JV final scores (each in 5 inn.): softball- 14-4 Mountain Heritage, baseball- 13-1 Cougars.

Avery JV softball comes up short against Mountain Heritage in 5 innings, JV baseball trails 9-1 top 5th.

Avery bitten by the error bug in the early going of the JV baseball game with Heritage. 8-1 Cougars bottom 3rd

Avery Baseball and Softball Tangles with Cougars This Afternoon

The Avery Vikings will square off with the Mountain Heritage Cougars in baseball and softball action this afternoon in Newland. With the conference season winding down, every game matters, so the teams will battle tooth and nail for victories.

Viking baseball begins around 4 p.m., with softball scheduled to begin around 4:30 pm.

Avery Baseball and Softball vs. Heritage Postponed

Avery's scheduled baseball and softball home games for this afternoon against Mountain Heritage have been postponed due to rain. The baseball game has been rescheduled to take place on Thursday, with no confirmed make-up date at this time for the softball game (hopefully Thursday also, according to Avery officials).

Avery's teams will also play at Mitchell Friday to close out regular season action.

Lady Vikings Fall in Non-Conference Battle with Neighboring Watauga

On Friday evening Avery hosted their neighbors to the north, the Watauga Lady Pioneers in a non-conference match. Two early Watauga second-half goals were the difference in a 3-1 Lady Pioneers win.

In years past, the battle between the rival schools has been a bitter one, but this year's encounter was a showdown of mutual respect, as players from both squads have competed together as teammates and friends on regional club teams. Nevertheless, a victory for the first time in women's soccer over the Lady Pioneers would be a feather in Avery's proverbial hat.

The Big Red got on the scoreboard early in the match. In the second minute, Avery sophomore Mary Chesnut found fellow sophomore Melinda Eggers with a pass through a number of Watauga players, who slipped a shot past the keeper to give Avery a 1-0 lead at the two minute mark.

Avery's lead would be short-lived. As the weather darkened, the Lady Viking lead faded to black. In the ninth minute, Watauga scored the equalizer as Ashlyn Clark capitalized on a strong individual effort to escape the Viking defense and score. The score remained knotted at 1-1 through the remainder of the first half.

With the exception of a two-minute breakdown, the two squads played to a virtual standstill. Watauga made the most of those two minutes, however. In the 45th minute of action, Watauga's Kendyl Baird fired an outside shot into the goal to put Watauga up 2-1.

Less than a minute later the Lady Pioneers struck for another tally. During a scramble in front of the Viking goal, Watauga managed to push another shot into goal. The Watauga 3-1 advantage remained unchanged through the remainder of the match, as the defense for both clubs was strong enough to prevent any scoring opportunities.

Avery senior keeper Cailan Callaway had 3 saves while Avery’s offense took 5 shots on goal in the match, a lower normal than in a number of Lady Vikings matches as Watauga’s defense kept Big Red from taking additional shots. Watauga had a total of 11 shots on goal, mostly from the midfield area. The Vikings were unable to convert on their five corner kicks.

The Lady Vikings fall to 13-3-1 overall, and remain at 9-1 in conference play. Avery has two remaining regular season conference games, hosting Hendersonville for Senior Night on Monday at the special match time of 5 p.m. The following evening, the Vikings travel to Polk County to tangle with the Lady Wolverines at 6 PM.

Avery Track and Golf News and Notes

Avery sophomore Mary Chesnut Smith won a pair of events and finished second in another at the Western Highlands Conference Track and Field Championships held last Wednesday, April 29th.

Smith finished first in the 1600-meter run with a time of 5:32.44, and captured first in the 800-meter run with a finishing time of 2:29.24. She finished second to Madison's Cynthia Griffin in the women's 3200 meter run with a time of 12:48.14.

Other female Avery athletes with top 8 finishes in events included Caroline Crenshaw, who was 4th in the 300m hurdles (54.07 sec) and 5th in the women's triple jump (27-11.5), and Sara Wiseman, who finished 8th in shot put (26'02") and 4th in discus (67'11.5")

The Lady Vikings finished third in the 4x100m relay, 4th in the 4x200m relay, and 5th in the 4x800m relay.

Avery's male athletes competed in individual and team events as well. The team finished 4th in the 4x100m relay, 3rd in the 4x200 relay, and sixth in both the 4x400m and 4x800m relay events.

Viking men competitors with top eight finishes at conference included senior Kyle Griewisch, who was third in the 100m dash with a time of 11.88 seconds, and finished 4th in the 200m dash with a time of 24.16 seconds.

Fellow senior Andrew Ingram finished sixth in the 100m dash (12.19 sec.), seventh in the 200m dash (25.10), and 5th overall in the long jump with a distance of 18-06. Phillip Corley finished seventh in both the men's high jump (5-04) and triple jump (35-06), while freshman Alex Villanueva finished sixth in the 300m hurdles (46.74 sec), 4th in the men's high jump (5-08), and sixth in the long jump (18-04).

A number of Avery track and field athletes have qualified for Western Regional competition, which will be held next week at Polk County.

In other news, the Western Highlands Conference Golf Championships were also held last Monday and Tuesday. Avery finished in fifth place at the event as a team.

Avery's Chase Watson was the Vikings' lone individual qualifier for Western Regionals, which will be held on Tuesday, May 5th at Meadowbrook Country Club in Rutherfordton. In addition, Avery head coach Boe Barinowski was named WHC Coach of the Year in his first season as Vikings golf team head coach.

Polk County was the 1A team winner at the conference tournament, while Owen and Mitchell qualified for the 2A regional tournament as a team, which will be held at Cedarbrook Country Club in State Road.

It's Official: Buzz is Back in Boone

Courtesy of Appalachian Sports Information

BOONE, N.C. — Buzz Peterson, who led Appalachian State University men’s basketball to three Southern Conference regular-season championships and an NCAA Tournament appearance from 1996-2000, has returned to Appalachian to once again serve as the school’s men’s basketball head coach.

Peterson led the Mountaineers to a 79-39 record, including a 47-12 mark in SoCon play, in his first four seasons at ASU. His .669 overall winning percentage and .797 winning percentage in conference play are both tops among head coaches in program history (minimum three seasons).

