Both the Avery and Cranberry Middle School football teams began postseason play last Tuesday, October 5, with the semifinals of the Toe River Conference football playoffs.
The Wildcats entered the tournament at a No. 4 seed and traveled to Cane River to face the tournament’s top seed, the undefeated Cane River Rebels, who had played their closest game of the season the previous week in the regular season finale against county rival East Yancey. Cane River proved too much for the Wildcats, as the Rebels won by a 44-8 final score.
Cane River came out strong on the Wildcats, capitalizing on a number of Cranberry turnovers to score touchdowns behind the running of conference player of the year candidate Ben Rice. The Rebels recovered a pair of kickoffs and scored touchdowns on a number of long pass plays to build a 44-0 halftime lead.
The Wildcats showed the never-say-die attitude they displayed throughout the season, driving downfield and scoring on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Shane Carpenter to Kasey Ross midway through the third quarter for the team’s lone touchdown.
Cranberry finished its season with a 2-4 record and momentum to build upon for the 2011 season.
On the same evening the Avery Middle School Panthers met the East Yancey Panthers at MacDonald Stadium in Newland in a battle for the right to play Cane River in the Tri-County Bowl. Avery fell behind by two scores to East, only to roar back to tie the game late, and score in overtime to capture a thrilling 20-14 victory.
Avery’s defense started strong, holding East to a three and out to open the ballgame to force a punt. The Avery Panther offense then took over possession and marched downfield on a 10-play, 85-yard drive. A leaping catch by Kobe Pittman highlighted the drive as Avery moved inside the East Yancey red zone.
With the home team poised to score the game’s first points, Avery quarterback Austin Phillips scrambled and raced toward the goal line. Phillips was stripped of the football just prior to crossing the goal line, and East Yancey recovered in the end zone to quell the scoring threat.
On the first play following the turnover, East Yancey quarterback Alex Cash found an opening down the right sideline and galloped 80 yards for a touchdown to put the visiting Panthers ahead 6-0. Cash was also successful on the two-point conversion attempt, giving East Yancey an 8-0 lead after one quarter of play.
Avery sought to knot the contest with its next offensive series, but quarterback Phillips was sacked and stripped of the football on the team’s third play near midfield. East Yancey recovered the football for the second turnover of the half. The Panthers from East Yancey pounced, capitalizing on the Avery miscue to score another six points as Cash again raced past the Avery defense, this time for a 30-yard jaunt to give East a 14-0 advantage with 3:44 left to play in the second quarter.
On Avery’s first offensive play after the East score, Phillips connected with wide receiver Pittman on a 48-yard pass play inside the East 5-yard line. Two plays later, Phillips crossed the goal line on a quarterback sneak to put Avery on the board. Phillips scored on the two-point conversion to put the Panthers back in the game at 14-8 as the teams went to the locker rooms at halftime.
In the third quarter, both teams battled, but the defenses ruled the eight minutes as neither team could push across any points, leaving the score unchanged at 14-8 entering the final stanza.
With hopes looking bleak for an Avery victory, the Panther offense made a big play when needed most. After the defense stopped East Yancey with two minutes remaining in the game to force a punt, Avery scored on its second play after the punt. Avery quarterback Phillips made an option pitch to running back Tre Jackson, who evaded a tackle, raced down the left sideline and outran the East defense for a 70-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 14 with just over a minute remaining in regulation. Phillips was unable to score to take the lead on the two-point conversion, but Avery had forged the comeback to tie the game at 14.
On the final play of regulation Avery tried to win with a long field goal attempt, but the kick from Jackson fell short, sending the game to overtime.
In overtime, the Avery defense took the field first as East’s offense had four plays to score from the ten-yard line. Avery stood tall in turning East away without scoring any points, giving the Avery offense the chance to score from ten yards out on the East defense to win the game.
On the first play of the series, Phillips broke free around the left side and dove across the goal line over an East defender for the winning touchdown to send Avery to the Tri-County Bowl.
“Our boys came out and really played well tonight. We dug ourselves a hole in the first half, but the kids battled back and they never quit,” Avery head coach Donnie Johnson said of his team’s dramatic win. “I think our defense really stepped up in the second half and we asserted ourselves as the better team. We kept playing hard from beginning to end and were able to come out on top.”
Avery played Cane River tough in their earlier meeting this season, as the game was tied at 16 at halftime. The Rebels pulled away in the second half, however, for a 46-16 win in Newland.
