It's the NASFL game of the week as the Carolina Golden Knights hosts the Catawba Hornets. We'll be updating the game through the evening.

Avery Little League Announces Fund Raiser Winners, All-Star Selections

On a cool and drizzly evening at the Hodge Turbyfill Complex in Newland, the Avery County Little League announced the winners of its recent Vidalia onion sales fund raising competition. The league also released the names of players who have been selected by coaches to represent Avery County and participate on the four district all-star teams. All-Stars begin play at the end of the month.

Preceding the All-Star announcement, League President Jerry Moody announced the players who were the top three individual sellers of Vidalia onions and earned lucrative prizes, as well as overall team winners who will receive their own pizza party as part of the league’s season-long fund raising efforts to assist with making payments on the complex’s lighting system.

The Marlins Minor League Baseball team sold 260 boxes with earned first-place overall. Finishing in second place was the Giants Tee Ball squad, who sold 219 boxes as a team. The third place team, selling 140 boxes, was the Rangers Hybrid League Softball squad. Since the first and second place teams finished in such a close race, league officials decided to award a pizza party to both teams.

Top selling individuals who sold Vidalias received prizes for their efforts. Finishing in first place overall with 119 boxes sold was Logan Stout of the Tee Ball Giants club. Stout and his family received a weekend vacation package for four to Gatlinburg on behalf of the league.

Second-place seller overall and receiving a $50 prize was Josh Cook from the Minor League Baseball Marlins, and the third place individual seller receiving a $25 prize was Nicholas Johnson, also of the Minor League Baseball Marlins.

In all, a total of 68 children sold at least 10 boxes of Vidalia onions and 1,633 total boxes were sold in the community to help raise funds to be used to help with the annual payment for lighting at the baseball and softball fields.

Following the onion announcements, President Moody shared the names of the players who have been selected to participate in district All-Star competition beginning the last week of June and first week of July. Selections were made collectively by league coaches. In the week since the names of players were announced, a number of changes have taken place due to player unavailability due to vacations or other conflicts, therefore alternate players with the highest vote totals from league coaches were added to the rosters.

As of June 23^rd, the following players have been selected to all-star rosters for 2009 district competition:

All-Star girls softball (9-10 years old): Cassie Harris, Elizabeth Philips, Lillie Wiseman, Veronica Clark, Millie Bumgarner, Bethany Jones, Kesha Garland, Bri Cuthbertson, Charity Ollis, Paige Moody, Zoe Daniels

All-Star girls softball (11-12 years old): Ellie Lecka, Morgan Lecka, Kaitlyn Suddereth, Ashley Yoder, Christian Burleson, Destiny Ollis, Jerrica Rieger, Makayla Clark, Stacie Brewer, Allie Moody, Emily Brown, Abby Thompson

All-Star boys baseball (9-10 years old)

Jacob Daniels, Austin Dugger, Josh McClellan, Deacon Heath, Jordan Lecka, Caleb Hicks, Josh Cook, Lane Johnson, Andrew Knowles, Daniel Hartless, Brett Smith, Luke Crowe

All-Star boys baseball (11-12 years old)

Canaan Singleton, Kobe Pittman, Austin Phillips, Jeremiah Vance, Dale Russ, Gabriel Stanley, Austin Daniels, Eddie Yates, Wade Smith, Kyle Hoffman, Preston Childress, Jerry Lunsford

Once All-Star tournament play concludes, the league will begin a summer baseball and softball for the first time in league history. The new summer league will consist of minor and major league baseball, hybrid softball, and major league softball. It will offer local kids the chance to play in additional contests they would not ordinarily have, plus afford them more chances to bat and play innings.

“Children in leagues off the mountain are playing two and three times as many games and getting two or three times more at bats,” League President Jerry Moody said. “We have discussed this issue and as a league we feel if we want to improve the quality of our tournament and league play, we have to increase the quantity of at-bats, innings, and games that our kids are receiving. Since we start so much later than other leagues because of our weather and climate, we want to set up a situation in the summer where kids receive more quality playing time.”

As a whole this season, the Avery County Little League has had its share of ups and downs, but continued to complete yet another successful season of Tee-Ball, baseball, and softball leagues.

“This season has been different from all the rest. We’ve had more challenges this year than in the past, but I hope we have served the parents and children well despite the challenges,” Moody said. “We hope the league helps kids to learn to handle situations both good and bad in a positive fashion, and that it has helped instill good citizenship, courage, and fair play to them both on and off the field.”

Avery County Little League will hold its annual general meeting and board officer elections on Thursday, August 20^th. The meeting is open to the public.

Avery Football Holds Youth Skills Camp

From June 15-17 the Avery Vikings football staff and around a dozen players, in conjunction with the Avery Parks and Recreation Department, worked with around 30 youngsters at MacDonald Stadium during this year’s Avery Youth Football Camp.

Despite periods of inclement weather, campers were able to learn skills and useful principles about the game of football, as well as valuable lessons about how similar lessons, like teamwork and striving to be successful, can apply beyond the football field and in everyday life.

Camp staff worked to help youths develop in several specific skill areas, using drills to hone campers’ speed, line stance, strength, footwork, agility, and technique. Abiding with recent tradition, campers were also treated to popsicles from the staff in appreciation for their efforts.

“I think the kids have had a lot of fun. That’s what we always strive for,” Avery head football coach Darrell Brewer said regarding the camp. “Of course you always want to have as many kids as possible be part of the camp, but the biggest thing for us with the kids that are here is that we want them to leave our camp with a genuine love for football and having a lot of fun.”

For the first time, the camp was held on the synthetic surface at MacDonald Stadium, which prevented muddy conditions or any cancellations due to the recent rainy weather endured by the High Country.

“It took the least time to prepare for the camp, that’s for sure,” Coach Brewer added. “In the past, we’ve had to take several hours to find paint and mark the field. It only took about 45 minutes for setup this year, and it’s been awesome.”

One by-product of the camp is that not only do the campers absorb knowledge and love for the game, but the high school players who volunteer to work the camp get to serve as role models and also brush up on their own skill sets.

“To the youngsters, watching these high school players is like watching college players. They’re bigger than life, and the kids really enjoy our players being out here, It’s also good for our high school players to be put in a position where they are teaching,” Coach Brewer explained.

“They hear so much from us as coaches, it’s good for them to be on the other side of things and pass those principles on to the younger generation. It helps them learn a little more and makes the players think a little more about what they’re doing, and is really a win-win situation for everybody involved.”

A number of high school players who helped with this year’s camp, including Ethan Hagie, Hunter Shields, Taylor Potter, Lane Smith just to name a few, were once in the shoes of the youths who were being taught. Their presence served as proof positive of the effectiveness and long-range impact that each year’s camp has on Avery County kids.

“Several of our players were once campers here, and it’s great seeing them giving back to the campers today,” Coach Brewer added.

The youth football camp was one of several different sports camps being held for children throughout this summer. For more information on camps taking place this summer, check out the Journal-Times Sports Blog at www.ajtsports.blogspot.com or contact Avery Parks and Recreation at 733-8266.