After orchestrating a turnaround from an 8-20 season in the season prior to his arrival to a 14-14 record in 1996-97, Peterson coached the Apps to three-consecutive 20-win seasons, SoCon North Division titles and appearances in the SoCon Tournament championship game. The 1999-2000 squad went 23-9 and defeated College of Charleston, 68-56, in the SoCon title game to give the program just its second NCAA Tournament appearance in school history (the first since 1979).

In his four years at ASU, he was twice named SoCon Coach of the Year (1998 and 2000) and mentored seven all-conference honorees.

Following the 1999-2000 campaign, Peterson accepted the head-coaching position at Tulsa. In his only season at TU, he led the Golden Hurricanes to a 26-11 record and the 2001 National Invitation Tournament championship.

He then moved on to Tennessee, where he posted a 61-59 record from 2001-05. The Vols earned two NIT berths in Peterson’s four seasons at the helm.

Following the stint at UT, Peterson compiled a 35-25 record in two seasons at Coastal Carolina. In his first season at CCU (2005-06), the Chanticleers registered their first 20-win season in 13 years and fell in heart-breaking fashion to Winthrop in the 2006 Big South Tournament championship game.

In his 11 seasons as a head coach, Peterson has compiled a 201-134 overall record (.600) and led his teams to four postseason appearances.

He left the college game in 2007 to become the Director of Player Personnel for the National Basketball Association’s Charlotte Bobcats. The Bobcats won a franchise-record 35 games in 2008-09.

Prior to accepting his first head-coaching position at ASU in 1996, Peterson spent nine seasons as an assistant coach, with stints at ASU (1987-89), East Tennessee State (1989-90), NC State (1990-93) and Vanderbilt (1993-96). The teams that he served as an assistant coach for made four postseason appearances (two NCAA, two NIT) and were a combined 154-117.

Peterson played for four seasons under legendary head coach Dean Smith at North Carolina from 1981-85. During his playing career at UNC, he helped led the Tar Heels to a 115-22 combined record and four Atlantic Coast Conference championships. He was a member of Carolina’s legendary 1982 national championship squad, where he teamed with future NBA stars James Worthy, Sam Perkins and Michael Jordan, who was his roommate and later hired him as part-owner of the Bobcats.

Peterson prepped at Asheville High School, where he was a Parade and McDonald’s all-American and beat out Jordan for North Carolina Player and Athlete of the Year accolades in 1981.

Peterson and his wife, Jan, have three children: Nicole, Olivia and Rob.

“After a very thorough search, there is no doubt that Buzz Peterson is the right person to lead our men’s basketball program,” ASU director of athletics Charlie Cobb said. “In his previous stint at Appalachian, he brought unprecedented success and excitement to the program and the University. His passion for ASU was evident when he met with his players for the first time Tuesday evening and his fit within the fabric of the community make him the perfect choice to bring our program back to the prominence and excitement that it previously enjoyed under his leadership.”

Avery Shuts Out Lady Cougars, Dismantles Lady Mountaineers

A stingy Avery Lady Vikings defense pitched two consecutive shutouts in upending Mountain Heritage 1-0 on Monday at MacDonald Stadium and dispatching the Mitchell Lady Mountaineers 8-0 Tuesday evening in Ledger.

Without a pair of players due to injury and with a number of position changes Monday evening, the Lady Vikings struggled early to get on track against a game Heritage squad. Avery's defense continued its stellar play, however, in keeping the match scoreless through the first half of action on the sunny afternoon.

Avery's coaching staff looked to multiple player combinations to find the right mix offensively, and things clicked in the Big Red's favor in the early portion of the second half. The Lady Vikings took a total of 12 shots on the Heritage goal in the second 40 minutes, with many shots just off target or hitting a crossbar.

One of Avery's shots finally found its mark in the 52nd minute when the second-year tandem of Mary Chesnut Smith and Emily Banner got the Vikings on the board. Smith passed the ball ahead to Banner who scored from about ten yards out for what amounted to the lone goal of the match.

The Lady Viking defense made the goal hold up, as senior keeper Cailan Calloway continued a stellar streak of strong play in goal with a pair of saves and her eighth shutout of the year.

Avery took little time in lighting up the scoreboard and the Mitchell Lady Mountaineers on Senior Night at Memorial Stadium in Ledger Tuesday night in an 8-0 blowout victory.

The team bounced back quickly from a less-than-stellar 1-0 victory the previous night in Newland against Mountain Heritage. From the outset, the Big Red found itself in a physical encounter, but rose to the challenge early and often.

In the 11th minute Avery got on the board as junior Elyse Perry came off the bench and provided instant offense, sending a cross to senior Rachel Buchanan who netted the first tally of the match.

Three minutes later, Avery converted off a corner kick as Mary Chesnut Smith sent a ball to the front of the net. Perry got a foot on the loose ball, but the kick was deflected in by a Mitchell player for a gift own goal, staking the Vikings a 2-0 edge.

The Big Red struck again in the 36th minute as Smith and fellow sophomore Katelynn Eudy paired up for a score, with Smith assisting on a goal from Eudy. The duo worked to perfection again three minutes later for Avery's fourth and final goal of the half. This time Eudy sent a ball to Smith, who scored past the Lady Mountaineer keeper.

During intermission, Avery's coaches impressed upon the team the need to continue to play at a high level despite the physicality of the contest. The coaches laid out a challenge to the starters to make something happen in the first ten minutes of the second half, before a number of reserves would see significant action and position shifts would occur.

The Lady Vikings responded in an overwhelmingly positive fashion. In the 44th minute, sophomore Melinda Eggers passed to classmate Emily Banner whose kick found the upper half of the goal for a 5-0 margin.

In the 58th minute, Banner struck for a second goal as freshman Hannah Washburn set up the sophomore with a great pass, which Banner capitalized on for a score.

Eighteen minutes later Eudy, who re-entered the game after a short recovery from some physical play, played forward rather than her usual stopper position. She found Smith, who was replacing Eudy at stopper. Smith passed back to Eudy, who eluded a number of Lady Mountaineer defenders and scored her second goal of the evening. Smith then capped the scoring with a second goal for the night off a Washburn assist.

