The Avery Vikings (AHS) and Hayesville Yellow Jackets (HHS) played a back-and-forth first half in the opening round of the state 1A high school basketball playoffs on Monday, Feb. 21 in Clay County.
The Big Red raced out to a double-figure margin late in the third period, but a furious comeback in the game’s final 10 minutes, and a rebound/follow-up shot in the game’s closing seconds sent AHS into baseball season with a 65-64 defeat.
Senior Dustin Clarke provided much of the AHS offense in the first period with 11 of the team’s 15 first-quarter points. HHS countered with its own do-it-all guard in junior Justin Gonyea, who tallied 13 of the 18 Yellow Jacket points in the frame.
As the second period ensued, more Vikings made their presence felt, as Timmy Stewart drained a three-pointer and teammates Kody Hughes, Austin Lyons and Alex Villanueva each contributed field goals in the quarter. HHS’s Gonyea added five points in the second stanza, totaling 18 of the team’s 30 first-half points, which proved enough for a 30-29 halftime advantage.
As the second half began, AHS’s Villanueva was unstoppable, scoring eight of the first 10 Viking points in the third quarter. The offense was part of a 10-0 Big Red scoring run over the first 2:08 of the third quarter to erase the Yellow Jacket lead and build a 39-30 Viking advantage.
AHS continued to pad its lead in the third stanza, with three-pointers from Hughes and Mark Polsgrove and eight points from Clarke propelling the Vikings to a lead as large as 51-36 with 1:20 to play in the frame. HHS ended the quarter with a 7-0 scoring run, however, to cut the lead in half at 51-43 after three periods.
The momentum HHS built at the end of the third quarter carried into the final eight minutes. AHS held a 54-43 lead with 6:33 to play in the contest, but over the next 2:10 the Yellow Jackets raced to a 15-4 run keyed by clutch shots from Gonyea and four Viking turnovers to tie the game at 58-58.
AHS managed to make just six field goals in the final period, while the Jackets shifted from a perimeter-oriented game to showing aggressiveness inside the paint. The teams traded the lead in the final two minutes, and with 50 seconds left, Clarke found Hughes inside for a layup and a 64-63 lead.
The Big Red defense made a stand with 22 seconds to play, forcing a turnover from HHS. With its ensuing possession, however, AHS made a critical error and turned the ball back over to the home team. As the seconds ticked off with HHS’s final possession Gonyea drove and shot the ball but missed. Teammate Matthew Reynolds hauled in the offensive rebound and scored for the one-point Jacket advantage with three seconds left. A final dribble and desperation heave from near mid-court by Clarke was off the mark, securing the HHS win and leaving the heartbroken Vikings wondering what might have been.
“I was shocked. It still hasn’t sunk in, but that’s the playoffs,” Avery head coach Bo Manis said after the loss. “The officials called the game one way one half, then called it tight the second half. If that is allowed for the entire game, that’s fine. But I felt the referees made adjustments as the second half went on. Something was fishy about that.”
Clarke led the Vikings with 27 points, with 17 from Villanueva and seven from Hughes. Polsgrove added six points. For the foursome of Colton Blackburn, Clarke, Hughes and Polsgrove, it was their final game as Viking players. Gonyea paced HHS with a game-high 37 points.
“I’m really going to miss these seniors, working with them and just having them around,” Manis said.
“Mark stepped up big time. Dustin was a player who works hard and he’ll continue to improve and move forward. Kody plays hard and loves the game of basketball, and Colton just had a lot of fun and enjoyed playing this season. They each brought something different to the table.”
The Vikings finished the season with a 14-10 overall record.
The Big Red raced out to a double-figure margin late in the third period, but a furious comeback in the game’s final 10 minutes, and a rebound/follow-up shot in the game’s closing seconds sent AHS into baseball season with a 65-64 defeat.
Senior Dustin Clarke provided much of the AHS offense in the first period with 11 of the team’s 15 first-quarter points. HHS countered with its own do-it-all guard in junior Justin Gonyea, who tallied 13 of the 18 Yellow Jacket points in the frame.
As the second period ensued, more Vikings made their presence felt, as Timmy Stewart drained a three-pointer and teammates Kody Hughes, Austin Lyons and Alex Villanueva each contributed field goals in the quarter. HHS’s Gonyea added five points in the second stanza, totaling 18 of the team’s 30 first-half points, which proved enough for a 30-29 halftime advantage.
As the second half began, AHS’s Villanueva was unstoppable, scoring eight of the first 10 Viking points in the third quarter. The offense was part of a 10-0 Big Red scoring run over the first 2:08 of the third quarter to erase the Yellow Jacket lead and build a 39-30 Viking advantage.
AHS continued to pad its lead in the third stanza, with three-pointers from Hughes and Mark Polsgrove and eight points from Clarke propelling the Vikings to a lead as large as 51-36 with 1:20 to play in the frame. HHS ended the quarter with a 7-0 scoring run, however, to cut the lead in half at 51-43 after three periods.
The momentum HHS built at the end of the third quarter carried into the final eight minutes. AHS held a 54-43 lead with 6:33 to play in the contest, but over the next 2:10 the Yellow Jackets raced to a 15-4 run keyed by clutch shots from Gonyea and four Viking turnovers to tie the game at 58-58.
AHS managed to make just six field goals in the final period, while the Jackets shifted from a perimeter-oriented game to showing aggressiveness inside the paint. The teams traded the lead in the final two minutes, and with 50 seconds left, Clarke found Hughes inside for a layup and a 64-63 lead.
The Big Red defense made a stand with 22 seconds to play, forcing a turnover from HHS. With its ensuing possession, however, AHS made a critical error and turned the ball back over to the home team. As the seconds ticked off with HHS’s final possession Gonyea drove and shot the ball but missed. Teammate Matthew Reynolds hauled in the offensive rebound and scored for the one-point Jacket advantage with three seconds left. A final dribble and desperation heave from near mid-court by Clarke was off the mark, securing the HHS win and leaving the heartbroken Vikings wondering what might have been.
“I was shocked. It still hasn’t sunk in, but that’s the playoffs,” Avery head coach Bo Manis said after the loss. “The officials called the game one way one half, then called it tight the second half. If that is allowed for the entire game, that’s fine. But I felt the referees made adjustments as the second half went on. Something was fishy about that.”
Clarke led the Vikings with 27 points, with 17 from Villanueva and seven from Hughes. Polsgrove added six points. For the foursome of Colton Blackburn, Clarke, Hughes and Polsgrove, it was their final game as Viking players. Gonyea paced HHS with a game-high 37 points.
“I’m really going to miss these seniors, working with them and just having them around,” Manis said.
“Mark stepped up big time. Dustin was a player who works hard and he’ll continue to improve and move forward. Kody plays hard and loves the game of basketball, and Colton just had a lot of fun and enjoyed playing this season. They each brought something different to the table.”
The Vikings finished the season with a 14-10 overall record.
