The 2009-10 school year was a remarkable one for athletics in Avery County. Records were set, champions were crowned, and heights were achieved that surpassed any in recent memory.To select only ten games or performances from the 2009-10 sports calendar was a difficult task.
There were quite a few noteworthy efforts that deserved mentioning, such as three high school state track qualifiers in Caroline Crenshaw, Mary Chesnut Smith, and Alex Villanueva or the regional wrestling championship won by Avery wrestler Brock Yackey. The Avery Lady Vikings volleyball squad earned another state playoff berth, while the Lady Viking JV basketball squad claimed yet another conference championship. Avery’s Morgan Stout and Lauren Avery qualified for regional tennis competition, while senior teammate Anna Melton advanced to the state singles tennis tournament. C.J. Vance joined Yackey as state wrestling tournament qualifiers.
From the inaugural season of the Avery women’s golf program and the regional qualifying efforts of golfers Catalina Lehmann and Arden Stanley to middle school girls tournament championships by the Avery Lady Panthers in basketball and volleyball, it was a banner year for sports.
With the dawn of the 2010-11 sports seasons approaching, the AJ-T sports department wanted to look back at ten memorable contests that shaped the year in sports. The game selections are listed in chronological order, starting last August and advancing through the end of the recent school year. This week’s piece highlights the first five games to remember, with five (technically six) games revealed in next week’s edition.
Breakthrough: Avery Blanks Second-Ranked Hendersonville 3-0 for First Win in Series (Boys Soccer)
The Avery boys soccer team experienced perhaps its best season ever in 2009. The team won 13 contests in all and qualified for the state playoffs for the first time in several seasons.
A highlight of the year came in early October when the state’s second-ranked 1A team the Hendersonville Bearcats come calling at MacDonald Stadium. On a wet and dreary evening, the Vikings struck in the first minute on a goal from Zack Strange and an early lead.
Kyle Griewisch scored in the 60th and 67th minutes to boost the lead to 3-0. Avery played one of its strongest defensive matches all season without the services of strong defensive stopper Daniel Huff. Conference Keeper of the Year Morgan Bounds kept a clean sheet as Avery used the win as a springboard to a strong finish and successful season.
Foggy Mountain Homecoming: Vikings Upend Owen 14-7 on Rainy Homecoming Night (Football)
Riding a 148-yard rushing performance and an interception by junior Colton Blackburn, Avery held off the Owen Warhorses in a deluge on Homecoming night at MacDonald Stadium.
Owen struck first with a touchdown to cap a long drive for the 7-0 advantage. Avery knotted the game with just under six minutes left in the half on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Alex Villanueva.After Hunter Gossett and Hayden Blackburn were named Homecoming King and Queen, respectively at halftime, the Vikings seized control of the game with a drive that elapsed nearly nine minutes off the clock and culminated in a four-yard Villanueva touchdown run for a 14-7 lead.
As the fourth quarter began, the rain lightened and a heavy fog beset MacDonald Stadium. It was impossible to see players from the stands or press box, adding another element to an already unique evening.
Owen’s last serious threat to score was quelled by a Blackburn interception which helped seal the Avery win.
Spoiled Senior Night: Last-Minute Touchdown Lifts Vikings to 42-38 Shootout Win (Football)
In another classic contest for the storied history of the Avery/Mitchell football series, the 2009 edition was a night to remember.
Avery led much of the game in the regular season finale, only see a Mountaineer rally leave the Big Red down three points in the final two minutes.
Avery regrouped, orchestrated a game-winning two minute drive culminating in a 22-yard touchdown strike from Alex Villanueva to Andy Gonzalez to take the come-from-behind triumph.
Villanueva converted a daring quarterback sneak on fourth down from the Mitchell 25 yard line to keep the drive alive to set the stage for the theatrics to come.
“I told the kids how proud I was of them. They fought hard all year, and I told them that when you keep battling good things will happen,” Avery head coach Darrell Brewer told the players after their fifth and likely sweetest win of the 2009 campaign.
Coming Out Party: Clarke Torches Mountaineers for 30 in Basketball Road Triumph (Boys Basketball)
The Avery boys varsity basketball team trailed the Mitchell Mountaineers after each of the first three quarters in Ledger in a mid-January matchup between the rivals. In the final eight minutes, Viking junior and eventual Conference Player of the Year Dustin Clarke heated up after battling a box-and-one defense throughout the night. Clarke tallied only 13 points through three quarters, but lit the nets for 17 in the fourth quarter on 4 of 5 shooting and a perfect 8 of 8 from the free throw line.
Clarke finished the night with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists in the 69-66 win, while teammates Joey Potter scored 12 points and Dylan Eppley emerged as an inside presence with 8 points and 11 rebounds.
Lyons Reaches Milestone: Avery Pummels Polk to Give Coach 100th Career Win (Girls Basketball)
The past several seasons have been halcyon times of success for the Avery Lady Vikings girls basketball program. Perhaps no sign greater pointed out the fact than the team’s 60-42 at Polk County in early January 2010.
Avery led by only seven points at halftime, but turned on the defensive pressure and the offensive afterburners to lead by 16 points after three quarters en route to the record victory.
“We’ve worked really hard at building this program up. The first few years were a little rocky and we didn’t get a lot of victories, but it took a little while to get to where we are. It was really special to get the win tonight, especially here at Polk where we haven’t always had a lot of luck,” Coach Lyons remarked after reaching the milestone victory mark.
Avery swept Polk in the season series and went on to another historic postseason basketball performance… which I have a feeling might be part of the remaining games in the conclusion of our “Best of” feature in next week’s edition.