Avery's offensive attack was well balanced with 30 shots on goal: 14 in the first half and 16 in the second. One score was off one of the 7 corner kicks. Avery also played a great defensive game with only two fouls called and one offsides.

Goalkeeper Cailan Calloway was the dependable stopper in net that she has been throughout the entire season, registering a whopping ninth shutout of the season while saving a pair of Mitchell shots, with help from defensive stalwarts junior sweeper Hayden Blackburn, senior Kasey Brown, and sophomore Megan Robbins.

The Lady Vikings improve again on its stellar season with a 9-1 record in Western Highlands Conference play and are 13-2-1 overall.

Avery returns to action on Friday night with a non-conference friendly against neighboring Watauga, then venture back into conference action against the two teams they are tied for in the WHC: a make-up match at home with Hendersonville for Senior Night on Monday and the regular season finale at Polk on May 5th.

Viking Baseball Game Rescheduled to This Afternoon (Wednesday)

The Madison at Avery baseball games scheduled for Thursday afternoon have been rescheduled to today (April 29th) due to forcasted inclement weather Thursday. Avery's varsity looks to rebound from a tough 7-0 loss to Polk County on Tuesday and sweep the season series with the Patriots.

First pitch is slated for 4 p.m.

Freedom Trail Elementary School Hosts Championship Wrestling Alliance Fund Raiser

The squared circle was abuzz with fists and feet flying last Saturday night as the stars of Championship Wrestling Alliance brought its action to Freedom Trail Elementary School in Cranberry. The Freedom Trail PTO hosted the event as a fund raiser for a pair of school projects.

"The P.T.O. had a pair of goals this year for the school. One was a new sign, which we have completed, and we wanted to complete a waterfall and garden in memory of Brad Jones,” Freedom Trail Elementary School principal Ruth Shirley said following the event.

Bringing pro wrestling to Cranberry was one of a number of fund raising ideas considered by the organization. “Our whole goal is that kids wouldn’t have to go out and sell things, but rather that events and people could be brought to the school to raise money,” Shirley added. “This was a new fund raiser for us, and everything we raise goes back to the kids. We also do an end-of-year field day for the kids.”

Despite a number of activities in the region which included high school dramas and regional musical festivals, the wrestling card raised $800 for the school.

“Our fourth grade teacher Cory Holden knew the group and he brought them here. They were really entertaining and the kids really loved it,” Shirley stated. “This is something we would consider bringing back. The group was fan-friendly and the wrestlers were nice to work with.”

Yackey to Play Softball at Muskingum College

Avery senior standout softball pitcher Morgan Yackey will be able to continue her softball career beyond the prep level, attending college and playing softball at Muskingum (OH) College.

Muskingum, a private, liberal arts Division III College located in New Concord, Ohio, boasts a long heritage of athletics. Muskingum is a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), one of the oldest conferences in the NCAA.

The Fighting Muskies softball team is led by head coach Donna Newberry, the all-time winningest coach in NCAA Division III history with 858 victories and recent inductee into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

A 10-time OAC Coach of the Year, Newberry has coached at the school for 35 seasons winning 18 conference championships, including a current streak of 11 straight. A total of 14 players have attained All-American status under Newberry’s tenure, and she led the 2001 Muskingum team to a National Championship. Coach Newberry is excited by the prospects of coaching Yackey at the collegiate level.

“I am very pleased that Morgan has chosen Muskingum College to further her education and continue her softball career,” Coach Newberry said regarding Yackey, “She is a good athlete and I believe that she will make a positive impact on our softball program here. I am looking forward to the opportunity to coach her and to help her reach her full potential as a player and as a person."

Morgan is the daughter of Merritt and Sara Yackey of Newland. Both are graduates from Muskingum, where Merritt was a member of the track and field team and was a school record holder in the high jump.

Yackey has an 8-7 pitching record in 86 innings pitched on the mound this season with 86 strikeouts and a 2.16 ERA. Morgan has a .520 batting average and .680 slugging percentage at the plate, with 26 of the team’s 120 hits this season. She has a home run, 12 RBI, and has scored 15 runs.

A Miracle Walking: Avery Coach Suffers Minor Injuries from Lightning Strike on Diamond

“Considering what I went through, I should go play the Lotto.”

Those words were said to Avery assistant baseball coach Daniel Jimenez by his brother after learning that Daniel was the victim of a lightning strike last Friday afternoon at the Avery High School baseball field and suffered only minor injuries.

After the Vikings junior varsity game was called off due to the storms in the immediate area, Coach Jimenez and fellow assistant coach Samuel Phillips were covering the pitcher’s mound with plastic tarp before leaving the field. Contrary to published reports, Jimenez and Phillips were on the field itself in the elements when lightning struck.

“I was out trying to cover the mound the plate. Everything looked alright, and then suddenly came together above me. I had finished covering the tarp and said that I would finish it later. As I had started my way off the field, I saw this flash,” Coach Daniel Jimenez said in an interview upon returning to practice this past Monday afternoon. “It was as if I saw what was coming down out of the sky and I said “It’s time to go”. I started running off the field and was between the mound and the dugout, and it was like somebody came behind and hit me in my neck and shoulder with a shovel or a baseball bat. It was like it was chasing me, and when it hit me everything went black.”

The jolt stunned Jimenez and briefly rendered him unconscious. Luckily for Coach Jimenez, he had help off the field.

“I was out, and the next thing I knew Coach Phillips had me. I saw his face, and the next thing I know I was sitting in the dugout,” Jimenez added.

“We were sprinting off the field, and when I saw Daniel it looked like he had been shot by a rifle. His shoulder cocked back, and I screamed and took off after him. I caught him as he was falling to the ground and helped him over to a chair in the dugout,” fellow assistant Samuel Phillips recalled about the incident. “I asked him if he thought he’d been hit by lightning and he said he thought he had. I didn’t have a cell phone with me since we had just finished a game and was still in uniform. I knew Daniel was hurt by looking in his eyes, so I ran to the field house and asked Coach Wellborn to call 911.”