Golden Knights Take Field for Semi-Pro Football Season Debut against Burke

Before a crowd of fans filling the bank and bleachers surrounding the Historic Cranberry High School, the Carolina Golden Knights took the field for the first time in its North South American Football League (NSAFL) season and home opener against the Burke Storm.

The game was competitive throughout the first half as the Knights put forth a great performance on the defensive side of the football, but a strong second half propelled the Storm to a 41-0 victory.

Much of the first quarter was a defensive struggle. The Knights forced a turnover on Burke’s opening drive as linebacker and former Mountain Heritage Cougar Kyle Burris dropped back into coverage and intercepted a pass for the team’s first takeaway. The team also recovered a Burke fumble later in the half.

Carolina was its own worst enemy in the first half which contributed to over half of Burke’s points for the first two quarters. A fumble near the Knights’ own goal line was recovered by the Storm in the end zone for the first points of the contest. The PAT gave Burke the 7-0 advantage through one quarter.

The score remained unchanged until midway through the second quarter. On the first play following a Knights turnover, a tall Burke receiver out-leaped a Knight defensive back in a “jump ball” at the end zone to come down with the football and a touchdown.

The Knights blocked the extra point to keep the lead at 13-0, a score which remained unchanged through the rest of the half.

In the second half the Knights, who fielded a team of just over 20 players, appeared to slightly wear down with the combination of the warm weather and the deep Storm rotation of players. Carolina continued to play hard on every down, however, much to the delight of the home crowd who were solidly behind the Knights club.

Burke scored on its first two possessions of the second half, then chewed up ground with its running game in the second half, while the defensive line was able to put pressure on both Knights starting quarterback Stephen Whittington and backup Ryan Whelan.

In spite of the game’s final score, the team was thrilled to see its dream of fielding a semi-pro squad in the High Country become a reality and to see the support from the community.

“I thank Cranberry for the ability to use the field, and there were a lot of people here today to sit on the bank and tailgate. It was great seeing fans here a couple of hours before the game,” Knights head coach Mark Beach said in the post-game interview.

“We had some issues on the line and our quarterbacks took some hits. We had several schools help us with equipment, like Avery High and Hampton High School, and Mars Hill College sold some of their used equipment to us to help out. The players really enjoyed it out here today.”

“They said it couldn’t be done, and we did it,” Knights quarterback and team founder Stephen Whittington said after the contest. “We knew it would be tough because we’re a little short on players, and we’re still accepting players who want to be part of the team. My teammates played great today, and I’m proud to play alongside of them.”

Over 300 tickets were sold for the game, with the game’s proceeds going to the Cranberrian Corporation. Gate receipts from each home game this season will go to a different charity.

The Knights travel to Kernersville on Saturday evening for a road contest against the 2-0 Carolina Renegades. Anyone interested in joining the Carolina Golden Knights as a player, or for more information on the team can contact head coach Mark Beach at 733-2397 or 828-217-3231.

Cranberry Middle School Holds Athletics Banquet

On Tuesday June 9th Cranberry Middle School held its annual awards banquet in the school cafeteria. A total of 74 athletes were recognized during the evening for their excellence both in the athletic arena and in the classroom.

A total of 74 athletes participated in at least one of the 11 sports offered by the school, with 30 of those competitors participating in more than one sport during the sports year.
Students, parents, and teachers enjoyed dinner together prior to the awards ceremony before a number of awards were doled out to the student-athletes.

Cranberry principal Kim Davis opened the festivities by presenting the Robin Austin Scholar-Athlete Awards. The awards are given to one boy and girl in eighth grade who participate in multiple sports while maintaining a high grade point average. This year’s male recipient of the award was Ian Franklin, while MacKenzie Thomas was the female recipient of the honor.

Gwen Clark, horticulture teacher at Avery High School and with Future Farmers of America, informed those in attendance of the excellence of Cranberry’s students who participated along with Avery Middle School students with the Hunter Safety Team.

Clark announced that a number of Cranberry students received trophies through the Hunter Safety program, which included rifle, skeet, and archery among other activities. She presented three permanent trophies to Principal Davis for the school’s trophy case for hunting skills, skeet, and overall.

Wildcat team members Dakota Guy and Ty McCoury joined Avery Middle School’s Jordan Benfield and Walker Carswell to form this year’s middle school squad.

Each middle school coach presented ribbons and certificates of participation to athletes in attendance, while coaches also presented special awards for outstanding individual achievement.
The following students received outstanding individual award plaques or recognition in their respective sports:

Softball: All-Conference- MacKenzie Thomas & Holly Cook; All-Tournament: Kota Turbyfill; Hustle Award- Destiny Finley; Most Improved- Ashley Botelho and Autumn Church

Soccer: Coach’s Award- Graham Avery; Most Improved- Peter Tufts

Football: Sportsmanship-Cody Clawson; Most Valuable Player-Bryce Pittman

Cheerleading: Coach’s Award-Krishelle Pearson; MVP-Chelsey Kirkpatrick

Boys Basketball: MVP- Shea Buchanan and Bryce Pittman

Wrestling: Most Improved- Ethan Webb

Baseball: Coach’s Award-Alex Barker; Most Improved-Jake Hinshaw; MVP-BJ Ruppard

Golf: Coach’s Award-Harley Foster

Volleyball: MVPs-Dani Carpenter and Arizona Clawson

Girls Basketball: MVPs-Kristen Burleson and MacKenzie Thomas

Track: Coach’s Awards- MacKenzie Thomas and Andrew Burleson

Following the awards ceremony, Principal Davis concluded the evening’s festivities by sharing a few brief words of thanks and presenting a hanging flower basket and card to Cranberry Middle School Athletic Director Patti Franklin, who will not be returning in the capacity of athletic director next school year.

“I want to thank Patti for all she’s done for our sports. Everything has ran so smoothly this year, parents were contacted, the kids knew when and where they were supposed to be,” Davis said during the presentation. “Patti has just been a phenomenal athletic director and we appreciate all she’s done.”

Athletic Director Franklin was grateful for the honor and expressed her gratitude to those she has served this season. “When I first started at the beginning of the year, I thought “Oh my gosh” because I have not played sports in a really long time and was never much of an athlete. This has been a wonderful experience for me because I know how important this is to your children,” Franklin said as she addressed the parents and students. “We need to keep helping this program grow so that Cranberry has all the sports that it now offers.”

Congratulations to the Wildcats and Lady Wildcats on a great sports year!

Burke 41 Carolina Golden Knights 0 final score. Solid effort by the Knights in their franchise debut. Next week's game is Sat. @ Kernersville @ 7pm

4th qtr from Cranberry: Burke Storm leads the Golden Knights 34-0 with under 10 minutes to play in the game

3rd qtr score update: burke leads carolina 28-0

Carolina Golden Knights trail the Burke Storm 13-0 in the 2nd qtr.

