a Baine Martin fumble, which was forced and recovered by Avery’s Christian Montgomery. On Avery’s first possession following the turnover, the Vikings moved the football inside the Watauga 30 yard line, only to be turned away on a fourth down pass completion.

The throwing arm and rushing legs of Watauga quarterback Devan Corum was tough for the Vikings to contend with throughout the game. Corum and his teammates marched downfield late in the quarter inside the Avery 40, but a Corum pass was picked off by Vikings DB Travis Thomas, as the defense forced its second Pioneer turnover in as many drives.

Watauga used its own ball-hawking defense to wrestle momentum away from the Avery club. Two plays following the Thomas pickoff, Alex Fox intercepted Avery quarterback Adam Pate near midfield.

Avery’s defense held the Pioneers to a three-and-out following the turnover, and the teams proceeded to trade punts over much of the next eight minutes of action. The most successful drive for either team occurred in the final two minutes of the half as Watauga marched 74 yards over four plays, taking only 1:16 of elapsed clock time. Corum began the drive with a 19-yard scamper, and found Baine Martin on a slip screen with its next play. The running back scampered 41 yards to move the Pioneers to the Avery 14-yard line. Two plays later Corum found wide receiver Travis Oliver on a post route in the end zone. The Sam Grubbs point after kick provided the only scoring as the Pioneers led 7-0 at halftime.

Avery received the second half kickoff looking to get something going offensively, but was could only muster a single first down before having to punt to Watauga. The Pioneers took its first offensive series and made the most of it, driving 75 yards over nine plays. An 18-yard touchdown run from Baine Martin and subsequent PAT doubled the Watauga advantage to 14-0 at the 4:56 mark in the third quarter.

It appeared that everything that could go wrong did so for the Big Red through the quarter, as Dennis McMenamin picked off a Pate pass at the Avery 35 on the Vikings’ first play after the Watauga score. The Pioneers capitalized on the turnover when Corum ran to the end zone from nine yards out for a commanding 21-0 lead with 57 seconds left in the period.

Following the ensuing kickoff, the Vikings spread offense sparked to life. A 34-yard run by Adam Pate on the first Avery play moved the Vikings into Watauga territory. Another 16-yard run from Pate on the final play of the third quarter was followed by a 32-yard pass completion to wide receiver Chris Childress to set Avery up at the Watauga 5-yard line. A five-yard quarterback run to the left pylon by Pate finally put the Vikings on the scoreboard, with the Sutton Stanley PAT leaving Avery with only a 14-point deficit at 21-7 with 11:12 left in the game.

With Avery finally moving offensively, it was the defense’s turn to rise up, and they did so in dramatic fashion, holding Watauga to a three-and-out near its own 20-yard line. Linebacker Jordan English picked up a shanked punt following an Avery rush on punter Dennis McMenamin and rambled 21 yards to the Watauga 2-yard line, where two plays later Pate barreled over the goal line on a seven yard run to draw Avery to within a score at 21-14 with 8:25 still showing on the game clock.

At their most crucial point of the game, the Pioneers composed themselves offensively and did their best to hold on to the slim lead. An 11 play, 32-yard drive that began at the 8:15 mark consumed almost seven minutes off the game clock. The Avery defense bent but did not break, finally forcing Watauga to turn the ball over on downs at the Avery 32 yard line when English tackled Baine Martin for a loss on fourth and short.

With under a minute and a half remaining, the Vikings were deep in their own territory but had the opportunity to tie the contest. The hopes were immediately dashed when Avery fumbled the ball on its first play. Watauga’s Tanner Wilson pounced on the loose football and the Pioneers added an insurance touchdown on a Corum seven-yard touchdown run to provide for the final margin.

Watauga outgained Avery 320-170 in total offense, but the yardage defensively was a marked improvement from the average of 500 yards in total offense gained by Avery’s two previous opponents.

“I was proud of our kids. I felt like our kids played their tails off tonight,” Vikings head coach Darrell Brewer said in the post-game press conference. “This was the best defensive effort we’ve had all year. At times offensively we looked pretty good, but we made too many mistakes and too many turnovers.”

The Vikings return to action this Friday night when they host the Johnson County Longhorns. Earlier schedules had this week listed as an open date, but the Vikings will instead have their bye week on September 19th.

CHS Junior Varsity Defeats Hampton

Keep checking back for details!!!

Vikings Hook Horns with Johnson County while Looking for First Win of '08

Following last week’s emotional contest at Watauga, the Avery Vikings (0-3) return to the friendly confines of MacDonald Stadium Friday night to take on the Johnson County (TN) Longhorns (1-1). Avery made a fierce comeback last week against the Pioneers only to come up short in a 28-14 loss, while the Johnson County squad had its own dramatic finish last week, losing in the final two minutes by a narrow 29-23 margin to the rival Elizabethton Cyclones. Johnson County took the victory in last year’s contest with Avery by a 21-7 final score in Mountain City.

Scouting the Longhorns:
The Longhorns are coached by Mike Atwood and are members of the Mountain Lakes Conference, where the club finished with a 7-4 overall record last year and third place conference finish.