In short fashion rescue personnel were on the scene to attend to Jimenez, who remained alert and responsive. Jimenez exhibited no external damage such as burn marks but was transported to Cannon Memorial Hospital in Linville where he spent several hours undergoing a series of tests to determine whether he had internal injuries from the strike.

“The doctor said it must have hit somewhere in the woods or near the fence and that it must have been indirect because any direct hit would have left a burn mark. They did blood and urine tests to make sure my organs were not damaged by the strike,” the coach explained. “My wife decided to take me to her place and the doctor agreed to allow it as long as the tests came back okay. They did, so I was discharged around 11 or 12 p.m.”

In the days following the incident, Coach Jimenez shared that he feels a few physical symptoms from the strike.

“I’ve had no energy. I’ll feel good, but when I start doing something my energy goes quickly. I’m really tired. I’m sore up in my neck, jaw, ears, down my shoulder and arm,” Jimenez elaborated. “It feels kind of like everything’s in slow motion. My speech is a little slurred at times, but mainly everything just seems far away. Basically when I start trying to do a lot, it catches up to me.”

A throng of supporters and well-wishers, including the Avery coaches, a number of school administrators, players, and parents, came and stayed at the hospital in support of Coach Jimenez. Their presence and concern were a source of comfort.

“That really touched my heart. I’m pretty much here by myself as my wife and I are separated. Even with them here, my family is back where I came from,” Coach Jimenez explained. “I really want to thank the first responders, Sammy Phillips for getting me off the field to safety and keeping me alert. I appreciate the ambulance drivers, paramedics, and everybody at the hospital, plus folks like Edwina and Junior Sluder for coming over in support. Having them over there meant a lot to me. Most folks waited for hours, and I want to be sure to tell them from the bottom of my heart what that meant to me. Seeing so many folks there was wonderful and really helped me out to know that I’m not just a ghost here in town. It made me feel good.”

Both Coach Jimenez and Coach Phillips are fully aware and appreciative they nothing more serious occurred, considering the circumstances.

“Luckily Coach Jimenez is here with us today, the sun is shining, and we’re playing baseball, which thankfully is what matters,” Coach Phillips stated. “He’s very fortunate and a miracle walking.”

“I feel really fortunate. When it hit me I thought I was done,” Coach Jimenez added. “A split-second later everything just disappeared, and when I focused my eyes there was Coach Phillips. One thing I was happy about and remembered caring about was “If I didn’t wake up on Saturday, as least we beat Hendersonville.” It almost made it worthwhile knowing we beat them.”

Spoken like a true coach.

Lady Vikings Take Third Straight Home Win in Defeating Hendersonville

The Lady Vikings varsity softball team made it a perfect 3 for 3 on the week with an impressive 7-3 conference win Friday afternoon over the Hendersonville Lady Bearcats.

Pitching and defense ruled the day through the first three innings of action. Avery finally broke the ice in the bottom of the fourth inning with a five-run, five-hit burst. Kayley Davis hit a 2-run double to put the Big Red on the board. Amber Clark rapped an RBI single later in the frame to score Davis and put Avery up 3-0. Morgan Yackey followed up with a two-run double to account for the quintet of Lady Viking runs.

Hendersonville refused to give in as they rallied in the top of the fifth to score three runs on three hits and a walk and cut the Viking advantage to 5-3. As rain began to fell, the Lady Vikings pushed across a run in the bottom of the fifth to lead 6-3 when Justina Rieger walked and scored on an RBI groundout from Jessica Banner.

Avery starter Morgan Yackey held Hendersonville scoreless over the final three innings of play. Meanwhile, the Big Red added a seventh insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Becca Biggerstaff singled and scored on a Yackey RBI single, providing for the final margin of victory.

“I thought our defense and pitching were keys to getting the win today against Hendersonville. We completed a critical double play in the first inning to include throwing a runner out at the plate, started by a good outfield throw from Amber Clark hitting the cutoff. Our center infield was very good during the game with Sam Shook at shortstop recording three assists and a put out, Kaylea Davis at second recorded three putouts and an assist, and Morgan Yackey recording three assists from the pitching mound,” Avery head softball coach Merritt Yackey stated after the win.

“Morgan did a good job on the mound hitting spots and getting eight strikeouts while only issuing one walk. Her change up was effective and working today. Becca Biggerstaff also made an excellent play from centerfield throwing out a batter at second trying to stretch a single into a double. This was a great week for Avery softball, winning all three games with two of them being in conference.”

The Lady Vikings return to the diamond this week when they host Polk County this afternoon (Tuesday), and will also square off with the Madison Lady Patriots on April 30th.

Report: Peterson to be Named Appalachian State men's basketball coach

There may be a buzz around the Appalachian State University campus in the near future.

The Winston-Salem Journal's Tommy Bowman reports that sources are saying Buzz Peterson will return to Boone for a second tour of duty as Appalachian State University men's basketball head coach.

According to the report, "an announcement to name a new coach at ASU is planned for Wednesday morning."

Peterson was a primary target for the open coaching job after Houston Fancher was fired March 16, but the two sides could not reach an agreement. On April 9th, Peterson stated that he would not be accepting the position in Boone. The school shifted its search toward The Citadel coach Ed Conroy, former UNC-Charlotte head coach and current associate coach at Missouri Melvin Watkins, and Wake Forest assistant coach Pat Kelsey.

Conroy told The Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C., yesterday that he would remain at The Citadel. Kelsey took a job as an assistant coach at Xavier on Monday.

Peterson's statement was apparently not enough to discourage the Appalachian officials, who continued to keep lines of communication open with the coach after his statement that he would not take the job.

Under Peterson's tenure, the Mountaineers captured the SoCon tournament title and automatic entry into the NCAA Tournament in 2000. Peterson was 79-39 as coach at Appalachian.

Peterson left Boone to take the Tulsa head coach position, leading it to an NIT title in 2001, and moved on to Tennessee, where he was 61-59 with the Big Orange in four seasons before being fired. Peterson has most recently coached at Coastal Carolina for two seasons before taking his current position alongside former college roommate and teammate Michael Jordan with the Charlotte Bobcats.

Peterson, who played college basketball at North Carolina, is 201-134 in 11 seasons as a college coach.