Appalachian Athletics News and Notes

"Appalachian Agrees to Football Series with Montana, McNeese State"
(Appalachian Sports Information)
Traditional NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) powers Appalachian State, Montana and McNeese State have entered into a six-game agreement that will have Appalachian host Montana in 2012 and travel to face the Griz in Missoula, Mont. in 2013, the three schools announced on Thursday.

ASU’s previously announced home-and-home series with McNeese State has been moved back one year as part of the arrangement, with games now scheduled for 2014 in Lake Charles, La. and 2015 in Boone. Montana and McNeese will square off in 2016 and ‘17 to round out the six contests.

Each home team is providing the visiting squad with a $100,000 guarantee to help offset travel expenses and there is a $250,000 buyout clause for each program.

Appalachian, Montana and McNeese State have combined for 48 Division I-AA/FCS postseason appearances and five national championships (Montana in 1995 and 2001; ASU in 2005, 2006 and 2007). They represent three of the nation’s top FCS conferences — the Southern, Big Sky and Southland, respectively.

The Mountaineers have faced the Griz just once before, a 19-16 overtime thriller won by Montana in the 2000 I-AA national semifinals at UM’s Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The Apps square off with McNeese for the first time on Sept. 12 of this season when the Cowboys visit Kidd Brewer Stadium.

SERIES DETAILS AND QUOTES
2012: Montana at Appalachian (Sept. 1)
2013: Appalachian at Montana (date TBA)
2014: Appalachian at McNeese State (Aug. 30)
2015: McNeese State at Appalachian (Sept. 5)
2016: Montana at McNeese State (Sept. 3)
2017: McNeese State at Montana (Sept. 2)

“This agreement is great for everyone associated with these three excellent football programs. It gives our student-athletes and coaches the opportunity to compete against the best competition and in the best atmospheres that FCS has to offer. For the students, alumni and fans of all three schools, it provides four marquee non-conference games to each of our schedules that are sure to be among the nation’s most talked-about showdowns each year. We hope that this agreement serves as a catalyst for more intersectional matchups between high-level FCS programs in the future.”
— ASU director of athletics Charlie Cobb

“This is good for Appalachian, but it’s especially good for all of FCS football. People look forward to games like Ohio State-Texas and Notre Dame-USC on the FBS level, so it’s great to give fans of our programs and FCS in general the opportunity to have games of a similar magnitude to look forward to as well. Also, I’ve always been a believer that to become a good football team, you have to play good football teams and these matchups certainly fit the bill in that regard.”
— ASU head coach Jerry Moore

“This is an exciting venture for all three programs. I know our coaches, players and Griz fans everywhere think very highly of these two football powers, and it will be great for the FCS to have six non-conference games featuring top-tier schools from different parts of the country. Special thanks should go to the administrators at Appalachian State and McNeese State, who worked hard with us to find a way to make this series happen. These game should generate a lot of national interest.”
— Montana director of athletics Jim O’Day

“Scheduling quality non-conference opponents is critical to the mission and vision of what we’re trying to do. It’s exciting to our fans, our community and to our institution. This is exciting for FCS football. It has national interest. Among the three of us there have been 10 national championship appearances and that speaks for itself.”
— McNeese State director of athletics Tommy McClelland


"Dowdy Becomes ASU-Record Fourth MLB Draftee"
Appalachian Sports Information

Pitcher Josh Dowdy became the fourth Appalachian State University player selected in the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft when the Baltimore Orioles tabbed him with their 38th-round pick (1,136th overall) on Thursday. He joins teammates Zach Quate, Rand Smith and Isaac Harrow, who were drafted on Wednesday by the Tampa Bay Rays, Florida Marlins and New York Yankees, respectively, to give Appalachian a school-record four MLB draftees this year.

In 20 appearances in 2009, Dowdy posted a 6-3 record and 5.07 earned run average over 76.1 innings, proving to be one of the staff’s most reliable arms with seven mid-week relief appearances to go along with his normal spot in the weekend rotation. The right-hander held opposing hitters to a .288 average and struck out 68 batters while allowing just 19 walks.

Dowdy overcame a shaky start in ‘09 to go 14-straight appearances (including eight-consecutive starts) without a loss, a stretch that covered two months (March 15-May 15) and continued a trend of late-season success that spanned his two years at ASU. In 20 post-April 1 appearances during his two seasons with the Mountaineers, the East Carolina transfer was 9-2 with a 4.45 ERA.

In all, Dowdy struck out 123 and walked just 36 as a Mountaineer, good for a 3.4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Amazingly, eight players that either were seniors or would have been seniors at Appalachian this past season went on to become MLB draft picks — Dowdy, Harrow, Quate and Smith, 2008 draftees Jason Rook (Orioles), David Rubinstein (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Garrett Sherrill (Milwaukee Brewers) and Ben Billingsley, who played at ASU as a freshman before finishing his collegiate career at Lenoir C.C. and being drafted by the Seattle Mariners last year. Prior to last year, no Mountaineers had been drafted since 1996.

Avery High School Celebrates its Student-Athletes during Annual Awards Ceremony

Avery High School celebrated its 41st season of prep athletics last Friday evening with its annual athletic awards banquet held in Viking Gym The best and the brightest student-athletes were recognized during the ceremony for their successes both on the field and in the classroom.

Athletic Directors Matthew Bentley and Jay Smith served as the Masters of Ceremonies as team, individual, and coaching achievements were honored.

A total of 18 athletes were recognized by being named All-Conference selections in sports during the 2008-09 school year, while a number of individual athletes were recognized for additional notable outstanding accomplishments during the past school year. Those honored for individual achievements included:

Chase Arrowood – Track and Field State Qualifier
Emily Banner – Soccer All-Region Selection
Hayden Blackburn – Tennis State Qualifier
Rachel Buchanan- Volleyball Blue/White All-Star Selection
Caroline Crenshaw – Track State Qualifier
Katie Ellis – Blue/White All-Star selection (volleyball & basketball), Western Highlands Conference Basketball All-Tournament Team
Kyle Griewisch – Track and Field State Qualifier, Soccer All-Region
Daniel Huff – Soccer All-Region
Andrew Ingram - Track and Field State Qualifier, Soccer All-Region
Anna Melton- Tennis State Qualifier
Samantha Shook – Western Highlands Conference Basketball All-Tournament Team
Mary Chesnut Smith- Track and Field State Qualifier, Cross Country State Qualifier, Cross Country All-State Selection, Track and Field All-State Selection, Soccer All-Region
Alex Villanueva – Track and Field State Qualifier
Brock Yackey – Wrestling State Qualifier
Morgan Yackey- Three Softball No-Hitters Pitched, Softball All-District, Softball All-State

Several additional special awards were doled out during the evening’s festivities. Avery teacher Gwen Clark was presented with a special award for her work during the conference basketball tournaments held this season at Avery, as well as for her help in framing and preparing the awards for the athletic banquet.