Johnson County has a relative young offensive line, but returns one of the most experienced sets of skill players in their conference and region. Leading the Longhorns on the field will be senior WR/K Christian Prudhomme (5’10” 178 lbs.; 32 receptions for 590 yards, 8 TD in 2007). Prudhomme earned all-conference honors as well as All-State honors from the Tennessee Sportswriters Association last season. He is a do-it-all kind of player for the Longhorns with 13 catches for 219 yards thus far in 2008.

“Every time he touches the ball, he’s a threat,” Johnson County head coach Mike Atwood remarked of his standout player.

Prudhomme catches passes from returning all-conference senior quarterback Austin Phipps (6’2”, 225 lbs.). In 2007, Phipps threw for 1,206 passing yards with 13 TD passes, and also rushed for 250 yards with three touchdowns. This year Phipps is 18-of-34 passing for 335 yards, with 126 yards rushing on 16 carries through two games.

Lost from last season’s club is leading rusher Tyler Leonard, who rushed for 1,081 yards in 2007, but filling in the gap is senior running back Adam Shelton (24 carries for 235 yards in 2008). Wide receiver Ian Bellamy (11 receptions, 248 yards, TD in 2007) returns for his senior season as well as offensive starters Nick Blackwell (5’10”, 209 lbs.) and Zach Yoggerst (6’1”, 275 lbs.).

The defense also returns experience for the Longhorns in senior linebackers Dakota Grindstaff (5’10”, 185 lbs.) and Seth Captain (5’10”, 170 lbs.). Linebacker Travis Grindstaff had 18 tackles in the team’s first game of the season against Hampton, but is currently injured.

The Low Down:
Avery showed marked improvement on the defensive side of the football last week, but the I-formation offense struggled with the Watauga defense through the first half. From the spread formation utilized in previous seasons, however, the Vikings found greater success moving the football.

Like many teams in the Western Highlands Conference, Johnson County plays a physical brand of football. Avery will need to match that physicality, especially at the line of scrimmage, and also make a concerted effort to limit the production of the Phipps-Prudhomme tandem.

Defensively, the coaching staff called last week’s effort against Watauga the best of the season to date, due in part to the renewed emphasis on wrapping and tackling stressed to the players during recent practices. Jordan English was a beast from his linebacker position last week, and will need similar performances from he and teammates to hold the Longhorn offense at bay.

Offensively, Avery needs to find another weapon in addition to Adam Pate to help shoulder a portion of the yardage burden, particularly in the running game. Pate has shown to be Avery’s most reliable and consistent weapon, but if players such as Chase Arrowood or Travis Thomas can be successful carrying the football it will make the Avery offense more dimensional and keep defenses honest.

If special teams become a factor Friday night Christian Prudhomme, a Division 1 kicking prospect, will be advantageous as he has made a 47-yard field goal earlier this season and consistently makes kicks from 50 yards out in practice.

By the Numbers:
0- points scored by Avery over three quarters of Friday’s loss to Watauga.
9- pass receptions by Johnson County’s Christian Prudhomme in last week’s loss to Elizabethton, for a total of 131 yards.
14- tackles by Avery’s Jordan English in last week’s game at Watauga.
170 – yards in total offense gained by Avery in last week’s 28-14 loss in Boone.
232- yards in total offense gained by Johnson County’s Austin Phipps in last week’s game at Elizabethton.

Pick up next week’s edition of the Journal-Times for a full recap of this week’s game with Johnson County.

Former Viking Runners Continuing Careers at College Level

It was an exciting day for Avery County High School on Saturday, September 6. The Eye Opener Invitational was held in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Avery County High School had three cross country athletic alumni who were running at the meet, each representing different colleges.

Ashley Condrey, a senior at Wingate University, Ben Crenshaw, a junior running at Mars Hill College, and Kate Griewisch, a freshman runner at Lenior Rhyne College all competed at Saturday's event.

Congratulations to each of these former Vikings, and best of luck as they continue their collegiate careers at their respective schools!

Lady Bobcats Use Second Half Goals to Beat Brevard

BANNER ELK N.C. – Marissa Middleton scored in the 60th minute and Jess O’Leary added an insurance goal in the 88th to give the Lady Bobcats a 2-0 win over the Brevard College Tornados in non-conference match at Tate Field Monday night.

Middleton (Olathe, Kan.) scored when freshman Vickie Rich (Arlington Heights, Ill.) took the ball down the near side and passed it past the keeper to Middleton in front of a wide-open net. The goal was Middleton’s first of the year.O’Leary (Millbury, Mass.) found the back of the net on a through pass from senior co-captain Christine Carlvert (Dallas, Texas) over the head of the Brevard back line.Sophomore goalkeeper Brittany Bolton (Roanoke, Va.) earned the shutout for the Lady Bobcats in the net with nine saves. It was Bolton’s first full shutout of the year. Bolton and Middleton combined to shutout Ferrum in the Bobcat’s last match.

“It was great to see us connecting from our midfield to our forwards,” said head coach Renee Lopez. “It was rewarding to capitalize on our opportunities, especially after they beat us 2-1 last year. I am very proud of our ladies.” The Lady Bobcats will take the pitch again Thursday, September 11 against Columbia College at 6 p.m. in a non-conference match at Tate Field.