Avery Baseball Routs Hendersonville; Plays Polk This Afternoon

Last Friday afternoon Avery played its second game in five days against Hendersonville. The Vikings showed no effects from the earlier loss to the Bearcats and used the earlier loss as motivational fuel in pounding Hendersonville 13-3 at home Friday afternoon.

The tone of the contest was set with the first batter, as Viking left fielder Sutton Stanley made a great diving catch on a ball hit from Bearcat leadoff hitter Paul Posthumus.

Avery held Hendersonville scoreless in the first and struck for a run itself in the bottom half off Bearcats starter Walgenbach. A Chris Childress leadoff double was followed by a groundout and a sacrifice fly from Adam Pate to manufacture a run and put the Big Red on the scoreboard.

Childress was also strong on the mound as he pitched a complete game and surrendered only eight hits and struck out four batters. After holding the Bearcats scoreless in the second, Avery padded its lead with a five-run frame on five hits, four of which were doubles. The Viking bats forced a Bearcats pitching change at inning’s end as Avery built a 6-0 lead.

Hendersonville finally broke through with a pair of runs in the third to narrow the gap to 6-2. Avery was retired in order for the only time in the game following the Bearcats runs, giving the visitors a chance to creep closer. Childress continued to keep Hendersonville in check, however, working out of trouble with a strikeout to leave a Bearcat stranded on third base to close the top of the fourth.

Avery put away the game for good in the bottom of the frame, batting around to score five runs off the Bearcats bullpen. The first seven hitters to come to the plate reached safely by single or error, with RBI hits by Steven Daniels and Zac Hall helping to push the Big Red lead to 11-2.

After a Hendersonville run in the top of the fifth, Avery put the finishing touches on a ten-run rout. Brooks Oakley singled to lead off the frame and Daniels walked two batters later. A two-out grounder by Daniel Huff was thrown away by the shortstop, allowing both Oakley and pinch-runner Ethan Sluder to score the final runs of the game.

“This was probably the most complete ballgame we have played all year from the standpoint of doing the little things right. Chris pitched an excellent game and the defense played behind him,” Coach Wellborn said after the win. “The bottom line was our attitudes were better, our approaches at the plate were better, and the base running was probably one of the best efforts we’ve had all season. We hustled and put pressure on the defense, forced some close plays, and they made some bad throws. It was a huge win because they had only one conference loss. We did just about everything right, the kids’ spirits were high, and hopefully it will provide us some momentum to roll into this coming week.”

Avery hosts Polk in a key 1A conference battle this afternoon at ACHS, then hosts Madison on Thursday, with a home game against Thomas Jefferson on Friday afternoon.

Home Run Barrage Lifts Avery Baseball Over Mitchell

A famous baseball TV commercial featuring former Atlanta Braves pitchers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux once proclaimed that "chicks dig the long ball". On Wednesday afternoon at Avery High School, a packed crowd of fans saw the Vikings go long on five separate occasions over a two-inning stretch, distancing themselves from a once-close contest with Mitchell to power past the Mountaineers 15-3 in five innings.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the second inning when Avery put three runs on the board. A well-executed double steal allowed Brooks Oakley to cross home for the first Viking run. Danny Cole hit a soft roller just past the pitcher and legged out a base hit later in the frame that scored Zac Hall from third, giving the Vikings a 2-0 advantage. Sutton Stanley then hit a double which scored Cole for Avery's third run. Two more batters reached base after Stanley's RBI, but the Big Red was unable to convert and left the bases loaded to close the productive inning.

Mitchell answered Avery's outburst with three runs of its own in the top of the third. A leadoff walk and base hit put a pair of runners on, and an RBI groundout provided the Mountaineers with their first run. A two-out walk put a pair of runners on base, which forced Avery skipper Benny Wellborn to call on Sutton Stanley in relief of starting pitcher Adam Pate. The first hitter Stanley faced roped a double into the gap to score both runners and tie the game. Stanley struck out the next batter to end the Mountaineer threat.

Coach Wellborn pulled his team together after the inning and challenged their focus, imploring the team to play better baseball and get some hits. The words of the passionate coach made a positive impact on his club, as the Big Red exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the third to bury the visitors from Ledger.

Steven Daniels led the inning off with a solo home run to left field to give the Vikings the lead again at 4-3 and, much like a great album from a popular musical group, one great Avery hit came after another. The blast was the first of nine base hits for the Vikings in the frame, as every player in the lineup scored a run by inning's end.

Base hits from Zac Hall, Jared Clark, and Danny Cole helped load the bases following the Daniels blast, and a Mitchell error scored Daniel Huff to put Avery ahead 5-3. Leadoff hitter Chris Childress then came to the plate with the bases full and parked a grand slam down the left field line, much to the delight of the home fans who braved the chilly and windy afternoon conditions.

The Childress shot gave Avery a 9-3 advantage, but the Vikings continued to roll. Two batters later Adam Pate joined the home run club, as he tattooed a pitch deep over the fence in dead center field for a two-run homer. Zac Hall ripped a laser over the left center field fence two batters later for a solo home run before Mitchell finally retired the side. When all was said and done, Avery held an impressive 12-3 lead.

Sutton Stanley continued the dominance from the mound and shut Mitchell down, retiring the side in order in the top of the fourth. In the bottom of the inning he displayed his versatility by powering a two-run home run to boost the Avery advantage to 14-3.

The Big Red added an insurance run for good measure as a number of reserves were inserted into the batting order and produced. Jack Buchanan drew a walk and Jordan English reached base on an error. Bo Barrier then drew a walk to load the bases and Joe Buchanan grounded into a fielder's choice to score Buchanan for the game's final run.

Stanley held Mitchell scoreless in the top of the fifth to seal the decisive win. Avery hosts Hendersonville this Friday for the second game of the week between the two squads. The Bearcats defeated Avery 9-1 on Monday behind an 11-strikeout pitching performance and 4 for 4 with two home run hitting display from Ben Walgenbach.