A pair of Avery coaches and a duo of Lady Vikings were recognized with Western Highlands Conference special awards. Rhiannon Manis was presented with a plaque for being named WHC Tennis Coach of the Year, while first-year men’s golf coach Boe Barinowski received the WHC Men’s Golf Coach of the Year award. A pair of Avery student athletes were also recognized as WHC award winners, as senior Morgan Yackey nabbed Conference Player of the Year for tennis during the fall season, and senior Cailan Calloway was honored with the WHC Goalkeeper of the Year Award for her record-breaking success during the Lady Vikings soccer season.

Avery High School Assistant Coach and Head Coach of the Year Awards were also given on Friday night. Varsity boys basketball assistant coach Reggie Oakes was named Assistant of the Year for his time and dedication to his sport and to the school. “This coach will do anything that is asked or called upon to do. He has been a success anywhere he has been,” said Athletic Director Bentley during the ceremony.

The Avery County Head Coach of the Year honor was awarded to Rhiannon Manis for the tremendous season her ladies tennis squad enjoyed in 2008-09. In the words of Avery Athletic Director Matthew Bentley, “This coach has built the program from the ground up, and has worked in all aspects of the program.” Coach Manis’ résumé from this past season included being named the Western Highlands Conference Coach of the Year, as well as coaching three state qualifiers and the conference’s player of the year.

A number of students were recipients of special individual awards. Senior Katie Ellis received the Western Highlands Conference Academic Athlete of the Year award for her terrific year on the court and in the classroom.

Former Avery County Teacher of the Year Roger Wise presented this year’s Sportsmanship Awards to seniors Sara Singleton and Jordan English for their displays of exemplary sportsmanship both on and off the field.

English also was the male beneficiary of the Avery Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, which was presented by Avery High School Principal Mark Garrett to him and fellow senior Katie Ellis for their merit in the classroom while also excelling in the athletic arena.

The final individual awards of the evening were the Avery Athletes of the Year. Sutton Stanley was the male winner of the award, while there were co-female recipients of the award in senior standouts Katie Ellis and Morgan Yackey.

While numerous sports accolades were lauded for the 2008-09 school year, Avery students were also outstanding in the classroom setting. In addition to the aforementioned individual scholar-athlete awards, a total of eight teams were recognized for their academic excellence, honored by being named North Carolina High School Athletic Association Scholar Athlete Team Award winners.

An impressive total of 58 athletes earned NCHSAA Scholar Athlete Awards, where athletes must maintain a 3.5 or higher grade point average.

The only bump on the road during the event was the accidental omission of a pair of All-Conference basketball student-athletes in senior Allison Vance and junior Lauren Avery to the original naming of All-Conference team members. The ladies’ names were called and recognized at a later portion of the program, but Athletic Director Bentley wished to personally express his apologies for the oversight. “I want to apologize to Allison and Lauren for not being originally mentioned with the All-Conference team members. I’m very sorry for that,” Mr. Bentley said after the ceremony.

Bentley went on to discuss the event and the student-athletes who have achieved so much this season in academics and athletics.

“We’ve had a very good group of kids this year and I really hate to see them go. I wish we could keep them around a couple more years,” Bentley stated at the event’s conclusion. “Academics translate straight to the athletic field. If you look at our teams, the ones who have the most scholar-athletes are among our best teams. Kids that work hard in the classroom work hard on the field. I appreciate everyone’s support and it has been a great year for Avery High School.”

Carolina Golden Knights Set to Open Regular Season This Sunday at Home

After weeks of practice, hours of sweat and hard work, and the hundreds of gallons of Gatorade, the Carolina Golden Knights are ready for their first game of 2009.

This Sunday the Knights, based in Newland, host the Burke Storm of Drexel in this Early Season contest. This is the opening game for the Knights, with the Burke Storm standing at 0-1, after a loss to the Carolina Renegades 32-8 in Winston Salem this past weekend.

Gates will open at 3:00 pm at the Cranberry Sports Complex located at the Historic Cranberry High School site, with a kickoff slated for 4:00 pm. Both teams are members of the NSAFL of Chapin, S.C.

“From where we started in January, looking back on everything these guys have done to get us here, from money invested to the hours of lost family time they have given in practice, no matter what the score reads Sunday evening I am proud to be a part of this team. Just by taking the field Sunday when so many said It would never happen, to me they have already won.” Golden Knights Team Director and quarterback Steve Whittington said when asked about the upcoming game.

The Knights wish to thank Boone Drug, Nick's Deli, Time Square Diner, Screen Print X-Press, Sears of Spruce Pine, and especially the Cranberry Corporation for their support and dedication to this idea.

So come out Sunday and support the High Country’s newest sports venue at the Cranberry Sports Complex. Tickets will be General Admission with a $5 charge, kids 10 and under are free. All ticket sales will be donated to local charities. There is open seating, so bring your lawn chair and blanket and spend an evening. Vendors will be on site as well as concessions and team merchandise for purchase.

'Landers Wrap Up Spring Practice

‘Lander Coach Robbie Turbyfill is quietly making his mark on the Cloudland football program. Saturday night’s idea was just another stepping stone for the coach on returning the ‘Landers to past glory.

Turbyfill’s Highlanders wrapped up two successful weeks of spring practice with the first annual Blue and Gold game at Orr Field on Saturday night. The entire Cloudland team was divided equally into the Blue and Gold teams as the Blue team took a 27-7 victory.

“I thought the whole spring went well,” Turbyfill said. “I thought this was a great way to end spring practice. I thought both teams played hard out there tonight, and I thought the Gold had their opportunities but they just kind of threw it away with some interceptions and fumbles. I think this is something we can build on for the season because we can learn from our mistakes in this game like situation.”

Neither team had an advantage or treated the game as just an ordinary scrimmage as bragging rights were on the line. The Blue team struck first with trickery as Seth Houstma caught a halfback pass from Trey Hitchew, then outran the Gold’s defense to the end zone on their opening drive. Blue’s two-point conversion was incomplete. Blue team produced a turnover on Gold’s opening possession, but couldn’t capitalize as they turned the ball over on downs. On the ensuing Gold drive, Hitechew intercepted Seth Miller’s pass and rumbled to the end zone to give Blue a 12-0 lead.

Right before the half, Blue drove down the field, but was unable to score as the Gold squad forced a turnover at the one year line with 19 seconds left in the half keeping the Blue lead to 12 at the half.

The second half didn’t go much better for the Gold team as they fumbled the opening kickoff and the Blue team recovered at midfield. Later in the quarter, Chris Stevens put the Blue team back on the board as he recovered another Gold fumble and scrambled 40 some yards. A unique formation helped Blue scored on a two point conversion to take a 20-0 lead into the fourth quarter.

Miller’s Gold team finally got going in the fourth with key runs by Morgan and Tony Chambers. Miller scrambled into the end zone to give the Gold their first points of the night, and Kevin Stevens, who handled kicking duties for both teams, hit the extra point for the Gold.

