The second-ranked Avery High Lady Vikings soccer team improved to a perfect 8-0 record with a 9-0 blowout win over Madison at a breezy and cool (but dry) MacDonald Stadium Wednesday night.In road blues, the Lady Patriots were soon singing the blues as the Lady Vikings took advantage of the home field, the enthusiastic fans and warmer weather to take control of the game.
In the fourth minute Emily Banner helped her defender get called for a handball for which the Lady Vikings were awarded a direct free kick from about 35 yards out. Midfielder Mary Chesnut Smith took the kick and sent it over the assembled defenders, placing it in the upper corner of the goal, well out of the keeper’s reach. Eleven minutes later Banner took a pass from stopper Katelynn Eudy and scored, making the score 2-0.
It took another fifteen minutes, at the 30 minute mark, for the next score. Banner once again was involved, as she headed the ball to forward Melinda Eggers who scored the third goal. Eggers returned the favor, assisting Smith on her second goal of the evening less than two minutes later. There were no more goals in the first half, making the halftime score 4-0.
In the second half, Banner took up where she left off, sending a corner kick into the front of the goal where Katelynn Eudy got into the action, taking a shot. Her shot rebounded off a Patriot defender and out of reach of the keeper for the fifth Avery goal of the night.
After the first couple scores, Coach Evaul substituted freely, getting all 17 players into the game. As the score mounted, he kept putting in more subs, but kept the defense intact.
Eight minutes into the second half, Elyse Perry sent a ball into the middle of the field at about the 18 yard line, where sophomore Arden Stanley, back in action after missing a week due to a concussion and with her back to the goal, took the ball in the air and sent it over her head, directly into the goal. The crowd and the team were all amazed at the shot. Stanley seemed a bit surprised too, when she turned to face the goal and saw her shot go in.
In the 55th minute, Avery got another pair of goals, both assisted by Eggers. For the first, she took a cross and, realizing she didn’t have a shot, dropped the ball to Perry who shot and scored. Three minutes later, Eggers passed the ball to Smith for the next score, a hat trick for Mary Chesnut. Coach Evaul promptly took her out of the game, as he didn’t want to run the score up.
All of the starters took turns sitting on the bench and when they returned, they were in different positions. Even the defense, who has already earned four shut-outs, were moved around on the field or taken out.
The front line was all newer members of the team, including freshmen Savannah Perry and Chelsy Huffman. First-time soccer player, sophomore Evie Blacka, was also in the action and everyone was cheering wildly as they moved the ball and took shots.
Sophomore Hannah Washburn just started soccer as a freshman and junior Brooke Whittington had never played before this season. Juniors Cassie Bumgarner and Jennie Elrod, both having played some soccer before but not in several years, have started in several games this season.
In the 74th minute of the game, Avery finished the scoring like it started the night. Huffman was fouled and Avery was awarded a free kick, again about 35 yards out, and again, Smith, back in the game on the back line, took the shot. Once again, a well-placed kick was out of the keeper’s reach and scored.
Avery took 25 shots in the first half, scoring on four of them. The Patriot keeper saved four and the remainder were off target. Madison took three shots, with keeper Mercedes Bentley earning one save in the half. The Patriots took more shots in the second half, shooting ten in all, with six going wide and Bentley saving four.
The Lady Vikings took 23 shots in the second half, scored on five and the Madison keeper had one save.
The Lady Vikings are out-of-action for over a week, with Easter and the originally scheduled Spring Break next week. The following week the Lady Vikings have 3 games, all at home in the friendly confines of MacDonald Stadium at 6 pm.
On Monday, April 12th the Mitchell Mountaineers will travel to Newland, while on Wednesday, April 14th the Warlassies of Owen will come up the mountain to Avery for a conference match.
Friday, April 16th, High Country non-conference rival Ashe County will visit. Avery is now 8-0 on the season and 5-0 in conference play. Also atop the conference standings is newcomer Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy. The two schools haven’t played yet as their first game was called at game time due to a solid blanket of snow covering the field.
(Thanks to Serena Smith for information used in compiling this report.)