The Wildcats entered the tournament at a No. 4 seed and traveled to Cane River to face the tournament’s top seed, the undefeated Cane River Rebels, who had played their closest game of the season the previous week in the regular season finale against county rival East Yancey. Cane River proved too much for the Wildcats, as the Rebels won by a 44-8 final score.
Cane River came out strong on the Wildcats, capitalizing on a number of Cranberry turnovers to score touchdowns behind the running of conference player of the year candidate Ben Rice. The Rebels recovered a pair of kickoffs and scored touchdowns on a number of long pass plays to build a 44-0 halftime lead.
The Wildcats showed the never-say-die attitude they displayed throughout the season, driving downfield and scoring on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Shane Carpenter to Kasey Ross midway through the third quarter for the team’s lone touchdown.
Cranberry finished its season with a 2-4 record and momentum to build upon for the 2011 season.
On the same evening the Avery Middle School Panthers met the East Yancey Panthers at MacDonald Stadium in Newland in a battle for the right to play Cane River in the Tri-County Bowl. Avery fell behind by two scores to East, only to roar back to tie the game late, and score in overtime to capture a thrilling 20-14 victory.
Avery’s defense started strong, holding East to a three and out to open the ballgame to force a punt. The Avery Panther offense then took over possession and marched downfield on a 10-play, 85-yard drive. A leaping catch by Kobe Pittman highlighted the drive as Avery moved inside the East Yancey red zone.
With the home team poised to score the game’s first points, Avery quarterback Austin Phillips scrambled and raced toward the goal line. Phillips was stripped of the football just prior to crossing the goal line, and East Yancey recovered in the end zone to quell the scoring threat.
On the first play following the turnover, East Yancey quarterback Alex Cash found an opening down the right sideline and galloped 80 yards for a touchdown to put the visiting Panthers ahead 6-0. Cash was also successful on the two-point conversion attempt, giving East Yancey an 8-0 lead after one quarter of play.
Avery sought to knot the contest with its next offensive series, but quarterback Phillips was sacked and stripped of the football on the team’s third play near midfield. East Yancey recovered the football for the second turnover of the half. The Panthers from East Yancey pounced, capitalizing on the Avery miscue to score another six points as Cash again raced past the Avery defense, this time for a 30-yard jaunt to give East a 14-0 advantage with 3:44 left to play in the second quarter.
On Avery’s first offensive play after the East score, Phillips connected with wide receiver Pittman on a 48-yard pass play inside the East 5-yard line. Two plays later, Phillips crossed the goal line on a quarterback sneak to put Avery on the board. Phillips scored on the two-point conversion to put the Panthers back in the game at 14-8 as the teams went to the locker rooms at halftime.
In the third quarter, both teams battled, but the defenses ruled the eight minutes as neither team could push across any points, leaving the score unchanged at 14-8 entering the final stanza.
With hopes looking bleak for an Avery victory, the Panther offense made a big play when needed most. After the defense stopped East Yancey with two minutes remaining in the game to force a punt, Avery scored on its second play after the punt. Avery quarterback Phillips made an option pitch to running back Tre Jackson, who evaded a tackle, raced down the left sideline and outran the East defense for a 70-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 14 with just over a minute remaining in regulation. Phillips was unable to score to take the lead on the two-point conversion, but Avery had forged the comeback to tie the game at 14.
On the final play of regulation Avery tried to win with a long field goal attempt, but the kick from Jackson fell short, sending the game to overtime.
In overtime, the Avery defense took the field first as East’s offense had four plays to score from the ten-yard line. Avery stood tall in turning East away without scoring any points, giving the Avery offense the chance to score from ten yards out on the East defense to win the game.
On the first play of the series, Phillips broke free around the left side and dove across the goal line over an East defender for the winning touchdown to send Avery to the Tri-County Bowl.
“Our boys came out and really played well tonight. We dug ourselves a hole in the first half, but the kids battled back and they never quit,” Avery head coach Donnie Johnson said of his team’s dramatic win. “I think our defense really stepped up in the second half and we asserted ourselves as the better team. We kept playing hard from beginning to end and were able to come out on top.”
Avery played Cane River tough in their earlier meeting this season, as the game was tied at 16 at halftime. The Rebels pulled away in the second half, however, for a 46-16 win in Newland.