On the ensuing kickoff, Gold’s attempted onside kick was picked up by Stevens and he outraced everyone into the end zone to add to the Blue total. With the extra point, it gave Blue a 27-7 lead which was the final score. The game was called with around seven minutes remaining due to lighting associated with an approaching storm.

Stevens was named the Defensive Player of the game, while Hitechew received the Offensive Player of the game honors.

The Blue and Gold game was well attended by a large and vocal group of ‘Lander supporters, including part of the Marching Highlander band.

“I think it was great that all the fans showed up,” Turbyfill said. “I think it is something that we can build on over the years because we are hoping to have this thing year after year. Hopefully, next year it will be bigger and better.”

For the ‘Landers, spring practice was a valuable learning tool where players were put into the roles they can expect to play next season. Turbyfill was pleased with what he saw this spring and the work that his players put in.

“I feel we are a lot more physical this year then we have been,” Turbyfill said. “I feel like we have some kids who stick their head in there and go with it. I am real proud of them and their great effort through the whole spring.”

In addition to the Blue and Gold game, the ‘Landers also scrimmaged South Greene during the spring. While the start of the season is three months away, the ‘Landers will continue to work hard to improve for the start of the 2009 season.

Trio of Former Athletes Named to SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll

Last week the South Atlantic Conference Named its Commissioners Honor Roll for the 2008-09 school year, with a conference-record 822 student-athletes recognized for their achievements in the classroom.

The SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll recognizes those student-athletes who carry at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average and have completed at least one season in the conference-sponsored sports of football, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's and women's tennis and men's and women's golf.

The 822 student-athletes represent 36 U.S. states, 30 foreign countries and three Canadian provinces. More than 25 percent (211) of the honorees held grade point averages of 3.75 or higher. Of those, 21 student-athletes carried a perfect 4.00 GPA.

The sport of women's soccer had the most honorees with 114, followed by football with 100. They were followed by baseball (89), men's soccer (73), volleyball (71), softball (65), women's basketball (62), women's cross country (49), men's tennis (39), women's tennis (38), men's golf (35), men's basketball (31), men's cross country (29), and women's golf (27).

For the third year in a row, Newberry College led the way with 113 student-athletes recognized. Wingate University was close behind with 108. First-year conference member Brevard College had 100. Tusculum College placed 99 on the honor roll, followed by Mars Hill College with 93, Carson-Newman College with 87, Lincoln Memorial University (77), Catawba College (73), and Lenoir-Rhyne University (72).

Three former Avery County High School athletic standouts made the honor roll. Wingate University senior cross country runner and Elementary Education major Ashley Condrey was named to the list, as was freshman cross country runner and Pre-Medical Science major Kate Griewisch from Lenoir Rhyne University. Mars Hill College football senior quarterback and Recreation major Ricky Spradling was also named to the honor roll.

Congratulations to these student-athletes for their excellence both on the field and in the classroom.

Dicus Loses Five-Year Battle

Watauga High School senior baseball player Will Dicus passed away on Monday following a five-year bout with cancer. Dicus was 18 years of age.

Will threw a no-hitter as a JV pitcher against Freedom, and played the final two years of his varsity high school career as a Pioneer, pitching five innings in a game against West Wilkes his junior season for a victory, despite imminent danger if he were to be struck by a baseball.

Steve Behr, the sports editor at our fellow Jones Media newspaper Watauga Democrat wrote a column on Dicus and his love for life and baseball. You can read that piece by clicking here

Avery Middle School Honors Student-Athletes at Annual Athletics Banquet

On Thursday evening, May 28th Avery Middle School held its annual end-of-season athletics banquet for fall, winter, and spring sports. The evening was a combination of celebration and reflection of the year that was in Panthers sports.

The Avery Middle School family recognized the life and contributions of former coach Chris Buchanan as Susan Clark presented a memorial in honor of the late coach. A memorial display was prepared in front of the speaker’s podium in recognition of the coach’s life. Coach Buchanan tragically passed away earlier this year and his memory was on the minds and in the hearts of all who knew him, including all the athletes, coaches, and administrative personnel whose lives he touched.

Avery Middle School Director of Athletics Marilynne Phillips, as well as Principal David Wright addressed students and parents in attendance, thanking them for their participation and expressing appreciation for their sterling efforts both in the athletic and academic arenas.

The banquet was privileged to have as a guest speaker John Mark Bentley, former standout athlete at Avery Middle School who went on to become a four-time state wrestling champion at Avery High School and national high school wrestling champion.

Bentley excelled as a wrestler at the University of North Carolina, garnering ACC Freshman Wrestler of the Year honors and ACC Wrestler of the Year accolades, along with a trio of conference championships.

Bentley has had a successful coaching career as a high school head wrestling coach at Watauga High School, in addition to a coaching stints at Davidson and Appalachian State University before being named head wrestling coach for the Mountaineers following the retirement of 33-year veteran coach Paul Mance.

Athletes from a total of 11 sports were honored over the course of the banquet and recognized for their contributions to the Panthers athletic success in 2008-09. The Robin Carver Austin Scholar Awards were also presented to two students who excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic field.

This year’s award recipients included the following:

Football: MVP – Rob Wood; Coach’s Award – Scott Simon; Most Improved – Dustin Barnard; Defensive – Chase Buchanan; Offensive – Chance Watson.

Cheerleading: MVP Football Season– Megan Daniels; MVP Basketball Season – Abigail Fortune; Coach’s Award – Mikaela Daniels; Coach’s Award – Katie Hall; Most Improved – Carson Clark; Most Spirited – Micaela Gragg

Soccer: MVP – Heraclio Flores; Coach’s Award – Kelly Jiminez; Most Improved – Leonardo Ortiz; Defensive – Carson Williams; Offensive – Isauro Estrada

Volleyball: Coach’s Award – Breanna Heaton; Most Improved – Chelsy Hofman;
Defensive – Kelsie Clarke; Offensive – Megan Dellinger

Girls Basketball: Coach’s Award – Megan Dellinger; Most Improved – Taylor Hobbs;
Defensive – Sela PittmanOffensive – Kelsie Clarke

Boys Basketball: Hustle Award – Chase Buchanan; Coach’s Award – Rob Wood; Most Improved – Dalton Cook; Defensive – Ty Polsgrove; Offensive – Chance Watson

Softball: MVP – Ashlie Yoder; Coach’s Award – Carson Clark, Ellie Lecka; Most Improved – Kaitlyn Sudderth; Defensive – Paige Henderson; Offensive – Shannon Smith

Baseball: MVP- Chance Watson; Coach’s Award- Walker Carswell; Most Improved: Tyler Edwards; Defensive- Zach Dobson; Offensive- Tyler Polsgrove

Golf: Best All Around- Daniel Childress

Track:Boys MVP- Carson Williams; Girls MVP- Shannon Smith

Wrestling: Most Valuable Wrestler- Luke Price; Most Outstanding- Brennan Clark;
Most Improved- Ethan Webb; Leadership Award- Grant Silliman

Robin Carver Austin Award Winners- Scott Simon and Serina Ramos

Congratulations to all the athletes and coaches throughout the county for a successful 2008-09 campaign!