JohnMark Bentley Takes Reins as Appalachian Wrestling Head Coach

(courtesy Appalachian Sports Information)

JohnMark Bentley, an assistant coach the past three seasons, will become Appalachian State University’s head wrestling coach for the 2009-10 season. Bentley replaces Paul Mance, who spent the past 33 years as ASU’s head coach.

“We’re grateful for Coach Mance’s years of service to Appalachian as a student-athlete and coach and wish him nothing but the best in hisfuture endeavors,” ASU director of athletics Charlie Cobb said. “We are very excited about Coach Bentley taking the reins of the program and look forward to him leading us to more championships in the future.”

Bentley arrived at Appalachian in 2006 after spending three years as the head coach at nearby Watauga High School. In his final season with thePioneers, he led the squad to a third-place finish in the North Carolina state championship and coached three individual state champions.

He began his coaching career as an assistant at Davidson in 2002-03.Bentley was a three-time Atlantic Coast Conference champion wrestler at North Carolina from 1997-2001. He was the ACC Wrestler of the Year as a senior and a University Nationals freestyle all-American as a junior. He graduated from UNC with a bachelor’s degree in communications in 2001.

JohnMark, the son of Paul and Rita Bentley of Newland, was one of the most decorated prep athletes in the 40-year history of Avery County High School. A 1997 graduate, he was rated the #2 recruit in the nation at 135 lbs. by Amateur Wrestling News in 1997, and was the 1997 national high school champion at 130 lbs.

He posted a career record of 144-0 at Avery and was only the second wrestler in N.C. prep history to both finish his career undefeated and win four state titles. He was a two-time ASICS Tiger All-America, a member of the USA Dream Team at 145 lbs., was N.C. State Wrestling Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler, and was a two-time Academic All-America as well as Pepsi Cola Scholar Athlete.

Lady Vikings Host First Conference Softball Contest against Warlassies

With the postponement of Wednesday’s scheduled softball contest at Highland Tech, both the Lady Vikings varsity and junior varsity teams played a single contest each in action on the diamond last week On a sunny Thursday afternoon, the Avery softball squads tangled with a pair of talented Owen clubs.

The varsity teams took the field in the first game of the afternoon and found the going tough against the Warlassies, who had shut Avery out in a contest previously this season in Swannanoa. Owen showed why they are considered one of the top teams in the Western Highlands Conference as they came away with a 22-0 victory over the Big Red in five innings.

Avery was held to only one hit and just two base runners for the game, as a single to right field by senior catcher Sara Singleton and a walk drawn by pitcher Morgan Yackey accounted for the Vikings offense.

Lady Vikings starter Yackey threw well enough in the opening innings to keep the Lady Vikings within striking distance. Owen managed three runs in the first inning and two runs in both the second and third frames to lead by a 7-0 score, but the tough pitching of the Warlassies held Avery at bay.

The Owen offense opened the proverbial floodgates in the top of the fourth inning with 11 runs due to a combination of strong hitting and untimely errors in the field. Only ten of Owen’s total of 22 runs for the game was earned, and the Warlassies took advantage of virtually every opportunity afforded to them with a lineup that strongly rapped the softball to all fields.

“Today was difficult day for us. We did not play well and Owen is a very good team. That combination made it very tough for us to compete,” Avery head softball coach Merritt Yackey said after the loss. “It is one of those games we simply need to put behind us and prepare for our three games next week in which we should be very competitive. Two are conference games against Mitchell and Hendersonville, and one against Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy who will be in the conference next year.”

The Lady Vikings junior varsity team took to the diamond in the second half of Thursday’s doubleheader action with Owen and played with confidence and execution against a good Owen JV team. Although the Lady Vikings fell by a 14-3 final score, the team showed the ability offensively to get on base and manufacture runs, as well as play an exciting style of softball.

Owen scored nine first-inning runs on Avery, but could only muster one run over the next five frames as the Lady Vikings played well defensively. Starting pitcher Becca Biggerstaff settled into a groove, as the right-hander finished the complete-game effort with only five earned runs allowed and struck out eight batters.

Avery scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning to cut the deficit to seven runs. Biggerstaff laced a double in the frame and teammates Shelby McKinney, Gibson Slomkoski, and Charley Puckett each ripped the ball for base hits to provide offensive punch to the Big Red attack.

Although a four-run seventh inning wound up sealing the win for the Warlassies, the Lady Vikings JVs proved they should be formidable opponent for the remaining opponents they face this season.

“I thought our junior varsity girls competed very well after the first inning in which we gave up the nine runs. Shelby McKinney, Gibson Slomkoski and Charley Puckett each had RBIs with timely base hits and Shelby scored twice,” Coach Yackey stated after the game. “Becca Biggerstaff had two hits, scored a run, and did a good job pitching, only allowing five earned runs. Gibson Slomkoski had another good defensive game at second base recording four assists and a putout.”

Avery is scheduled to take on Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy early in the week, with home games against Mitchell on Wednesday and Hendersonville on Friday afternoon.

Offense Powers Avery Baseball Past Pair of Non-Conference Opponents

It is said when baseball players are in a zone as hitters, the baseball appears larger than normal. The Avery lineup must have been seeing beach balls last week at the plate, as the team’s bats were white hot in a pair of dominant performance over non-conference foes North Wilkes and Cloudland.

Avery traveled to Hays on Thursday and blasted 20 hits in a 15-8 victory over the North Wilkes Vikings, then hosted neighboring Cloudland on Saturday afternoon, closing the game with a walk-off home run to clinch a 13-2 five-inning win.

The Vikings received a strong pitching performance from senior starter Chris Childress. The lefty surrendered only one run over the first there innings while the Big Red bats spotted him 11 runs over the same stretch.

In the top of the first the Vikings took a 1-0 lead as Childress reached on a single, was moved over on an Adam Pate base hit, and drove home on an RBI groundout by catcher Steven Daniels.
North Wilkes tied the game in the bottom of the frame on a pair of hits, but Avery again retook the advantage in its next time at bat. The Big Red lineup batted around in the top of the second and produced six runs on five hits. Sutton Stanley laced an RBI single and Daniels ripped a bases loaded two-out double to score three more in the inning as the Vikings led 7-1.

