Vikings Capture “Rumble on the Roan” Championship

After winning seven games to take home a passing league championship at last month’s FCA team camp at Gardner Webb University, the Avery Vikings continued to open eyes on both sides of the football. With wins in all seven of its contests at Orr Field in Roan Mountain last weekend, Avery walked away as the champions of the second annual Rumble on the Roan Passing League Tournament.

“Anytime you win anything I think it builds confidence, and I’m really proud of our kids. It was good for the kids to win, and the way we were able to win by beating Watauga in the championship was just icing on the cake,” Vikings head coach Darrell Brewer said after Saturday night’s final. “It doesn’t mean a lot toward the season, but winning an event like this builds confidence, which is nothing but positive for us.”

Avery started with round-robin play on Friday evening, earning a 30-8 victory over Coach Brewer’s good friend and former Avery assistant coach Mike Lunsford. Junior quarterback Alex Villanueva hit Andy Gonzalez with a pair of scoring tosses, while Colton Blackburn and Lane Smith each scored in the win.

Avery followed up the win with a defeat of Happy Valley to go unbeaten leading into Saturday’s remainder of pool play and single-elimination tournament.

On Saturday afternoon, the Vikings picked up where they left off by defeating Cosby by a final score of 21-12. The second contest was a nail-biter as Avery fell behind to South Greene, but rallied with a late go-ahead touchdown pass in the final minute from Villanueva to Gonzalez. Defensive back Hunter Shields intercepted the last-gasp pass from South Greene to seal a 23-20 triumph.

After round-robin play only three schools, Avery, John Battle (VA), and the Watauga Pioneers were undefeated out of the 13-team tournament. By virtue of most points scored, Avery earned the top seed for the single-elimination tournament.

Following a first-round bye, Avery took on Happy Valley in a rematch from earlier in the tournament. The Vikings offense began slowly as the team went four-and-out to begin the contest. Happy Valley did not fare much better, however, as Avery’s Tyler Buchanan intercepted a Warrior pass to stall its drive at the Avery 25 yard line.

On its second series, catches from Spencer Blackburn, Lane Smith, and Andy Gonzalez drove the football near the Happy Valley 10-yard line. Avery again came up empty, though, and the game remained scoreless with just over five minutes left in the matchup.

On its second drive Happy Valley drove the field and scored and successfully scored two points on a conversion pass to take an 8-0 lead with just 1:15 left to play.

Avery’s offense quickly answered the Warrior touchdown in the final minute as Villanueva found tight end Remington Austin for a touchdown pass to cut the margin to 8-6. Colton Blackburn caught a two-point conversion pass to tie the game at 8-8 at the end of regulation.

The tiebreaker rules for the tournament stipulated that the team who advanced the ball the deepest downfield on one single play was declared the winner. Avery was on offense first and its pass play to Austin was incomplete. A pass interference penalty was called against Happy Valley to give Avery another opportunity, and Villanueva found Colton Blackburn with a long toss to inside the Happy Valley 5-yard line. The Warriors pass play was intercepted to end the game with Avery advancing to the semifinals.

“The long layover between games was hard on us. The kids played four games, then sat around for two hours. It was difficult to get back up, but we gave them a pretty good talking to,” Coach Brewer stated. “We were up against the ropes in that game against a dang good football team, and the boys found a way to win. They don’t ever quit and just keep digging and scrapping.”

The Vikings found the going a bit easier in its semifinal contest against Unaka. Avery scored on just three plays to take an early 8-0 lead. After holding the Rangers on defense, the Big Red struck again when Gonzalez caught a TD pass to take a 14-0 lead. An extra point kick from Dustin Clark was successful for a 15-0 Avery advantage.

Unaka scored on its first play after the Viking score to trail 15-6. Neither team scored for the remaining five minutes, advancing Avery into the championship round.

Avery squared off with a familiar foe in Watauga in the championship game, who had knocked off John Battle in the other semifinal to set up the border battle.

On its first possession Avery used just under three minutes to get on the scoreboard, as Villanueva hit Taylor Potter on a crossing pattern for the game’s first score. A two-point conversion pass to Hunter Shields gave the Vikings an 8-0 lead.

Watauga dodged a bullet on its first series as a pass was simultaneously caught by a Pioneer receiver and Avery defensive back Gonzalez. The official ruled in favor of the offense, and the Pioneers scored on their next play and made its two-point conversion to tie the game at 8-8 with just over 14 minutes left to play in the 20 minute contest.

On Avery’s ensuing possession, Villanueva was picked off by the Pioneers, but the Avery defense stood tall to keep Watauga out of the end zone, turning the football over on downs.

With 5:55 left to play Avery scored again on a fourth-down pass play from Villanueva to Shields. Potter caught the two-point conversion for a 16-8 Viking edge.

Watauga answered with a score of its own at the two minute mark to draw within two points, then tied the game with a well-executed two-point pass play, knotting the affair at 16 points apiece.

Working its two-minute drill perfectly, Avery scored in just four plays from scrimmage, capping the drive when Villaneuva found Potter in the front left corner of the end zone for the touchdown and the lead at 22-16 with 1:35 left.

Needing a touchdown to tie and conversion to take a lead, the Pioneers went to work. After three plays left Watauga three yards short of a first down, the Pioneers rolled the dice with a pass to the end zone. The toss was knocked down by the Big Red to regain possession with under 45 seconds left to play. Villanueva fired a pass deep downfield to Shields on the game’s final play to put the finishing touches on a 28-16 Viking victory.

The team received a championship plaque from Cloudland head football coach and tournament organizer Robbie Turbyfill after the game, and the entire team was awarded the Most Valuable Player award for the tournament.

“I don’t know who you could’ve picked individually as MVP, because so many of the guys were deserving of it on both offense and defense,” Coach Brewer said. “I thought the team award was awesome, as all weekend it was a team effort all the way around.”

Coach Brewer also spoke highly of the Avery junior varsity team, who also took part in the weekend’s festivities. Avery won over the Tri-Cities Silverbacks 6-0 on a touchdown reception by Harley Foster. The JV Vikings played took on the varsity team from North Greene in its other game on Saturday, falling only by a 12-0 final score. Hunter Johnson, Trevor Pickens, and Jonah Tenge each had interceptions on defense for Avery during the pair of contests.

“I thought the JV kids played awfully well. It was their first time to really line up and play together. That team has worked hard all summer long, and I was glad to see the work paying off for them,” Coach Brewer said of the effort. “Our junior varsity is primarily going to be freshmen, so we’ve worked to get them started quickly. They’ve really responded and been a great group to work with.”

The Vikings tentatively have plans to return to the gridiron in a possible 7-on-7 with Mitchell in the last week of July. The first official day of fall practice is August 2^nd, and shortly afterward the Vikings will take part in a pair of scrimmages, including hosting a scrimmage on August 12^th at MacDonald Stadium.

Avery kicks off the 2010 regular season on Friday, August 20^th when it hosts the Robbinsville Black Knights.