Del Harris to Retire from Coaching

Sources are reporting that Chicago Bulls veteran assistant coach Del Harris will be announcing his retirement from coaching as early as today.

Harris compiled a 556-457 career coaching record as head coach of three NBA teams (L.A. Lakers, Houston Rockets, and Milwaukee Bucks) over a 14-season span and made the playoffs in all but two seasons as head coach. He also served as an assistant coach with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets, and Dallas Mavericks.

Harris is a graduate of Milligan College, located in nearby Johnson City, Tennessee, where he played basketball from 1955-58. He is a member of the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.

"I'm proud of the 50 years," Harris told the Chicago Tribune newspaper. "I didn't want to quit after 49. And though I never won that title, I don't think that's a failure. I've impacted people. I still have players I coached in high school and college who call me. That means more to me than wins."

With a coaching career spanning 50 years, Harris spent last season as an assistant under rookie head coach Vinny Del Negro with the Bulls. Harris coached the Chinese National Team in the 2004 Athens Olympics. In this decade alone, he has been voted the NBA's top assistant in three of the previous four seasons by NBA general managers.

Stanley to Shine on Diamond at Next Level

As one of the region's leaders in batting average in Western North Carolina during his senior season, it would only be a matter of time before a school would have the good fortune of landing Avery Vikings senior infielder/pitcher Sutton Stanley. This past week Stanley made the decision to attend Lenoir Rhyne University, where he will attempt to earn a spot on the team's baseball roster.

The Viking batsman garnered much interest in his senior season at Avery. He hit for one of the state's highest batting averages with a .551 BA during this past regular season with a pair of home runs and 22 runs batted in. He maintained his strong offensive prowess in conference play with a .533 batting average.

Sutton proved his versatility around the field with spectacular defensive plays and pitching efforts. Stanley had a 1-0 win/loss record in six relief appearances as a right-handed hurler for the Big Red, and completed the season with a 4.82 ERA, good for second-best on the ballclub.

Stanley had recently traveled with family members to Hickory for a workout with the team, and the invitation was extended by head coach Paul Knight to walk-on with the club in the fall. Lenoir-Rhyne University was 24-23 overall this past season, with a 10-11 mark in South Atlantic Conference play under Coach Knight.

Congratulations to Sutton and all of Avery's athletes who will be continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level.

Mountaineers Ranked Second in First Preseason Poll for 2009

The first preseason FCS football poll has been released by the AnyGivenSaturday.com website, and the Mountaineers are ranked 2nd overall. AGS has posted the first preseason poll of teams each year since its inception in 2004.

Reigning National Champion Richmond landed the top spot, garnering 59 first place votes in the sixth annual preseason AnyGivenSaturday.com (AGS) Poll. Following the Spiders in the top ten were (in order): Appalachian State, Montana, Villanova, Northern Iowa, James Madison, Southern Illinois, New Hampshire, Weber State, and Elon. The full results are listed below.

Five other teams received first place votes including Appalachian State (20), Villanova (11), Montana (5), Northern Iowa (2), and James Madison (1).

A total of 18 squads received more than the five votes required to receive mention outside of the top 25.

The Colonial Athletic Association, FCS's largest league lead the way with eight teams in the Top 25; the Southern Conference had five, the Big Sky Conference had four, the Missouri Valley Football and Southland Conferences had three each, and the Great West Football and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conferences were each represented with one squad.

The pollsters also named Delaware as the biggest rising team from 2008 and Cal Poly as the biggest falling team.

In comparison to other polls, the AGS Poll had as many or more of its preseason top 25 on its final regular season poll than either of the other two polls (coaches and media) had on theirs since the poll's inception five years ago. The AGS Poll also had as many or more of its preseason top 25 on its final regular season poll make the playoffs than either of the other two polls the past five years.

AGS is the world's largest online community devoted to all of the FCS. The AGS Poll was created in 2004 to give distinguished members of the AGS community a place to voice their opinion, vote for the top 25 FCS programs in the nation, and provide the media and coaches of FCS a valuable resource to gauge general sentiment. In order to ensure that the poll is accurate and fair, a committee of AGS veteran members has established guidelines for voter eligibility and accountability.

The AGS Poll will be announced weekly throughout the season on Mondays and a final poll will be announced shortly after the National Championship game.

2009 Any Given Saturday Poll Preseason Top 25
(First place votes in parenthesis), Points

1. Richmond (59), 2338
2. Appalachian State (20), 2292
3. Montana (5), 2154
4. Villanova (11), 2152
5. Northern Iowa (2), 2011
6. James Madison (1), 1746
7. Southern Illinois, 1703
8. New Hampshire, 1695
9. Weber State, 1692
10. Elon, 1398
11. Wofford, 1326
12. Cal Poly, 1159
13. William & Mary, 1105
14. Central Arkansas, 1034
15. Maine, 841
16. McNeese State, 687
17. South Carolina State, 617
18. Massachusetts, 602
19. Eastern Washington, 538
20. Delaware, 409
21. South Dakota State, 397
22. Furman, 386
23. Texas State, 323
24. Georgia Southern, 311
25. Montana State, 306

Others receiving votes (minimum of 5 votes): Jacksonville State (54), Liberty (48), Colgate (46), Harvard (43), Albany (36), Eastern Kentucky (36), Holy Cross (30), Samford (26), North Dakota State (24), Northern Arizona (24), Grambling State (14), Youngstown State (11), Florida A&M (10), Tennessee-Martin (8), Prairie View A&M (7), Western Illinois (7), Pennsylvania (5), UC Davis (5).

Avery Football Prepares for 2009 Season with Spring Practice

Spring has arrived, which means the Avery football team gets its first opportunity to work on drills, technique, and terminology. Last week the Vikings began its annual spring practice schedule, as over a ten-day period the team will work on conditioning and learning principles which will better prepare the team as it goes into summer camps, and eventually, the beginning of regular season play in mid-August. There has been a fair share of pleasant developments through the spring sessions.

“The biggest surprise has been how smooth everything has been. We’re a bunch of pups, but the players don’t act like they’re young,” Avery head football coach Darrell Brewer said in an interview last week. “Everything has looked good. Alex (Viking sophomore quarterback Villanueva) has looked like a veteran out here running the offense and looks like he’s been doing it for years.”

With 14 seniors graduated from the 2008 team, including a pair of kickers, Avery hopes to rebuild the roster and focus on bettering themselves as the days and weeks progress, leading up to the August 21 season opener at Robbinsville.

“We’ve got to replace a kicker, and graduation kind of wiped out our secondary and receiving corps, so that’s something we’re looking at intently during these spring practices,” the coach said.

An emphasis has been placed the past couple of weeks on strengthening the line of scrimmage and developing a rushing attack, especially considering that many team summer activities for the Big Red are of the 7-on-7 passing league variety.

