Coming off a 58-20 thrashing of the Thomas Jefferson Gryphons, the Avery Vikings (5-1, 1-1 WHC) square off against the Hendersonville Bearcats (5-1, 1-1) in a showdown of ranked 1A football teams that could impact the seeding in the upcoming state football playoffs.
The Bearcats doled out a beating of its own last Friday night with a 37-6 Homecoming win against the Madison Patriots. A season ago, the Bearcats dominated Avery in a 40-7 blowout loss at Dietz Field in Hendersonville and have won four straight in the series. Avery’s last victory over the Bearcats came in a 41-19 win over the Bearcats at MacDonald Stadium in 2006.
The Bearcats doled out a beating of its own last Friday night with a 37-6 Homecoming win against the Madison Patriots. A season ago, the Bearcats dominated Avery in a 40-7 blowout loss at Dietz Field in Hendersonville and have won four straight in the series. Avery’s last victory over the Bearcats came in a 41-19 win over the Bearcats at MacDonald Stadium in 2006.
Scouting the Bearcats
The Hendersonville Bearcats are led by veteran head coach B.J. Laughter (112-62 in 14 seasons; and features a newly-integrated spread offense, a venture away from the Wing offenses used in seasons past. The change may be attributed to the squad returning only three offensive starters from the 2009 team. The team also occasionally will use an I formation.
Although many faces changed in 2010, one returning player keying the Bearcats attack is quarterback/athlete Desmond Whiteside. Whiteside, who filled in for injured quarterback Ben Walgenbach for about half of the 2009 season, achieved his fair share of success behind center as he rushed for more than 1,000 yards splitting time at quarterback and running back.
This season Whiteside is using both his arm and his legs to hurt opponents. In last week’s game with the Patriots, he accounted for 286 total yards (9 of 13 passing for 142 yards and a touchdown; 19 rushes for 142 yards with a touchdown), and has been the spark plug for the Bearcat offense all season long. The senior has totaled 707 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns and has thrown for 572 yards and four scores.
Also sparking the Bearcats on the offensive side of the football are running back Desean Jackson (206 rushing yards, 3 TD), and wide receiver Shawn Rogers (367 receiving yards, 3 TD; 121 rushing yards, 4 TD).
Defensively the Bearcats returned seven starters from last season and show a similar “33” front that they did in 2009. The team’s defensive leader is linebacker LeQuon Young, who had 14 tackles in a game earlier this season against East Henderson to go with three quarterback sacks. When healthy, he is one of the most dangerous defensive players in the Western Highlands Conference.
The Low Down
Although many faces changed in 2010, one returning player keying the Bearcats attack is quarterback/athlete Desmond Whiteside. Whiteside, who filled in for injured quarterback Ben Walgenbach for about half of the 2009 season, achieved his fair share of success behind center as he rushed for more than 1,000 yards splitting time at quarterback and running back.
Also sparking the Bearcats on the offensive side of the football are running back Desean Jackson (206 rushing yards, 3 TD), and wide receiver Shawn Rogers (367 receiving yards, 3 TD; 121 rushing yards, 4 TD).
Defensively the Bearcats returned seven starters from last season and show a similar “33” front that they did in 2009. The team’s defensive leader is linebacker LeQuon Young, who had 14 tackles in a game earlier this season against East Henderson to go with three quarterback sacks. When healthy, he is one of the most dangerous defensive players in the Western Highlands Conference.
The Low Down
For Avery to pick up its first win in four seasons against the Bearcats Friday night, Avery will need to do all it can to negate Hendersonville’s speed, which makes a habit of running to the outside and past opposing defenses.
For the Viking offense, that means ball control and long, time-consuming drives that not only wear out the Bearcat defense, but keeps the quick offensive attack on the sideline.
On the other hand, for the Avery defense the week’s magic phrase in practice has been “hem in”, meaning the Vikings must keep the speedy Bearcat backs running between the tackles as often as possible, preventing them from getting into open space and around corners at the sidelines.
The loss of Alex Villanueva at quarterback has no doubt hurt the explosiveness of the Avery offense, but it was difficult to tell that during last week’s Homecoming rout, as senior Dustin Childress had the opportunity to get a full week of practice at the position and looked comfortable in the pocket, throwing for nearly 300 yards and five touchdowns.
Last week Avery also played without the services of senior running back/defensive lineman Colton Blackburn, who ran for more than 100 yards two weeks ago at Owen, but hurt a hamstring early in the second half of the contest. Blackburn’s availability for Friday night is unknown as of early in the week.
The Avery defense has given up 24 points or fewer in every game thus far this season. If that trend continues, chances for victory increase. If the game becomes a track meet with high scoring totals, however, odds favor the visiting Bearcats.
By the Numbers:
For the Viking offense, that means ball control and long, time-consuming drives that not only wear out the Bearcat defense, but keeps the quick offensive attack on the sideline.
On the other hand, for the Avery defense the week’s magic phrase in practice has been “hem in”, meaning the Vikings must keep the speedy Bearcat backs running between the tackles as often as possible, preventing them from getting into open space and around corners at the sidelines.
The loss of Alex Villanueva at quarterback has no doubt hurt the explosiveness of the Avery offense, but it was difficult to tell that during last week’s Homecoming rout, as senior Dustin Childress had the opportunity to get a full week of practice at the position and looked comfortable in the pocket, throwing for nearly 300 yards and five touchdowns.
Last week Avery also played without the services of senior running back/defensive lineman Colton Blackburn, who ran for more than 100 yards two weeks ago at Owen, but hurt a hamstring early in the second half of the contest. Blackburn’s availability for Friday night is unknown as of early in the week.
The Avery defense has given up 24 points or fewer in every game thus far this season. If that trend continues, chances for victory increase. If the game becomes a track meet with high scoring totals, however, odds favor the visiting Bearcats.
By the Numbers:
4- number of consecutive losses to the Bearcats suffered by Avery since 2006.
7- touchdowns scored by Avery in the first half of last week’s contest.
10 – times the Vikings kicked off in last week’s 58-20 romp of Thomas Jefferson.
25- number of playoff appearances for the Hendersonville team since 1972.
33 – the number worn by Avery senior Trent Mitchell, who was lost for the season following a serious hit and concussion suffered at the Cloudland game September 10th. Avery players are wearing a decal with Mitchell’s number on their helmets to remember their fallen teammate.
156- rushing yards by the Vikings in last week’s Homecoming victory.
275- all-purpose yards gained by Avery senior running back Taylor Potter in last Friday’s win, along with four touchdowns.
Pick up a copy of next week’s The Avery Journal-Times for a full recap of this Friday’s game with Hendersonville, as well as a preview of next week’s Western Highlands Conference showdown at Polk County.
Pick up a copy of next week’s The Avery Journal-Times for a full recap of this Friday’s game with Hendersonville, as well as a preview of next week’s Western Highlands Conference showdown at Polk County.