Childress struck out a pair of hitters in the bottom of the inning, and the Avery hit parade continued in the top of the third. Four additional runs scored on five hits to put the Vikings on top by an 11-1 margin.

Offense was effective and efficient throughout the lineup for the Vikings, as the team was an astounding 20 of 38 at the plate collectively, good for a .526 team average for the seven innings of play.

After holding Avery to its first scoreless in both the fourth and fifth innings, the North Wilkes bats woke up in the bottom of the fourth to get back into the game. The Wilkes Vikings touched Childress and the Avery defense for four runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to bring the game to within five runs at 11-6.

The Viking bats again found their groove in the final two innings of play to keep the Big Red out front. Avery scored twice in each of its final two times at bat to put up 15 total runs. North rallied in the bottom of the sixth to score a pair of runs and Vikings skipper Benny Wellborn called on Daniel Huff to come on in relief to put out the fire. Huff closed the inning without further damage, and Brooks Oakley came on in the seventh to slam the door on the Avery win.

The entire Viking lineup from top to bottom was productive. Senior left fielder Sutton Stanley was a perfect 5 for 5 at the plate with three runs batted in and scored three times from the ninth spot in the order. Danny Cole and Jared Clark combined to score four runs out of the bottom third of the order as well. Childress and Zac Hall both had three hits in five plate appearances, while Pate, and Daniels had two hits apiece and combined for seven runs batted in.

“North was a pretty good ballclub that didn’t quit. We throttled down in the middle of the ballgame and made some mistakes and it almost came back to bite us. To our kids’ credit, we kept pushing and got key hits as we kept hitting the ball,” Avery head coach Benny Wellborn said after the win. “Our pitching has kept us in ballgames when our offense has struggled. Now we’re heating up with the bats, and hopefully we can continue to roll into an important part of our schedule.”

On Saturday afternoon Avery and Cloudland made up a game postponed earlier in the week due to weather. The ‘Landers struck first in the top of the first off Avery starter Adam Pate, as leadoff hitter Michael Hyden walked and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from first baseman Tyler Dyer. Hyden came around to score on an error on a ball hit by Casey Pritchard to the outfield for the game’s first run.

The Viking offense picked up where it left off from its previous contest as Avery struck for six first inning runs off Landers starter Pritchard. Twelve runners came to bat for Avery in the opening frame as Pritchard had difficulty with control, walking a trio of Avery batters and hitting another three players with pitches. Cody Bullwinkle was called on in relief after two-thirds of an inning and he prevented the Vikings from further extending their advantage.

In the bottom of the second Avery added a run to extend its lead to a half-dozen at 7-1. Steven Daniels singled and advanced on an error, then scored after a single from Zac Hall.

Cloudland answered the Vikings with a run in the top of the third to narrow the margin. Hyden reached on a one-out single then scored on an RBI hit by Dyer to cut the lead to 7-2.

In the bottom of the frame the Big Red added some insurance to help its cause. Avery plated three runs to stretch its lead to 10-2. Sutton Stanley led the inning off with a laser shot that hit the top of the fence in dead center field for a double. He scored on a perfectly executed RBI squeeze play by Chris Childress that resulted in Childress safely reaching base.

“Normally on a squeeze you want to just deaden the ball, but we noticed their second and first basemen were playing deep. I told our guys if they bunt the ball deep that they had a good chance to get on,” Vikings head baseball coach Benny Wellborn explained after the game. “Chris knew what we wanted to do, and he put it exactly where I wanted it. He did a heck of a job of putting the ball out there in that Bermuda Triangle area.”

Childress stole second base following the play and both he and teammate Pate scored, the latter on an RBI groundout and the latter on a steal of home.

As the fourth inning ensued, both teams threaten to score. Cloudland loaded the bases with two out in the top of the fourth, but pitcher Pate induced a groundout to close the inning and get out of the jam. Avery put a pair of runners on base in the bottom half of the frame, but Bullwinkle pitched masterfully as he struck out the side to quell the Viking opportunity.

The score remained unchanged until the bottom of the fifth and final inning. Oakley was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game to lead things off and stole second and third base while Pate followed up with a walk to put two runners on for catcher and clean-up hitter Steven Daniels. Cloudland coach Kevin Kendall called on Andy Holden to come on in relief. Daniels worked the count to 3-1, then hit a line shot over the fence in left centerfield for a walk-off, three-run home run for the final margin in the 13-2 Avery victory.

Starting pitcher Adam Pate went the full five innings to pick up the pitching victory, his second in two starts this season.

“He’s a competitor. He did well. He hasn’t thrown since the first time we played Cloudland. We couldn’t expect him to be perfect out there, as he hasn’t thrown many bullpens. He had a little rust, but he battled and performed pretty well,” Coach Wellborn said after the game. “It might sound a little weird, but we’re doing well with being patiently aggressive at the plate. We’re putting good swings on the ball and we’ve been recognizing good pitches with our plate approaches, plus we’re being smart, recognizing when a pitcher is having a hard time on the mound and making him work.”

Childress was 2 for 3 with a pair of RBI for Avery. Adam Pate was 1 for 2 and scored three runs, while Steven Daniels was 3 for 4 with a home run, three runs scored, and three runs batted in. Avery ventures back into conference play this week with a home-and-home series against Hendersonville, hosting the Bearcats on Friday. The Vikings will host rival Mitchell in Newland on Wednesday.

Avery Defeats Polk for First Time in Conference Play

The Avery Lady Vikings (ranked tenth in the latest Eurosport NC 1A girls soccer poll) scored a go-ahead goal at the 54-minute mark and the defense held third-ranked Polk County at bay in a 2-1 win Monday evening at MacDonald Stadium. The victory was the team's first triumph since the Lady Wolverines joined the Western Highlands Conference.

The Lady Vikings came out strong despite having an almost two-week period between games. Avery did not rest on its laurels during the break, however, as the coaches and players worked on a formation change throughout the practice week. By match's end, it was apparent that the hard work paid off in a major fashion.

Throughout the first half both teams played disciplined defense. Polk County could not cash in on a couple of shot attempts in the half, as one shot hit a crossbar and another caromed off a post, keeping the contest scoreless.