“I think we’re working most right now on our line. The line the past couple of years has not been what I’ve wanted it to be, and we’re really working on the line play,” the coach said. “Come August we hope to spend less time teaching who to block. So through the spring we’ve worked a lot with the line on coming off the ball and who to block.”

There has been heated competition on the practice field, as players recognize that each one of them have a chance to be starting on the field when the Friday night lights fire illuminate the landscape come fall.

“One thing I think is exciting to this group is that they realize that every one of them has a shot to start,” Coach Brewer remarked. “In years past, you’ve looked and had an idea if a senior or a junior would be starting for you. But I tell you right now that everything’s wide open. That’s how we as coaches are looking at it, and we’re telling the players it’s up to them to step up and take that opportunity in front of them.”

This spring has offered the players and coaches an opportunity to turn a page from last season, to focus on bettering the Avery team rather than worrying or game planning against an upcoming opponent.

“A great thing about the spring is that we’re not game planning to play Robbinsville or an Owen. We’re strictly working on fundamentals and focusing 100 percent on Avery right now,” Coach Brewer said. “Once you’re into the season it’s harder to focus on Avery, so this is a great time for us to look at improving ourselves as a team. I enjoy this time of year at the start spring practice because you feel like it’s football season again, and coaching the players is all we have to worry about.”

With only two wins a season ago, the Vikings are looking at 2009 as a time to forget what is behind them and sail ahead toward greater success.

“Last year is something we’re not even talking about. We’re thinking about this year, and the kids are working hard,” Coach Brewer added. “They’re going to have to grow up to be ready for Robbinsville in the fall, because they’ll be loaded for bear. That will be a good test for us and help us grow up in a hurry and find out where we stand. There’s nothing more we can ask for than that. The team is excited and I feel good and am excited about what’s to come.”

Avery Baseball Season Ends with Second Round Loss to Bulldogs

After its two-day odyssey to Highlands that resulted in a 10-0 whitewash at Highlands, the Avery Vikings baseball team hopped back onto the bus last Tuesday May 19th for another four-plus hour bus trip, this time journeying to Murphy for a matchup with the Bulldogs.

The two teams stood toe-to-toe with one another in a closely fought game at Emerson Field in Konahete Park, but a late three-run Murphy rally in its final at-bat, as well as a half dozen Viking errors and only four hits proved too much for the Big Red to overcome in a 6-1 defeat.

Avery threatened to take the lead in the top of the first frame, as Brooks Oakley hit a one-out single and advanced to third on an Adam Pate base hit to put a pair of runners on base. The Big Red could not cash in, however, as a pair of groundouts to second base quelled the opportunity.

Murphy sought to draw first blood itself in its first at-bat of the contest, loading the bases on a base hit, an error, and a walk. However, right handed senior starter Brooks Oakley worked out of the jam, inducing a fielder’s choice to end the inning without a runner crossing the plate.

The Vikings looked poised to stake another claim on the lead when right fielder Daniel Huff led off with a base hit. Avery again came up empty when, following a pair of strikeouts, the runner was picked off by Murphy southpaw Josh Coker to close the inning.

In the bottom of the second, the Bulldogs struck for three runs off Oakley, two of which were literally off the pitcher. Murphy led off with a base hit, then the bottom hitter in the order bunted the runner to second. On the play, Avery third baseman Zac Hall slipped attempting to field the bunt, and was not able to throw the runner out at first.

Murphy’s chances of scoring dimmed when another Bulldog bunt was fielded by Avery catcher Steven Daniels who threw out the lead runner at third base. A slow roller toward the pitcher was mishandled, allowing the hitter to reach and load the bases, and a run scored when Bulldog right fielder Cook hit a grounder to shortstop. Avery’s Adam Pate fielded cleanly and threw home for a force out, but the throw pulled catcher Daniels off the plate for the game’s first run.

A frightening moment occurred one batter later when Oakley faced his opposite number Coker at the plate. Coker lined a 3-2 pitch off the leg of Oakley on the mound. The ball caromed away past the third baseman and rolled away which allowed a pair of additional runs to score.

The Avery hurler was on the ground for several minutes in obvious pain, but walked off the injury, ignored the pain, and remained on the mound for the Big Red. Oakley struck out the next two hitters to end the inning.

“That was the hardest hit ball I’ve ever seen hit off a player, as the ball didn’t land until it was halfway down the third base line. My first reaction was “Oh no, he’s broken his shin” because I thought that was where the ball had hit him. When a ball come off that hard and goes that distance, I thought he was hurt badly,” Avery head baseball coach Benny Wellborn said of the incident.

“Luckily the ball hit him in the meat of the inside part of his knee. It showed me a senior who wanted to play in his last ballgame and give it everything he’s got. It was an inspiration to me, it was an inspiration to our guys. The kid showed great heart and drive to stay in there and get the job done. I don’t know many kids who would have stayed in there and done that for any team. He was hit hard, managed to get back up, and I thought he threw harder and better after he was hit. That’s something I will never forget. He deserves a lot of credit for hanging in there.”

As the top of the third inning ensued, Avery managed to get back one of the three runs surrendered during the previous frame. Oakley laced a two-out double to left field. Shortstop Adam Pate came up to the plate next and hit a grounder to second base. The second baseman misplayed the baseball and it rolled into short right field. Pinch runner Ethan Sluder raced around third and scored under the Murphy catcher’s tag to cut the lead to 3-1.

Both teams were retired in order over the next two half-innings, and Murphy tried to pad its lead in the bottom of the fourth. Two Bulldogs reached base via single and walk, but Oakley worked around the trouble as he struck out a batter and got a fielder’s choice to close the inning.

Avery’s bats, which had been white hot leading up to the contest, suddenly cooled as Coker made life difficult for the Big Red. The Vikings were retired in order for the second time in a row in the top of the fifth, while the home team mounted another charge at the scoreboard and the Avery defense.

A single, a hit batsman, and a walk to the first three Murphy hitters in the inning loaded the bases. Oakley struck out the fourth hitter of the frame, then was the beneficiary of an induced ground ball back to himself. Oakley promptly fired home to catcher Daniels, who then gunned a ball to first baseman Jared Clark for the 1-2-3 double play which ended the inning and energized the ballclub.

Daniels momentarily broke the Murphy dominance on the mound in the top of the sixth with a two-out single, bringing the tying run to the plate. But Murphy’s Coker forced a groundout to again deny the Vikings.

As the sun began to set, Murphy added three insurance runs in the bottom of the inning, all with two outs, to dampen the spirits of the Avery faithful who made the drive to Cherokee County. The big blow was a two-run home run by Bulldog second baseman and cleanup hitter Luke Charles to stake Murphy to a 5-1 advantage.

Murphy continued to hit the ball hard off the Avery starter, who may have begun feeling the effects from the earlier hit to the leg. Right fielder Butterworth hit a deep ball to the outfield which was misplayed for an error by Avery, leading to the batter taking second base. The following hitter ripped a sharp RBI single to left field, which made the score 6-1 and signaled the end of the day on the mound for the Viking senior after 104 pitches and 5 2/3 innings.

