The Avery varsity football team used a dominant defensive display and amassed close to 400 yards of total offense to bounce back from its loss at Polk County and manhandle the overmatched Madison Patriots 42-0 last Friday, October 22 at MacDonald Stadium.
Avery set the tone early as on Madison’s first offensive series, linebacker Ethan Hagie sacked Patriots quarterback Robbie Shelton to force a punt.
On its first offensive drive, the Vikings were held to a three-and-out, but the Big Red reached into its bag of tricks as punter Alex Villanueva, returning from a broken collarbone and filling in with punting duties for the evening, faked a punt and threw a pass which fell incomplete, turning the football over on downs deep in Avery territory.
The Viking defense rose up to prevent any advance from Madison on the first play after the fake punt, however. Avery forced a fumble from Patriot running back Craig Mace, which linebacker Nathaniel Buchanan recovered for the game’s first turnover.
Avery cashed in on the miscue with an 11-play, 72-yard scoring drive that featured ten running plays. Colton Blackburn capped the drive with a seven-yard touchdown carry for the first of many Viking points. Heraclio Flores added a successful extra point kick and the Big Red led 7-0 with 1:51 to play in the opening period.
Madison’s ensuing possession was another disaster, as the Viking defense forced a second turnover. A Shelton pass attempt was intercepted by Colton Blackburn at the Avery 47-yard line and returned 36 yards inside the Madison red zone just seconds before the first quarter clock expired.
With the football, the Avery offense again capitalized on a Patriot gaffe, as quarterback Dustin Childress connected with wide receiver Andy Gonzalez in the back of the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown pass. The extra point forged Avery ahead by a 14-0 score early in the second quarter.Madison’s longest drive of the half came after Avery’s second touchdown. The Patriots marched 34 yards over eight plays, but the drive stalled as Madison attempted to convert a fourth down near midfield.
Following Avery’s defensive stop to turn the football over on downs, the Avery coaching staff inserted Villanueva into the lineup at quarterback for his first snaps since suffering his injury during practice the week of the Owen game in mid-September. The junior signal-caller missed just four games as Avery went 2-2 during that stretch.
On his first series, Villanueva connected with Lane Smith on a pass for a first down, and also found his good friend and teammate Gonzalez on a 15-yard pass play to convert a third down. Two plays later Colton Blackburn received a handoff and found an opening provided by the Avery offensive line. The senior galloped down the sideline 27 yards for a Viking touchdown. The point after by Flores staked the Big Red to a commanding 21-0 with 5:53 to play before halftime.
The teams traded punts until Avery regained possession at its own 40-yard line with 1:16 to play before intermission. Villanueva and the Avery offense composed its most impressive drive of the contest with its two-minute drill, using just three pass plays to cover the 60 yards and again find itself in the end zone. Villanueva fired a 30-yard touchdown strike to Gonzalez with 39 seconds on the clock to put the Vikings out in front by a 28-0 halftime score.
During halftime festivities, Avery High School recognized the 2010 NCHSAA 1A runner-up Avery Lady Vikings soccer players and coaches for their outstanding season last spring. The players and coaches received a rousing ovation from the MacDonald Stadium crowd.
The Vikings broke the spirit of the Patriots with a 9-play, 72-yard drive. Villanueva found targets across the field, from tight end Remington Austin for 12 yards to Gonzalez for 27 yards to wide receiver Kody Hughes which brought Avery to the doorstep of another score. Villanueva target Blackburn for a 14-yard touchdown pass to push the Avery lead to 35-0 with nine minutes to play in the third period.
On its ensuing series, the futility of the Madison offense was summarized on a single play as quarterback Shelton fumbled the football near his own team’s goal line. The ball rolled into the end zone, where it was eventually covered by Avery’s Colton Blackburn for the sixth and final Avery touchdown of the evening with over 20 minutes left to play in the game.
Madison made one final offensive surge into Viking territory in the second half, but was stopped on a fourth down run to turn the football over on downs. Avery did not attempt another pass play for the remainder of the contest as it ran the football to eventually run out the clock and earn its seventh victory in nine games.
Avery ran the football 40 times for 161 yards, and completed 14 of 23 pass attempts for 221 yards, outgaining Madison in total yards by a 382 to 54 margin.
Villanueva played roughly two periods in his first action in over a month at quarterback, and was 12 of 21 for 188 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Childress finished a perfect 2 of 2 passing for 33 yards and a score.Colton Blackburn had arguably his finest contest as a Viking, as he gained 103 yards rushing on 11 rushes with two touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 35 yards and a score, recovered a fumble for a touchdown, and intercepted a pass on defense.
Wide receiver Gonzalez hauled in five passes for 107 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The Avery junior varsity team visited Madison on Thursday, October 21 to take on the Patriots. The Vikings played valiantly throughout the contest, but was unable to overcome a strong Patriot offensive attack as Madison emerged victorious by a 42-6 final score.
Avery’s JVs return to action this Thursday, October 28 for its home finale against the Mountain Heritage JV Cougars.
The Avery varsity football team returns to the gridiron this Friday, October 29, when it travels to E.H. Briggs Stadium in Burnsville to take on Mountain Heritage in the Vikings’ final road contest of the 2010 regular season.