The Lady Wolverines did finally break through for the game's first goal, however, as junior midfielder Anna Trakas peeled off a precise cross field shot from around 15 yards which found the upper corner of the net for the 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute. The score remained unchanged through the remainder of the half.

Avery showed renewed vigor and tenacity as the second half began, showing fresh legs and pressuring the Lady Wolverines in all parts of the field. In the second minute of the half the Lady Vikings took a corner kick, and Mary Chesnut Smith executed with pinpoint precision the kick, which Emily Banner headed into the net for the equalizer to knot the score at 1-1.

The Big Red kept the pressure on the Lady Wolverines, who appeared to ever-so-slightly bend from the combination of cooler temperatures and a relentless Lady Vikings club that peppered the Polk netminder with nine shots on goal. Calloway continued to be a wall in goal for Avery, as she fended off every shot that came her way.

At the 56th minute the Lady Vikings made a game-changing play as sophomore forward Melinda Eggers put pressure on a Polk defender and forced a bad pass which Smith stole for Avery. Smith broke away from the pack toward the Lady Wolverine goal. Smith took a ground ball shot which the Polk looked to make a play on. The ball escaped the keeper's grasp, however, and slowly rolled into the back of the net for a 2-1 Lady Viking advantage.

Avery's stonewalling defense took over for the final 25 minutes of the contest as the veteran back line defenders such as senior Kasey Brown, junior Hayden Blackburn, and senior keeper Cailan Calloway, as well as a tireless midfield and front line frustrated the visitors from Columbus.

As time expired the Lady Vikings celebrated the win with congratulatory hugs and extended arms of triumph. The win ties Avery with both Polk and Hendersonville at only one conference loss each. The Lady Vikings hold a 6-1 conference mark equaling the Lady Wolverines, while Hendrsonville holds an 8-1 mark in WHC play.

"This is about the best we've played. We played a little sloppy at times in the first half, but the second half really won it for us. In the first half we were passive and letting them do what they wanted to do, but in the second half the girls came out ready to play soccer," the coaching staff stated following the huge win.

"Everybody in the game played to their top level. The practice week helped us. We had three really good practices that helped us prepare mentally for this game. If we can take what we did tonight and carry that intensity into the rest of the season, we can step up in any areas where we may be lacking."

The win improved Avery to 10-2-1 overall, while Polk drops to 9-6 on the season. Avery travels to Mars Hill College on Thursday evening to take on the WHC fifth-place Madison Lady Patriots, then return home for a pivotal rematch with the Hendersonville Lady Bearcats, who are ranked sixth in 1A soccer and hold a 10-2 overall record.

UT Wraps Up Spring Practice With Orange and White Game

By: Matt Laws (matt.laws@averyjournal.com)
AJT Sports Blog Exclusive

If Saturday’s Orange and White game was any indication, Volunteer fans will enjoy Coach Lane Kiffin’s debut season in Knoxville.

Tennessee wrapped up their first spring practices under Kiffin with the annual Orange and White game as the offense dressed in UT’s road white uniforms defeated the Orange clad defense 41-

23.

"We just wanted to execute," Kiffin said. "We made some throws, we made some catches and we made some great runs. It was real fun. We got in a rhythm, and we just flowed with it."

The second largest UT spring game crowd, attendance was announced at 51,488, saw a trio of running backs turn in impressive performances as Montario Hardesty, Tauren Poole and

Toney Williams started a battle for playing time. Hardesty ended the game with the only rushing touchdown as he scored from five yards out and had 45 yards on the day. Poole and Williams both had 78 yards apiece.

Tennessee’s quarterback situation, however, did not change from last season as there is no clear cut winner heading into the fall. B.J Coleman added two scores for the Vols with a nine yard throw to Brandon Warren and four yard touchdown to Quintin Hancock. Warren also scored on a five yard pass from Nick Stephens while Jonathon Crompton hit Austin Rogers for a 16 yard touchdown.

Coleman ended the game 13 of 22 for 160 yards while Crompton was 14 of 27 for 143 yards and Stephens was 11 of 21 with 131 yards.

Rico McCoy forced the only turnover of the game as he picked off a Crompton pass. In the scoring system used, the defense received five points for forcing a turnover and three points for

stopping an offensive drive. The defense recorded six stops plus the turnover.

Despite the success on the field, both squads played the game with limited play books due to the fact the game was being broadcast on tape delayed. Kiffin estimated that the offense only used about 20 percent of the playbook to keep from handing opponents information.

Former Coach Phillip Fulmer was also at Neyland on Saturday as he was honored as he received the General Robert Neyland Trophy from the Knoxville Quarterback Club. UT historian Haywood Harris was also honored before the contest. However, Saturday was an experience in itself for Kiffin and his assistants.

The Orange and White Game was also an opportunity for the new coa

ching staff to experience football on Rocky Top. The coaches put the players through the normal game day activities. During the traditional Vol Walk, Kiffin appeared to soak in the atmosphere as he calmly walked to Neyland Stadium. Defensive Line Coach Ed Orgeron, however, excited the crowd with arm pumps and giving fans high fives. The elder Kiffin Monte was a

lso treated to a friendly Rocky Top welcome as fans chanted his name along the route.

“Most of

our players have been through this,” Kiffin said. “But for our staff, and I tell you, we’ve had a lot of coaches that have been to a lot of really good places and won a lot of games, but when we got done with that Vol Walk and came in the locker room I had some guys come up to me and say, ‘Man, I’ve never seen anything like that.’ And these are guys that have been to some really special places, so it was really neat.”

Kiffin also couldn’t help but notice the enthusiasm of the Vol fans and the energy they brought to Neyland Stadium.

“The energy out t

here was unbelievable. I really want to thank our fans. That was exactly what we needed today. We needed that environment, because we needed to find out, amongst our players, who was going to thrive in that environment.”

Despite the success of sprin

g, the coaching staff knows that their work is not done. UT also has ques

tions to answer entering fall camp, including who will be the starting signal caller.

“I’ve got to go to the film to really break them down, exactly, because there’s so much going on out there that you’re watching,” Kiffin said of Saturday’s quarterback play. “But I thought they protected the ball well, and it seemed like the

y made good decisions, for the most part.”