Avery had one final chance in the top of the seventh and put two runners on base with only one out, but a 1-4-3 double play turned by the Bulldogs defense ended the game.

“It seemed like they caught quite a few breaks. We hit the ball right at people, and their pitcher did a really good job of hiding the ball. The kids had a hard time picking up the ball, so to only strike out five times was good,” Coach Wellborn said. “We caught some unfortunate breaks, like when Brooks was takes one off the knee and two runs score. That along with other little things was turning points in the game. If a couple of things go our way and we capitalize on a couple of chances, things might have ended differently. Their pitcher made adjustments when we hit his fastball, and his off-speed pitches were good. We had a hard time adjusting to his change-up, which was probably his best pitch.”

Brooks Oakley was the only Avery player with multiple base hits, as he was 2 for 3 with a single and a double. Adam Pate and Steven Daniels also rapped base hits in the contest.

Avery completed the season with a mark of 12-10 overall, with a winning record in conference play. The team loses seven seniors, but Avery will look to regroup with a number of young and talented players from this year’s junior varsity squad.

Congratulations to the Vikings for another strong season on the diamond!

Avery Baseball Update

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Avery trails Murphy 3-1. Pitcher Brooks Oakley was drilled with a line drive to the leg early in the game and a pair of runs scored on the play. He has stayed in the game and thrown well. Avery scored on a ball up the middle from Adam Pate in the top of the third.

Murphy has added 3 runs in the bottom of the sixth to their total as Avery continues to struggle to get an offense going.

Avery got 2 men on second in the 7th but the game ended on 1-6-3 double play as Murphy wins ut 6-1. Congrats to the Vikings on an outstanding season!

Lady Vikings Defeated 6-1 by Thomas Jefferson in Softball Play-In Game

A determined Lady Vikings team looked to play its way into the state softball playoffs, despite the best record in school history at 9-11 overall. Avery hosted upstart Thomas Jefferson, a team whom the Vikings had split two regular season games, with each team capturing victory at home. For the Lady Vikings, their season came to an abrupt end on a sunny Monday afternoon in Newland, as Thomas Jefferson escaped Avery with a 6-1 victory to advance in the state playoffs.

The Thomas Jefferson defense was outstanding throughout the game, as hit after Avery hit was robbed by a number of sterling defensive plays. Diving stops, accurate throws, line drive catches, and double plays may have been an early indication that is wasn't going to be a great day for the Big Red.

TJCA got on the scoreboard first with a pair of runs in the top of the first. An RBI base hit, as well as a wild pitch allowed a run to score, giving the Gryphons the early 2-0 lead. Avery threatened in the bottom of the frame when leadoff hitter Morgan Yackey got on with a double, but she was caught stealing at third base to end the inning.

The Gryphons put a pair of runners on in the second, but starter Morgan Yackey induced a pair of outs on a pop up and ground out to escape with no additional runs allowed to cross the plate. Avery's lineup was retired 1-2-3 in the second, then both teams repeated the feat in the third inning to hold the score at 2-0 in favor of the visitors.

After retiring the Gryphons in the top of the fourth, Avery looked poised to put runs on the board when senior catcher Sara Singleton laced a one-out single to right center field. Unfortunately she was doubled off base when the pitcher caught a line drive from the bat of Justina Rieger and fired the ball back to first in time for a double play to end the frame.

Thomas Jefferson added to its lead in the top of the fifth with a run off a trio of singles, the last one scoring a runner from second to pad the Gryphon lead to 3-0. The Thomas Jefferson pitcher was dominant throughout the contest, retiring the Vikings in order in the bottom of the fifth to preserve the three-run margin.

The top of the sixth was a tough frame for the Big Red, as the Gryphons took advantage of a number of errors for three more insurance runs. Three of the first four hitters in the inning reached base due to Avery gaffes. A wild pitch and pair of throwing errors in the field accounted for each of the runs in the inning which put the Lady Vikings in a 6-0 hole.

"Unfortunately that inning was kind of a microcosm of our season. When we have one bad mistake happen in an inning it seems that they compound on top of each other like that snowball that rolls downhill," Avery head softball coach Merritt Yackey said after the game.

Avery tried to rally yet again as Amber Clark rapped a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth, but was stranded on a pop-out to end the inning.

Thomas Jefferson worked a walk and advanced a runner to second base in the top of the seventh, but Yackey struck out a pair of hitters to quell the threat and give Avery one final attempt to come back.

Avery showed signs of life in the bottom of the seventh and final inning as leadoff batter Singleton ripped a double to center field. Justina Rieger followed Singleton's hit with an RBI double of her own, plating Singleton to put the Vikings on the board and cut the lead to 6-1. Samantha Shook singled to center field to put runners on the corners. The Thomas Jefferson hurler buckled down, however, and struck out Avery's next three hitters in succession to seal the Gryphon victory and halt the Lady Viking season.

"We didn't get a break today. It was one of those days that, to their credit, they made a number of great plays, and we just needed one thing for us to get on track offensively, and it never did," Avery head softball coach Merritt Yackey said following the game. "We put a runner on early but could not generate a run which really hurt. I think they had only one earned run, and defensively we struggled all year."

The coach also responded to whether he felt the late notice by the high school association and the fact his team had to play on Monday rather than on Tuesday affected his squad. "We met at around 9:30 a.m. with the team to discuss the game and try to get them ready. I'm sure it may have had an effect of some kind, how much I don't know because we had beaten them pretty easily the previous time we played them here."

Avery closes its season at 9-13 overall, with a 3-9 conference mark, school records in each category. Congratulations to Big Red Softball on a great season!

Lady Vikings Softball Fall to Thomas Jefferson 6-1 in Playoff Opener

The Avery Lady Vikings softball squad lost a hard-fought playoff game to Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy on Monday afternoon by a 6-1 final score.

TJCA scored a pair of runs in the first inning, one run in the fifth inning, and three more in the sixth inning, while Avery could only manage a run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a Justina Rieger RBI base hit which scored Sara Singleton.

Much more on this contest and the week's action for the Lady Vikings in the print edition of the Avery Journal-Times and here on the Blog!

Lady Vikings Tangle with Gryphons in Softball Opening Round

The Avery Lady Vikings softball team learned that it has qualified for the NCHSAA state 1A playoffs, but will have to take on the Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy Lady Gryphons in an opening round (also referred to as "play-in") game today (Monday afternoon) at 4:30 p.m. at Avery High School.

Avery completed its best regular season in school history with a 9-11 record and picked up three conference wins in the process. The two teams split their season series, with each squad winning at home. The latter was a 6-0 shutout in late April by Avery at home.

Senior pitcher Morgan Yackey has surrendered only three hits to the Gryphons in two complete games pitched, while freshman Justina Rieger had a pair of hits which drove in three runs in the Avery victory over TJCA.

The winner of this afternoon's game will travel to Rosman for the first round of the 1A state playoffs on Tuesday.